Compass Capital Partners

At 2:05 a.m. on February 5, 2005, I lost a lover and a friend. We'd been together nearly 50 years. We met at age 12 in the woods behind Richard Lanier's house in Brooksville, FL. From that point forward, we were never far apart and we grew closer as time passed. At first, our courtship was casual and irregular. We had sweet and awkward, clandestine trysts. We were carefully secretive in my teens. The meetings were often passionate and sometimes left me dizzy, reeling and breathless. We stepped boldly out of the closet at age 20 and had a 42-year intimate relationship. We

I'm sure that you all saw the news report that is reprinted below. MIAMI (Jan. 2)—Popular humorist Dave Barry said Sunday's column for The Miami Herald was his last—maybe. Barry, who has written humor columns for three decades, including 22 years at the Herald, says he's holding out the possibility of a return. But for now, he says, "I want to stop before I join the horde of people who think I used to be funnier. And I want to work on some other stuff." Barry says he will write occasional pieces, weighing in "from time to time if something really important happens, such

Bruno, 94, Lithographic Pioneer CHICAGO—Mike Bruno, 94, whose research, knowledge and innovations proved to be a catalyst for the viability of lithographic printing, passed away in January. Mr. Bruno was involved with the Lithographic Technical Foundation (later the GATF) and joined International Paper in a senior capacity, where he edited the "Pocket Pal" printing educational resource. He also published a newsletter, "What New(s) in Graphic Communications," for 25 years. His autobiography, "Mike Bruno's History of Printing in the 20th Century," will be published in 2006. Quad Bolstering Hartford Plant HARTFORD, WI—Quad/Graphics is constructing a 161,416-square-foot addition to its plant here, a move that will provide 1.5 million

This column will take care of some old business. First, I'm going to alert you to a flimflam artist salesperson who is working her scam through any companies that will hire her. Next, I'm going to encourage you to read a great report that has been published by the Printing Industries of Michigan. Finally, I'm going to help you write your 2005 sales resolutions. The scam artist looks like your third grade school teacher—kind of plump and matronly. She claims to be a divorced single parent. This, of course, builds sympathy among potential employers. Rightfully so, it should create sympathy, but it's not true. She is apparently

At the risk of being politically incorrect, I want you to know that Christmastime is my favorite time of the year. I'm a Presbyterian, so we celebrate Christmas. If I was Jewish, I'd be celebrating Hanukkah. If I was African American, I'd be celebrating Kwanza. If I were some other nationality, ethnicity or religion, I'd really be into celebrating whatever is appropriate. If I were agnostic or atheist, I'd probably make up something to celebrate. I think I've covered all the possibilities, so I'm now politically correct and not in violation of the U.S. Constitution or the East Goshen Township Code (where I live and where

Not much on TV interests me. For me, all of this new interest in televised poker is like watching soccer, which is like watching paint dry. I guess it helps printing. Somebody has to print all the poker playing cards and the government has to print the money. I don't understand why the Travel Channel shows so much poker, which has nothing to do with going anywhere. I guess poker is a sport and it's okay for ESPN, which got the idea from the Travel Channel, to show the poker tournaments. Then there are about five or six shows about building custom-made motorcycles. Watching heavily

This is my 20th anniversary column. I have written 220 columns. I don't have to write columns for the month of July because Printing Impressions always publishes a buyer's guide directory for that month. Otherwise, I would have written 240 columns. After I wrote them, Printing Impressions actually published all 220 columns, no matter what I said. For example, who can forget when, in December of 1984, I wrote, "Selling is probably the least important funkshun in the printing bidness. Somebody has to go out and pick up the orders." I added, "Salespeople are snakes and charlatans. Don't trust 'em. Just send 'em

This column is being written on a sixth grade reading level so Marvelle Stump can understand it. Even so, America's worst printing salesman will call me and ask me to explain the column. Every once in a while I do the unthinkable and think. I'm doing that now while I try to come up with a topic. This is pressure. Thinking up a topic is pressure. Pressure. Wait that's it! I'll write about selling under pressure! I'll lay a little pressure on you and maybe you'll sell a little better. Let me tell you about pressure. I'm talkin' about intense pressure. This is the

RRD to Sell Package Logistics CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has reached an agreement to sell its package logistics business to Heritage Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm that is the principal owner of American Package Express. Under terms of the agreement, Donnelley will receive cash in exchange for the assets and liabilities of its package logistics business, which includes CTC Direct, a wholly owned subsidiary. The deal, which is expected to close by the end of the third quarter 2004, does not affect Donnelley's print logistics, fulfillment or distribution operations. Quad to Print Return of LIFE SUSSEX, WI—When LIFE makes its return in October as a weekend magazine,

Presstek Bids for A.B.Dick NILES, IL—A.B.Dick Co. announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Soon after the announcement, Hudson, NH-based Presstek Inc. unveiled a detailed plan to acquire the business and assets of the company through a U.S. Bankruptcy Code section 363 asset sale, a deal valued at approximately $40 million. Presstek President and CEO Edward Marino stressed that there was no guarantee his company would be successful in the open bidding environment of a bankruptcy proceeding. Bowne's Johnson Retires NEW YORK CITY—Bowne & Co. announced the immediate retirement of Robert M. Johnson from the company and its board of directors for personal reasons.