Accidental Start to a Flourishing Career
AS A high school student in Cedar City, Utah, Doug Maxwell had no particular career path in mind. He got good grades, was on the debate team and enjoyed hanging out with his buddies. So when some of those buddies enrolled in Cedar City High School's graphic arts program, Maxwell figured, why not?
"So I really got into [printing] by accident," says Maxwell, now director of the Brigham Young University Print & Mail Production Center.
Accident or not, he enjoyed working on the school's A.B.Dicks and Multiliths, printing school newsletters and football programs. He liked it so much that he took an after-school job in a print shop.
"I worked for a newspaper in Cedar City called the Iron County Record," he recalls. "One of my jobs was to melt the lead down and then pour the lead into the cast iron pigs for the old varitypes."
Maxwell's graphic arts experience and debating skills won him a scholarship to Southern Utah State College. After a break to perform missionary work in New Mexico for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he enrolled at BYU—and never left.
Maxwell began working part-time in the Provo, Utah, in-plant as a student, running the small offset presses. It was then that he met his mentor, former in-plant director West Barton, production manager at the time.
Maxwell describes one early influence that Barton had on his life: After getting mad at his boss one day, Maxwell abruptly quit his job and stormed out. When Barton called him later, Maxwell informed him that he no longer worked there.
"Yes you do," replied Barton, who then convinced Maxwell to return to work and apologize to his boss. Though he cringed at the idea, Maxwell eventually relented.
"He taught me a good lesson; he knew that the manager was wrong, but he knew that I needed to be more respectful," Maxwell admits. "West Barton's awesome. He's one of my favorite people of all time."
After graduating with a communications degree, Maxwell started full time at the in-plant in 1988. He ran the four-color Akiyama and other presses for two years. Then he applied for a position as a customer consultant, which he held for 13 years.
While working at BYU, Maxwell was also running his own printing business on the side, The Offset Club. For seven years he worked days, nights and weekends to build it up.
"It was a really successful business," he says. "We'd grown it to the point where I could leave [BYU]."
He was just getting ready to do so, when tragedy stuck: "My partner embezzled all the money out of it," he says. "It was horrible. One of the worst years of my life."
It was a crushing blow, and recovery was not easy. –During this time, he almost took a job at BYU's Hawaii branch. But Barton, who had Maxwell in mind for his eventual replacement, convinced him to stay a little longer.
Promoted to Director
In 2004 that decision paid off. Barton retired and Maxwell was named director. Since then he has worked hard to reorganize and streamline the in-plant to better integrate printing, copying and mail. He moved all three functions into one production area reporting to two production managers. By bringing everyone closer, they now work together more like a team. Maxwell is very proud of his staff.
"We have a great team atmosphere here," he proclaims.
He has also supported major improvements in automation at the shop, integrated with the in-plant's innovative home-grown Web submission program.
Recently, the in-plant installed its first digital press, a seven-color HP Indigo 7000, and is using it to get into new markets, like newsletters, greeting cards and print-on-demand books. Maxwell hopes to start producing photo books too.
"If I'm going to get something new, I want to be able to do some new things with it," he proclaims.
Running a shop this size requires a constant eye on new equipment, so Maxwell plans to be at Graph Expo this month to check out new bindery gear, like slitters, perfect binders and even hardback binding equipment, so the in-plant can stop outsourcing that work. Maxwell feels fortunate this his in-plant has the approval of management and can get new equipment like this. He praises his boss ("He's brilliant!") for his support.
Though his days as a customer consultant are behind him, Maxwell still enjoys visiting customers to discuss how the in-plant can help them.
"I love it," he says. "I just enjoy working with different departments and people here. That's where the fun is."
Maxwell finds fun outside work too, visiting Disneyland with his wife and four kids, and retreating to their cabin in the in the mountains above Provo. His oldest daughter just started at BYU, after winning a scholarship from the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association, an organization to which Maxwell has belonged for years.
Reflecting on his accidental introduction to the graphic arts back in school, Maxwell admits, with a laugh, "It's not something I thought I would be when I grew up." But he acknowledges, "It was a great opportunity for me."
He is very proud of the in-plant that he has worked so hard to improve.
"We have some very, very talented people here," he –affirms. "I think we provide a great service."
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
