A Chance Encounter

potential hazards in the print shop played a key role in impressing his interviewers and gave him an advantage in the selection process.

"They said, 'What's one of the first things that you'd do?'" Reid remembers. "I said I'd get a roll of caution tape and I'd wrap that cutter up."

A High-production Operation

For 18 years now, Reid has managed the in-plant for the Sacramento-based community college. With approximately 36,000 students to serve in addition to faculty and staff, the in-plant is a high-production operation.

Because of how expansive the college community is, Reid says one of the most important aspects of his job is understanding the concept of scalability. For Reid and his staff of seven, this means that each time the in-plant adds a service or capability, they need to consider whether it's feasible for their entire customer base.

"Everything we touch goes big, so you have to look at what you're purchasing, or what you're implementing, or what kind of project you're going to touch and get involved in," Reid explains. "The first question I have in my head is, 'Is this going to work for 40,000 potential users?' "

To help meet the large volume that Printing Services is tasked with, Reid says the in-plant is on track to install an Océ VarioPrint 6250. The press' high-speed capabilities and sustainable features are what Reid says led him to pursue adding a 6250 to his fleet.

"It's a 250-ppm machine with the ability run eight million impressions a month," he explains. "It has all kinds of great sustainability [features] about it that were a big factor in my decision, as well as the speed."

Sustainability Leader

Though his title indicates Reid just heads up the printing operations at the college, in actuality he is a man of many hats. Reid is the campus' sustainability rep, photographer and graphic designer. He also shares his environmental interests with the community as a whole as a member of the planning board for the Sacramento Sustainability Forum. Reid says his green motives may seem to oppose his profession, but he says in actuality, it's the opposite. As a printer, Reid explains, seeking out and implementing sustainable practices should be considered part of the job.

"People ask me how I got involved in that stuff in the first place," Reid says. "When that question comes up I'll say, 'If you're not paying attention to those things in this field then you're not doing your job very well.' "

In addition to running the in-plant and sustainable efforts throughout California's capital, Reid is an avid traveler and photographer. He's shot images around the world. His trips include a recent visit to Cambodia to capture photographs of Angkor Wat, which earned him a spot in a gallery.

Though it's not yet official, Reid says he plans to move to Southeast Asia—either Thailand or Cambodia—to further pursue his passion for photography.