Flexo Label Advantage Group (FLAG) has announced the promotion of JC McKay to president. McKay, who had been serving as the vice president of business development, assumes the role from his father, John, who established the organization 13 years ago. John will continue as CEO of FLAG.

FLAG assists its member partners with a host of critical business operations, from bottom line savings through vendor partnerships to catastrophic planning. FLAG also provides networking opportunities and technical and business resources to assist both its members and vendor partners.

Under JC’s leadership, FLAG will continue its commitment to the “win-win-win” approach, which has been at the foundation of FLAG since its inception. He has been pivotal in helping grow the organization, as it attracted 18 new members in 2021 and another 21 members in 2022.

“As I take on the role of president of FLAG, I am filled with both excitement and a sense of responsibility,” explains JC. “Working full-time with FLAG for just about seven years has given me the privilege of having my Dad, John McKay, as a mentor. He has helped me learn about this business and understand FLAG’s core values. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead and guide FLAG as we continue our mission of helping independent businesses, our members, thrive while at the same time delivering growth opportunities to our vendor partners.

“I intend to drive this business forward with everything that my Dad has taught me and to uphold the values and traditions that he has instilled in me,” he adds. “I am confident in the team that we have built at FLAG and am excited to see what the future holds as we work together to achieve great things.”

“FLAG has grown so much over the last few years that it is now time to expand our abilities to include new resources, many of which we have discussed for some time, for our members and vendor partners to enhance experience in our group,” states John. “With JC taking over the responsibilities of president and adding to our team, it will allow me the time to develop those ideas into real beneficial resources.  JC has proven himself to be an invaluable asset to FLAG. He has worked hard and learned the ins and outs of the business, and understands that for FLAG to win, our members and vendor partners must win first, a true win-win-win formula upon which FLAG was founded. He is a dedicated and capable leader, and I have every confidence in his ability to lead our company into the future. JC and I make a great team, and I am excited to see what we will achieve together in our new roles.”

JC has amassed considerable experience – in the industry and out – to help position himself for the new role. He joined FLAG after eight years with Apple. While with the technology giant, he developed a foundation of hard work, dedication, and the true value of teamwork.

“In addition to my background at Apple, I am also a former small business owner, having owned and operated a CrossFit gym for several years,” says JC. “I understand the challenges and opportunities that come with running a small to mid-sized business. Some of these challenges included limited financial resources, time, energy, workforce, and access to information and expertise. The opportunities that arise as a result require strategic thinking, focus, and the ability to get creative, and find innovative solutions while taking advantage of all resources available to the business.

“Entrepreneurship is at the core of who I am,” he adds. “I’m passionate about helping other independent businesses succeed. I believe that independent businesses are crucial to the survival and success of any industry, including the narrow-web industry. They provide exceptional experiences to their customers, which sets them apart from the larger, corporate competition. Independent businesses are nimble and adaptable, and they are able to provide personalized, individualized service that many large businesses simply cannot match. That’s why at our core, FLAG continues to wake up every day with the mission of helping our independent converter members become stronger companies while supporting the growth of our vendor partners over their competitors.”

JC has been instrumental in expanding FLAG while increasing its member resources. Many of the benefits that were original feature of the association’s Annual Meeting have branched out into full-fledged service offerings. From peer groups and roundtables to Member Connections, JC has helped facilitate new offerings for the FLAG community.

“When I joined the organization full-time in 2016, one of the things I recognized was how valuable the interactions among our members were for their label businesses,” says JC. “However, these interactions were mainly limited to our Annual Meeting, where FLAG facilitated roundtables for peer-to-peer networking and discussions.    

“I wanted to create a platform that would allow our members to connect and engage with one another on an ongoing basis, so I developed the Member Connections,” he continues. “This platform has proven to be a valuable resource for our members, providing a forum for them to share ideas, and experiences, and seek advice. In addition to facilitating peer-to-peer networking and discussion, the Member Connections platform has evolved into a work-share opportunity for our members. Through the platform, members can share capacity, capability, and even geographical location to take on new projects and expand their businesses.”

JC has also been a key piece of FLAG’s ongoing development and support of its Peer Groups. These Peer Groups, comprised of FLAG members, provide a channel for members to connect on a regular basis. Since the inception of Peer Groups, FLAG has grown to include seven full groups, comprised of 8-12 member companies each. One of these groups was formed specifically to support the next generation in the narrow-web industry.

“The Next-Gen Peer group was created back in 2019 to support the up-and-coming generation of label business leaders,” JC comments. “Many of the participating individuals have grown up in their family businesses, and everyone in the Peer Group is committed to growing and expanding those businesses for years to come. They are eager to learn and are driven to succeed.”

FLAG is also committed to the growth of its vendor partners. The association helps provide opportunities and resources to connect vendors with members in order to support both of their businesses.

“We promote that interaction at our Annual Meeting, which provides exclusive in-person networking opportunities with our members, as well as the ability to showcase their products and services,” states JC. “Another is through our Lunch & Learn Webinars. In partnership with our vendor partners, members now have access to a wide range of expertise and insights, as well as the opportunity to learn about the latest products and services available in the market.”

FLAG is poised for a prosperous future, as it has expanded its leadership team, too. Kody Bendele, director of member development, has been able to expand FLAG’s reach to current members and introduce the opportunity of membership to non-members in the label market.

“Kody has done a tremendous job at ensuring new members become fully integrated into the FLAG community and are able to take full advantage of everything our group offers,” says JC. “This success is another reason why FLAG’s growth, and member retention, are so strong.”

Additionally, FLAG will welcome members and vendor partners to its upcoming Annual Members Meeting 2023, which will take place in April in Salt Lake City UT, USA.

“The event is always highly anticipated with one of the highlights being a tour of a host member’s shop,” explains JC. “This year, Owen Power, CEO of Traco Packaging, has graciously volunteered to open the doors of Traco Packaging located just outside of Provo. “Aside from our Annual Meeting, my Dad, John, is working on a number of exciting projects that will undoubtedly take FLAG to new heights. I believe these projects will have a significant impact on the future of our group. We will be sharing more information about these projects at our Annual Meeting this year. We believe it is the perfect place to unveil some of the exciting work that my Dad is working on for our members and vendor partners.”