A Lifelong Obsession

Charlie Tonoff has worked at the same in-plant since he was in high school. In 30 years he has expanded the operation considerably.

Charlie Tonoff wasn't even out of high school when he walked in off the street in May of 1971 and applied for a job as a press operator at Pennsylvania Blue Shield, in Harrisburg.

Today, almost 30 years later, Tonoff still works in that print shop. There are differences, though. He's now manager, for one thing. And what was then a four-person operation is now a modern, 23-employee in-plant in a new 15,000-square-foot facility in Camp Hill, Pa.

When he reflects on the in-plant's growth over the past three decades, Tonoff can't help feeling satisfied.

"I'm proud of growing the operation to where it is today, and providing the amount of service we're able to," he says.

That service includes digital printing on a Xerox DocuTech, color copying, one- through four-color printing on the shop's six presses, plus desktop, digital prepress and bindery services.

That's a vast improvement over the three 8-1⁄2x11˝ Davidson presses, one 3M platemaker and one collator that made up the shop when Tonoff started. He had no complaints, though. He was familiar with small presses like those from his high school vocational technical courses, and his part time job with a local printer.

Over the next seven years, the shop grew, adding two people. When its supervisor left in 1978, Tonoff was picked—above two others with more seniority—to replace him.

"There was a little bit of resentment," he recalls—but it didn't last. "We worked together well anyway. We were all friends."

He was selected, he says, both because of his training in the "votech" school and his extracurricular printing experience—in his off hours, Tonoff worked for several local commercial shops. When they needed help, they knew they could count on him.

Tonoff was enthusiastic about his new position and worked hard. Soon he was managing his own budget and he had expanded the shop. This caught the attention of his manager, who suggested to upper management in 1982 that Tonoff be promoted to manager. The idea was readily approved.

By now the in-plant was up to 11 employees, with five presses, full typesetting and prepress, plus a folder, cutter and collator.

"The company kept growing, therefore the printing needs kept growing, and I simply kept justifying equipment and personnel to keep up," he explains. "If I did my homework and I put together everything properly, I'm usually successful in getting what I need."

Not only was Tonoff expanding the in-plant, he had started his own printing business to keep his evenings and weekends busy. It was so successful that in 1993 he had to make a decision: quit Blue Shield or close his shop.

He chose the in-plant.

Around that time, the company's purchasing department decided that all printing should go through Tonoff's department. This further increased business, but left customers restless. So Tonoff organized a team comprising himself, purchasing, and key customers, and they worked out a commodity plan, selecting five core printers to send work to.

"In doing that, the first year we saved the company over a million dollars," Tonoff declares.

Then, four years ago, the company merged with Western Blue Cross to form Highmark. Blue Cross' Pittsburgh offset operation was shut down last year, and two of its presses were added to Tonoff's arsenal. At the same time, his in-plant was moved to a much larger facility, a sure sign that the company is pleased with the operation.

Though he acknowledges some challenges in dealing with his new Pittsburgh customers, he is committed to improving the in-plant's delivery times, and is working on implementing a PDF workflow. He's also looking into digital color printing and hopes to buy a new offset press soon.

Tonoff's devotion to printing was rewarded in 1992 when he was voted Craftsman of the Year by the Central Pennsylvania Club of Printing House Craftsmen. He served as president of the International Publishing Management Association's Central Pennsylvania chapter for several years and has earned his Certified Graphics Communications Manager certification from IPMA. Also, for two years he has served as a judge for the In-Print contest.

Outside of work, Tonoff—who has two kids and a grandchild—enjoys golfing, hunting and woodworking. Printing, though, is his real joy.

"Printing's been very good to me," he reflects. "I'm doing what I want to do with my life."

by Bob Neubauer