CEO MONTHLY / C-SUITE AWARDS 2024 15 Most Innovative Printing Services COO 2024 (Michigan): Kevin Donley Kevin R. Donley is the Chief Operating Officer of exemplary print finishing company Carta Finishing, based in Roseville, Michigan. Across his COO duties, Kevin oversees all elements of this operation from order entry through to production scheduling, staffing, and even equipment maintenance. This is not to detract from Kevin’s remarkable customer-oriented nature however, as his understanding of both the market and the needs of clients sets this 2024 C-Suite Award winner apart. With a vast area of expertise encompassing everything related to the field of print media, Kevin Donley lives by the motto, “if you need to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, I can help you.” To achieve this, Kevin leverages a wealth of knowledge garnered from reading all of the best trade publications, as well as his experiences serving in various associations, from Graphic Media Alliance through to the Detroit Club of Printing House Craftsmen and the Advertising Production Club of Detroit. It has been more than four decades now since Kevin first began his journey in the realm of printing and publishing, and his tenure so far has seen him fill positions in the areas of production, customer service, and sales and marketing, all routes that paved his way to becoming COO of Carta Finishing last October. Across these numerous roles, Kevin has come to realise two defining things about this landscape that have allowed him to continue to thrive, even as the world around him has changed considerably. The first is Kevin’s recognition that, “there is always something new to learn about the print media industries. Expanding one’s knowledge about the many different approaches to addressing customer needs and learning how today’s technology is changing both what and how things are produced is a never-ending process.” Combining this willingness to learn with the second key piece of knowledge, this being the importance of collaborating seamlessly with others, Kevin has positioned himself effectively as a pioneer and industry-leading figure. A similar approach can be seen running throughout Carta Finishing, which shares Kevin’s goal of establishing relationships with clients that are lasting and built on the trifecta of communication, quality, and timely delivery. Kevin credits the company’s leadership and production teams as being the reason for these traits being upheld so well and so consistently, ultimately leading to the stellar reputation that the business today enjoys on both a regional and national level. Because their customer base is comprised primarily of the quartet of publishers, book manufacturers, commercial printers, and print management service companies, Kevin and the team at Carta Finishing have the endless task of managing the impacts faced by these sectors, which are experiencing cyclical fluctuations in their own markets. As such, the business has recently extended its services and modernised its technology, allowing it to fortify its leading position in an everchanging market. Since the origins of Carta Finishing can be traced to two companies merging together and operating under one vision, its team represents the best of the best, and thus are aptly equipped to manage future changes in the printing services sector. An example of this is the shift by Carta Finishing toward servicing niche publishing markets as a means of adapting to reduced order quantities and an increase in the number of book titles. By expanding into mailing and distribution services, continuing to train the teams and evolving with the times, staff here are poised to take the company to new levels of success. With the 2024 presidential election looming, Kevin tells us that the rest of this year is expected to hold a considerable increase in mail volume, especially throughout summer and early autumn. To manage this, Kevin explains, “our plans are to increase staff in this area and provide additional training in data processing to ensure that we are operating efficiently when the volume increases”, further highlighting Carta Finishing’s unwavering commitment to going above and beyond for those who seek out its services. In closing, Kevin states, “I firmly believe that the best way to create the future is by studying the past. The technology changes our industry has undergone previously hold important clues and indicators about what is going to happen going forward as we move deeper into the age of digital media.” With this thought fresh in the mind, it remains to be seen what is next for the industry, and we eagerly anticipate the exciting new ways that Carta Finishing and COO Kevin R. Donley will demonstrate their excellence. Contact Details Contact: Kevin R. Donley Company: Carta Finishing Web Address: http://www.cartafinishing.com/ Apr24519
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