Could you walk us through how you joined the company and the different roles you’ve had over the years?

I started with Documation in 2001, so it will be 24 years here in March.

I came in as a printing press operator. I ran press for a couple years and then moved into customer service, which I also did for a couple years. Then we created a whole new role within customer service called job planners. It was more of a production role – taking orders that were coming in, scheduling, making sure the tickets were all good before they went into production.

From there, I got into estimating, and I was a full-blown estimator for a while and managed the group. From there, I became quality control manager on the shop floor and that quickly transitioned into bindery manager.

Then I eventually became general manager and then vice president of operations. And here more recently with the Walsworth acquisition, I’m now the Eau Claire plant manager.

Sounds like you’ve done it all over the last 24 years. Is it safe to say you probably know the facility in Eau Claire as well as anybody?

Yes, and as vice president of operations I really had my fingers in all areas of the business.

When we got into print on demand several years ago, it was our best accomplishment as a company. It took us a couple years to really hone in, get the workflow developed and become really good at it – doing book of one print on demand soft-cover perfect-bound books.

And before I knew it, I had learned and understood how data mapping and automation worked. I was able to become the architect for the workflows. Just the fact that I get to lead this, bring people together, talk about the logic and develop something, it’s absolutely amazing.

Right now we’re working on some new workflows for a brand new Walsworth customer that’s going to be fully automated variable printing. It’s very complex. I like the challenge.

How did Documation decide to go into print on demand? What was the driver?

Our owner at the time (Brad Stuckert) was always very aggressive when it came to new technology and using the latest printing and finishing equipment. And he had the vision to be 100% digital, which we became about three years ago.

What really drove it at the end was an opportunity for a very large customer that needed a partner in the Midwest that could handle a large portion of their business. We didn’t have the technology to do it at the time, but Brad was willing to invest to make it happen.

The first year was awful. The equipment wasn’t working the way it was sold to us. We were using technology that was brand new. So there were growing pains, but we stuck with it and eventually got really good at it.

You’ve been with the company for 24 years. What has made you stay?

First and foremost, you could say the culture is what bred me. Most places aren’t going to give people the opportunities that I was given at Documation – the freedom to make mistakes, screw things up, learn from it and then do it better.

I started as a press operator. Then they gave me a chance to move into a customer service role. I was just a guy with a little bit of charisma, and they moved me into a role that, at the time, was mostly women. And the only thing they really asked is, “Can he type?”

Learning all the departments has been invaluable. I’ve always been good at solving problems for customers, so I was given more opportunities and continued to grow.

How much did you know about Walsworth before the acquisition? What’s your perspective now, a couple months in?

I knew of Walsworth but didn’t know a ton. I knew they had bought Ripon, and we would collaborate on a job here and there. Or we’d have a customer that needed to do a higher quantity run, so they’d go to Ripon. But beyond that, I didn’t know a whole lot about the company other than they were big in the book market.

Then being on the executive committee here, I contributed to Walsworth’s due diligence process for the acquisition of Documation. And I was in some of the initial meetings with the vice presidents at Walsworth.

I was told Walsworth is a family – we value our employees and their safety first and foremost, we want to be the employer of choice in our communities, we want to have fun while we work and make money at the same time – I’ve found it all to be absolutely true. Everything I was told is coming to fruition.

Certainly, when you’re in the middle of a transition there is pain, and there’s a lot of change going on. But everybody at Walsworth has been very understanding on how different our business is in Eau Claire. Our capabilities are a nice addition to Walsworth’s, and I am excited about where we’re heading.

Can you tell us a little bit about your family?

I have an amazing and beautiful wife, Caryn. We grew up down in Austin, Minnesota, and were high school sweethearts. We’ve been married for almost exactly as long as I’ve been working here in Eau Claire at Documation and had our kids at a really young age.

We were so young that now I’m now a grandpa at 44. That was going to be my interesting thing that most people wouldn’t know, because I’m still a pretty young guy, but I’m a grandpa.

Our son Dylan is also in the printing industry. He works for Rooney Printing up in Chippewa Falls just north of here. He and his wife Cora are the ones with the baby and another baby on the way. His son Oslo is a year and a half and now they’re pregnant with their second.

