Semi-Annual Meeting 2024: Speakers
We are excited to offer this incredible lineup of speakers at the 2024 Semi-Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas!
Anthony Robles
Keynote Speaker
Keynote Address: My Story: Unstoppable
A three-time all-American champion wrestler despite being born with only one leg, Anthony Robles is the inspiring subject of the forthcoming motion picture, Unstoppable—being produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company.
One of the most inspirational athletes in sports history and a true symbol of courage and perseverance, Anthony Robles was born with one leg and grew up to become an unstoppable phenomenon in NCAA wrestling, competing against able-bodied challengers, ultimately winning the NCAA Champion title, and inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Robles was the recipient of the “Jimmy V Perseverance Award” at the ESPN ESPYs and he has also received the NFL “Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award”. Robles is a Nike athlete, the first signed to an agreement after having retired from active participation in a sport. He is currently ESPN's NCAA wrestling analyst and expert and is the wrestling analyst for the Pac-12 Network as well. He was inducted to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012 and is the author of Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion. In 2013, President Obama appointed Robles as a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. Additionally, Robles was a member of the Presidential Delegation to the 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games.
In 2015, the National Wrestling Media Associated awarded Robles with the "Broadcaster of the Year" award, and then he was inducted into Arizona's Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Between 2018 - 2021, he became the Guinness World Record Holder for 3 different pull-up records. Most recently, Robles became inducted into ASU's Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame.
Robles lives in Chandler, Arizona. The script for a feature film chronicling his remarkable life story has been completed, and the film is currently in pre-production with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company.
Howie Fenton
CEO, Howie Fenton Consulting
General Session #1: From a Production Consultant Perspective: How to Enhance Your Performance
Howie Fenton has served as a leading consultant to the graphic arts industry for over 36 years, advising commercial and in-plant printers, book publishers, large format printers, and franchise signage companies. An accomplished author, Fenton has penned five books along with countless articles and blogs, establishing himself as an authority in the field. His reputation as a dynamic speaker and expert consultant is well-earned.
Fenton's expertise lies in benchmarking operational and financial performance and analyzing industry best practices employed by market leaders. With a remarkable history of serving over 500 companies, Fenton's track record boasts a consistent ability to enhance any workflow or production strategy he encounters.
His wealth of experience has led to national speaking tours, including prestigious events such as Apple Power Tools for Publishing, Agfa Across America, Banta Technovation, PIA Orientation to the Graphic Arts, and Xerox Innovate. With two decades of experience at organizations like GATF, PIA, NAPL, and InfoTrends, Fenton has honed his skills to a fine edge, which led to the inception of his own enterprise, Howie Fenton Consulting.
Gene Marks
CEO, The Marks Group / Forbes Technology Columnist
General Session #2: AI: Game-Changing Technologies That Will Impact Manufacturing and Distribution
A former daily columnist for both the New York Times and Washington Post, Gene now writes weekly on small business, public policy and technology for The Guardian, The Washington Times, The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes (where he writes the popular On CRM column), Entrepreneur and Accounting Today. Gene’s columns reach hundreds of thousands of readers each week and he has an online following of more than 600,000 on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Gene has written six books on business management, specifically geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is The Manufacturer’s Book of Lists. Gene regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, MSNBC and CNBC. He’s also a frequent guest on Sirius/XM’s Wharton Business Channel and The John Batchelor Show, which is syndicated nationally on the ABC Radio Network.
Through his keynotes, workshops, seminars and executive retreats, Gene helps business owners, executives and managers understand the political, economic, and technological trends that will affect their companies so they can make profitable decisions.
Gene owns and operates The Marks Group PC, a highly successful ten-person firm that provides technology and consulting services to small and medium sized businesses. The Marks Group PC, launched in 1994, has grown to help more than 600 companies and thousands of individuals throughout the country.
Prior to starting the Marks Group PC Gene, a Certified Public Accountant, spent nine years in the entrepreneurial services arm of the international consulting firm KPMG in Philadelphia where he was a Senior Manager.
Michael Voight
swissQprint
Industry Best Practice: Color Matching
Michael has been with swissQprint since 2018 encompassing multiple technical roles within the company. He is currently an Application Specialist focusing on client training and demonstrations, new material qualification, application research and development. He also oversees the Irvine, California Demo Center. Michael has 18 years’ experience within the print industry specializing in digital print technology, screen printing, color management, RIP software, and graphic design. Customers are drawn to his passion for print and showcasing all the application possibilities printers and designers can realize with swissQprint printers.
Neil Bolding
MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions
Industry Best Practice: Today’s Process Challenges / Tomorrow’s Opportunities
Neil Bolding has been involved in the printing industries for over 40 years. His work has supported customers' functional printing as well as high pressure forming and injection molding processes in the development of the products required for printed, formed or flexible electronics applications.
Neil is an active member in numerous trade organizations. He is currently the chair of IPC’s D-60 printed electronics, and in 2007, he was elected to Printing United’s Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technology, where he serves as Vice Chair (2023-24) and Chair (2025-26). He is also a member of the Ink & Chemical Advisory Board.
Rich Cray
Senior Vice President, Lockton
General Session #3: Medical Benefits Case Study
Rich Cray is a Senior Vice President with Lockton out of Kansas City. While Lockton is the largest privately held global insurance broker, Rich has carved out a niche within the company. For the better part of a decade, he has been one of the nation's leading consultants helping companies transition from fully insured health plans to self-insured health plans utilizing group captives. Rich and his significantly better half, Ashley, have 5 children under 10 years old. In his free time, he enjoys coaching his kids in sports and spending time with his family.
Karen Moser
Chief Talent Officer, Welty
General Session #4: People, Process, Profit
Karen is a seasoned human resource professional with more than 30 years of experience in both service and manufacturing environments with a true passion for finding ways to maximize employee potential. In her role, Karen is responsible for the entire human resource function including, training and development, hiring, recruiting, culture building and management coaching.
Join fellow GPI Members September 17-19th in Dallas, Texas for the 2024 Semi-Annual Meeting!