The 2026 ENCORE Leadership Conference brought members of the Graphic Media Alliance community together on Monday, October 5, at the Quest Conference Center for a full day focused on leadership, technology, workforce development and the challenges shaping the future of our industry.
Throughout the day, attendees heard from industry experts and thought leaders who shared practical strategies, fresh perspectives and real-world experiences designed to help leaders at every level prepare for what comes next.
Just as valuable as the presentations was the participation from the audience. Attendees came ready to engage, asking thoughtful questions, sharing their own experiences and contributing to conversations throughout the day. That interaction carried into the closing leadership roundtable, From Data to Decisions, where panelists explored how leadership principles translate into everyday business decisions and challenges.
ENCORE was designed to be more than a day of presentations. It was an opportunity for established executives, emerging leaders and industry partners to learn from one another, challenge their thinking and walk away with ideas they can put to work immediately.
Missed ENCORE or want to share the content with your team? Sessions from the 2026 ENCORE Leadership Conference will be available for purchase in the upcoming weeks, giving members and industry professionals an opportunity to revisit the presentations or bring this valuable content back to their organizations. Watch for additional details coming soon!
Then We Hit the Course!
The fun continued Tuesday, October 6, as members and friends gathered at Royal American Links for the 20th Annual Sterling Distribution & Graphic Media Alliance Golf Tournament.
Following a full day of learning at ENCORE, the tournament gave everyone an opportunity to trade the conference room for the golf course and enjoy a day of networking, friendly competition and plenty of laughs.
Congratulations to this year’s tournament and contest winners:
|
1st Place |
The Millcraft Team of John Carpenter, Tyler Carter, Jarrett Patton and Dustin Shanton |
| 2nd Place | Dustin Symes of Direct Logistics, Vince Blaeser of EnvyPak and Aaron Price of Tension Envelope |
| 3rd Place | The Royal Paper Stock Team of Natalie Cooke and Megan Stubbs |
| Longest Drive | Mike Cataldo |
| Longest Putt | Brett Jenkins |
Most importantly, thank you to everyone who attended ENCORE, joined us on the golf course, participated in the conversations and helped make these two days such a success. We are also incredibly grateful to our speakers, sponsors and partners whose support allows GMA to continue creating meaningful opportunities for our industry to connect, learn and grow.
Thank you for making 2026 a success. We’ll see you next year!