Press Releases James P. Wicker Added to Smead Board of Directors Smeads Helpful Tips Make a Breeze of Spring Office Cleaning Atlanta Takes Over European Activities Smead Gets Ready for Clean Out Your Files Month Get ORGANIZED with Tips from the Experts at Smead Smead Underwrites Organizing from the Inside Out PBS Program Smead E-KITS Working With Color Small Office, Home Office Organizing from the Inside Out < Back to Media Relations Samples

Check out Smead 95th Anniversary newsletter that I helped write and edit.

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Hastings, Minn. (April 30, 2001) Sharon Lee Avent, president and chief executive officer of Smead Manufacturing Company headquartered in Hastings, Minn., recently announced the addition of James P. Wicker to the Smead Board of Directors.

The addition of James Wicker to our board of directors is another affirmative sign that Smead is quite serious about growing and managing our business in a professional and prudent manner, said Avent. We will look to his experience and knowledge for guidance and wisdom in our decision making.

A graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul with a BA degree in Accounting, Wicker was certified as a CPA in 1967 and as an Accredited Personal Financial Specialist in 1991. Until his retirement in 1997, he was a partner with the firm of KPMG Peat Marwick in Minneapolis. His career included serving as partner in charge of Midwest Financial Planning Practice, KPMG Investment Advisors and Minneapolis Middle Market Practice.

Wicker has served on the boards of Best Foods, The Northland Company, Encore Technologies, Inc., Pearson Candy Company and Midwest Molecular, among others. His professional service has been enhanced by serving on such community boards as the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Ramsey County Historical Society, Minnesota Business Hall of Fame, the University of St. Thomas and United Arts Council. He has also been honored a number of times with professional and community service awards.

Wicker becomes the sixth member of the board, joining Avent, Richard Fox, Sandra Martin, Millett OConnell and Arthur Pfister.

Smead is a privately held, majority woman-owned business, manufacturing and marketing filing supplies and records management software for home and office. Founded in 1906, it has a strong history of providing innovative solutions to business. In an effort to expand globally, Smead acquired Atlanta Group, a company headquartered in The Netherlands, in 1998. In addition, Document Control Solutions of California was acquired in 1999 and S & W Manufacturing Company was added in 2001. With 12 manufacturing locations worldwide, Smead employs 3,200 people and distributes nearly 6,000 stock products.

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Hastings, Minn. (April 6, 2001) The time has come to once again do some necessary spring cleaning ... office style, just in time for National Organize Your Files Week, April 15-21. Dont spend all spring and summer looking for the document the boss needed two months ago. Clear the clutter and get organized with these helpful spring cleaning tips from the office product experts at Smead.

"	Do not throw everything away on an impulse. Develop a system of organizing that fits your style and work needs.
"	Remove clutter gradually. Break down your organizational steps and tackle them one at a time. This keeps clutter to a minimum enhancing efficiency and productivity.
"	Set up sufficient cabinet and filing space. There is no such thing as too much storage.
"	File materials on a regular basis. Do not get in a habit of letting things pile up.
"	Establish a file-cleaning session each month to reevaluate old files and recycle unnecessary items.
"	Make organizing fun by creating a bright, less messy environment. Use an assortment of home and office products in a variety of colors and styles. Remember your personal style and choose things that represent you and your organization.
"	Stay organized! Maintaining organization makes everyone happier and work just a little easier.

Smead Manufacturing company manufactures and markets filing systems and records management products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. Smead products are available through office product distributors and retail office product outlets.

Founded in 1906, Smead is a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of office filing and records management supplies in North America. Headquartered in Hastings, Minn., Smead is a privately held, majority woman-owned business with about 3,200 employees in 11 manufacturing plants located across North America and Europe.

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HOOGEZAND, Netherlands Atlanta Group BV, part of the Smead Manufacturing Company, recently reached an agreement with Geographics, Inc. (USA) regarding the take over of the production and distribution activities of Geographics in Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. After completion of the necessary contracts the agreement is due for completion on November 1, 2000.

Geographics is a manufacturer of value-added and designer stationery paper and office products, and recently introduced an assortment of plastic filing cabinets. Initially, Atlanta will be responsible for the sale of the Geographics products in Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. At a later date, Atlanta will also undertake the production of the paper products in its factory in Hoogezand.

With the takeover of the mentioned activities Atlanta hopes to further improve the service to its customers, a better utilization of its machines and to expand its position on the office supplies market.

