Empowered By Printing

SOMETIMES, YOUR career path has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. Take, for instance, David Estes, Printing Services coordinator at East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), in Winchester, Ky. Estes admits he didn't know what the future held when he enrolled as an undeclared student at Eastern Kentucky University."When I went to college I didn't know what I wanted to major in," Estes recalls. "I got involved in industrial technology classes, and I saw the printing department. I started taking printing classes, and it all took off from there."

Estes cut his teeth in the printing field by producing personal projects like memo pads and business cards in the college print shop. Money was tight, so he was moonlighting at a local factory as a quality inspector while going to school. But an interest in printing was starting to bloom for the Kentucky native.

"I really just liked the process," Estes contends. "I liked working with ink and paper. The whole printing process really intrigued me."

In 1981, while still a student, Estes heard about a job opening at EKPC. He decided it was time to enter the working world, and left school to take the position of junior printer at the power cooperative's in-plant. Estes started out printing forms and employee magazines on the shop's old ABDick and Davidson presses. Now, after 28 years at the same shop, the industry veteran wouldn't change a thing.

EKPC represents 16 electric cooperatives that provide service to more than 500,000 customers in 87 counties of central and eastern Kentucky. Estes runs the one-man in-plant, where he has risen through the ranks from junior printer, to printer, to his current position, which he has held for more than 20 years.

"The printer that was here when I was hired moved into another position within the company," Estes says. "So now I am the only printer here." East Kentucky Power Cooperative does employ a graphic designer, but Estes handles all of the company's in-house printing needs.

The in-plant utilizes ABDick and Ryobi presses, a Duplo digital duplicator, and color copiers to produce letterhead, business cards, forms, signs, banners and member bylaws for EKPC's 16 cooperatives. Getting new equipment is not easy, he says, and requires detailed cost justification. That said, Estes was recently able to replace an older Canon copier with a new Ricoh 700 digital color copier.

"We needed something faster and that could handle higher volumes," Estes notes.

Spreading the 'Green' Message

A hot topic in the energy industry is "green" energy and environmental sustainability. EKPC depends on Estes to get information out to its cooperatives about the environmentally friendly programs the company is spearheading. Estes, in turn, has taken a page from the parent company and is striving to make the print shop more "green."

"We are recycling all of our solvents and plates," he says. Also, the shop moved to processless CTP a couple of years ago. The change has had other benefits as well.

"CTP really has increased the speed of work that gets done around the shop," he adds.

Estes feels that the in-plant's importance is not lost on the management at EKPC. He says that the company realizes the cost savings the in-plant provides, as well as its ability to turn jobs around quickly, produce higher quality work and keep sensitive documents confidential.

Estes has long been involved in the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA), and attended the association's annual conference last month in Rochester, N.Y. He is a former president of the now-defunct Central Kentucky chapter of the IPMA.

EKPC's in-plant is a frequent contestant in the In-Print awards, and has taken home four prizes, including a pair of first place finishes, Estes boasts.

Away from the shop, Estes is an avid runner, who enjoys competing in local races and charity events.

"I was running about 20-25 miles per week, until I had surgery back in April, so I am on the mend right now," he says.

Estes has been married for 28 years and has an 18-year-old daughter, whom he proudly announces will be attending college this fall to major in graphic design.

The in-plant manager concludes that the evolution of the printing industry continues to keep him on his toes.

"I've seen so many changes over the years," Estes says. "I want to stay current and keep on top of the latest technology, and lead the in-plant that way." IPG