Flint Group Leaders Earn Prestigious Awards

On the shop floor. That’s where Bill Miller got his start more than 30 years ago. Mr. Miller has come a long way, and this month, he and two other Flint Group leaders, Michael Podd and Ron Gallas, were honored at the recent National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) convention.

Mr. Miller, now president of Flint Group’s Print Media divisions in North America and Europe, rose through Flint Group’s ranks based on the caliber of his work, his integrity and his leadership capabilities. He has made countless contributions to Flint Group and the ink industry, as underscored by NAPIM’s decision to bestow upon him the Ault Award, one of the ink industry’s highest honors.

Over the years, he has helped to guide Flint Group through ongoing growth, even under challenging market conditions. His leadership enabled Flint Group to explore diverse but focused strategies – from acquisitions to product excellence and more. Perhaps most notable is his involvement in the evolution of Flint Group, building this long-time supplier of printing inks and coatings into a global provider of nearly every pressroom need, including inks, blankets, pressroom chemicals and consumables.

Those who work for and with Mr. Miller note that his strong leadership skills include a unique balance of vision and pragmatism, an approachable management style and a dedication to talent development.

Mr. Podd, global vice president, RR Donnelley, Print Media, is a consummate professional with an interactive and inclusive leadership approach. He tirelessly leads his teams through careful consideration of complex business matters, ensuring well informed decisions and well planned execution. His numerous contributions to the ink industry span ink and coating product development, expert technical support and a partnership approach to account management, among others.

Mr. Podd has held many senior management positions at Flint Group, helping to increase sales and implement valuable process improvements in areas such as sales, service, distributor relations and more.

Mr. Gallas, director of global sales, pigments, chips and resins, started his career in the pigment industry in 1977, arriving at Flint Group in the late 1980s to manage sales in the company’s modestly sized pigment division. His skills and management capabilities earned him increasingly greater responsibilities. Today, sales are 10 times greater than when he started. Mr. Gallas’ exceptional leadership, dedication to the industry and ability to serve his customers worldwide played a significant role in that growth.

His many technical contributions include involvement in developing the “bag in a box” concept for flush color, now an industry standard, which allows customers to move away from 55-gallon steel drums. He was also involved in developing soy-based flush and pumpable and more easily dispersed flushes. From technical advancements to quality and manufacturing improvements to sales growth, Mr. Gallas has played a significant role in expanding Flint Group’s global pigments businesses.