Atlanta is a manufacturer and distributor of office products and computer accessories and has exclusive distribution rights to sell a number of leading brands in several European countries. Production is based on three technologies: paper, metal and injection molding. Atlanta Group BV is headquartered in Hoogezand, the Netherlands. Atlanta also has sales organizations in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland and has established distribution of its products in more than 50 countries throughout the whole world. Since 1998 Atlanta is part of the Smead Manufacturing Company in Hastings, Minnesota (US), a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of office filing and records management supplies.

Smead Manufacturing Company is a privately held, woman-owned business, manufacturing and marketing filing supplies and records management software for home and office. Founded in 1906, it has a strong history of providing innovative solutions to business. In an effort to expand globally, Smead acquired Atlanta Group, a company headquartered in the Netherlands, in 1998. With 10 manufacturing locations worldwide, Smead employs 2,900 people and distributes nearly 5,000 stock products.

For more information you can contact Ms. P. Overmars, telephone: + 31 598 - 32 92 15, e-mail: pieternel.overmars@atlanta-group.com or Mrs. H. Marriott, telephone: + 31 598 - 32 92 36, e-mail: harma.marriott@atlanta-group.com

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Hastings, Minn. (Sept. 8, 2000) Smead Manufacturing Company, the office and home office organization expert, is promoting the Smead-sponsored PBS program, Organizing from the Inside Out with Julie Morgenstern, in support of Clean Out Your Files Month (October) and Get Organized Week (Oct. 1-7). The one-hour program, hosted by nationally recognized professional organizer and author Julie Morgenstern, is slated for special nationwide PBS programming over the next three years. Based on Julies best-selling book of the same name, the program aims to motivate viewers to get organized at home and at work.

As a manufacturer and marketer of filing systems and records management products, Smead understands the value of organization at home and at work. Julie is just as passionate to help the world get organized as Smead is, so underwriting the show is a good fit for us, said Sharon Hoffman Avent, Smead president and CEO. And, of course, the special provides PBS viewers the opportunity to learn the techniques of successful organization in the home and office directly from Morgenstern, a master teacher and motivator.

Organizing from the Inside Out teaches that organizing is a skill everyone can learn and once mastered, the process of organizing is cleansing, empowering and even fun. Morgensterns unique approach is a new world where organization is not equated with sparseness or neatness. Instead, she believes organization should focus on the function of a home and office rather than the form, which allows for an individual approach.

According to Morgenstern, a common error people make is to impose a one-size-fits-all system where people organize from the outside in and automatically throw away everything perceived to be clutter. Organizing from the inside out focuses on what is important to the individual and finding ways to make it more accessible.

Like Morgenstern, Smead believes that a one-size-fits-all approach to organization doesnt work, said Ken Linde, marketing manager, Smead. Thats why we listen to our consumers and create new products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. Our aim is to help consumers and businesses get organized and to help them stay that way.

Julie Morgenstern, founder and owner of the professional organizing firm TASK MASTERS, is the nations number one organizing expert, a New York Times best selling author and frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. PBS projects 1.2 million viewers will see the program during the initial August 2000 pledge drive and expects broadcasts by PBS affiliates covering at least 70 percent of U.S. TV households.

Smead Manufacturing Company manufactures and markets filing systems and records management products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. In addition to their popular InnDura UltraColor poly series, Smead also offers standard file folders, Flex-I-Vision hanging folders and related Viewables labeling products, color-coded filing supplies, Alpha-Z self-adhesive label products, filing accessories, expanding files and wallets, shelving products, made-to-order products and state-of-the-art Smeadlink document management software. Smead products are available through office product distributors and retail office product outlets.

Founded in 1906, Smead is a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of office filing and records management supplies in North America. Headquartered in Hastings, Minn., Smead is a privately held, majority woman-owned business with about 2,900 employees in 10 manufacturing plants located across North America and Europe.

Flex-I-Vision, Alpha-Z and Smeadlink are registered trade names of Smead Manufacturing Company. InnDura, UltraColor and Viewables are trademarks of Smead Manufacturing Company.

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Hastings, Minn. (Sept. 8, 2000) Each day, every office worker in America creates 45 new sheets of paper, adding up to more than 1,300 sheets of paper per month per person to be sorted, filed, recycled or thrown away. Its no wonder so many people feel trapped under a mountain of paper work. But it doesnt have to be that way.

