Printing United Alliance (Fairfax, Virginia) and Idealliance (Alexandria, Virginia) announced their intent to merge the two organizations in January of 2021. The proposed merger was approved unanimously by each Board of Directors to be followed by consideration of Idealliance members at a meeting of active members, in accordance with Idealliance bylaws. Idealliance members have just overwhelmingly approved the plan of merger with 96% voting in favour – which serves as the final step to conclude the merger. The proposed merger is set to be finalized on Monday, March 1, 2021.
“The traditional segmentation of print providers has continued to blur and converge, which the shifts in digital printing technologies have accelerated,” said Dick Ryan, Idealliance CEO. “Over the past few years, Printing United Alliance has built an association that addresses all the major segments through expanded membership, an array of events, and industry-leading media brands, bringing considerable resources, marketing reach and audiences under one roof. At the same time, Idealliance has developed the expertise to build and roll out not only its traditional colour management programs, but new standards training and education on a global platform. This is the right strategic move by Idealliance to better serve the graphic communication industry,” Ryan concluded.
David Steinhardt, Idealliance Managing Director and former CEO for nearly 20 years, added: “Idealliance has always looked to the horizon to see the next strategic shift and to take the practical and tactical steps to stay ahead of the curve. Pairing the two considerable and complimentary portfolios of Idealliance and Printing United Alliance will benefit each organization and the industry – from brands and print buyers, to print service providers, to suppliers and manufacturers. Together they’ll truly be greater than the sum of their parts.”
Ford Bowers will serve as the CEO of the combined organization with Jordan Gorski serving as Executive Director of Idealliance as a division of Printing United Alliance. Idealliance will become an “association within an association” with its own membership base and clearly defined separate programs and services.
All Idealliance staff will continue as part of the combined organization. However, Dick Ryan, CEO, and David Steinhardt, Managing Director, will depart. In addition, going forward, two of the current Directors serving on the Idealliance Board of Directors will serve on the Printing United Alliance Board of Directors.
