15 Minutes
Thomas Koceja started his printing career when he was still a teenager.
"[I] grew into printing through a high school co-op program in [my] junior and senior years," Koceja said. "[I] worked for Roundy's food store's in-house print shop."
Today, Koceja is the e-business development manager for New Berlin, Wisconsin-based Imperial, a multi-color sheet-fed master printer specializing in commercial printing and point of purchase.
Here, Koceja talks about the industry, his accomplishments and himself.
Print Professional (PP): Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up, what school did you attend, etc.?
Thomas Koceja (TK): [I] grew up in New Berlin, Wis. [I graduated from] Nathan Hale High School in 1976 [and graduated from] the University of Wisconsin-Stout [with a degree in] graphic arts management with a minor in packaging in 1980.
PP: Describe your business style.
TK: My business style is to stay three steps ahead—10 years out when adjusting personal professional planning. [I've] made it a point to help everyone I meet improve their position or their outlook on print.
PP: What is the best business advice you ever received?
TK: [The] best business advice [I] ever received was from someone in the business for 40 years. He told me to move around when young and learn many industry trades from prepress to bindery at all different business types, for example, in-house, large commercial, union, quick print, etc. [I] even had my own business for seven years for the experience.
PP: What is your greatest business accomplishment and disappointment?
TK: One of my greatest business accomplishments was managing a rather large sheetfed department with four-40" presses. Then, when computer-to-plate came out some 20 years ago, I decided to skip that phase and go directly to digital and went all the way with black-and-white and color. [I] sold the equipment, studied ROI and designed a workflow including in-line and near-line bindery and a unique web to press scenario that went direct to press not stopping in the Que.
One of the greatest disappointments is seeing our industry staying at least five years ahead of the customers in regard to new processes, methods and practices; then after it becomes [an] old hat to us, the customers are starting to grab hold of it. But by then, many of the same companies are having to deal with layoffs or closings—only because we did not all work together to educate the clients and make the change happen together. If we don't keep clients informed as well as we should, then we are doing a disservice to everyone in our industry.
PP: What do you think is the most exciting, cutting-edge thing your company is doing right now? Why?
TK: One of the most exciting, cutting edge things our company is doing right now is creating retail workflows, integrating our web-to-print within our MIS and getting excited again about where the industry is going.
PP: What do you think will be the printing industry's biggest challenge in the next few years?
TK: I think the one important challenge for the printing industry in the next few years is investing in the right equipment.
PP: What would people be surprised to learn about you—hobbies, special interests, etc.?
TK: Kids are by far number one in my life. Teaching them, playing with them and growing with them. When I golf I don't use tees. I [am an] antique collector, drove a car 210 mph and landed a plane in a field. [I] love to travel and make people laugh. [There's] much more, but some things have to stay private.
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