As graphic designer and FSC Coordinator, Jason England combines his experience in design, production, and business to help his managers and colleagues shape the future at Yale Printing and Publishing Services (YPPS).
After graduating with a degree in Art History and Graphic Design from Keene State in New Hampshire, Jason went on to work as a general manager with Illuminated Graphics at Atomic Projects. Within two years, he helped that company grow from a basement operation into a company valued at over $6 million.
Jason joined the YPPS family in 2008 as a casual in typesetting and was quickly promoted to a full-time prepress designer. He helped advance the print-ready side of the operation increasing throughput and efficiency. Many companies fail to have art and graphics ready for print quickly, causing delays for both the company and YPPS. In response, Jason implemented several practices to assist with these processes, speeding up production times and cutting project waste.
“I love the production side of print. Many people learn to do the art side of print but not the production side, which accounts for 50% of the end product,” he said. “It’s a great feeling to see that our services are needed especially when they help others save money— it’s a home run for us.”
Jason was critical in helping YPPS carve out its mission and vision during the marketing strategy campaign that began in 2013. Recently, YPPS updated their managed print clusters throughout the university renaming them Blueprint. In rebranding these clusters, YPPS reinforced the message that these are maintained by a Yale department and touted the advantages of having on-site and on-call customer service. Today, YPPS maintains over 1300 multifunctional devices throughout campus, all of which are Energy-Star certified.
The new marketing campaign also pushed for sustainability. In 2012, YPPS received Chain-of Custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a non-profit organization established to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC Chain-of-Custody certification involves tracing the path of products from forests and verifying that FSC-certified material is identified and kept separate from non-certified material.
“In the last year and a half, we have gone from 30% FSC stock to 80%— an effort that is both economic and sustainable,” said Jason, current YPPS FSC Coordinator. This model has since been replicated by printings services at Colgate College and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
Jason is increasingly focused on sustainable platforms, taking print to tablets and smartphones to keep up with today’s trends. When asked which project he’s most proud of, Jason mentioned that his work on the (originally printed) Facebook for Yale’s schools and residential colleges, pointing to collaborations with the Council of Masters and Information Technology Services (ITS) as highlights. “It was great being a part of a project that deals with these relationships,” said Jason.
He continues to look for ways to improve YPPS as a leader in sustainable practices with the use of biodegradable bags, reusing packing, and recycling miscellaneous surplus paper to create new products such as notepads. A self-described jack-of-all-trades, Jason hopes to continue creating innovative methods to enhance YPPS design, marketing, and sustainability. And in anticipation of these challenges, Jason, in his time at YPPS, has earned a M.B.A. degree in order to gain yet another skillset.
With the industry constantly undergoing transformations, YPPS is fortunate to have someone among their ranks who is such a forward thinker.