Ben Franklin Honor Society of Printing Industries of America Inducts Nine Industry Notables

Michael Keene—Mr. Keene has served as president of The John Roberts Company since 1986 and as Chief Executive Officer since 1994. He has been a driving force behind the sustainability efforts of The John Roberts Company. He is a long-serving member of his local affiliate board and was recognized in 2007 as The Outstanding Graphic Arts Industry Leader of the Year for Printing Industry Midwest. He was also recognized with the Vision Award from the Web Offset Association and is a member of Printing Impressions/RIT Hall of Fame. Nationally, he has served as Chairman of the Web Offset Association, Chairman of the Presidents Conference Committee, and is the immediate past chairman of Printing Industries of America’s Board of Directors. 

Stuart Margolis—For more than 30 years, Mr. Margolis, author of Quick Printing’s Money Talk column, dedicated time and resources to the establishment of trusted benchmarks for growth and advancement in print. He has donated his time, professional services, and expertise to virtually every affiliate across the country, their boards of directors, SIGs and sections, and other industry associations and members. He has been a member of the Economic and Research Committee since 1990 and has provided professional financial service to The Ratios, the industry’s premier benchmarking tool by Printing Industries of America. In 2009 PINE honored him with The Most Influential Person of the Year Award, for his outstanding service to the printing industry.

Katherine O’Brien—Ms. O’Brien has been writing and editing for almost 20 years and has written a wide variety of prepress, press, postpress, and management articles for industry publications. She is one of the most respected editors in our industry. Currently, she serves as the senior editor of American Printer. Prior to joining the magazine in 1997, she was the managing editor of Surface Mount Technology and Advance Packaging, trade magazines serving the electronic manufacturing industry. She also worked in the corporate communications department of Aon Consulting, a Chicago-based human resources and employee benefit consulting firm. She is the winner of a 2000 Midwest Region award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) in the Signed Editorial category. She is the 2006 recipient of the Tom McMillian Editorial Excellence Award.

Peter J. Schaefer—Mr. Schaefer is a partner of New Director Partners in Valley Forge, PA. He has worked exclusively in the printing industry since 1993 by providing valuation for mergers and acquisitions. In doing so, he has helped hundreds of printers become more profitable, efficient, and gain critical mass through consolidation, valuations, and consulting advice. A frequent presenter at association events, he has worked with industry peer groups and commercial printers ranging in size from $1.5 million in revenues to more than $1.0 billion and has worked in nearly every segment imaginable. He is a candidate member of the American Society of Appraisers and is a member of the NAPL’s Soderstrom Society.

Stephen L Whitman—Mr. Whitman is President & CEO of Whitman Communications, Inc. in Lebanon, NH. He has had a long career in the printing industry, dedicated to the betterment of both the industry and those serving it. He has been extensively involved with the activities of his affiliate, PINE, and Printing Industries of America throughout his career of more than 40 years. He has served on PINE’s board of directors and as its treasurer, and has dedicated his time to a wide variety of personal local community organizations and countless national committees.

The Ben Franklin Honor Society of Printing Industries of America recognizes and honors industry leaders who have made lasting contributions to advancing the printing and graphic communications industries. This includes, but is not limited to, Printing Industries of America and its affiliates and the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF). Industry visionaries who have rendered outstanding or meritorious service to those associations or the industry are eligible for membership.