American Reprographics Company Appoints Dilantha Wijesuriya Chief Operating Officer

Joel’s comments:

If I have comments to make about a Press Release, I normally post my comments below the Press Release. However, this time, I’m going to make an exception. First, if you’ve not met Dilo Wijesuriya and, at some point in the future, find yourself attending an industry event that Dilo is also attending, absolutely take the time to introduce yourself to Dilo. He is a very bright young man with an extremely engaging personality and an overwhelming passion for business.

When we older people in the industry speak to younger people in the industry about “management” and “leadership” in the reprographics industry, and I mean the importance of those two things and the fact that not all management people have both talents (“management” and “leadership”), you look for examples to use - people who do have both talents – and Dilo is a perfect example of someone who is both an excellent manager and an outstanding leader. While I’ve never personally worked with or for Dilo, he and I have had lots of discussions over the past couple of years, and you can, without question, “feel the passion” in what he says and how he approaches different subjects. Other people, who have worked with and for Dilo over the years, have remarked to me about his outstanding management and leadership skills. You could not meet a nicer guy.

Congratulations to Dilo on his appointment as COO of ARC.

PRESS RELEASE:

American Reprographics Company Appoints Dilantha Wijesuriya Chief Operating Officer

WALNUT CREEK, CA, Mar 04, 2011

“American Reprographics Company (NYSE: ARC), the nation's leading provider of reprographics services and technology, today announced that Senior Vice President of National Operations, Dilantha "Dilo" Wijesuriya, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Mr. Wijesuriya previously ran the regional operations and led the Company's international business development efforts. He will continue to report to K. "Suri" Suriyakumar, Chairman, President and CEO.”

"Dilo's leadership style generates both trust and accountability in the people who work for him. These qualities are critical to our success as we emerge from the recent downturn in our end markets," said K. "Suri" Suriyakumar, Chairman, President and CEO of American Reprographics Company. "His drive for operational excellence inside the company is unparalleled, and his unique and intimate understanding of ARC will continue to add valuable strategic perspective to our future development."

Mr. Wijesuriya will continue to oversee the operations of the company, relying on the support of newly appointed business unit executives announced on ARC's recent fourth quarter and year-end earnings call. He will take on a larger role in the strategic development of ARC, especially with regard to developing international operations, and continue to spearhead the Company's brand and operational consolidation.

"Our response to the economic downturn has created opportunities we have never had before at ARC," said Mr. Wijesuriya. "I'm eager to address our market under a unified brand and operational structure, refine our new business units, and help our team discover the company's new potential as the economy recovers."

Mr. Wijesuriya, 49, began his career with ARC as a manager at the company's Ford Graphics division in San Francisco in 1991. He subsequently became president of the division in 2001, and became an ARC regional operations head in 2004. In August 2008, Mr. Wijesuriya was named Senior Vice President - National Operations and an executive officer of ARC. Prior to his employment with American Reprographics Company, Mr. Wijesuriya was a divisional manager with Aitken-Spence from 1981-1990, a multi-national conglomerate headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka.