ASPT Member Biography
Laura (Unterbrink) Maybaum
Inducted into the Academy in 2008
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Laura Maybaum was first introduced to screen printing as part of her Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communications Technology at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio. The classes and lab print projects developed a strong interest in screen printing and led her to pursue an internship with Sefar America (formerly known as Tetko) in 1993.
Upon graduating with a BS in Visual Communications Technology specializing in Print Production Management, Laura continued her education with BGSU, completing a Masters of Education focusing on Training and Professional Development. On alternate semesters she taught undergraduate courses at BGSU and interned at KIWO in Houston, Texas. In 1996, Laura completed thesis work on the application of objective measuring systems for evaluating mesh bridging within the screen print process.
After receiving her Masters, Laura moved to Texas to begin a full time career with KIWO as the Applications Lab Assistant and was promoted to Applications Lab Manager by 1999. These positions required extensive amounts of theoretical and hands on experience with both the screen process and the products. Much of this knowledge was developed into training and marketing materials and articles for Screenprint magazine and the SGIA Journal.
Laura’s work was part of many of the new products developments by KIWO including a 10-step exposure calculator, which is still considered an important innovation to existing products. With the support of KIWO, Laura was one of the first to use a high powered microscope that measured and recorded image information digitally. This allowed for in-depth study of emulsion particle size, stencil resolution, and image resolution. Many of the images captured during her tenure are still in use today.
Over 400 printers, distributors, manufacturers and industry leaders were first introduced to Laura through training she presented on pre-press processes and 4-color process printing. In addition, she was able to support the SPTF by teaching the “Screen Making: Basic to Professional” courses through 1999.
In the continued promotion of the screen printing industry, KIWO supported Laura’s efforts in recruiting undergraduate college students for internships; most have continued on in the screen printing industry upon graduating.
In 2002, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia and began working as a Technical Manager for Nazdar with a new focus on screen printing ink. Within two years, Laura was promoted to POP Market Segment Manager, and transferred to Nazdar World Headquarters in Shawnee, Kansas.
Laura currently manages products from development through testing and sales for the national and international screen market. She continues to give presentations in the screen printing industry and to publish articles including, ‘The Environmental Aspects of UV Screen Inks: Past, Present, and Future’ in Screen Printing magazine. Recently, she has participated as a stakeholder in the creation of the Sustainable Green Printers Partnership.
Screen Printing remains viable and exciting due to the dedication of those who continuously raise the level of the process and educate the people involved. Laura shares the same focus of the ASPT members to expand and promote the industry’s level of expertise.
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