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Industry veteran Sturhahn to boost awareness
and value of the CPISTF as a new trustee
The Board of Directors of the Canadian
Printing Industries Scholarship Trust
Fund (CPISTF) has strengthened its
management team by appointing Gun-
ther Sturhahn as its newest trustee.
Now 60, he recently retired from a suc-
cessful 40-year career in the wholesale
paper distribution industry. Sturhahn
will work closely with the CPISTF
Gunther Sturhahn
Board of Trustees to support and
enhance the promotion, awareness
and value of the fund. He started his career in 1976 with
Barber-Ellis, which was acquired by Unisource, and then
moved to Coast Paper, now operating as Spicers Canada. He
subsequently held positions in sales and sales management,
national purchasing, business development and regional
management, finally retiring as VP for Western Canada.
Sturhahn also participated in special projects – including
working for PaperlinX in Europe. A most enjoyable part of his
job was driving change management (preparing and sup-
porting individuals, teams and organizations in making
organizational changes), while embracing new ideas that
moved the company into the ‘new age’ of printing.
Bob Kirk
Jeff Ekstein
CPISTF added that it would also like to
acknowledge Bob Kirk, who has served
as a dedicated, hard-working administrator
for over four years, retired on December
31, 2017. “Bob’s extensive industry experi-
ence, contributions and support were a
huge asset to all board members. We all
wish him the very best in his future endeav-
ours,” said Jeff Ekstein, President of the
Willow Printing Group Ltd. and Chair of the
CPISTF. “We also look forward to working
with Gunther to further promote the
awareness as well as the value of the fund,
whose objective is to attract the brightest
and most talented young people to the
graphic communications industry to
ensure our future.”
CPISTF: Helping students and our industry
now and in the future
The CPISTF was initiated by the Canadian Printing Industries
Association in 1971 through the efforts of a group of visionary
printing industry executives. Since then, hundreds of thousands
of dollars have been donated as a result of the generosity of
firms and individuals associated with the printing industry in
@graphicarts
Canada. The fund exists exclusively for the benefit of the print-
ing and graphic communications industry in Canada. Its primary
objective is to attract the most talented young people by pro-
viding financial assistance to them while they’re enrolled in a
graphic arts management or technical program. “It’s these
same young people upon whom we must rely to ensure future
growth and prosperity of the industry in Canada,” said the
organization.
Including the current school
year, the fund has provided
scholarships to hundreds of
students who met the necessary qualifications. Many ended
up employed by either the industry executive who interviewed
them (as part of the qualification process), or by one of the firms
that made a donation to the fund – and now hold senior man-
agement and operating positions in today’s industry. Many of
these students also secured summer employment and gained
practical experience under the same circumstances. The
CPISTF is currently modernizing the management of the fund
to streamline and improve processes for donors and students
– including the recent appointment of Sturhahn – to ensure
that students across Canada who qualify can take advantage
of every dollar of the scholarship funds available.
To donate please visit www.printscholarships.ca
To further accomplish their goals, the organization is asking
for industry and private support in the form of donations to
ensure that the fund continues to grow and expand. It now has
a new link available on its website (www.printscholarships.ca)
to make it extremely easy for anyone to donate immediately
at any time. A letter of acknowledgment and a tax receipt will
be electronically forwarded immediately to each donor. Pay-
ments can be made directly using Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard,
American Express or PayPal. So please visit its new, updated
website, familiarize yourself with the positive changes, and
donate. Support the future of the industry and feel good that
you’ve done your part to bring awareness to the potential of a
wonderful career in the printing and graphic communications
industry.
For further information please contact any one of the
CPISTF board members through its website
(www.printscholarships.ca) to discuss topics related to the
fund.
Tony Curcio
Editor, Graphic Arts Magazine
[email protected]
GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | February 2018 | 5