2008 Printing Industry Hall Of Fame — A Guiding Hand

WHILE A student at American University in Washington, DC, Jim Andersen taught swimming on the side to youngsters at Kenwood Country Club in nearby Bethesda, MD. Little did Andersen realize at the time that the father of two students would soon alter his career path. Andersen was only 20, an impressionable age. Here was this other man with a great wife and kids, at a country club, not all that much older than Andersen, yet apparently very successful as a printing executive.

“Here’s a guy in his early 30s, pretty darn successful,” Andersen recalls of the parent. “I’m saying to myself, what the heck is printing? It opened my eyes considerably.”

The man who seemed to have it all? Fellow Hall of Fame inductee Jim Mayes. “What an advocate for the industry,” notes Andersen of Mayes. “He helped navigate the start of my career.”

And so it can be said that greatness also recognizes greatness. Mayes introduced Andersen to the world of printing, and soon Andersen abandoned his initial plan of attending law school. The choice started Andersen down the path that ultimately led him to guide one of the industry’s leading direct marketing printers and become one of the mailing industry’s greatest allies.

Andersen, the president and CEO of Chanhassen, MN-based IWCO Direct, also takes his rightful place beside Mayes as a member of the 2008 Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame induction class.

The printing industry has easily been a nice fit for Andersen, whose guidance and transformation of IWCO Direct has enabled the company to grow from a $90-million-a-year business to $280 million. Equally as impressive: The growth has been 100 percent organic.

From the graphic arts side, Andersen is perhaps the most prolific figure in print and mail circles. He championed the postal reform efforts to help modernize the USPS’ 30-year-old business practices, and eagerly met with politicians and other key officials to underscore the need for a healthy postal system, whose fortunes impact not just printing, but other industries, as well.

“Jim is a leader who sets goals and is unafraid to share those goals with other people. He’s very focused on achieving them,” notes Dick Thomas, a senior vice president of sales for Domtar Paper who has dealt with Andersen for about 10 years. “He’s a very good strategic thinker but, at the same time, he’s extraordinarily approachable. Jim understands what success entails and can explain it to the people around him in a way that can easily be understood.”

As for the man himself, one of the elements of business that Andersen values most is the interaction he enjoys with employees and customers. “There’s never a dull moment. I get to work with great employees who have wonderful ideas,” he says. “The customer component is equally exciting. The ability to secure customers and develop long-term relationships with them is special.”

Born the second of six children in Bridgeport, CT (“a pretty busy household”), Andersen spent much of his childhood in Milford, CT. He graduated from American University in 1980 with a BS in judicial administration. He had planned on working for a year after graduation to save money for law school, until Mayes introduced Andersen to the owner of Printers II in Tuxedo, MD. Andersen found the company appealing and began a six-year stint with the small, family owned business.

Movin’ On Up

Andersen then moved on to The Press—owned by Frank Beddor—which was promptly acquired by Banta Corp. He quickly moved up the Banta corporate ladder, starting in sales management for Banta Direct Marketing Group and becoming president of Banta Information Services Group in 1996. In 1999, he was approached by Beddor to join the fold at what was then called Instant Web Companies. It was a transition point for both the executive and the company.

“Instant Web was having a difficult time, and we repositioned the business, creating a total direct marketing solution that encompassed creative data services, printing, envelope converting, mailing and distribution—the whole postal optimization,” Andersen states. “It was an end-to-end solution.”

Aside from the total package solution’s success, Andersen attributes the company’s growth to a highly committed employee base with the ability to exceed customer expectations. Having a veteran cast of workers helps in communicating to clients the value of an integrated direct marketing solution.

Ben Lamm, director of direct marketing operations for Capital One, is one of those clients who appreciates the impact Andersen has had not only on his own company, but the overall leadership he displays in the mailing sector.

“Jim belongs on the Mount Rushmore of direct mail,” Lamm says. “He is a no-nonsense leader who builds strong relationships with his clients, his suppliers and even his competitors. I’ve always appreciated Jim’s straight-shooting communication and his keen understanding of industry dynamics. I admire his industry leadership and his investment in professional education through the IWCO Academy.”

As the years have passed, Andersen finds himself to be a much more relaxed person in contrast to his intense, anxious younger self. He also credits his mentors in shaping the executive he’s become, people like Banta veterans Calvin Aurand, John Tiffany, Donald Belcher and Gerald Henseler (themselves, all former Printing Industry Hall of Fame inductees). Belcher was a big influence for Andersen, as is his current business partner and sales guru, Tom Wicka, whom he describes as an unbelievable closer. “And Tom’s attitude about everything in life is quite refreshing,” he points out.

Up for the Challeng

IWCO Direct had to draw upon all of its resources to tackle the company’s most onerous challenge in years: the Fall of 2001. The economy had been sliding for months, then the 9/11 attacks accelerated the spiral and, often overlooked, the anthrax scares occurred shortly thereafter.

“We were coming out of a pretty dark period that set us back three to four months,” he recalls. “We were operating on a fine line of the ability to sustain ourselves on the financial side. Our entire team rallied around the circumstances. It just reinforces how much folks working for our company are firmly committed to its success.”

What does Andersen bring to the table in terms of managerial assets? A keen ear, for one. “I ask a lot of questions—first to learn, and to see what people are thinking,” he says. “It fosters collaboration and openness, and drives a pretty positive experience.”

Andersen has served on the boards of the Printing Industry of Minnesota, the Envelope Manufacturers Association and Minnesota Business Partnership (MBP), and served on the Direct Marketing Association’s finance committee.

The MBP focuses on fiscal initiatives, education, healthcare and mentoring. Youth mentoring is pivotal for the future of Minnesota’s youth, as 35 percent of the state’s children do not graduate from high school, Andersen notes.

Jim and Patty Andersen have been married for 27 years and have four children: Elizabeth, J.J., Patrick and Christine. When not spending time with his family, he enjoys golfing, boating and cardiovascular workouts.

“I’m passionate and committed about my family,” Andersen concludes. “Early in my career, I put career ahead of family, which is wrong. I’m glad that I have the right priorities now. I learned the important lesson about work/life balance.” PI