Our Approach

Since our founding in 2003, we have delivered, through training and consulting , significant results for digital and ink jet printing organizations, technology companies and CTE/vocational schools throughout the world.

We tailor our services to the unique needs of each customer.

• Graphic Communications industry-focused customized workshops and training courses which are delivered in the classroom, webinars and e-learning environments.

• Digital Printing training and consulting engagements are built using proprietary methodologies that target specific sales, marketing and operational needs.

• Marketing services that have been tested in real world environments that reflect the latest design and programming technology and communication trends required for the digital printing industry.

The Intellective Solutions team working with our customers consist of specialists that are experts in specific education, sales, marketing, design, programming, financial, management and operational areas.

Our strategy is to leverage the latest developments in the graphic communications industry to provide time and cost effective solutions based on our customers specific needs.

Leadership Team

Joe Rickard, President of Intellective Solutions

Joe Rickard is an outstanding motivator and frequently speaks at industry and company events. He leads workshops on sales, business development, and sales management within the Graphics Communications and Printing Industry. He is very excited about the opportunity within the transforming graphic communications industry. 

Joe has written over 60 articles focused on the graphic communications industry. Joe wrote the books, Value-Based Pricing and Sales Management for the Printing Industry.

Joe Rickard founded INTELLECTIVE SOLUTIONS in October 2003. Under his direction, the company has brought together an outstanding team of training leaders, subject matter experts, designers, and developers to work with graphic communications industry clients to improve their training, operations, sales, and sales management effectiveness. The company has recently launched an industry-validated curriculum and instructor resources for STEM and Vocational schools.

Joe is a long-time advocate of digital and inkjet printing helping the industry to make a transition to data-driven, cross-media, and industrial applications. Before forming Intellective Solutions, Joe Rickard was the President of the Communication and Systems Group (CISG) at Sharp Electronics. Before joining Sharp, he was a vice president at Xerox Corporation, where he directed marketing operations and field support for Xerox's office products and solutions in the eastern United States.

He holds an MBA in Marketing from Hofstra University, NY, and an MS in Education from St. John's University, N.Y.

Before his corporate career, Joe was a High School teacher and coach. Throughout his entire career, Joe has been passionate about Education. He has volunteered and served on Boards in support of students and educational objectives.

Frank Kanonik

Frank is a Managing Director for Intellective Solutions. He is a printing industry expert on digital workflow and production printing operations.

Over the past 30 years, he has worked with major in plant, commercial printers and manufacturers to improve production printing efficiencies and effectiveness. Frank spent 23 years with the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) where he was the responsible for developing and delivering a wide range of high impact training classes to graphic communications companies and corporate in-plants on a variety of printing subjects.

In addition to a thriving consulting and training practice, Frank has spoken about digital printing at industry events such as Xplor, GraphExpo, and IGAS. He speaks on such topics as production workflow, web to print, variable data printing, business development and security printing.

He has developed a printing assessment consulting methodology used by technical analysts within in the industry, . Prior to his consulting career, Frank was National Program Manager of the Marketing Partnership Program at the Xerox Corporation. He consults with graphic communications companies to implement or grow their print offerings. Frank has held positions at PIA/GATF brings over 25+ years of relevant training and solutions consulting experience. He has also worked for Xerox Corporation. While at PIA/GATF and Xerox, Frank has developed, launched and delivered many educational training offerings.

Frank also serves on the Board of Directors of the Printing and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF). For additional information about the PGSF, or to learn how you can help ensure our industry's continued success, visit www.pgsf.org. Frank is also a member of the Graphic Communications Technical Committee for SkillsUSA (www.skillsusa.org) which provides skill accreditation for multiple industries.

Bob ross

Bob is a Consultant/Senior Trainer for Intellective Solutions. He has extensive experience in graphic communications.

