Great Lakes Integrated Recognized for Print Excellence

Cleveland, Ohio – January 5, 2009 – The Printing Industries Association, Inc., serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO) has awarded Great Lakes Integrated® (GLI) 52 of its 2009 Print Excellence Awards.

"The creativity and quality of this year's entries made the judges' selection process incredibly difficult," says PIANKO President Jim Cunningham. "The companies that earned these 2009 Print Excellence Awards exemplify the excellent work of our Ohio and Northern Kentucky printers."

The annual PIANKO Print Excellence Awards Competition judges pieces in 34 categories. This year, member companies submitted more than 520 printed pieces, which were evaluated by three out-of-state expert judges: Susan Higgins, Worth Higgins & Associates, Inc.; M. David Merrick, The Merrick Printing Company; and Richard Presley, Eastman Kodak Company.

Each Gold Award winner will be entered in an association-wide competition for Best of Show and Best of Category prizes to be awarded in June at the Grand Ceremony in Columbus, Ohio.

Great Lakes Integrated won the following 2009 Print Excellence Awards:

• 20 Gold Awards
• 19 Silver Awards
• 13 Bronze Awards

"Our team is steadfastly committed to quality, and it's rewarding to each of us to see our clients' projects in the spotlight," says GLI Chairman of the Board, President and CEO James R. Schultz. "We dedicate ourselves to producing exceptional print materials that help our clients stand out and communicate effectively with their audiences."

About Great Lakes Integrated

Based in Cleveland for 77 years, Great Lakes Integrated provides traditional and digital print manufacturing, distribution, mailing, fulfillment, warehousing and the AKSESS® suite of web-based marketing solutions for national and international clients. Please visit glintegrated.com for complete information.

About PIANKO

The Printing Industries Association, Inc., serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO), provides a broad range of products and services to its nearly 400 commercial printer and supplier members, including workers' compensation and product discounts. PIANKO is an affiliate of the national Printing Industries Association, the largest graphic arts association in the world. Please visit pianko.org for complete information on PIANKO and the Printing Industries

Industry Ranks GLI with Top Fulfillment Companies Nationwide

CLEVELAND, OH – Cleveland based Great Lakes Integrated (GLI) has received the prestigious Mailing and Fulfillment Service Associations (MFSA) Accreditation. The accreditation recognizes industry excellence. GLI is only the seventh company nationwide to receive this recognition and the first commercial printer in the nation to receive this coveted award.

MFSA, a national authority on fulfillment services developed the accreditation program after years of research into the best technical and operational practices of fulfillment companies. David A Weaver, President and Chief Executive Officer of MFSA explained, "The accreditation was awarded to GLI following an extensive audit of the company's operations as well as a comprehensive application process." The on-site, three day, audit focuses on 14 technical and operational areas and 168 individual criteria including receiving, put-away, order picking, packing, hand assembly, returns, and reporting.

Jim Schultz, GLI's Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer said, "We are very pleased to be recognized with this accreditation. GLI's fulfillment operations are a vital part of our marketing-solution business and we are proud to be recognized as one of the leading companies in the industry. We are committed to quality and customer satisfaction and that dedication has lead to the MFSA accreditation."

The MFSA accreditation process was designed by industry experts and is also a valuable learning process for companies that participate. Throughout the process industry experts provide specific advice to audited companies that can help improve operations and increase productivity and revenue.

Based in Cleveland for 77 years, Great Lakes Integrated provides traditional and digital print manufacturing, distribution, mailing, fulfillment, warehousing and the AKSESS® suite of web-based marketing solutions for national and international clients. Please visit glintegrated.com for complete information.

GLI Named "World Class Customer Service" Finalist

CLEVELAND, OHIO – Great Lakes Integrated® (GLI), one of Northeast Ohio's leading providers of full-service marketing communications solutions, was recently named a finalist in the 2007 "World Class Customer Service" competition sponsored by Cleveland's Smart Business Magazine.

"Customer service is not just about what a company can give to a client; it is a culture that is developed and molded from the CEO to every employee, beginning as a mindset and ending with solutions," said James R. Schultz, Chairman, President and CEO of GLI in an article written by Abby Cymerman in the June issue of Smart Business.

According to Smart Business Magazine Editor Dustin Klein, delivering top-notch customer service will be more important to corporate success than ever before in the days ahead. "If you think competing on price will be the driving force in tomorrow's business landscape, think again… corporate America must prepare to compete on a different battlefield where organizations that deliver world-class customer service will triumph," Klein wrote in Smart Business.

The article on GLI outlined several examples in which its excellent customer service philosophy is practiced every day – including implementation of innovative processes to encourage "out-of-the-box" creative thinking and idea-sharing by employees as well as a variety of forward-thinking initiatives to enhance GLI's ongoing relationships with clients.

"Success at GLI is defined by lasting relationships with clients," according to Smart Business Magazine. "The company has grown with its clients, and as their needs change, the company modifies its services to accommodate them and grow with them. Its oldest client has been doing business with GLI for 65 years."

Based in Cleveland for 77 years, Great Lakes Integrated provides traditional and digital print manufacturing, distribution, mailing, fulfillment, warehousing and the AKSESS® suite of web-based marketing solutions for national and international clients. Please visit glintegrated.com for complete information.