{"id":70226,"date":"2026-07-23T07:36:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=70226"},"modified":"2026-07-23T07:46:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:46:27","slug":"sharp-difference-maker-michael-hunter-attuned-to-many-happy-returns-on-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2026\/07\/sharp-difference-maker-michael-hunter-attuned-to-many-happy-returns-on-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharp Difference Maker Michael Hunter Attuned to Many Happy Returns (on Investment)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Michael Hunter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a popular phrase related to marketing ROI that essentially admonishes, \u201cMarketing isn’t an expense; it’s an investment. Every dollar should come back with friends.\u201d In one of his early forays into product marketing, Michael Hunter received a reminder of this notion that has colored his approach throughout a 35-year career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The memory is a vivid one: Hunter was responsible for researching and communicating the needs of future products and specifications for the North American division of an OEM with the manufacturing teams in Japan. On one occasion, he requested a \u201clarge number of new products and new features.\u201d That prompted a Japanese colleague to share some words of wisdom: if you ask for $1 investment, I want $2 in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Message delivered. \u201cThis made me quickly realize that you must thoroughly vet out your requests\/proposals with a clear business plan, including market\/customer and ROI data to get what you need,\u201d said Hunter, a 2026 ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker. \u201cI continue to successfully use this approach today in everything I do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hunter has embraced best practices throughout his career, which includes a 21-year stint at Ricoh and a period with Kyocera prior to landing at Sharp, where he is currently director of marketing programs, pricing and events. The Seton Hall University graduate has long prided himself on being thorough and prepared, with the foresight to anticipate what questions might arise in a meeting. The prep work didn\u2019t go unnoticed; he once overheard his manager advise a team member that the best way to move up through the organization and demonstrate value was to learn from Hunter\u2019s example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It helps to have a passion for the work. One of his earliest experiences was working for a division of International Paper that made graphic art film and printing plates. Hunter was able to go to the factory and the R&D division to see the science and beauty of the craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never knew how things were printed\u2014it was an eye-opening experience,\u201d he recalled. \u201cFrom that point on, I was fascinated with the printing process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of Hunter\u2019s greatest influences were managers who gave him the autonomy to solve problems, experiment and test ideas. They were more interested in the thinking and effort that he put into his projects. In the process, Hunter was able to better anticipate challenges. It\u2019s part and parcel of Hunter\u2019s zeal for interacting with clients, learning about their needs and devising solutions that best address them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI learned when doing any task or project to anticipate all potential roadblocks and have recommended solutions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like so many industry professionals, Hunter is immersing himself in the world of AI via webinars and has conducted analysis with the technology. But he feels it\u2019s just scratching the surface of potential. Moving forward, Hunter is doubling down on finding ways it can improve his day-to-day tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Away from the office, Hunter and his wife, Daina, have been married for 37 years. They have five daughters (Megan, Kelsey, Taylor, Lindsay and Paige) the last four of which comprise two sets of twins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt makes sense since I\u2019ve worked in the copier industry for years,\u201d Hunter joked, a nod to what family and friends feel is his \u201csharp and interesting\u201d sense of humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hunters love vacationing in Italy and the Jersey Shore, and he can often be found on the golf course in addition to the beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The high school version of me wanted to be a:<\/strong> Major League Baseball player or marine biologist. (A baseball player was much cooler back then.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Favorite book or movie:<\/strong> Book \u2013 \u201cMoby Dick\u201d (that marine biologist thing); Movies \u2013 \u201cSaving Private Ryan\u201d and \u201c12 Angry Men\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Favorite food:<\/strong> Italian. My wife and her mother are Italian and are both extremely good cooks. I\u2019m very spoiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Person you’d most like to meet:<\/strong> Jacques Cousteau<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dream vacation destination:<\/strong> Galapagos Islands<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guilty pleasure:<\/strong> Golfing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most prized possession:<\/strong> My family<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a popular phrase related to marketing ROI that essentially admonishes, \u201cMarketing isn’t an expense; it’s an investment. Every dollar should come back with friends.\u201d In one of his early forays into product marketing, Michael Hunter received a reminder of this notion that has colored his approach throughout a 35-year career. The memory is a vivid one: Hunter was responsible for researching and communicating the needs of future products and specifications for the North American division of an OEM with the manufacturing teams in Japan. On one occasion, he requested a \u201clarge number of new products and new features.\u201d That prompted a Japanese colleague to share some words of wisdom: if you ask for $1 investment, I want $2 in return. Message delivered. \u201cThis made me quickly realize that you must thoroughly vet out your requests\/proposals with a clear business plan, including market\/customer and ROI data to get what you need,\u201d said Hunter, a 2026 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. \u201cI continue to successfully use this approach today in everything I do.\u201d Hunter has embraced best practices throughout his career, which includes a 21-year stint at Ricoh and a period with Kyocera prior to landing at Sharp, where he is currently director of marketing programs, pricing and events. The Seton Hall University graduate has long prided himself on being thorough and prepared, with the foresight to anticipate what questions might arise in a meeting. The prep work didn\u2019t go unnoticed; he once overheard his manager advise a team member that the best way to move up through the organization and demonstrate value was to learn from Hunter\u2019s example. It helps to have a passion for the work. One of his earliest experiences was working for a division of International Paper that made graphic art film and printing plates. Hunter was able to go to the factory and the R&D division to see the science and beauty of the craft. \u201cI never knew how things were printed\u2014it was an eye-opening experience,\u201d he recalled. \u201cFrom that point on, I was fascinated with the printing process.\u201d Some of Hunter\u2019s greatest influences were managers who gave him the autonomy to solve problems, experiment and test ideas. They were more interested in the thinking and effort that he put into his projects. In the process, Hunter was able to better anticipate challenges. It\u2019s part and parcel of Hunter\u2019s zeal for interacting with clients, learning about their needs and devising solutions that best address them. \u201cI learned when doing any task or project to anticipate all potential roadblocks and have recommended solutions,\u201d he said. Like so many industry professionals, Hunter is immersing himself in the world of AI via webinars and has conducted analysis with the technology. But he feels it\u2019s just scratching the surface of potential. Moving forward, Hunter is doubling down on finding ways it can improve his day-to-day tasks. Away from the office, Hunter and his wife, Daina, have been married for 37 years. They have five daughters (Megan, Kelsey, Taylor, Lindsay and Paige) the last four of which comprise two sets of twins. \u201cIt makes sense since I\u2019ve worked in the copier industry for years,\u201d Hunter joked, a nod to what family and friends feel is his \u201csharp and interesting\u201d sense of humor. The Hunters love vacationing in Italy and the Jersey Shore, and he can often be found on the golf course in addition to the beach. The high school version of me wanted to be a: Major League Baseball player or marine biologist. (A baseball player was much cooler back then.) Favorite book or movie: Book \u2013 \u201cMoby Dick\u201d (that marine biologist thing); Movies \u2013 \u201cSaving Private Ryan\u201d and \u201c12 Angry Men\u201d Favorite food: Italian. My wife and her mother are Italian and are both extremely good cooks. I\u2019m very spoiled. Person you’d most like to meet: Jacques Cousteau Dream vacation destination: Galapagos Islands Guilty pleasure: Golfing Most prized possession: My family<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":70232,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3626,80,1650,82,84,1638],"tags":[4712],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70226"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70226"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70229,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70226\/revisions\/70229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}