January 13, 2016 (Arlington, Va., and Durham, N.C.) – PostalVision 2020 today announced its plan to expand its U.S.-based initiative and strategic direction through support from new “Pillar” level sponsors and expansion of the PV2020 team. The new partnership model includes plans for year-round initiatives to build on the momentum gained in the past through annual events to engage global participants in a dialogue about the future postal ecosystem.
Supporting the expansion of the PostalVision Initiative through “Pillar” level participation is a distinguished list of industry leaders. To date, the following key businesses in the postal ecosystem have signed on in support of the expanded PostalVision model: Bell and Howell, GrayHair Advisors, OpenMarket, and PwC. “These Pillar partners are not only leaders in this industry, but are visionaries who will help shape our global postal ecosystem dialogue in the future,” said John Callan, Managing Director of Ursa Major Associates and Founder of the PostalVision 2020 Initiative.
“Being a part of PostalVision 2020 fits into the genetic makeup of Bell and Howell LLC being a technology innovator in the Postal Industry here and abroad,” said Brian Bowers, Chief Technology Officer, Bell and Howell, Durham, North Carolina. “The term Global village has never been more apparent than today,” he said. “The impacts the Postal ecosystem has on our lives today is huge! Being able to learn and share ideas to make the world better is a great opportunity for all. Innovation requires participation and ideas from the industry thought leaders which is why we joined as a Pillar,” Bowers said.
Jody Berenblatt, Senior Advisor, GrayHair Advisors said “GrayHair has supported PostalVision 2020 from the very beginning.” “We see the future of the ecosystem incubating in the gathering of this eclectic set of stakeholders,” she said.
“I am proud to serve as a PostalVision 2020 Pillar,” said David Lione, Senior Enterprise Account Director for OpenMarket. “This event is critical to the long term success of the USPS and the postal ecosystem in general,” he said, “as the digital age advances and becomes increasingly mobile.”
“PwC is proud to be a PostalVision 2020 Pillar and to have our retail thought leader, Tom Blischok key noting the B2Me revolution's discussion,” said Mari-Ellen Testa, Director with PwC Public Sector.
PostalVision 2020/6.0 will hold its sixth annual conference on March 15-16, 2016 at The Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City, Va. The annual event will focus on the “B2Me” consumer demand phenomenon and how it is driving changes in the postal ecosystem and ecommerce distribution supply chain. In addition to the above pillar sponsors, PostalVision 2020 also announced the following sponsors for the March 2016 event: Gold level sponsors Accenture, FedEx, and MetaPack; Silver level sponsors UPS and Endicia, and Bronze level sponsors IMS and Pitney Bowes.
Key postal industry trade associations have signed on to support the event as Association Partners, including the American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA), Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom), Envelope Manufacturers Association (EMA), Global Address Data Association (GADA), International Mailers Advisory Group (IMAG), National Association of Advertising Distributors (NAAD), National Association of Presort Mailers (NAPM), and the Parcel Shippers Association (PSA).
“Our pillars/sponsors, and association partners are recognized leaders in this industry,” said Callan, “and are a key component to what makes PostalVision 2020 and our annual event the place for industry thought leaders to discuss what the future will look like for this great ecosystem.” “Following the 2016 annual conference, we will be kicking off a series of events and conversations designed to build on the momentum of this 6.0 event,” said Callan. “For six years, PostalVision 2020 has succeeded in engaging stakeholders from all segments of the postal delivery ecosystem in these critical discussions at our annual event,” said Callan, “and now we will be able to continue and build on that momentum through ongoing excursions and discussions.”
The PostalVision 2020 team currently is exploring excursion opportunities with a variety of stakeholders, including suppliers, service providers, and mail users. Excursion ideas range from business-specific topical PostalVision ‘mini-events,” to service provider customer briefings, to focused sessions at larger conferences in the U.S. and overseas. Information about upcoming PostalVision 2020 “excursion” events are frequently posted on the group’s web site (http://www.postalvision2020.com).
The upcoming March 2016 PostalVision 2020/6.0 event will focus on the “B2Me” movement of growing consumer empowerment and demand. Details around the event were recently announced and more information on exciting speakers and content will be coming out soon!
In support of its expanded model, PostalVision 2020 also has expanded its core team with the recent addition of Kathleen J. Siviter as Director, Community & Brand Development, and Evan Grillo in Sales and Marketing. Siviter has over 30 years’ experience working in the postal ecosystem, and has worked with a variety of stakeholders, including the USPS, PostCom, and a long list of association and business clients. Grillo previously worked for UPS in sales/marketing. Siviter and Grillo round out PostalVision’s core team, which also includes John Sasso, Marketing Director; Bryan Klepacki, Communications Manager; and is led by John Callan, Founder and Managing Director.
About PostalVision 2020
PostalVision 2020 is the creation of Ursa Major Associates, LLC , a leading strategy consultancy, providing thought leadership and strategic business development services to the global postal-parcel-logistics industry. Since 2001, the firm has served leading private sector corporations and entrepreneurial start-ups as well as public institutions engaged at all levels of service along the postal and parcel delivery value chain. Ursa Major Associates, LLC is headquartered in Essex, CT. For more information visit http://www.postalvision2020.com.
