How one career reflects decades of change in the print industry

Few people have watched the print industry reinvent itself from closer range than Lisa Cross. She entered the field just as film gave way to digital, built a career chronicling the evolution, and now advises companies as they navigate ongoing change. In this Q&A, she reflects on her journey and the shifts that continue to shape the industry’s future.

ACE: Let’s start with your background—how did your career begin?

Lisa: After graduating with a communications degree, I moved to New York without a firm plan—maybe advertising, maybe TV, maybe print. I ended up with two job offers: one at a videography magazine and another at Graphic Arts Monthly. I chose print because it was part of a stable publishing house and felt like the stronger long-term industry. That decision launched a decades-long career documenting and later providing insight into the evolution of print.

ACE: What were those early years in print like?

Lisa: My timing couldn’t have been better. I entered the industry just as it was shifting from film-based workflows to digital. I watched the early days of digital prepress and the emergence of wireless technology. At Graphic Arts Monthly, I started out writing mostly technical content. But after earning my MBA, six years of night classes, I began pushing the magazine to cover areas few people talked about then: sales, marketing, vertical markets, and operations.Eventually, my editors promoted me to business editor and later to senior editor. The magazine folded in 2010 because the parent company exited publishing, not because it failed.

ACE: How did you transition from journalism to industry analysis?

Lisa: As fate would have it, I got a call from Barb Pellow at InfoTrends the very day I learned my job was ending. She wanted someone who could interpret complex research data and translate it into content people could actually understand. It was something I always loved doing. The transition was tough at first. As a journalist, I reported other people’s opinions. As an analyst, I had to form my own and defend them. But I grew into the role and later moved to the PRINTING United Alliance, where I work today.

ACE: How would you describe your role now?

Lisa: My career has become a blend of journalism, research, and strategy. At Alliance Insights, I still write, but a big part of my work now is helping manufacturers and print service providers understand market changes, emerging opportunities, and long-term strategy. I also work on commissioned research and industry consulting.

ACE: What are some memorable projects from over the years?

Lisa: A few stand out:

• Writing forward-looking articles in the ’90s about digital workflows and web-to-print, long before those ideas were mainstream.

• Creating business development content at InfoTrends to help printers grow their businesses.

• Managing Alliance Insights’ AI research initiatives, including being the lead analyst on two major industry studies.

ACE: Speaking of AI… how is it being adopted in the print industry?

Lisa: AI has definitely moved beyond buzzword status. Most printers use it for content creation, such as blogs, RFPs, and PowerPoints, as well as for image ideation and various administrative or non-core tasks. Adoption is now shifting toward more advanced applications, with AI embedded in vendor software for estimating, production tracking, and operational efficiency. The organizations leading the way are distinguished by a clear commitment to AI, reflected in a formal strategy and the presence of an internal AI champion. They also demonstrate their commitment by creating a workplace where employees are fully engaged and well educated. In this environment, resources are applied with purpose, and experimentation and innovation naturally flourish. The bottom line is that AI is shifting from curiosity to competitive advantage, and the industry is still in the pioneering stage.

ACE: You mentioned working with industry legends. Can you share a story?

Lisa: I always speak with great fondness about the late Earl Wilken, a visionary editor who was decades ahead of his time. He named the magazine Datamation and anticipated digital prepress long before most people understood it. Earl had boundless enthusiasm. He was just as eager to debate data warehouses as he was to stay out late enjoying life with the team. He was brilliant, approachable, generous with his knowledge, and hugely influential.

ACE: What was it like to report the news at early trade shows?

Lisa: I helped produce the very first onsite newspaper for the American Newspaper Publishers Association’s expo, long before digital workflows. It required pre-printing, manual paste-up, couriers, physical handoffs, and constant troubleshooting. That effort eventually became the show daily for Graph Expo for many years. Today, social media and digital workflows have replaced those intense, overnight productions.

ACE: Any advice for print businesses navigating today’s market?

Lisa: My biggest message: stay teachable. With rapid technological change, shifting market pressures, and the rise of AI, don’t assume you already know everything. Stay open to new ideas, perspectives, and technologies. Listen to employees and create an environment where people can share honest feedback. And above all, don’t stop investing in your business, even when things feel uncertain.

ACE: Should PR experts add you to their mailing lists?

Lisa: Yes! Staying informed through press releases and newsletters is essential to my research and strategy work.

Lisa Cross of Alliance Insights (formerly NAPCO Research) conducts original research on emerging trends and evolving dynamics in the commercial, in-plant, and packaging industries. She was formerly the Associate Director of Key Point Intelligence–InfoTrends’ Business Development Strategy service.

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