SAN FRANCISCO, CA--- Today, City Administrator Carmen Chu announced the retirement of Salla Vaerma. Vaerma has served as the Manager of ReproMail since 2008, transforming ReproMail into a model of efficiency and innovation for the City and County of San Francisco.
ReproMail offers timely printing, mailing, delivery, and interoffice services to all 64 City departments. In FY23 alone, ReproMail completed 7,618 print orders, processed 7.8 million mail pieces, and generated significant revenue from its Permit Center print shop. The work of the office is integral to the operations of all departments within the City and County of San Francisco.
ReproMail proved to be an essential resource for the City and County throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges of 2020, ReproMail remained fully operational, providing crucial delivery services and processing over 25 million digital prints. The team prioritized 2.1 million prints required by the Emergency Operations Center, ensuring a lightning-fast turnaround time. Under Vaerma’s leadership, ReproMail adapted to the limitations on in-person communications and was able to immediately respond to the demands of the pandemic. ReproMail delivered responsive messaging and ensured that the City’s increased print needs were met during this critical period.
During her tenure, Vaerma ensured that ReproMail was efficient, organized, responsive, and in tune with industry advancements. Her commitment to excellence and customer experience is reflected in the near-perfect scores from customer feedback surveys, which show her dedication to accuracy and outstanding customer care.
“I am proud of Salla’s leadership in making ReproMail a beacon of efficient print and graphic design for our City and County,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “It has been an honor to work alongside her, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. ReproMail played a crucial role in our emergency response and communication strategy, timely printing signage and information that helped residents, businesses, and staff stay safer and better informed. An often unseen and unsung hero, Salla’s relentless focus on customer service for client departments and her eye towards adapting to an ever-evolving industry, even amidst the pandemic, has been vital to our City's success. While her dedication and extensive knowledge will be greatly missed, I am excited for the new adventures that await her in retirement and wish her the very best.”
In 2019, Vaerma oversaw the implementation of EFI’s Digital StoreFront Web-to-print system. This evolution modernized the customer service experience and increased automation throughout the printing process. As a result of her unwavering dedication to the craft, ReproMail serves as a national leader in printing and adapting to the internet era.
"I have been extremely lucky to have been able to use my expertise in graphic arts and management theories to shepherd the City’s internal printing and mailing operation for the past 30+ years,” said retiring Manager Salla Vaerma. "I’ve always believed in strong customer service, continuous improvements, and accountability. Adapting quickly to changing technologies has allowed ReproMail to remain relevant in providing important communications materials for the City. I will miss ReproMail and the City and County of San Francisco and will forever be grateful for my time here.”
“Salla has been a stellar partner for the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector, and our team will miss her leadership tremendously,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “Salla and her team at ReproMail exemplify responsive customer service. Under her leadership, we’ve successfully executed millions of print jobs for property tax bills, business tax bills, notices to families about their Kindergarten to College accounts, and many more. Salla has taken the time to understand our work and has been a true partner in helping us deliver for the people of San Francisco.”
Following Vaerma’s retirement, Rene Alvarado, the current deputy manager of ReproMail, will serve as acting manager of ReproMail.
Vaerma has spent 30 years working in the Department of ReproMail for the City and County of San Francisco. Her career began in Finland, where she graduated from a vocational school in graphic design and printing in 1985. She also holds a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. In retirement, Vaerma plans to travel and spend time with her family. An avid outdoorswoman, she looks forward to hiking through Yosemite and enjoying time with her child.
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