David Savastano, Editor09.24.15
John Copeland, president and COO at Toyo Ink America, has been chosen as the next executive director of the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM), starting Nov. 1, 2015
An eight-year NAPIM Board member, Copeland served as president of NAPIM from 2013-15. Brad Bergey, the current executive director, will remain with the association through this year to help with the transition.
“I am very happy to be selected to run NAPIM,” Copeland said. “It is an honor to be part of NAPIM with its long history and service to our industry. A very strong appeal for me to the position of Executive Director of NAPIM is the opportunity to work for and add support to the printing and printing ink industries. Both of these industries are close to my heart and have been for many years.”
“We are excited about starting this next chapter at NAPIM with John at the helm. Brad Bergey has been a great leader for NAPIM, and he will be missed,” said Pat Carlisle, NAPIM president and president of Joules Angstrom U.V. Printing Inks.
“We needed someone with management experience who is down to earth,” Carlisle added. “John did a good job when he served as NAPIM president in advancing the association. He’s a people person, and that’s what we need. In addition to his experience in sales, John also has a technical background, and has strong relationships with ink companies and suppliers.”
Bergey said there were a lot of candidates for the executive director post, and Copeland had the right mix of abilities.
“I am happy with the executive committee’s choice,” Bergey said. “We probably had a little less than a dozen internal candidates and 25 external candidates. John has the graphic arts experience we were looking for. He had served as NAPIM president for two years and was also a member of the board for NPES.
“John has worked with a number of ink companies, and he knows the ink manufacturers and our technical associate members (TAMs) well,” Bergey added. “John understands the importance of retaining and adding new members and has knowledge of both the sales and technical sides of the business. He also knows our customers, as he has worked with printers all of his life, on the commercial and packaging side. I think he’ll do a great job.”
The executive director manages and directs all activities of the Association, subject to the policies established by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and through the office of the president.
“NAPIM’s main purpose is to support the general development and improvement of member companies by fostering greater understanding and knowledge of the printing ink industry,” Copeland noted. “NAPIM also represents the industry on a national basis. Additionally, NAPIM and NPIRI (National Printing Ink Research Institute) provide seminars, conferences, publications, bulletins and consulting services to its member companies.”
Many trade associations are facing challenges in terms of providing value to their members. Copeland said that NAPIM will be active on that front.
“NAPIM needs to maintain and attract members, which is a constant battle, and this requires creating more benefits for our members,” Carlisle said.
“The biggest challenge facing NAPIM and other associations is to increase the relevancy of trade associations,” Bergey said. “New markets and regulations are coming. NAPIM is the only trade association that represents ink companies and allied suppliers.”
“As all of us know, the printing and all related industries have gone through some drastic and difficult changes,” Copeland said. “Technologies continue to change, resulting in a wide range of impacts to our industry. My goals will be to continue to keep NAPIM and NPIRI as viable resources for support for our members and industry, stay modernized and current in technology and be an organization that helps attracts interest in printing and printing inks on a national and worldwide basis. I feel parallel goals for NAPIM and NPIRI consist of environmental compliance, government policy awareness and sister organization partnerships that provide help and resources for our members.”
Copeland has more than 36 years of experience working in the ink industry. He started his career in 1978 working for Sinclair & Valentine in Dayton, OH as a lab technician. He was with Handschy Industries in Chicago for nearly 11 years, working in several capacities, including technical director of paste inks, as well as SICPA Ink Systems and Web Inks Ltd./Prestige Color. He joined Toyo Ink in 2003 as VP of operations, rising to president and COO of Toyo Ink America, LLC.
In March 2006, Copeland received the Ink Maker of the Year award from the Chicago Printing Ink Production Club. In 2011, he was honored by NAPIM with the prestigious Printing Ink Pioneer Award. He is married and is the father of four sons and one daughter as well as four grandchildren. Some of his hobbies include playing guitar, golf, watching ice hockey and studying the history of printing.
An eight-year NAPIM Board member, Copeland served as president of NAPIM from 2013-15. Brad Bergey, the current executive director, will remain with the association through this year to help with the transition.
“I am very happy to be selected to run NAPIM,” Copeland said. “It is an honor to be part of NAPIM with its long history and service to our industry. A very strong appeal for me to the position of Executive Director of NAPIM is the opportunity to work for and add support to the printing and printing ink industries. Both of these industries are close to my heart and have been for many years.”
“We are excited about starting this next chapter at NAPIM with John at the helm. Brad Bergey has been a great leader for NAPIM, and he will be missed,” said Pat Carlisle, NAPIM president and president of Joules Angstrom U.V. Printing Inks.
“We needed someone with management experience who is down to earth,” Carlisle added. “John did a good job when he served as NAPIM president in advancing the association. He’s a people person, and that’s what we need. In addition to his experience in sales, John also has a technical background, and has strong relationships with ink companies and suppliers.”
Bergey said there were a lot of candidates for the executive director post, and Copeland had the right mix of abilities.
“I am happy with the executive committee’s choice,” Bergey said. “We probably had a little less than a dozen internal candidates and 25 external candidates. John has the graphic arts experience we were looking for. He had served as NAPIM president for two years and was also a member of the board for NPES.
“John has worked with a number of ink companies, and he knows the ink manufacturers and our technical associate members (TAMs) well,” Bergey added. “John understands the importance of retaining and adding new members and has knowledge of both the sales and technical sides of the business. He also knows our customers, as he has worked with printers all of his life, on the commercial and packaging side. I think he’ll do a great job.”
The executive director manages and directs all activities of the Association, subject to the policies established by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and through the office of the president.
“NAPIM’s main purpose is to support the general development and improvement of member companies by fostering greater understanding and knowledge of the printing ink industry,” Copeland noted. “NAPIM also represents the industry on a national basis. Additionally, NAPIM and NPIRI (National Printing Ink Research Institute) provide seminars, conferences, publications, bulletins and consulting services to its member companies.”
Many trade associations are facing challenges in terms of providing value to their members. Copeland said that NAPIM will be active on that front.
“NAPIM needs to maintain and attract members, which is a constant battle, and this requires creating more benefits for our members,” Carlisle said.
“The biggest challenge facing NAPIM and other associations is to increase the relevancy of trade associations,” Bergey said. “New markets and regulations are coming. NAPIM is the only trade association that represents ink companies and allied suppliers.”
“As all of us know, the printing and all related industries have gone through some drastic and difficult changes,” Copeland said. “Technologies continue to change, resulting in a wide range of impacts to our industry. My goals will be to continue to keep NAPIM and NPIRI as viable resources for support for our members and industry, stay modernized and current in technology and be an organization that helps attracts interest in printing and printing inks on a national and worldwide basis. I feel parallel goals for NAPIM and NPIRI consist of environmental compliance, government policy awareness and sister organization partnerships that provide help and resources for our members.”
Copeland has more than 36 years of experience working in the ink industry. He started his career in 1978 working for Sinclair & Valentine in Dayton, OH as a lab technician. He was with Handschy Industries in Chicago for nearly 11 years, working in several capacities, including technical director of paste inks, as well as SICPA Ink Systems and Web Inks Ltd./Prestige Color. He joined Toyo Ink in 2003 as VP of operations, rising to president and COO of Toyo Ink America, LLC.
In March 2006, Copeland received the Ink Maker of the Year award from the Chicago Printing Ink Production Club. In 2011, he was honored by NAPIM with the prestigious Printing Ink Pioneer Award. He is married and is the father of four sons and one daughter as well as four grandchildren. Some of his hobbies include playing guitar, golf, watching ice hockey and studying the history of printing.