More than 200 industry leaders attended SGS 2008 at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, FL in January to meet with peers and discuss the digital-printing, screen-printing and signmaking industries. Three days were spent in panel discussions and roundtables, with networking in between and, for one afternoon, golfing on a championship-level course. Here are some SGS highlights:

Absolute Frank

Frank Maguire, business expert and former executive at FedEx, ABC Radio Network, American Airlines, and KFC, kicked things off with the keynote address on Wednesday morning, followed by another session later that day. Drawing from his wealth of experience, his message centered around what he calls "Maguire Absolutes" for success: passion, attitude and relationships. "People must be passionate about what they're doing, have a positive and optimistic attitude about their work, and be willing and able to develop sincere relationships with their co-workers and employees as well as their customers," he said.

He added that a company should always consider "employee ROI," short for:

• Recognition: Establish a relationship with each employee, and recognize the value each brings.

• Opportunities: What are they for each of your employees?
• Information: Keep them informed.

Talking Shop

One of the most anticipated sessions was the Buyers' Panel, where industry buyers from some of America's biggest corporations discussed what they're looking for in vendors. The panel included Bob Rorke from AT&T Mobility, Ted Glauth from Coors and Sue Miller-Payton from Wal-Mart. Each panelist suggested that price will always be a factor in selecting suppliers, but vendors who offer value-added services can win over lower bidders.

Attendees were especially intrigued by Glauth's comments about Coors' distributors. Approximately 85% of Coors' 500 distributors have their own in-house print and production facilities, allowing them to customize POS signage (from Coors' templates) and to finish work in-plant. When this first began, Glauth thought that the costs would be too much, but that hasn't been the case.

The Green Life

In another popular session, "Is It Easy Being Green? Or Profitable?," panelists from print shops with green manufacturing offered their thoughts on their business and how to market to clients. The first step in going green should be internal--reduce waste, recycle and use low-voltage lights. The panelists also discussed how they deal with the increase in order costs. Jon Zinsmeyer of The Big Print said that selling green jobs to big vs. small clients is usually easier.

Brandon Gabriel of LAgraphico noted that such green practices have even led to a healthier work environment.