Gene Shuffler

Can you tell us how long you’ve been with Walsworth and how you joined the company?

In June, it will be 18 years. And before Walsworth, I worked for a company named Von Hoffmann. They produced textbooks primarily, but also did many types of commercial work. With Walsworth and Von Hoffmann, there is a lot of similarity between the two companies through the years.

When I worked for Von Hoffmann, Walsworth was one of the outsource companies my group used when we had the need for outside services. I came to know the company fairly well from that perspective. Walsworth had very similar traits and characteristics, and I knew it was a well-run, solid, family-owned organization. I had a great deal of respect for them.

Walsworth reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in speaking with them. At first I said, “Well, I have a job, I’m happy where I am.” One thing led to another, and I decided to come to work for Walsworth. It’s been a great move. I really appreciate the atmosphere and the great care the Walsworth family shows for the company, the employees and our communities.

As we’ve been doing these interviews, it seems like a few people have referenced Von Hoffmann. Did you work with any of them at the same time while you were there? 

Yes. Gary O’Toole, Larry Boettcher, and in our salesforce we had MaryAnn Magee. There was a handful of us.

Tell us a little bit about the typical day for you here at Walsworth? 

For those who might not know, the title is VP of Corporate Services. And usually the first question is, “Well, what’s that?”

I’m responsible for purchasing, estimating, logistics, large capital expenditures, government sales and anything else Walsworth asks me to handle.

I also review agreements and contracts to make sure the terms and conditions are appropriate and negotiate the best pricing possible.

Were you doing similar work in your previous career stops? 

Yes. That’s what I did for Von Hoffmann. For the first part of my career, I was in accounting and finance for about 15 years.

I had an opportunity to join a company as a controller. At the time, they also had an opening for a Director of Purchasing. The person interviewing me was someone I knew, and he offered me either position.

I believed I could be good at both, and I chose the Director of Purchasing and went a different direction into the manufacturing environment. With my financial background, it really played well with the analysis and decision-making involved in procurement.

Where was this? 

This was at Custom Printing Company here in Missouri, which was subsequently acquired by Von Hoffmann.

You’ve worked in the printing industry for several years now. What is it about this industry that appeals to you?

There’s a number of things. The most noticeable is the rapid pace of change our industry has experienced. In the last 30 years, so much has changed. Whether it be equipment, capabilities or software enhancements. These productivity improvements have also led to shorter lead times. A standard lead time used to be somewhere in the four to eight weeks range. Now we’re talking five to seven days, in some cases shorter.

The only way that can be done is with the significant improvements in software and equipment that we’ve seen. The changes we’ve experienced in our industry are extremely significant.

How do you feel Walsworth specifically has done with staying on the cutting edge? 

That’s an excellent question. It’s absolutely been key to our success that the Walsworth family is committed to reinvesting a large portion of the proceeds each year into new equipment and new software. It’s a tremendous difference maker.

It’s a game changer because in our business, if you get behind with those sorts of things, it’s nearly impossible to catch up. Printers that don’t keep current find it nearly impossible to catch up later.

Beyond the equipment and the technological changes, what are some of the other ways you’ve seen the company grow and evolve over the past 18 years?

When I first got here, we were primarily a yearbook company that did a little bit of commercial work. And we were getting used to web production, web presses. We have grown so much in both areas. We have a completely different set of printing presses now than we did then. All of our sheetfed presses in Marceline have roll sheeter attachments. When I first started here, all the presses were sheet-fed, but they couldn’t use rolls.

At that time, we had two web presses. Now we have many web across multiple locations. We’ve grown significantly in the commercial side of our business. During the last 18 years our sheetfed pressroom has transitioned to newer, faster, and highly efficient presses. Yearbook has continued to grow year after year. Schools appreciate the high quality, attention to detail and the great service they receive when they select Walsworth to produce their yearbook.

How has your group’s responsibilities changed over the past 18 years you’ve been here? Is the way you’re working as a team different today than it was when you first started? 

Absolutely. With both our yearbook and commercial printing segments growing significantly during the past 18 years, we’ve found ways to improve our purchasing and estimating processes, along with logistics. As we’ve grown, we’ve transitioned to working directly with a number of paper mills and have built strong relationships with them.

