As part of PRINTING United Expo’s education programming, Women in Print Alliance sponsored a thought-provoking panel discussion on allyship in the print industry.

Moderated by the membership organization’s director, Lisbeth Lyons Black, the 45-minute session featured three male leaders—Chris Huff with California Tattoos, Brian Adam with Olympus Group, and Cliff Hollingsworth with Fortidia—who shared candid insights on how men can actively support women colleagues and help create a more inclusive industry.

Making Support Visible and Actionable

The conversation opened with panelists discussing concrete ways they work to ensure women feel supported and respected in their organizations. The panelists acknowledged that meaningful allyship goes beyond good intentions and discussed gender evolution they’ve witnessed over decades in the printing industry.

One panelist recounted a significant memory experienced early in his career where his male superior chastised him for staying home to care for a sick child, telling him that he needed to “get his priorities straight” stating that childcare was “women’s work.” This led him to decide that very day that he would always support those who eventually worked for him to put family first – regardless of gender.

The Culture Connection

A significant portion of the discussion centered on the role company culture plays in creating an atmosphere in which women are empowered to learn, grow and thrive. The panelists explored the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that industry culture can create obstacles, and discussed what male leaders should be actively noticing and addressing in their daily interactions.

Brian spoke to the business case for diversity, explaining the ROI of having teams diverse in gender, age, religion, and other backgrounds. He highlighted how organizations like the Women in Print Alliance play a crucial role in advancing this narrative and helping companies understand that inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good for business.

Leading by Example

Chris addressed how company executives can model inclusive behavior for younger men on their teams, emphasizing that leadership sets the tone for organizational culture. The discussion acknowledged that the next generation is watching how today’s leaders interact with and support women colleagues.

Attracting Next Gen Women in Print

Cliff tackled the challenge of engaging female students and interns, discussing what the industry can do to demonstrate that print is a welcoming and rewarding field despite its traditionally male-dominated culture. His insights pointed to the importance of championing rising female stars from the beginning of their career journeys and creating visible pathways for women entering the industry.

Turning the Tables

In one of the session’s most engaging segments, the moderator reversed questions typically asked of women in the industry. Panelists were asked about balancing their careers with being fathers, spouses, partners, and friends—a work-life balance question women field regularly but men rarely face. The reversal prompted genuine reflection and helped illustrate the everyday experiences women navigate in the industry.

Audience Engagement

The session concluded with audience Q&A, where attendees posed practical, scenario-based questions that demonstrated the real-world challenges and opportunities for allyship in print businesses of all sizes. One of the dialogue highlights was a question posed by Parker Beckler, a Gen Z male product manager at a print company, who asked panelists how they handled older generation employees who might not realize their actions or words were coming across as outdated and offensive.

All of the panelists said they had a zero-tolerance discrimination policy and that depending on the egregiousness of the behavior, an employee might be fired on the spot. However, they also emphasized the importance of education and direct communication for situations where intent and impact don’t align, noting that creating an inclusive workplace sometimes means helping people understand why certain behaviors are no longer acceptable.

The Women in Print Alliance thanks PRINTING United Expo for including this important conversation in the education program and expresses gratitude to the panelists for their openness and commitment to advancing women in the industry.