A Summit for Signage

ST Media Group International Inc. (Cincinnati), publisher of VM+SD, has announced plans to host the first annual Signage and Graphics Summit. It will take place Jan. 25–27, 2006, at the Westin Innisbrook Golf Resort–Tampa Bay.

Seminar programming will be developed by the editors of three magazines also published by ST Media Group — Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, and The Big Picture. Seminars will focus on the technologies, business-management issues and market-development opportunities that unite leading signage and graphics companies. The program will also include breakout sessions for sign companies, screen printers and digital print shops, zeroing in on the most timely and pressing topics for these industries.

According to Tedd Swormstedt, president of ST Media Group, the summit is geared toward companies that conduct high-volume business with large accounts, including production sign companies, headquarters of nationwide sign franchises, screen printers specializing in display graphics, digital print shops, and other graphics providers who use large-format digital printing. The program will be developed specifically for ceo’s and production heads of these leading companies.

The Specialty Graphics Imaging Assn. (SGIA) has announced plans to sponsor the summit, providing special promotional and programming support. “SGIA’s goal is to provide tools to move our members’ businesses forward,” said SGIA president and ceo Michael Robertson. “The educational opportunities at The Signage and Graphics Summit help accomplish that very task for two key SGIA membership constituencies. We’re pleased to be a part of it.”

“The idea for the summit came from listening to signage and graphics providers as they discussed the challenges that they face,” said Swormstedt. “With the support of SGIA, we feel that we have an incredible opportunity to provide graphics professionals with a unique forum to learn, share ideas and face challenges.”

Continual updates about The Signage and Graphics Summit will be available on its website, www.signageandgraphicssummit.com. Pre-event coverage will also be published in the coming issues of Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, and The Big Picture magazines.