The Road Taken

AS A high-school student in Parma, Ohio, Rita Puljer had little interest in college as a stepping stone to a fast-track career. Ultimately, she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, a very demanding (and rewarding) vocation, but one that doesn't require a degree, references or an elaborate résumé. Still, after graduation, Puljer needed an income.

"I worked in restaurants for a while, and then decided that I wanted a 9-to-5 job," she recalls.

In 1978, she went to a temp agency, which found her some filing work in the sales department of MTD Products Inc, a Cleveland-based manufacturer of outdoor power equipment, such as lawn mowers, garden tractors and snow blowers.

Soon, MTD offered Puljer a full-time position working in the mail room and duplicating department. She took the job—and kindled a career.

"We had an offset press, a Multi 1250, and I learned a lot on that," she remembers. "I liked it. It was something I had never done before, and I became pretty proficient. I was running a lot of two- and three-color jobs on a one-color press." By the late 1980s, the in-plant began to go digital.

"In 1989, we became one of the first shops to get a [Xerox] DocuTech," Puljer reports. "Learning how to manipulate forms was really interesting."

Presently, the operation's equipment list includes a Xerox DocuColor 5000, a Xerox DocuTech 6180 and a Xerox Nuvera 288 with a Lasermax Roll Systems unwinder. The operation no longer offers offset printing.

Puljer was appointed mail room supervisor around 1992 and was given additional responsibility for the print shop a couple of years later.

"I've worked every job there is in the print shop and mail room," she attests. Recently, she earned a promotion to office services manager, and is also in charge of business services, which includes records retention, campus shipping and receiving, and light maintenance.

Over the years, the print shop and mail room have been moved, combined, separated and then recombined. Puljer definitely favors consolidation, noting that the functions "can be harder to manage" as separate entities.

The full-service in-plant, with seven employees in print and mail, now operates in a 2,683-square-foot facility in MTD's corporate offices. MTD has a similarly equipped sister print shop in Tupelo, Miss.

Puljer oversees production of manuals, forms and Power–Point presentations for the 5,000-employee company, as well as manuals for MTD's commercial dealers.

"Between the two print shops, we do about 40 percent of MTD's print work," she calculates, adding that, "we're always trying to get more work from marketing." Annual chargebacks for the Ohio plant exceed $800,000.

Bringing Work In-house

With encouragement from her supervisor, two years ago, Puljer was able to lead the discussion to bring the printing of production manuals (10 to 12 million annual impressions) in-house.

"It was something we had looked at for years," she notes. "I led the research, and we made it happen."

Puljer visits vendors and fellow in-plants to investigate new equipment purchases. On the horizon are a new digital color printer contract, a better solution for online job submission, a wide-format printer for banners and signs, and better variable data printing capabilities.

Puljer is also an active member of the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association. "I go on the listserv, and I attend conferences," Puljer reports, "which have given me great ideas for marketing the print shop."

She considers herself a hands-on manager, but not a micro-manager. "I know that everyone can do their jobs," she states, lauding her great, experienced team.

Obviously, Puljer can do hers. More than 30 years after joining the company Puljer has become an MTD mainstay.

"I found an unexpected interest, and I really enjoy all aspects of my job: the creative part, working on equipment, the outcome and making customers happy," she summarizes. "The steady employment, support, and promotions have been great, too." Although Puljer wouldn't thrive on a steady diet of rush projects, she looks forward to the daily challenges of her job.

Puljer also fulfilled her personal and maternal ambitions, by the way. She is married with a (newly married) son, two stepdaughters and four step grandchildren. Off the job, she enjoys bowling, walking, bike riding and working out. She's also a regular at rock concerts.

"I seem to win a lot of tickets," she laughs. IPG