A New Beginning

Greetings all,

It has been way too long since I wrote the last blog about the passing of my father, Charlie Igram, back in May. It seems 2009 had more significant life changing events than any year I can remember. Not only did we lose our beloved Charlie, but we lost some dear friends in the industry: Dick Damrow and Brian Carr of HRB.

Death can teach us a lot about life. We learn more about who we are and how precious the things are that we take for granted. Family, friends, time; yes, time; the most precious commodity of all. I know that now I think a lot more about how I spend my time, what I do with it, and with whom I spend it.

The past two years have definitely been life changing for me, and I have yet to talk to anyone who hasn’t experienced change in their life due to the economy. For us in Cedar Rapids, having experienced the flood of 2008 combined with a down economy and an uncertain recovery, we again have to roll up our sleeves and persevere to survive. My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes, their jobs, and in some cases – both.

During difficult times, it is often wise to go back to the basics. The basics at Cedar Graphics are our core values; Honesty, Innovation, Teamwork and Continuous Improvement. The company’s existence is based on these core values, and they are the foundation for each of our employees. It is our mission to maintain the relationships we have with our customers and our vendors and to exceed what is expected of us. The challenge in accomplishing this is to work closely with all parties in the value chain to offer services that customers need to be successful. It is equally important to anticipate market trends through industry reports and data provided by industry leaders and print support associations.

At Cedar Graphics, we are working hard to ensure stability, financial and otherwise, so our customers and employees continue to benefit from that stability. How do we do that? Is it just about cutting costs and watching every dime we spend? We think that is part of it, but it is more about providing the services which offer our customers value and which they require to be successful. Therefore, we at Cedar Graphics are establishing a new suite of core services that are communications-based which may not include print. Those services include: Digital Asset Management, Graphic Design, Integrated Marketing Services, Personal URL’s, E-Mail, E-Commerce, Customer Retention Programs, and Mail and Fulfillment. Most of these services are explained on our web site, but we will keep you informed of new marketing and communications services that will make all of us more successful.

A good friend of mine in the business had a theme for 2009 which was “Survivor”.

His theme for 2010 is “Treasure Island”, that is to find the treasure and share in the booty. We too want our theme for 2010 to be positive. We truly believe the worst is behind us and the plan is to listen closely to our customers and act on opportunities that will benefit us all.

Sincerely,

Hassan