Get organized with the following tips from the office product experts at Smead in support of Clean Out Your Files Month (October) and Get Organized Week (October 1-7).

rganize rather than attack. The first impulse for many people when getting organized is to either throw everything away or to purchase elaborate and expensive products to organize before sorting through materials and deciding whats important. Rather, develop an organizational system complete with office products that fit your work style and your needs. Being organized means having access to what you need when you need it; everything in the office needs a home.

emove office clutter gradually. To eliminate unwanted piles of junk, bad habits must be broken and good organizational habits formed, which takes time. Trying to make sweeping changes too fast can result in frustration and even more disorganization. Break getting organized down into steps and tackle them one at a time.

et in the habit of filing materials regularly. Do not allow materials or paper to pile up. File materials immediately, instead of letting them sit around for weeks at a time gathering dust, or worse, in piles that you leaf through inefficiently day after day.

nalyze the work space and create a better filing system. Take a look at your current records management problems to determine if you are using an efficient and effective filing system. Use color-coding and alphabetic or numeric indexing to better arrange your files. Look for color folders and hanging files to complete the job.

avigate others through the organization process. More than 80 percent of the cost to maintain paper records is personnel time used in retrieving and replacing documents in a filing system. Teaching those you work with the importance of staying organized will save time and money.

dentify categories for filing ease. Create filing categories that make sense and are easy to remember. Categorized items are easier to file and find.

est up the office and make organizing fun. Use an assortment of home and office products in a variety of colors and styles. Explore your options and choose a system that fits your workflow and personal style. Remember there is no one-size-fits-all system for organization.

armark unnecessary files for recycling. Eighty percent of the clutter currently on your desk can be removed either by recycling or filing it. Make a weekly habit of organizing the mess on your desk.

Smead Manufacturing Company manufactures and markets filing systems and records management products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. Smead products are available through office product distributors and retail office product outlets. Smead is also an underwriting sponsor of the new PBS program, Organizing from the Inside Out with Julie Morgenstern hosted by nationally recognized professional organizer and author Julie Morgenstern, which can be seen across the nation during pledge-drive programming and in special time slots over the next three years.

Founded in 1906, Smead is a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of office filing and records management supplies in North America. Headquartered in Hastings, Minn., Smead is a privately held, majority woman-owned business with about 2,900 employees in 10 manufacturing plants located across North America and Europe.

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Hastings, Minn. (Aug. 7, 2000) Smead Manufacturing Company today announced the companys underwriting of the new PBS program, Organizing from the Inside Out with Julie Morgenstern. The one-hour program, hosted by nationally recognized professional organizer and author Julie Morgenstern, will be used during pledge-drive programming across the nation this month and for special time slots over the next three years. Based on Julies best selling book of the same name, the program aims to motivate viewers to take action and get organized at home and at work.

As a manufacturer and marketer of filing systems and records management products, Smead understands the value of organization at home and at work. Julie is just as passionate to help the world get organized as Smead is, so underwriting the show is a good fit for us, said Sharon Hoffman Avent, Smead president and CEO. And, of course, the special provides PBS viewers the opportunity to learn the techniques of successful organization in the home and office directly from Morgenstern, a master teacher and motivator.

Organizing from the Inside Out teaches that organizing is a skill everyone can learn - and once mastered, the process of organizing is cleansing, empowering and even fun. Morgensterns unique approach is a new world where organization is not equated with sparseness or neatness. Instead, she believes organization should focus on the function of a home and office rather than the form, which allows for an individual approach.

According to Morgenstern, a common error people make is to impose a one-size-fits-all system where people organize from the outside in and automatically throw away everything perceived to be clutter. Organizing from the inside out focuses on what is important to the individual and finding ways to make it more accessible.

Like Morgenstern, Smead believes that a one-size-fits-all approach to organization doesnt work, said Ken Linde, marketing manager, Smead. Thats why we listen to our consumers and create new products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. Our aim is to help consumers and businesses get organized and to help them stay that way.

Julie Morgenstern, founder and owner of the professional organizing firm TASK MASTERS, is the nations number one organizing expert, a New York Times best selling author and frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. PBS projects 1.2 million viewers will see the program during the initial August 2000 pledge drive and expects broadcasts by PBS affiliates covering at least 70 percent of U.S. TV households.

Smead Manufacturing Company manufactures and markets filing systems and records management products for large and small businesses as well as for individual and home office use. In addition to their popular InnDura UltraColor poly series, Smead also offers standard file folders, Flex-I-Vision hanging folders and related Viewables labeling products, color-coded filing supplies, Alpha-Z self-adhesive label products, filing accessories, expanding files and wallets, shelving products, made-to-order products and state-of-the-art Smeadlink document management software. Smead products are available through office product distributors and retail office product outlets.

Founded in 1906, Smead is a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of office filing and records management supplies in North America. Headquartered in Hastings, Minn., Smead is a privately held, majority woman-owned business with about 2,900 employees in 10 manufacturing plants located across North America and Europe.

Flex-I-Vision, Alpha-Z and Smeadlink are registered trade names of Smead Manufacturing Company. InnDura, UltraColor and Viewables are trademarks of Smead Manufacturing Company.

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