Willis picks up place on Pride In Print panel

Former Wickliffe group manufacturing manager, John Wills, joins Pride In Print as judging panel convenor.

Wills (pictrued) succeeds Rainbow Print Proprietor Graeme Duncan who has had to withdraw from the position due to work and personal circumstances. Having acted as Judge and then Assistant Convenor over the past four years, Mr Duncan had only recently taken over the role from gardyneHOLT Partner Fraser Gardyne.

“I’m honoured also, in that I felt my appointment was representative and recognition of the great contribution Southern Printers, both companies and individuals, have made to the New Zealand printing industry,” Willis said.

“As someone who experienced the introduction of Pride In Print to the industry in 1993, I am aware of some of the excellent outcomes achieved since. Particularly in terms of the enhanced respect, both in and outside the industry, for the quality of the remarkable work achieved year after year.”

Willis said that he intends to “maintain the high standards established by previous judging panels and to ensure the specialised expertise and integrity of the Judges is utilised for the best possible decisions.”

Officially retired in 2005, Wills had a long and successful career in management with Wickliffe, evolving from a Reel Fed Apprenticeship in 1969. He has also briefly acted as Operations Manager for Security Plastics and been a Member of the Management Advisory Group to the Board of PrintNZ and President of the Otago Print Industry Association.