This month marks the 11th year Anniversary of how the Story of United Yearbook all began.

11 years ago, in October 2006, in a hotel board room on the Las Vegas strip, a representative from a highly reputable yearbook publishing company initiated a meeting with a client from our book manufacturing division. This client of ours operated his own printing brokerage business in Las Vegas and completed printing orders on behalf of the book manufacturing division of UYB. The seasoned yearbook representative promised this client a possible contract to print yearbooks for 1,000 schools. The meeting and all expenses incurred were paid for by the client and myself.  

After speaking to the representative on the phone, our print broker client contacted me, the Founder of UYB, and arranged an introduction between this “reputable” yearbook rep, myself, and the key members from the book-manufacturing division of UYB.  During the lengthy conference session, the yearbook rep discussed the potential business opportunities available to us, and shared the ample knowledge he held in yearbook field. At the end of the day, after many hours of presentation, he offered professionally bound business proposals to those present. He asked me, as the Founder of UYB, to consider investing US 1 Million Dollars in a “NEW” yearbook publishing enterprise he was starting.  

This was NOT what we had expected and we were all in a bit of shock! Our print broker client quickly confronted him, all the while resisting the temptation to flip the tables and chairs in an expression of his anger. Ultimately, he stormed out of the room, red-faced and sweating, never speaking to the yearbook rep again. Later, he wrote a long letter warning me about this rep and to not give him the time of day. Unfortunately, I did not heed this warning and advice, and as a result, I ultimately paid a huge price. This is what transpired:

A few months later, the same yearbook representative visited the California branch of my book-manufacturing division. In good faith, I welcomed him into my premises. He proceeded to take photos of my facility and peruse the sample materials on display. After some time, he left with a suitcase of yearbook cover materials and “coffee-table” style books which I offered him, including the only copies of some yearbook samples that my company held in our possession. Images of our products were used on the website of the “new” yearbook company he had founded, as well as in the marketing materials he distributed in his sales division. Multiple yearbook proposals were processed for this yearbook representative. I was waiting and anticipating his contact with my office and book manufacturing department to print the yearbooks for the contracts. A year passed and there was no word. Finally, I, the Founder of UYB, was contacted and informed the contract to print the multiple yearbook contracts had been distributed to another book-manufacturing supplier under the guise that this yearbook rep felt “I did not trust him”. Stunned by this incredulous statement, I demanded the return of the materials which he had taken from our premises. He refused to do so, and continued to use the materials for his marketing purposes!

Somehow, this should not have come as a surprise to me after his actions in Las Vegas. I had a forewarning of his lack of character from the print broker client in Las Vegas, which gave me ample reason to doubt his reliability and trustworthiness. But I made a mistake and did not heed the warning. I felt betrayed and used.  

However, I learned a valuable lesson through this experience! Yearbook business is a very “cut-throat” industry, and traditionally the business operates on manipulation, greed, and increased bullying. Sadly, the decision of yearbook procurement is often made in the context of fear of trying something new. As a result, schools stick with what is familiar. They sadly forgo the “new” product of stellar quality which costs the buyer less money (the parents) and increases the odds that students will be able to possess a copy of their own yearbook. 

In addition, as a result of my mistake, the driving force of UYB became the launch of a new yearbook division with one primary objective: to reform the integrity of this industry, to provide additional helps which increase the value and long-term benefits to educators, yearbook staff and students.  

I, as the Founder of UYB, found comfort and a purpose through a bible verse found in Romans 8:28; “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse gave an explanation and new confidence to understand and process the events that took place in Las Vegas and subsequent interactions with the yearbook rep.  Shortly after the New Year of 2008, I had a dream, and in the dream, I was given instructions of how to start and launch a new yearbook division, as well as the name for it. My family already had a well-established book-manufacturing company, and it was decided the yearbook division would be birthed under the umbrella of that company. The transition smoothly took place partly because I already had the expertise, and because there was an already established worldwide network. This network included some of the largest international book publishers, for whom we had produced the highest-quality of “coffee-table style” books. 

Proudly, on January 9, 2008, United Yearbook Printing Services (aka “United Yearbook”) was born. The rest is history!

In a twist of irony, this same yearbook rep contacted United Yearbook two years later and accused UYB of infringing upon "his" yearbook ideas. Strangely, and out of alignment with his allegations, he suggested we join forces and form a partnership together. After reading his letter, our corporate counsel contacted him and demanded proof of the allegation UYB infringed upon his ideas. We were not surprised he never supplied the proof or submitted any response in return.