Appreciate your time today, Joe. As a start, can you tell us how long you have been with the company and how you got started with the company. 

Sure. I started in 1996 at what was then Documation.

When I was in high school, I did a print program there, a four-year study program. Then I went to a technical college for an apprenticeship program for conventional printing.

That turned into coming to work at Documation. I came in to interview, and they hired me as a digital print operator on 2nd shift.

Over my many, many moons here, I’ve moved around into different positions, in and out of production management.

Can you tell us about the different positions you’ve had? Started in 1996, so you’ve been here 30 years now?

That’s correct. I started in the digital printing area as 2nd shift operator, and that turned into 1st shift lead operator several years later. Eventually, I became a supervisor and then I became a manager when I was in my early 30s.

Then I became a press operator. As a press operator, I worked different shifts – 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the weekend shift. About 20 years ago when my daughter was born, I worked the weekend shift as a press lead after leaving the management side to help deal with our newborn and childcare stuff.

About six years ago that I got back into being production manager.

What is it about the company that has prompted you to stay for 30-plus years?

I think a lot of it’s the people you work with. I’ve got a good group, including some who originally trained me. When you work closely together, they turn into friends at work and outside work. You know, those kinds of relationships are valuable. They keep you tied down.

I like the work, but the people are the biggest thing.

You mentioned at the beginning, you were doing a print study program in high school and an apprenticeship program in college. Did you always want to work in printing and manufacturing?

Yes, I think it’s just the manufacturing side of creating and producing something that somebody will use.

Right now, it’s our book work. Before that, we did conventional stuff with posters and even shirts. It’s just cool to see people using stuff you produced.

As Production Manager, what does a normal day or a normal week look like for you?

It’s never cut and clear because every day is different. I support the people on the nights and the weekend shifts because we run 24-7. 

The thing is, I’ve been in the management role for more than a couple of years, but I also know how to run a lot of the machines here. For our digital web presses, I trained on them when we first put them in, so I know a lot of the ins and outs. In my role, I’m supporting people on the shifts and training the team.

But on a normal day, I get here by 8 a.m., and I leave when I leave. The last thing I want to do is leave at a certain time. I want to make sure everybody’s set and they’re running before I head on out.

Is it difficult right now to convince a younger generation to work in manufacturing and print? How do you make that pitch? 

The biggest thing is just getting the people in the door and getting a chance to talk to them.

We probably have more younger people working (in Eau Claire) right now. As some of our people are retiring, we’ve added a lot of young people who are one or two years out of high school.

Where we’re located, it’s no different than Marceline. We go through stages. Right now, we got a group of about four young people who show up and they like what they do. They’re just trying to find that niche, trying to find a career.

From your perspective on the production floor, how has the transition gone from Documation to Walsworth? Have any bumps in the road been ironed out and are things running smoothly? 

When the transition first happened, I wouldn’t have known the difference. To me, it was a name change, trying to go from a small business to a larger one and learning things on the safety side. But really for the most part, we went from being busy to being super busy. 

You’re just trying to get the wheels going and trying to get it all in motion. For me and my group, we’ve been busy just trying to get the work done. (laughs)

Going forward into the future, in addition to getting more people in the door, what do you see as the keys to continuing to be successful

Automation, a lot more automation. The way we run stuff here, we try to do less touches. And what I mean by that is we print a roll, and the roll goes to a finishing line. Hopefully down the road we have more finishing lines, so we’re not direct touches.

We get about four touches before book blocks are made, and with our smart binders, basically a roll goes to a machine, gets folded off and it comes off as a book. So you’re taking four processes down to one.

With less touches, the faster you’re going to do it. So I see more automation, less touches.

Can you tell us a little bit about your family?

I was born and raised in Eau Claire. Parents are local people. My grandparents grew up here, so we’ve been in the Eau Claire area for my entire life.

But my wife Crystal and I have been married around 30 years. My wife would probably kill me right now for not remembering exactly how many years we’ve been married. (laughs)

And we have our daughter Lexi.

Do you have any hobbies? What do you guys do for fun?

For fun, we like to travel up to Duluth and Superior, go see the big water. There are big waterfalls up there.

Myself, I like to do a lot of hunting and fishing.

Did you guys ever have a favorite vacation spot or favorite trip you guys took?

Yeah, I would say at the northern shores of Lake Superior.

We keep on talking about going off to Montana and stuff like that, but it never comes to fruition. It’s usually up to Duluth.

Do you have a favorite book?

No, I don’t read that much. I’m more of a hands-on kind of guy. I watch movies, don’t even really watch much TV. I like to play video games sometimes, just trying to keep my mind busy.

Do you have a favorite movie?

The one that hits me is The Great Outdoors from the 80s with John Candy. That’s probably one of my favorite ones.

What about a favorite food or a favorite meal?

Just a good old fish fry.

Oh yeah, that makes sense. Do you still fish a lot?

Yeah. Now, it’s when I get time in the summer. But I also fish in the spring and fall.

What’s one thing about you that most people would not know?

That’s a tough question. I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan living in Wisconsin. Has been a rough couple years listening to the Brewers fans.

You have a catchphrase you’re known for?

 Can of corn.

Do you have a favorite memory from your career or an accomplishment that you’re most proud of?

I guess what I’m the proudest of is that 30 years ago I started at the bottom of the ladder, an entry level position. And I worked my way all the way to become the production manager. 

That takes a long time, a lot of knowledge, a lot of sweat, blood and tears, just trying to learn a lot of aspects of this business and how to manage people. Going from naive kid to trying to teach people the right way and becoming a mentor to them. That’s what I’m most proud of.