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Xplor Announces 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award

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Lutz, FL — November 23, 2021: Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today named the recipient of the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at Xplor’s Annual Conference, XPLOR21, on Tuesday, November 16th during the awards ceremony in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2007 and is given to an individual, or individuals, whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document industry. This award is open to Xplor International members as well as non-members.

This year’s winner is Amy Saraco, Senior Director of the Payment Product and Preference Solutions team at Aetna/CVS Health.

Amy is the business owner of Aetna’s Product and Payment Application, also known as “Aeppays” which produces the Healthcare Business’ provider and member claim payments, explanations of benefits (EOBs), electronic remittance advice (ERA) and electronic funds transfer (EFT).

Amy’s 26-year career took her on a journey that spanned many departments and projects within the company.

Recently, Amy developed an alternative and cutting-edge digital experience for members reviewing their EOBs. In 2021, “Your Claims Explained” was launched, giving members a simpler and more interactive way to view information that is on their EOB statement.

She was awarded Aetna Way Platinum Award, Aetna’s most prestigious award in 2014 for the role she played in the Medicare Part C statement as well as the Aetna Business Excellence LEAN award for a 2018 commercial EOB bulking, packaging and delivery project that reduced the number of mailings a member could receive and saved millions of dollars in annual postage.

Outside of work Ms. Saraco has passion for making a difference. Amy has volunteered for local food banks, collected back to school items for children who do not have supplies, and volunteers for Make-A-Wish.

She also serves on both the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and Children’s Heart Foundation Walk planning committees for her local chapters, responsible for publicizing and promoting the walks, both causes she is very passionate about.

She recently partnered with a young professional on her team to develop an internal employee program focused on support for caregivers of adults with Alzheimer’s and dementia. After involving the Alzheimer’s Association and many months of planning, the event was a major success.

“Amy’s accomplishments both professionally and personally are amazing,” says Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International. “Our industry as a whole and the world around us are better places due to her efforts.”

Other Xplor annual awards, recognized and announced at XPLOR21, include:

Technology of the Year
Winner – OpenText – OpenText Exstream for Salesforce
Honorable Mention – Crawford Technologies – PRO DocNow
Honorable Mention – Racami – Pay+

Application of the Year
Winner: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind & Pink Elephant Productions – The Quest for Independence
Honorable Mention – CSG – CSG Experiences Practice
Honorable Mention – Quadient – InspireXpress

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

Leading Vendors Line Up in Support of XPLOR21

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Lutz, FL – November 2, 2021 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the line-up of conference sponsors for XPLOR21, being held November 16-18 at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

For information about the XPLOR21 event or to register visit: http://cvent.me/gRg97O

“Our sponsors are critical to the success of our programming,” said Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International. “We thank our long-time supporters, it means a great deal to the association as well as me personally, especially during these uncertain times!”

  • Diamond Sponsors
    • Gimbel & Associates – Opening Reception, Beverage Breaks, Welcome & Industry Awards, Educational Tracks
    • Quadient – Mobile App, Lanyards, Tuesday Lunch
    • Crawford Technologies – Beach Happy Hour Reception
    • RenderX – Beach Happy Hour Reception
  • Ruby Sponsor
    • Smart Communications – Signage
  • Emerald Sponsor
    • Canon Solutions America – Conference Bags

XPLOR21 Vendor Forum:

  • Accusoft, Below Inc., CommonLook, Compart North America, Crawford Technologies, enChoice, Inc. Gimbel & Associates, Hatteras, Inc., MHC, OpenText, Papyrus Software, Quadient, Racami, RenderX, Smart Communications, Solimar Systems, Inc., WayPath Consulting

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

Xplor Announces 2021 Technology and Application of the Year Award Winners

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Recipients to be recognized at XPLOR21 in St. Pete Beach on November 16th

Lutz, FL — October 21, 2021 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the recipients of its 2021 Technology and Application of the Year Awards. The awards will be presented at a ceremony Tuesday, November 16, 2021, during the XPLOR21 event at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

Tweet this: @opentext has won the #XPLOR21 Technology of the Year Award and Pink Elephant Productions @colorkarma / Massachusetts Commission for the Blind has won the Application of the Year! Honorable Mentions include: @CrawfordTechInc @Racami1 @Quadient and CSG http://bit.ly/3m20ZAX

Application of the Year Award:

The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members alike.

Xplor will award two honorable mentions in addition to the 2021 winner.

  • The winner of the 2021 Xplor Application of the Year is Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and Pink Elephant Productions for their implementation of “The Quest for Independence.” This “Pre-Employment Transition Guidebook” utilizes multichannel and multi-media application technology using a graphic novel format, for visually impaired individuals between the ages of 14-21 years of age.
  • An Honorable Mention is being awarded to Quadient for their InspireXpress, an application of technology that shifted over 25,000 legacy CCM templates to their customers’ Inspire platform by applying Artificial Intelligence (AI,) Machine Learning (ML,) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to the cumbersome process of migrating legacy CCM applications to a new platform.
  • A second Honorable Mention is being awarded to CSG for the “CSG Experiences Practice” a dynamic approach that leverages holistic data analysis to create tangible insights allowing companies to better know their customer and deliver exceptional experiences. Through CSG’s customer engagement platform, companies can identify and tap into individual customer voices to discover the values, pains, and needs of the customer

Technology of the Year Award:

The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.  This can be a new program, product, or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members alike.

