Preliminary Schedule*

Sunday, March 30

• Welcome Reception (6:00pm-9:00pm)
• Late Night Networking (9:00pm -11:00pm)

Monday, March 31

• Vendor Hall (8:00am - 5:00pm) 
• Keynote Presentation (8:30am - 9:30am)
• Educational Sessions (9:30am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 3:30pm)
• Roundtable Discussions (3:30pm - 4:30pm)
• Late Night Networking (9:00pm - 11L00pm)

Tuesday, April 1

• Vendor Hall (8:00am - 5:00pm)
• Keynote Presentation (8:30am - 9:30am)
• Educational Sessions (9:30am - 12:00pm & 1:00pm - 3:00pm)
• Attendee/Sponsor Reception (3:00pm - 5:00pm)
• Late Night Networking (9:00pm - 11:00pm)

Wednesday - April 2

• Member Meeting (8:00am - 9:00am)
• Shop Tour of Santa Ana Unified School Districet (9:00am - 11:30am)
• Educational Sessions (12:30pm - 2:30pm)
• Roundtable Discussions (2:30pm - 3:30pm)
• Awards Gala Dinner (6:00pm - 10:00pm)
• Late Night Networking (10:00pm - 11:00pm)

Thursday - April 3

• Roundtable Discussions (8:00am - 9:00am)
• Educational Sessions (9:00am - 11:00am) 

*Schedule subject to change. 

Roundtable Topics

• Wide Format
• Mail/Pre-sort
• Industry Certifications
• Layered Ink Printing 
• Wide Format Special Effects
• Cut File Software
• Garment printing
• Athletics printing

Educational Session Topics

• Software 1 - The basics of software in the commercial digital printing world. Learn tips and tricks and best practices with file setup, prepress and proofing.  Explore basics of graphic design necessities, the PDF workflow and Web-to-Print. 
• Software 2 - Dig deeper into the world of software and pick up best practices with prepress, file imposition, and using your RIP software to its maximum extent. Get the most out of the Adobe Creative Suite for design and setup, including variable merging using Adobe InDesign; a good prelude to the Variable Data and Mailing session. 
• Variable Data & Mailing - An in-depth look at the How, Why, When and Where of variable data merging for the purposes of setting up mail pieces and marketing collateral.  The pros and cons of various software suites will be evaluated.
• MIS Storefronts - A panel will discuss the pros and cons of the online storefront. Learn about software options and basic costs, pass-thru printing and automation, considerations for calculating prices, customer-side navigation, and the production workflow.
• Sticker Production - Celebrate and learn about the growth of stickers as a marketing tool both for your customers and for your business. Discussion of equipment, production models, materials, and marketing strategies at every level. Plus an in-depth demonstration of the Illustrator/Graphtec workflow from start to finish.
• Social Media - Discussion about Social Media as a marketing tool on your campus and outside of it. Learn how to drive sales and jumpstart viral marketing campaigns. Using social media to motivate and mobilize your potential customer base. 
• Marketing & Sales - One of the most important tools in your arsenal. Learn about strategies to earn new customers, build relationships, make your shop invaluable, and get in the door with sought-after departments like Athletics, Marketing, and other campus Communicators. Discuss tools like Welcome Packets and Marketing Kits for motivating sales. 
• Running the Business 1 - None of us are beginners, this is not a beginner course. Learn and discuss the standards of daily business-like common terminology, processes, equipment and best practices; pricing for different size shops and schools based on your area and how to calculate costs; and determining and measuring Return on Investment for new equipment and processes.
• Running the Business 2 - A continuation of Running the Business 1 delving deeper into advanced terminology, processes, and best practices. Discuss the different types of funding models, determining what you fall into and ways you could change it to gain first right of refusal; participating in writing procurement policies with your university for outsourcing and project management; overall strategic planning for success.
• Running the Business 3 - Continuing more in the Running the Business series, a deeper dive into less common issues like space allocation for equipment and workspace, best ways to handle tight spaces, and making the case with documentation for obtaining additional space or funding and how to communicate with upper management. 
• Wide Format - What would an ACUP+ Conference be without a general Wide Format session? The perennial favorite returns with pros and cons of each of the different ink types, equipment brands, substrates and their uses, and finishing processes. Get inspired by examples of amazing projects produced by your peers and learn how they’re done. Hear about best practices for machine maintenance, inventory management, and how to start, grow, and prosper with the fastest-growing segment of the printing business. 
• Hands-on Demonstrations - For two session timeslots there will be multiple hands-on presentations and sessions available.  Sessions will include garment printing, heat transfer, vehicle wraps, and more.  Come ready with questions and get your hands on some new substrates and technology.