Diana Blindert entered the printing and publishing industry after she graduated from high school and was hired by the Platteville Journal and Mastercraft Press. During her 23 years at the company she learned the newspaper and printing business from the ground up. She said it gave her a well-rounded understanding of the industry.
In 2003, Blindert joined the University of Wisconsin-Platteville as part of the Publications and Public Relations Department as the print buyer, editor and administrative assistant. In 2008, she became a print technician in Pioneer Printing and Postal Services and in 2010 the Pioneer Printing and Postal Services supervisor. She is also the merchandise coordinator and print buyer for the communications department.
Outside of campus, Blindert enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and being outdoors.
What does a typical work day look like for you?
There is no typical workday in our area. We are deadline driven; what we do and when we do it constantly changes. We start each day with a scrum meeting to touch base about what print projects we have in house, what finishing needs to be done on projects, what meetings people may have that day, address any mail or package delivery issues and lift up anything else happening on campus.
After the meeting, people start on their to-do list for the day. I may be printing, helping with mail, working with people on merchandise requests, bidding print projects off campus or other supervisory duties. Whatever it takes to keep things moving forward.
Pioneer Printing and Postal Services serves many people including all three UW-Platteville campuses, faculty, staff, and students along with government agencies and the public. What is the biggest challenge and reward with working with so many different people and their project requests?
I would say the biggest challenge is deadlines. When working with so many people, they are all concerned about their deadline and the process to get their project to completion. Communication is key. We work hard to keep things on time and educate people about our processes.
The most rewarding part of my job, is helping people get the best quality printing at the most reasonable price in a timely manner. I am very proud of the finished projects that leave our facility.
You are involved in organizations across campus including being a member of the University Staff Senate as the former vice chair and now currently as the secretary. Why is it important for you to be involved in University Shared Governance?
I have enjoyed being involved in University Staff Senate because it keeps me informed about issues affecting our campuses and university staff in particular. It gives me a voice to bring up my concerns and questions. It makes me more aware of what is going on in the UW System.
What advice would you have for UW-Platteville employees who would like to become more involved on campus?
Volunteer for committees, run for University Staff Senate, just get involved. USS is always looking for new members. We are also in need of university staff members, not on senate, to serve on our sub committees. Contact me or another member and let us know if you are interested in those opportunities.
Attend one of our meetings; all university staff are welcome. It took me a few years of being on campus before I felt comfortable getting involved on committees, but once I did I realized the importance. I’m very fortunate that my division encourages employees to get involved. You may feel you won’t make a difference, but you will. Fresh ideas area always needed. It is also a great way to meet people across the campuses and make valuable connections.
There are also many learning opportunities available on campus. I was recently a part of Leadership Academy and it was a great experience. I met new people from all three campuses, and had the opportunity to work closely with some on a campus project. Human Resources offers professional development opportunities, so take the time to attend some of those, they help you to connect with others on campus.
What’s one of your proudest accomplishments during your time at UW-Platteville?
I think I’m most proud of where Pioneer Printing and Postal Services is in providing valuable services to our campuses. We as a group have worked very hard to update equipment and processes so we can offer high quality printing, many finishing options, and timely mail and package delivery.