Bob spent twenty-one-years at The Corporate Communications Group (CCG) in West Caldwell, NJ. He helped CCG and its clients understand the value of digital print, when and where to utilize traditional sheetfed and web printing, labeling, packaging, various finishing options, and the power/uniqueness of the one-to-one marketing space. BMW, Unilever, Revlon, Tiffany, Clairol, Bayer, Bausch & Lomb, Disney, and other fortune 500 companies were only a few of the company’s he worked with during this time

Later, as the Director of Marketing, he designed and implemented comprehensive marketing strategies that expanded client awareness of the company’s overall business capabilities. He worked closely with key third-party software and services companies to provide his clients with integrated, end-to-end, highly relevant print solutions. He is an expert on all virtual aspects of printing. Bob developed Client, Sales, and Account Representative training programs. Subjects covered included understanding color, paper and print media, traditional versus digital printing, US Postal and Mailing Services, web development, database management, warehouse management, inventory control, and shipping. Bob trained approximately 130 employees over a three-year period.

Before working at CCG, Bob worked for Xerox for twenty years where he held Technical, Production, Sales and Management positions.

Dan Wagner

Dan is a senior trainer and consultant for Intellective Solutions and is an expert in production printing.

Dan grew up in Western New York and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a BS degree in Business Administration in 1979. He is an experienced consultant and trainer who has led Intellective Solutions efforts in vocational training. He is passionate about the need for skilled and enthusiastic future employees and executives in the graphic communications industry.

Dan’s professional career began in the Management Training program with John Harland Company, a national Check Printer, in Rochester New York. This led to 20 years in Operations Management, concluding as a Regional Vice President responsible for the operations and P&L of 10 locations in the Northeast/Midwest.

In 1998, he acquired a 1/3rd ownership position in TLF Graphics, a regional Label converter. Primary products were food and beverage labels as well as industrial durable labels using Flexography and Screen printing.  TLF Graphics grew from $6.5 million in annual revenue to $22 million over 23 years.

As Vice President of Operations, he had responsibility for two facilities with 90+ operations associates. Instituted ISO 9000 quality system and led the transition to 45% of our manufacturing revenue to digital printing using Electrostatic, UV inkjet, and Direct Object inkjet printing processes. He had the responsibility to qualify suppliers of materials, prepress, press, and finishing equipment to meet our customer’s diverse requirements.

Mike Doran

Mike Doran is a producer/announcer for Intellective Solutions with 20+ years of Broadcast and Advertising Agency experience.

Mike has led projects for Intellective Solutions resulting in industry benchmark audio, video and marketing communications for regional and national graphic communications organizations.

Mike began at NBC News and went on to spend 22 years as an VP Executive Producer at the legendary Doyle Dane Bernbach and its successor, DDB. As a writer and producer he has won every major award in the advertising business for a diverse list of clients including American Express, IBM, Hershey, ExxonMobil, the New York Lottery, Bristol Meyers, American Airlines and Amtrak and ad agencies including BBDO, Ogilvy, Arnold, and McAnn Erickson.

Frequently used as an 'off camera' interviewer, narrator, and character announcer, Mike is a graduate of Notre Dame University.

Ryan Doran

Ryan Doran is the head of UX/UI and creative @Turkois and owner at KOI

He is a passionate creative director with a strong record of developing interactive graphics, branding, social, and advertising campaigns. He is skilled in problem-solving, group management, as well as concept and strategy development for complex interactive initiatives.  He is capable of developing in multiple medium production and incorporation toward the goal of a cohesive and forward-looking experience for the client and its customers.

Ryan is a professional in a broad range of design specialties, consistently evolving his creative ‘tool belt’ in order to make each project’s result better than the last. As a multi-disciplinary creative he believes in motivating and inspiring clients and non-creative departments to embrace the rewards of superb user-focused creative work; a mentality that translates directly to bottom lines.

Ryan creates websites, apps, digital publications, graphics, video, audio and promotional tools for a broad range of industries generating additional revenues through strategic, media-forward high-style approaches to branding and visual design.

Examples of Ryan’s work can be found at http://www.intellectives.com/graphic-design/