Kevin Rickard, Vice President of Operations at Rickard Bindery,
is newly-elected
President of BIA (Binding Industries Association International)
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| New BIA President Kevin Rickard. Click image for a high res. photo. |
Chicago, IL – At the recently concluded combined GATF/PIA Presidents Conference and BIA Annual Conference in LaQuinta, California, Kevin Rickard, was elected President of Binding
Industries Association International (BIA) for a two-year term beginning in March 2004.
As incoming BIA president, Mr. Rickard, who is also Vice President of Operations for Rickard Bindery in Chicago, Illinois, listed his top three priorities as:
1) Creating better educational and networking opportunities
2) Expanding the influence of BIA members in the graphic arts community
3) Significantly increasing BIA membership and participation
The BIA is the foremost association for the post press and information packaging industries and boasts hundreds of members worldwide. It operates as a Special Industry Group (SIG) of the Printing Industries of America (PIA), which further enhances the value of a BIA membership.
Mr. Rickard would like to see a reinvigoration of BIA membership. In his opinion, association membership and participation have suffered because of the increased time pressure that most business professionals face. Reducing association activities is an unwise decision because there is tremendous value in keeping current in one’s own industry while continually growing a wide reaching professional network.
According to Mr. Rickard, “Binding, finishing and loose-leaf manufacturers are dealing with a rapidly evolving marketplace. The peaks are higher and the valleys are lower. Turnaround demands on companies are getting more extreme. As an industry, we are better off speaking with one voice.”
When asked about the value his company receives from its BIA membership, Mr. Rickard responds, “Every month, we get information that’s not available anywhere else. We get tips on marketing, sales, production, employee retention, finance, industry trends and more. We attend shows and participate in product of excellence award competitions. These are some of the activities that help owners and managers lead profitable businesses.”
In Mr. Rickard’s opinion, the number one benefit of the BIA is networking. “Being with my peers and bouncing ideas off of qualified people in similar situations is invaluable. Since the BIA attracts the best-of-the-best from all around North America and beyond, the learning never stops. And,” he adds, “our meetings are a heck of a lot of fun!”
SIDEBAR: A conversation with Kevin Rickard explaining how association memberships provide a wealth of opportunity for graphic arts professionals
Reporter: Are graphic arts professionals looking for new ways to place their companies at the top of customer’s minds?
Mr. Rickard: Of course they are! There are literally dozens of ways to enhance your company’s visibility in the marketplace, including advertising, web sites, sales calls and public relations. However, many of us do not even consider one of the best promotional tools available: Trade associations!
Reporter: Are trade association memberships good investments?
Mr. Rickard: They’re one of the best, and for more reasons than you may think. A good industry association and its membership can be many things for your company: a sounding board for crucial decisions; a technical educator for yourself and your employees; even a “middle man” that offers group purchasing discounts. Of course, your association membership is only as valuable as you make it. Active participation in association events will only enhance the value it has for you and will certainly be worth the time and effort put forth.
Reporter: Please tell us about your responsibilities at Rickard Bindery.
Mr. Rickard: We’re a three-shift company, employing about 100 people with a thin management structure. I have multiple responsibilities including plant scheduling, customer service and quality assurance. It’s a good thing we have carefully developed management systems to effectively track an awful lot of information at one time because the details of this business can be overwhelming.
Reporter: Give me one thing that is necessary for business success as a bindery.
Mr. Rickard: (Smiling) Other than BIA membership?
Reporter: Yes, other than a BIA membership.
Mr. Rickard: Without a doubt, effective communication. Again, details are everything. My primary focus is making sure that our employees understand the importance of great communication and getting details right. Our workday is fast-paced, never the same and never boring. Each Rickard Bindery team member finds the never-ending quest for better customer solutions continually rewarding and challenging. Great communication is the foundation for great performance.
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About Rickard Bindery: Founded in 1900, three-shift Rickard Bindery has been providing advanced folding and other post press solutions for more than a century. Half of the company’s 80,000 ft. building is dedicated to folding paper. In addition to having 80 folders, (23 of which are small format), the company has 22 glue machines, five saddle stitchers, two pocket folder/gluers and other related equipment. Rickard Bindery’s services include miniature, oversized, map, gate and specialty folding, 12-pocket saddle stitching, attaching, loop stitching, seam, fugitive and remoistenable gluing, rotary scoring, personalized product handling, fulfillment, wafer sealing and automatic shrink wrapping.
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