Like the Application of the Year award, Xplor will present two honorable mentions, in addition to the winner of the award.

  • The winner of the 2021 Xplor Technology of the Year is OpenText for their “OpenText Exstream for Salesforce,” a document generation tool with which Salesforce users can combine business data that is maintained in Salesforce with the capabilities of the OpenText Exstream platform, which allows the mapping of Salesforce standard and custom objects to available templates using information from the Salesforce system in business documents processed by Exstream.
  • An Honorable Mention is being awarded to Crawford Technologies for “PRO DocNow,” an engine for document manipulation enhancing already composed documents with color, logos, graphics, and more, to enabling production optimization by adding barcodes, generating postal sorting logic, and mining documents for index creation.
  • A second Honorable Mention is being awarded to Racami for “Pay+,” which recognizes each person’s document within a print job and stores those documents securely and executes workflows that send communications based on their preferences, payment history, demographics, and lifestyle. Initial notifications are via email to let people know that their bills are ready to pay. Additional communications workflows are prebuilt and triggered at different points in the payment lifecycle.

“We once again had a wide array of submissions this year making the decision by the Awards Committee difficult,” said Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International.  “I would like to congratulate all of our 2021 award recipients and also thank all of those who took the time to apply for an award.”

Xplor International will also be announcing the recipients of additional awards at XPLOR21 on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, during the awards ceremony.

For more information regarding XPLOR21, or to access the registration site, please visit http://cvent.me/gRg97O. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor HQ, at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at sales@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

Xplor President/CEO Provides an Update on the XPLOR21 Conference

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Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International, discusses the upcoming  XPLOR21 conference with Mark Michelson, Editor-in-chief  with Printing Impressions.

XPLOR21 Conference Update – We Are Moving Forward

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The cancelation of PRINTING United Expo, which had been scheduled for October in Orlando, has caused some questions about the XPLOR21 event, scheduled for November 16-18 in St. Pete Beach, Florida. At this point, Xplor International is electing to move forward with XPLOR21 for a variety of reasons:

  • XPLOR21 and Printing United are two very different industry events.
    • XPLOR21 will have a limited number of attendees between 275-325 whereas Printing United would have thousands.
    • XPLOR21 booths are pretty much “all inclusive” with most vendors just bringing popups, brochures and a couple support staff. Conversely, at a large show like Printing United, vendors have to ship equipment well in advance in addition to sending large support staffs.
    • Unlike larger shows, XPLOR21 is “self-contained.” All activities, including sessions, exhibits and networking events are held at a single site, the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, with most attendees staying at the property.
    • Smaller events such as the Inkjet Summit and ING did well.
  • Enthusiasm remains high.
    • Full agenda – Between Aug 12th and Aug 15th (once again during the peak of things) we received (28) speaker submissions. Our agenda is now populated.
    • Growing Exhibits – Vendors continue to sign up to exhibit. We have filled 17 of 24 booth with ongoing discussions with many others. We expect to sell out.
    • Attendees continue to sign up for the event – Historically we are tracking with past years at 10 weeks out.

The safety of our attendees is a priority and we will follow all CDC guidelines, provide masks and access to sanitizing stations in addition to all of the other safeguards taken by the TradeWinds.

With vaccination rates increasing and new cases in decline, we remain optimistic that the Delta variant is on the decline and hope to see you in St. Pete Beach.

We will be monitoring things over the next couple of weeks and will keep you updated should things change.

For an event preview, check out our short conference video or visit the XPLOR21 Conference site for more information.

Conference Agenda Populated for XPLOR21

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Sessions and speakers posted

Lutz, FL – August 26, 2021 – Xplor International today announced that their full educational agenda for XPLOR21, being held November 16-18, 2021 in St. Pete Beach, Florida at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, is now live at http://cvent.me/BQ1Py1.

Tweet this:  The #XPLOR21 agenda is now populated! All sessions/panels are now posted with topics, descriptions and presenters – Check out the 2021 @Xplor_Int annual event that you won’t want to miss! www.xplor.org/XPLOR21

“Our 2021 Education Committee has researched the topics that are dominating our industry and they have selected the very best content from this year’s Call for Presentations. Their research coupled with Xplor surveys resulted in three tracks that will cover 21 areas of focus,” says Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International.

Those tracks include Industry Trends, Technology, and Engagement. Sessions include Accessibility, Analytics, Design, PDF, Inkjet, Compliance, Omni-Channel, Customer Experience and much more. Presenters are a diverse group of end users, industry analysts, consultants, and vendor subject matter experts.

