PODi's AppForum Keynotes Focus on Digital Print Innovation for Growth

Online, December 10, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Rochester, NY - PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, announced keynote speakers for its 2010 AppForum conference, January 25-27, in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. Innovative solutions and exciting high margin applications will take center stage as speakers focus on new ways to grow business with digital print. Featured keynotes include:

* Innovators Tom McDermott, shoot It!; Marc Fors, enthusem; Val DiGiacinto, The Ace Group; and Noora Guldemond of metaio show off cutting edge technologies that drive print in a session moderated by industry thought leader, Barb Pellow.
* Mark Bardusch of Ford Motor Company and Jeff Sierra from Budco present an inside look at their game-changing, personalized direct mail program.
* Rab Govil, president of Caslon, a PODi Affiliate, reveals the potential for digital print in the healthcare arena and explains what attendees will need to know to compete successfully.

"The challenge print and marketing service providers face in 2010 is harnessing new technologies to create better marketing results for clients, provide more profitable solutions-driven applications and grow their digital print volumes," said David Erlandson, Caslon general manager and AppForum organizer. "Our keynote speakers are already out there doing this - some with cool, out-of-the-box thinking, others with a keen understanding of the market and the ability to find growth opportunities in unexpected places."

* Innovations That Drive Print - Industry expert Barb Pellow moderates as the panel discusses how fresh thinking can create more print volume. Tom McDermott, president of shoot It! explains their smartphone app for picture postcards. Marc Fors, co-founder of enthusem, demonstrates his system for personalized business greeting cards. Val DiGiacinto, VP sales for The Ace Group, shares the power of QR codes. And Noora Guldemond of metaio illustrates the energy in augmented reality technology.
* Ford Motor Company Maximizes the Power of Personalized Marketing - Even in a bad year, agile marketers, like Mark Bardusch, sales & marketing manager at Ford, pulled out impressive response rates and sales conversions thanks to personalized direct mail. He and Jeff Sierra, VP of marketing & product development at Budco, talk about the campaign they designed and give attendees an insider's view of where the opportunities exist for growth in this vertical.
* Digital4Growth: We Have an App for That - Opportunities for real growth are out there, and Rab Govil will direct attendees' attention to healthcare. Last year, healthcare was one of only two industries posting a gain in direct mail volume. Mr. Govil will discuss pain points, areas where the potential is greatest, and what is required for service providers to win the business.

"This year's keynote speaker line up is one of our best ever," says Mr. Erlandson. "The frontline insights and practical, straight-from-the-trenches thinking are inspiring, but also actionable. AppForum attendees will take home ideas and techniques they can put to use immediately."

The PODi AppForum is the industry's longest running conference dedicated to digital print. Attendees will find vendor neutral, unbiased educational content focused on business strategy, sales, leading edge applications, and print on demand technology. The full AppForum program and speaker list is available at www.podiforum.org

To register for the 2010 AppForum, visit www.podi.org/2010AFRegistration

PODi AppForum is produced by Caslon, a PODi Affiliate. For more information on the 2010 AppForum visit PODi's website. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. AppForum sponsors include: Gold Sponsor - Canon, Kodak, Pageflex, & Xerox; Silver Sponsors - DocuLynx, HP, Online Print Solutions, USADATA, & XMPie; Bronze Sponsors - Avanti, GMC, MindFireInc, & Printable Technologies. The AppForum is also supported by Media Sponsors, CANVAS magazine, In-Plant Graphics, Printing Impressions, and WhatTheyThink.

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About the PODi AppForum
The annual three-day PODi AppForum is the only industry conference dedicated exclusively to digital printing applications, with a truly independent, vendor-neutral, unbiased agenda. All of PODi's extensive research, resources, industry contacts, and expertise come together once a year to make the AppForum the cornerstone of what's new and what's next in digital print.
Print service providers and marketing experts learn the latest trends in one-to-one and relevant marketing, new profitable applications, and sales strategies. Thought-provoking sessions tackle productivity, operations, and print on demand technology. The diverse audience of printing and marketing professionals, end users, technology experts and others make the AppForum a dynamic networking opportunity. The intimate, low-key vendor hall encourages meaningful one-to-one communications, while showcasing the latest digital technology and professional services.

About PODi
PODi (www.podi.org) is a vendor neutral industry initiative with hundreds of member companies, including Executive Board members EFI, Pitney Bowes and Xerox. The organization's goal is to drive demand for marketing applications powered by digital print & help members build successful digital print businesses. Membership in PODi is open to companies and organizations involved in digital printing.