The board of directors for the newly-formed Printing United Alliance has been confirmed, bringing together the combined leadership of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and Printing Industries of America (PIA).

Printing United Alliance has been created by the merger of SGIA and PIA, and is led by Ford Bowers, formerly of SGIA, as president and CEO. Michael Makin, formerly PIA president and CEO, has become executive vice president.

Further members of the Printing United Alliance board of directors include: Scott Crosby of Transcontinental Holland & Crosby as chairman of the board; Paul Cousineau, of Dow Jones as first vice chair; Christopher Bernat of Vapor Apparel/Source Substrates as second vice chair; Michael Marcian, corporate communications group as third vice chair; Dean DeMarco of IDL Worldwide as treasurer; Brooke Hamilton of NPI as secretary; Thomas Cooper III of WestRock as immediate past chair; Edward Cook, Jr. of ECI Screen Print as chair of chairmen’s advisory council; Scott Schinlever of Gerber Technology as associate vice chair; and Mr Bowers.

Directors at large include: Brian Adam, Olympus Group; Nick Buettner, American Cut and Sew; Roger Chamberlain, The Cincinnati Insurance Company; Kristen Danson, MitoGraphics; Chris Feryn, Premier Press; Kevin Gazdag, KG Graphics Décor; Bryan Hall, Graphic Visual Solutions; Lane Hickey-Wiggins, Douglass Screen Printers Inc. dba DPRINT; Brian Hite, Image Options; Michael Magerl, Trabon Group; Brent Moncrief, Fujifilm; Joseph Olivo, Perfect Communications; Edward Pidcock, Chillybears; Heather Poulin, Ricoh USA; Timothy Saur, Durst Imaging Technology US; Elaine Scrima, GSP Companies; and Michael Wagner, Butler Technologies. Joseph Lyman, president of the Great Lakes Graphics Association serves as affiliate manager.

Mr Cousineau said, ‘The industry is going through great change right now, so the timing for these two like-minded organizations to come together dovetails nicely. I am honored to be a part of something so significant and impactful. I’ve enjoyed the process working with the board in getting to this point and look forward to the future.’