A Cut Above

Once a year, one outstanding pressman is selected for the H. Howard Flint II Pressroom Manager of the Year Award. This year, the award went to Steve Richardson, pressroom manager at Courier Kendallville, in Indiana.

The award, named after Flint following his death in 2005, honors a web offset pressroom manager or supervisor who has excelled in his profession. A 35-year veteran in the printing industry, Richardson is a cut above the rest. He began his printing career in 1971 and has progressed through the ranks from entry level, to journeyman operator, to shift supervisor.

In 1996, Richardson joined Courier Kendallville as a press operator. The following year, he was promoted to pressroom supervisor. In 2005, he was promoted to pressroom manager. Richardson, who played an integral part in the successful installation of three wide-format MAN Roland web presses, has also been instrumental as a manager. Through his leadership, 48 press employees have been trained, downtime has decreased by 10 percent, and nets per hour have increased by 19 percent.

Richardson has been a role model and mentor for many of the press operators, and he is respected by peers and management.