Our daughter Hailey is in college. She’s a hockey player at Salem State University. It’s a D3 school near Boston.

That’s awesome, and you were involved with her coaching when she was younger, correct?

Yeah, I grew up playing hockey. When Dylan was young, barely old enough to skate, I got him involved in hockey. I really pushed him to be a hockey player, got him involved in offseason programs and stuff. The last time he ever played, he was probably a first grader, I had him at some camp in the middle of the summer and he’s laying on the ice and the coaches can’t get him to get up. I had to walk out and drag him off the ice. He never played again.

So I never pushed with Hailey. But when she became old enough to play, she came to me and said she wanted to play hockey. So we signed her up, and I ended up running the Mite program here in Altoona. I coached her all the way up until she was a 9th grader. Then she went on and played high school hockey, and I’ve been a spectator ever since.

She got to try out for a regional travel team called Wisconsin Elite Hockey, and they ended up winning state and regionals and got invited to go play at nationals in Los Angeles. She and I flew out there for a week, and she played in the hockey tournament. We regard that as one of the best trips we’ve taken.

And now she’s a college hockey player living out in Boston. She got a group of friends; they’re inseparable. She’s playing a lot. Caryn and I fly out there about once a month to watch her play. Otherwise, we watch it on live stream. Watching her play hockey is a big part of our life.

So you and your wife are originally from Minnesota?

My wife is originally from Illinois. Her family bounced around there when she was pretty young, then they moved to Duluth, Minnesota, way up on the north shore. They moved to Austin when she was in junior high, and that’s when I met her. I was really good buddies with her older brother.

How far is Austin from where you guys are now?

It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Austin is called “SPAM Town USA” because it’s home to Hormel Foods, which produces SPAM. There’s even a SPAM Museum there. I love to eat spam!

What about other hobbies?

I love to golf, and I play as much as I can. It’s never enough. I love fishing and spending time with my family at the lake. We have property up in northern Minnesota. My dad, my uncles, my cousins, we like to go up there and fish.

I’m also a huge Minnesota Vikings fan and root on all the Minnesota sports teams.

So you’re the one Vikings fan in Wisconsin then?

Well actually, Eau Claire is in western Wisconsin, so there’s lots of Vikings fans here. But there’s more Packers fans, for sure.

If you had a personalized coffee mug, what would it say?

I wouldn’t have a personalized mug.

Not a coffee drinker?

Oh I love coffee, but I wouldn’t have a personalized coffee mug. It would just say “Yeti” on it.

Do you have a favorite book?

I’ve never really gotten into reading books, but I do read the Bible on a regular basis. So I’ll say the Bible.

Favorite movie or TV show?

So there’s several movies I really like, but the best TV series of all time is Game of Thrones. All my favorite shows come off HBO, I think. Deadwood was one I really liked, and Boardwalk Empire.

But the best all time is Game of Thrones for sure.

Do you have a favorite meal?

I just love food in general, but if I had to pick one it would probably be tacos. And burritos. Mexican food.

You mentioned going to the lake, but does your family have a favorite vacation spot?

We’ve always loved going to Florida, if we can get there in the winter. We’re going for spring break this year. We’ve been for Christmas a couple times. My brother-in-law lives in Saint Augustine. It’s been a while since we’ve been, but those trips are always special.

If you reflect back on your career, do you have a particular moment or accomplishment that you’re most proud of?

It would be that two-year stretch where we got the POD program up and running with the new equipment.

2018 was the most difficult year of my career. It was not fun getting stuff up and running, and we were under high pressure. Difficulties with labor and training. I will always remember how tough that was.

In 2019, we completely figured it out. It goes to show you that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. What we accomplished as a team makes me so proud. It was unbelievable.

As you look to the future with Walsworth, what are you most excited about?

First and foremost, it’s filling up our shop with work here in Eau Claire. We have a great team, and consistent sales has always been our problem.

Beyond that, I feel like the sky is the limit.  I’m very excited about where Walsworth will take me.  Who knows what that will look like, but I believe I have the ability to contribute in many different areas of the business.