Xplor Ryerson at Graph Expo 2015

Tracy Laranjo – Vice President – Xplor Ryerson Chapter

On Saturday, September 12, 2015, Xplor Ryerson’s President Caitlin Saberon and myself took flight from Toronto, Ontario to the windy city of Chicago, Illinois for Graph Expo 2015. Upon arrival, there was so much to take in – exquisite architecture, bustling streets, and let’s not forget all the deep-dish pizza to be eaten. With day #1 of Graph Expo 2015 merely hours ahead of us, Caitlin and I prepared for the exciting 3 days of print media to come.

Among Graph Expo’s worthwhile events were 50+ informative learning sessions on subjects such as design, packaging, mailing and fulfillment, and marketing/sales to name a few. Did I mention the 550+ exhibitors in attendance? Regardless of which sector of the industry you are representing, there was something for everyone this year at Graph Expo. From viewing state-of-the art printing presses to demonstrations of innovative software, it’s a wonder how we found our way back home. It truly was an experience to remember.

Throughout our trip, we met the fantastic minds behind the Print Media Centr Printerverse, where industry panelists discussed all the hot topics in today’s graphic communications industry. Some of the (free!) panel discussions included:

Breach Is the New Black: Data, Privacy and The Cloud
50 Shades of YAY! Color Management, Paper & Digital Print
Zooming In: Bringing the Value of Digital Print into Focus

Without a doubt, our favourite day of Graph Expo was day #3. Xplor Ryerson started off a great day at the Xplor Keynote Breakfast Panel on The Emergence of Omni-Channel Communications moderated by Matt Swain of InfoTrends. Learning about the optimization of customer communications workflow from industry leaders – especially as a student like myself – was an invaluable opportunity. Tuesday also happened to be the 4th annual National Girls Who Print Day, where we spoke to top female industry leaders and listened to their success stories. We found ourselves especially inspired by the tight-knit online community of Girls Who Print, led by Founder Mary Beth Smith.

The Executive Board of Xplor Ryerson would like to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to Xplor Canada, our corporate sponsors, Print Media Centr, Deborah Corn, and Girls Who Print for making this fantastic experience possible. We look forward to seeing you on our next adventure to Xploration 2016 with great anticipation!