About XPLOR21: Starting at $899 USD for a full-conference Platinum Passport, the two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. Features include:

  • 40+ Educational Sessions & Panels
  • Keynote Speaker
  • 24 Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
  • Evening Networking Events
  • Daily Lunches

Xplor is also providing 50 complimentary conference passes as part of their First Timers Program. For more details visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/tjq6sh

If you have any questions, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at register@xplor.org. For more information regarding XPLOR21, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR21. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact sales@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

PODCAST: 30 Minutes with the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse!

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Last week I had the privilege of being interviewed by Deborah Corn, internationally known as the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse. You can check her our at www.printmediacentr.com.

As always, I had a great time.

Check out the podcast to hear about what’s new at XPLOR21, being held in St. Pete Beach, November 16-18th as well as some insights into the status of Xplor as it navigates the pandemic.

Until next time! Take care.

skip_Henk_Photo_2011

 

Skip Henk, EDP
President/CEO
Xplor International

2021 Xplor Industry Award Nominations Now Open

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Recognitions to include Application, Technology, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards

Lutz, FL — July 8, 2021: Xplor International today issued their annual call for nominations to be presented at their 2021 Annual Conference, XPLOR21, November 16-18 at the TradeWinds Island Grand in St. Pete Beach. The deadline for nominations is September 15, 2021. For more information on the annual Xplor awards, or to nominate a company or individual, please visit http://cvent.me/Rby39v.

Application of the Year Award
The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Technology of the Year Award
The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry. This can be a new program, product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Established in 2007, this award is given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document and customer communications industry. This award is open to members and non-members.

Xplorer of the Year
For over 20 years, Xplor International has honored an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the association. The Xplorer of the Year honors significant service to the association, dedication to the Xplor mission, and notable achievement promoting the interest of the electronic document systems industry.  Only current members of Xplor International, who are not on the Association Board of Directors, are eligible.

If you have any questions on the award nominations, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at register@xplor.org. For more information regarding XPLOR21, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR21. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor HQ, at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at sales@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

XPLOR21 Call for Presentations Now Open

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Lutz, FL – June 1, 2021 – Xplor International has issued their annual call for presentations for XPLOR21, the premier event for the Customer Communications industry. The event is taking place November 16-18 at the TradeWinds Island Grand in St. Pete Beach, Florida and will feature 40+ educational sessions, general sessions, a vendor forum and daily networking events.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int has opened the 2021 Call for Presentations! Share your knowledge and expertise with industry peers and enjoy growing your network. Speaking could net you a free pass too! #XPLOR21 http://bit.ly/34Gm3DA

The call for presentations is open through July 15th, with speakers being able to choose a 45-minute deep dive session, a 25-minute lightning learning session as well as the opportunity to participate on different panels. Xplor is seeking speakers from the business, analyst, consultant and vendor communities.

To view a full list of conference topics, or to submit a presentation, please visit the Call for Presentations website. Due to past demand, we can only accept one entry per person for session presenters, so choose your best one! Those selected will be notified of the status of their submission in mid-August.

For more information or to apply as a speaker, please visit http://cvent.me/8wMbK5. For more information about the conference, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR21. Any questions should be directed to register@xplor.org.

Interested in exhibiting? Please email sales@xplor.org.

Questions should be directed to Xplor HQ via email at register@xplor.org or by phone at +1-813-949-6170, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

Registration Now Open for In-Person XPLOR21 Conference in St. Pete Beach, Florida

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Lutz, FL – May 25, 2021 – Xplor International has announced that the conference website and registration are now open for their annual conference. XPLOR21 will take place in person November 16-18, 2021 at the TradeWinds Island Grand in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Attendees can register here: http://cvent.me/gRg97O

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announces #XPLOR21 registration is open for the in-person annual conference on November 16-18, 2021 which will be held at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort (@TWResorts) in St. Pete Beach, FL http://bit.ly/3yC3Ox1 

Hailed as “The Future of Customer Communications”, the two-and-a-half-day conference brings together end-users, analysts, consultants, industry experts and vendors who will share the latest best practices and trends in the customer communications industry.

For the 2021 conference, we are picking up what we wanted to do for last year’s event by going back to basics where many Xplorers say the ‘best years’ of Xplor’s modern conferences were.  The event is being held at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in sunny St. Pete Beach, Florida.

Xplor events are known for great educational content and XPLOR21 will be no exception. The conference features a blend of general, panel and breakout sessions that address best practices and processes driving the industry.

Rapid changes in technology are driving industry trends and best practices. Understanding the technologies, trends and how to best engage your customers and prospects is critical to your success. Our 2021 Education Committee has researched the topics that are dominating our industry. Their research coupled with Xplor surveys resulted in three tracks that will cover 21 areas of focus. Those tracks include industry trends, technology, and engagement.

For more information regarding XPLOR21, or to access the registration site, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR21.

Interested in speaking or exhibiting? Watch for the XPLOR21 Call for Presentations announcement or email register@xplor.org to be notified once we are accepting applications. If you are interested in exhibiting, please email sales@xplor.org.

Questions should be directed to Xplor HQ via email at register@xplor.org or by phone at +1-813-949-6170, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org