Print Production Manager

MANAGEMENT: CREATIVE / PROJECT / PRODUCTION / PRINTING

Collaborative, organized manager and team leader with proven record of establishing leading design departments and driving successful operations. Quality-conscious director who ensures optimum customer satisfaction through exceptional project oversight and hands-on application of design and production techniques. Skilled trainer and mentor who improves productivity and quickly transitions entire departments to new processes while maintaining superior production and customer service levels.

Operations Management • Strategic Planning • Operations Development • Process Improvement • Budgets • Creative Design • Team Leadership • Team Training • Trafficking • Productivity Improvement • Presentations • Project Management • Team Development • Issue Resolution • Employee / Customer Relations

TECHNICAL SKILLS

PC/Mac • Servers/Networking • Photoshop • InDesign • Illustrator • Acrobat • Quark

DesignMerge • FileMaker • Preps • Rampage

Word • Excel • PowerPoint • Project • Access

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

360 DIGITAL PRINT, Carol Stream, Illinois

Production Manager / Creative Supervisor (contract) – 2010-Present

Established configuration of the startup company’s investment. Instituted company procedures and workflow processes. Managed equipment purchases and networking issues. Directed all customer digital print projects, coordinating with creative and sales. Was the liaison for all variable data projects, while reinforcing relationships with clientele.

Key Achievements:

- Streamlined workflow for variable data projects, utilizing the Xerox 700 & 1000 digital printers and decreasing the turnaround time.

- Strengthened customer approval by visualizing processes necessary for complete fulfillment.

ANDERSON DIGITAL SERVICES, Carol Stream, Illinois

Project Manager / Art Director – 2007-2010 (company closed)

Spear-headed all design department team efforts to develop and deliver custom digital print projects. Oversaw customer projects from conceptualization through digital print media/Internet. Worked with customers to coordinate Xerox DocuTech printers and Karat digital press projects. Collaborated with customers to outline project requirements and coordinate digital job completion.

Key Achievements:

- Increased customer distribution by designing variable data projects using customer input and design knowledge.

- Improved customer satisfaction by leading all quality control and packaging processes.

AMERICAN HOTEL REGISTER COMPANY, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Prepress Manager / Website Development – 1999-2007

Established PDF workflow processes to help drive the company’s $600M in annual sales. Implemented advertising for company websites, including all graphics, logos, and design elements. Managed the 10-person design department team development activity supporting company promotional efforts, including design concepts for flyer covers and sell-sheets. Led design conceptualization for flyer covers and sell-sheet projects. Directed product photography department, producing 1,500 product shots annually. Collaborated each week with e-Commerce and IT teams to develop website and advertising strategies, including identifying advertising design needs. Helped design numerous company websites. Managed freelance photographers, printers, and designer teams. Trained hundreds of employees, improving marketing, advertising, and sales results. Launched a job tracking process for advertising projects. Helped select the company’s content management system (CMS). Contributed to the annual departmental budget decision-making process.

Key Achievements:

- Decreased operating costs $200K annually by leading the transition of the in-house prepress to digital operations.

- Consistently delivered an annual 12-15% expense reduction.

- Reduced time and operating expense by creating new advertising/merchandising processes.

- Developed and managed numerous databases housing over 65K products/product information.

- Integrated all website product data, linking website, CMS, and advertising/merchandising processes.

- Delivered the annual 2,200-page catalog and more than 100 campaign materials.

ADDITIONAL HISTORY

BERLIN INDUSTRIES, INC., Carol Stream, Illinois

Prepress / Plate Department Manager

Established electronic prepress operations for the printing company with $350M in annual sales. Designed prepress department, purchased equipment, and selected employees. Developed CTP workflow, integrating electronic prepress, plate, and press department functions. Developed prepress-related department budgets and scheduled daily workflow. Managed 35 staff on four shifts, training over 60 customer service, sales, and production team members on digital processes. Visited customers and presented new service offerings. Put new technology systems into place, including Rampage Rip, Kodak Approval, Fuji Digital blueline, Creo CTP, and Agfa.

Key Achievements:

- Decreased outsourcing 70% by implementing in-house operations.

- Transitioned all production to digital processes by developing new workflow processes.

- Increased customer satisfaction by training key customers on processes and benefits.

STUDIO COLOR, INC., Lombard, Illinois

Vice President of Operations

Established configuration of the startup company’s ROI. Instituted company procedures and workflow processes. Managed all equipment purchases and operation/troubleshooting. Scheduled and oversaw customer project production. Maintained company budget and purchasing activity, tracking expenditures. Performed stripping, contacting, and proofing on customer projects.

Key Achievements:

- Operated studio equipment, including Crosfield/Hell scanners, Fuji Colorart proofing and 3M Matchprint proofing.

- Maintained exceptional customer service levels.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science

DeVry University, Illinois

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