You may be aware that being late on a yearbook shipment is a cardinal sin. So, we have worked to align Walsworth with carriers that can perform at a very high level, day in and day out.

Purchasing has to understand the details of getting all the various materials delivered in the needed timeframe. This includes the board for the covers, cover stock, and a variety of other products. That can sometimes be very challenging. I’m extremely thankful we have a very talented group of people who take care of that day in and day out.

From an estimating side of things, when I first got here, we had 10 commercial sales reps, and it was taking an average of five days for a customer to get a quote. Now we have 45 or 50 sales reps and we’ve had to find more efficient ways to respond to the opportunities they bring forward for us to consider.  Today, the average turnaround time on a quote is less than two days.

On the purchasing side as your team has gotten involved with buying for our commercial accounts, and that’s made a big difference in materials we can offer to our yearbook schools, correct?

Yes, it’s a nice, symbiotic relationship. You know, we tested some acrylic materials last year and other great materials as a result of a commercial customer. Based on successfully being able to use those materials we are now able to offer those materials to our yearbook accounts, which they love.

I’m always impressed by what the new crop of 17-year-old yearbook kids come up with every year doing cover design. It’s nice to be able to intermingle those ideas with some awesome materials to get some really cool designs.

Are you originally from Missouri?

Originally from North Carolina but lived most of my life in Missouri.

How did you end up in Missouri? 

My father worked in the construction industry. He held jobs as a superintendent and a project manager. Our family transferred to different parts of the country a number of times. We moved to Missouri in the mid-70s, and I’ve been here ever since.

And you went to college in this area, correct? 

Yes, I went to school at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky and studied accounting.

Can you tell us about your family?

I’m married. As my prom picture will indicate, I married my high school sweetheart. My wife April and I are coming up on our 46^th anniversary.

We have two children and five grandchildren. My daughter is Christina; my son is Joe. My son, his wife and kids live right outside of St. Louis. My daughter and her husband live near Champaign, Illinois.

What about hobbies? What do you like to do outside of work? 

I love to fish and spend time with my family.

Any particular spots? 

Oh, there are many good spots in this part of the country for bass fishing. Some of my favorites are Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake and Truman Lake.

When the kids were younger, did you guys have any particular favorite vacation spots? 

The kids always enjoyed trips to the lake. I enjoy the lakes and mountain areas.

There are some other mountain type areas I enjoy. I think the Rockies are spectacular.

We work for a printing company. Are you much of a reader? Do you have a favorite book?

I do tend to read a lot of things, but these days they’re mostly for work.

But I do read. I like historical material. Biographies and historical event-based books. I really like The Guns of August. It’s the history of events leading up to World War I.

Do you have a favorite meal or food?

It’s gonna be some type of seafood I suppose, which is interesting because my wife doesn’t like seafood. So we have to work on a compromise when that situation arises.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people might not know?

Well, maybe that I’m a minister.

That came about at the beginning of 2023. My great niece reached out and asked if I would perform the service at her wedding, which absolutely floored me. I had no idea they were going to ask.

My brother passed away in 2005; he was her papa, and they were very close. She told me, in a small way, having me perform the ceremony would be like he was there. I told her I would be honored to officiate her wedding.

I researched it, and yes, it is legal. How to become a minister is surprisingly easy. The wedding was in December, and it went off quite well. I was honored to do that for them.

Have you used it for anything else? 

No, it’s a fairly specialized business venture. If I had you guys doing some advertising for me, I’d probably be a lot busier. (laughs) But it was interesting. I really enjoyed figuring out the right things to say because it was such a meaningful moment for them, and for me also. I wanted to get it right. I think I did OK.

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

It might involve something about grumpy old men and fishing. Or paw-paws and their grandchildren.

Do you have a favorite memory of your time at Walsworth?

I’d probably say my first day here. From the very first day, I’ve been made to feel welcome and part of something big. I’ve seen the company grow during my tenure. We’re all doing something special at a time when other companies aren’t necessarily doing so well. That’s not us. We’re growing. We’re prospering. We’re creating jobs and taking care of our communities. This is how companies should be. It’s a pleasure to be part of it.