Michael Barbie, manager of Printing and Mailing Services at the University of Richmond, and loyal ACUP member, has died.

By Bob Neubauer

Michael Barbie, manager of Printing and Mailing Services at the University of Richmond, has died at the age of 65 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. A loyal member of the Association of College and University Printers, Mr. Barbie was known for his unfailingly relaxed, polite demeanor, traits that also won him the respect of his university.

“The whole campus loved him because he was calm and easygoing,” remembers coworker Karen Pierce. “He showed everybody respect. He valued you as a person and showed respect for you, and I think because of that, everybody really loved him and appreciated him. He was very sincere.”

Hired by the University of Richmond in 1969 to run a multilith, Mr. Barbie went on to become manager in the 1980s. He steered his 11-employee in-plant into the digital, multi-color world, and introduced a card system for the campus copiers.

“He never made a big splash,” adds Pierce. “Never made a big show of things, but he always got the job done, in his quiet, easygoing way.”

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Bob Neubauer Author's page

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.

Mike Barbie Passes Away