2008 HOF — Embracing Technology, Life

THERE ARE those for whom life is a game to be won, a foe to be vanquished, or a trial to endure. And then there are those for whom life is a treasure to appreciate, a companion to love and a wonderful memory waiting to happen. Ralph Johnson fits into the latter category. While others sometimes curse the darkness, Johnson sees the wonder and beauty in everything around him. The jaded train has left the station without him. He is genuine, without pretense, and doesn’t seem to take himself all too seriously.

In other words, Johnson has the perfect temperament to be an executive in the printing industry. And Johnson’s track record makes him more than worthy enough to be included in the 2008 Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame class.

“I’ve never been fearful or depressed,” he remarks. “I’ve always remained positive. I think I inherited that trait from my mother and father. And I like to think I’ve always instilled a positive attitude with our employees. Being positive is very important to the success of any business.”

The president and CEO of Lake County Press (LCP) in Waukegan, IL, Johnson, 78, boasts more than 50 years of industry experience, 32 of which have been spent at LCP. When he came to the company, it had sales just south of $3 million. Today, LCP enjoys revenues in the $53 million range.

But don’t let the kind and gentle side of Johnson give you the wrong idea about the man. According to those who know him, Johnson is ambitious and tenacious when it comes to steering his company toward new technology.

“Ralph is an innovator, willing to embrace technology and implement it into his business,” notes Heidelberg sales rep Randy Wiersma, who has known Johnson for about 15 years. “Lake County Press has always been on the leading edge of technology.”

Johnson was born in the small harbor town of Ludington, MI, where he was exposed to good people and solid work ethics, not to mention quality hunting and fishing possibilities (more on that later). He hopped Lake Michigan in 1950 and landed in Chicago.

“When I got there, my father sent me to the University of Chicago to take an aptitude test,” Johnson recalls. “It recommended I become an undertaker or go into competitive selling.”

While both offered stiff competition, Johnson felt there was more money to be made in sales. In fact, he remembers reading an article in Fortune magazine about the nation’s top sales segments by industry, and printing came in second only to insurance sales. So, after completing a two-year business course at Ferris State College, he embarked on a career that saw him sell print for Webber Lithograph, then North Shore Printers, before joining the family business, Johnson & Quin.

Started by his grandfather in 1876, Johnson & Quin began as pen rulers and case book binders, and evolved into printing and producing more specialized diecut and glued paper products. It had a fine reputation, but Johnson was drawn more toward high-end color printing, so he made the jump to Lake County Press in 1976.

“We ran two-color sheetfed presses when I first came here,” Johnson says. “We bought our first four-color model, a perfector, in 1979. And we’ve stayed with the technological developments in that type of work. A big percentage of our business comes from the design community. We have a lot of new ideas and new challenges.”

Johnson, who joined LCP as a partner, unexpectedly found himself flying solo before long. Fellow partner Bob Efinger suffered a fatal heart attack in 1979. Three years later, another partner, Bill Clay, also endured a heart attack and left the business. The twin tragedies were easily the greatest hurdle to confront Johnson.

“These two fellows were good to me. I learned so much from them about running a company, getting along with people and how to treat employees,” Johnson says. “To this day, I still appreciate what I learned from them.”

Unfortunately, Johnson had to say goodbye to another major influence at LCP in the form of his vice president of manufacturing, Tom Oberembt, who passed away in 2005. Oberembt, according to Johnson, was adept at keeping the company abreast of the latest technology advances in the sheetfed offset realm. Also impressive was Oberembt’s ability to get the most out of employees.

Through all the difficult times, Johnson remained true to his nature. He still enjoys many of the same things that he valued when he first arrived at LCP, particularly the interaction with both the company’s sales force and its customer base. Getting into UV sheetfed printing in 2005 also provided a new boost of adrenalin.

“UV has become a big part of our business because of the really different and exciting things you can do with it,” Johnson states. “We show our customers press sheets, and they say, ‘Never print conventional for me again.’ There are always new technological developments coming, and that’s why it’s fun to come to work.”

Sandy Westwick, production director for Wilson Sporting Goods, has dealt with Johnson for more than 30 years, and has always been amazed at LCP’s zest for new technologies. It is just one reason the two companies have enjoyed a solid working relationship. Still, Westwick cautions, people play an even greater role.

“Ralph has instilled the value of client relationships in all of his sales reps,” Westwick says. “And he’s driven, no doubt about that. Ralph changes with the times, which is something you need to do. He’ll take every innovative idea and run with it.”

Johnson is involved with The Peer Group, a network of printing companies that exchange information aimed at enhancing financial and operating performance. He has been a frequent speaker on the trade event circuit and has been involved with both PIA/GATF and the NAPL. Johnson also serves on the board of directors for Lambs Farm, a not-for-profit organization based in Libertyville, IL, which benefits people with developmental disabilities.

Johnson and wife, Joyce, have been married for 58 years and have two children. One of his great-grandchildren is named Hunter Johnson. “I took his father on a safari in Africa when he was 11 years old,” the elder Johnson explains.

An avid hunter and fisherman, his love of the former has taken Johnson to such remote locales as Ethiopia, Romania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Argentina. His favorite game has been cape buffalo in Africa, which he says are most challenging. Deep sea fishing is a second love, and he enjoys angling for yellow tail snapper, billfish, marlin and swordfish.

“So many wonderful things are done with the income received from trophy hunting,” he notes. “The money goes toward organizations that do so much for our wild-
life worldwide.” PI