PIA has announced the election of its 2017 officers and Board of Directors. Curt Kreisler of Gold Star Printers will serve as chairman of the Board, and Graphic Visual Solutions’ Bryan Hall will act as first vice chairman. Michael Wurst of Henry Wurst, Inc. is the new second vice chairman/association relations committee chairman, and Dow Jones & Company’s Paul Cousineau is the secretary to the Board. John LeCloux of WS Packaging Group will serve as treasurer, and Bradley Thompson II of Inland Press will become the past chairman of the Board.

For more than 30 years, Kreisler has been an active member of the print community serving PIA and his local trade association, Printing Association of Florida (PAF). Before becoming chairman, Kreisler served as a member of the PIA Executive Committee, chairman of the PIA Association Relations Committee, chairman of PIA’s Show Committee, and as a member of the PIA Finance Committee. While serving his local affiliate, Kreisler was elected as chairman of the Board twice. He is also chairman of PAF’s Trade Show Council that oversees the management and running of the Graphics of the Americas trade show in Miami. His previous print industry service also includes serving as chairman of the Board of the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), which recognized him as Printer of the Year in 2007.

Kreisler has spent the last 37 years in South Florida, where he runs a successful printing company, Gold Star Printers. In addition to volunteering within the printing industry, Kreisler has spent his time with numerous community organizations over the years such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, North Dade Chamber of Commerce, North Dade YMCA, and as a Dade Partner for two South Florida schools.

Hall served on PIA’s Board of Directors for a number of years, ascending through the officer ranks. Before becoming first vice chairman, he served as the chairman of the Education Committee, participated in the Executive Committee, and acted as a member of the PIA Finance Committee. Hall also served on the Board of Directors of his local affiliate, Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc., for nearly 10 years, including one stint as chairman.

Hall now holds the positon of CEO at Graphic Visual Solutions, one of North Carolina’s top printers. In 1994, American Printer named the company the “fastest growing printing company in America.” He also serves on the North Carolina A&T State University Print Advisory Board and Greensboro Sports Council.

Wurst participated in the PIA Association Relations Committee for many years and currently serves as its chairman. In the past, he acted as PIA’s treasurer and chairman of the Investment Committee. Wurst is also actively involved with his local affiliate, Printing & Imaging Association of MidAmerica, serving on the Executive Committee for four years, including one year as chairman.

Wurst is now the CEO of Henry Wurst, Inc., a 75-year-old family-owned commercial printing company headquartered in North Kansas City, MO. The company also has facilities in Denver, CO.

Cousineau served one term on the PIA Board of Directors and currently acts as the Research Committee chairman. He also participates in the PIA Executive and Finance Committees.
 
Cousineau’s experience spans 35 years in the printing industry, including 25 years with Dow Jones/News Corp., where he now acts as vice president of prepress and continuous improvement. He also serves on the Graphic Communications and Journalism Advisory Boards at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and is a board member of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA).

LeCloux previously served on the PIA Board of Directors for one term and ascended to the officer ranks to serve as PIA’s treasurer. In the past, LeCloux also served on PIA’s Finance Committee and has been actively involved in his local affiliate, Great Lakes Graphics Association.

For over 20 years, LeCloux has acted as vice president for WS Packaging Group headquartered in Green Bay, WI. Before his current position, LeCloux was the owner/CEO of Dau LLC for four years and held many positions for RM LLC (formerly Republic Dau and Midwest Wallcovering) between 1982 and 1994, including chairman/CEO, controller and accountant.

Thompson II is the immediate past chairman of the PIA Board of Directors. He is also past chairman of the Government Affairs and Labor Policy Committee of PIA. He served his local affiliate, Printing Industries of Michigan, for decades, including serving as its chairman of the Board.

Thompson is a fifth-generation printer, currently holding the position of CEO at Inland Press in Detroit, MI. He is a past recipient of the Ben Franklin Printer of the Year award from Printing Industries of Michigan.

Also joining the Board of Directors in 2017 are: Roger Chamberlain, the Cincinnati Insurance Company—representing Printing Industries of Ohio—N. Kentucky; Scott Vaughn, The Standard Group—representing the Graphic Arts Association; Pat McBride, Envision Printing LLC—representing Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia; Ryan Stevens, Replica Printing Services—representing PIA San Diego; Dawn Nye, Konica Minolta Business Solutions—representing the vendor community; and Tad Parker of PINE—representing the affiliate managers.