ICMA ANNOUNCES 2009 FALL ACADEMY WORKSHOPS
New MEA Workshop in Dubai Provides Attendees
With
Access to New Companies in the Region
PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ – July 7, 2009 –
Dedicated to
providing its members with the opportunity
to learn about new industry trends and
techniques to help them stay competitive in
the current economic environment, the
International Card Manufacturers Association
(ICMA), will hold its Academy Workshop
Series in September and October in the
United States and Europe, with a new MEA
workshop to be held in Dubai, UAE.
The Workshops will discuss the latest issues
affecting professionals throughout the card
manufacturing industry, as well as offer
topics that reflect industry trends in each
market. Topics will cover a variety of areas
pertinent to each region including
innovations in security, material
alternatives, card testing options, NFC,
personalization and print technology.
John Herslow of CompoSecure
will chair the U.S. Workshop, which will be
held September 17-18 in Schaumburg,
Illinois. The new MEA Workshop in Dubai, UAE
will be held September 30-October 1 and will
be co-chaired by Jan Cerajewski of All About
Cards LLC and Kazim Awan of Cupola Plastic
Cards Ltd. The European Workshop will be
held October 19-20, in Rome, Italy and will
be chaired by Thies Janczek of COCASO.
“Adding the MEA Workshop in Dubai is a great
opportunity for our members to experience
new companies in a different region and
build relationships with industry
professionals from one of the most dynamic
card manufacturing markets in the world,”
said Al Vrancart, ICMA Industry Advisor.
“The Workshops expose our members to the
latest technological advancements and
techniques as well as enable them to hear
from the industry’s top leaders.”
“The industry continues to change as we
develop more ways to enhance the overall
design, production and issuance of cards,”
said Jeffrey Barnhart, ICMA Executive
Director. “Through our Workshops, Green
Summit II and other educational activities,
we’re bringing our members to these emerging
markets and giving them the opportunity to
experience the industry changes taking
place.”
The Workshops are suitable for card
manufacturing professionals from around the
world including personalizers, issuers, card
manufacturers and other industry
stakeholders. A variety of speakers from
JDSU, Oberthur, DataCard, SMARTRAC, Waytek,
Mirel, HID Global, CFC International and
Bayer MaterialScience will also be featured
at the Workshops who will share their
insight on new industry processes and
applications and offer their perspectives on
the future of the industry. The Workshops
are only open to members of the association.
As in previous years, the Workshops will
feature table top displays, which allow
suppliers to gain exposure to potential
clients, as they can feature company product
literature, materials and other information.
The sessions will also include a networking
dinner, enabling members to interact with
each other and exchange ideas. Companies
that exhibited at ICMA’s EXPO in Puerto Rico
and have a display at the U.S. Workshop will
have an opportunity to set up their display
at the Green Summit II: Greening the
Factory. The Green Summit II will be held at
the Renaissance Schaumburg in Schaumburg,
Illinois on September 16, 2009.
To register for ICMA’s Fall Academy
Workshops or to learn more about becoming a
member of the association, visit
www.icma.com, contact Lynn
McCullough at
LMccullough@icma.com or call (609)
799-4900.
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About the International Card Manufacturers
Association (ICMA)
Based in Princeton Junction, NJ, USA, ICMA
is a non-profit association of card
manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and
related industry participants. With more
than 240 members globally, ICMA acts as a
clearinghouse for industry issues, including
the production, technology, application,
security and environmental issues of
transaction, identification and other cards.
