Gerald Henseler An Acquiring Mind

One of those units is its Publications Group, which really got a jump-start early in 1970 when Banta acquired Hart Press in Long Prairie, MN. "That was the second deal I was involved in, and today it is the flagship of our publication division," the CFO says.

The spring of 1974 was a turning point for both Banta and Henseler's career, as then owner George Banta Jr. directed the official formation of Banta Corp. as an entity separate from the original production group (now known as the Banta Book Group). The goal was to keep the organization headquartered in the Fox River Valley and to preserve the name, while positioning it to grow and prosper by going public, Henseler reveals. As treasurer, he ended up being part of the small corporate staff of about five people.