Bob McAleavey

From the Great Recession to direct selling, the print and promotional space has faced its fair share of challenges over the years. As we sort through the fallout, now, the big question is: Who will preserve the industry’s legacy after baby boomers retire? The answer can be found in the following collection of profiles highlighting some of the industry’s brightest personalities under the age of 40...

There’s a lot to love about an industry that combines old-world craftsmanship with modern technologies—which is why Bob McAleavey was eager to get involved in the family business...

Knowledgeable suppliers offer tips on securing lucrative selling opportunities. It's no secret that some changes within the major directs are creating all sorts of lucrative selling opportunities for the independent supply channel. What some distributors may not realize, however, is that many of them exist in serving federal, state and local governments' printing needs. For Steve Buggy, vice president of Phoenix-based B&D Litho, and Bob McAleavey, president of Specialized Printed Forms, Caledonia, N.Y., government projects represent a steady workflow that promises future growth. "At most government levels, the majors have traditionally had fairly decent success with large contracts. But, that's changing as

Distributors can add to the bottom line through books, booklets and brochures. Books and booklets come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for many an application. From coupon, ticket and receipt books to manifold, sales and voucher books, these tried-and-true products have provided a steady stream of sales to many distributors for many years. In fact, Bob McAleavey, president of Specialized Printed Forms, Caledonia, N.Y., reported that his company has been selling books for approximately 40 years. He sells stitched books, folded books, books with return envelopes and cards in them, foil-stamped books, books containing security features and, more recently, personalized

Traditional and contemporary form designs are still driving business operations. Mark H. Clabaugh, vice president of sales and marketing for Atlanta-based PrintSouth, and Bob McAleavey, president of Specialized Printed Forms, Caledonia, N.Y., both agreed that forms products remain profitable for manufacturers and distributors alike. "Forms are still selling," said Clabaugh. "Just as we used to joke that checks were the fastest-growing dying business in the industry, end-users will continue to need printed forms for quite some time." "True, the pie is shrinking at a rate of 2 percent a year," noted McAleavey, "but it's a pretty big pie. Forms are a $3 billion-a-year industry.

Help clients save money and improve efficiency with mailer products. Communication is the key. And the key to communication is being understood. If your customers can't understand you or don't want to take the time to hack their way through the dense forest of information you've sent them, then your words are falling on deaf ears. But fear not, intrepid distributors, your savior is here—mailers. That's right, mailers. Mailers can help end-users communicate more quickly and clearly, recoup receivables faster and save money. Best of all, most of the concept work has already been done. "Mailers are a good product to offer because