58 Years and Going Strong

Henry Roy was working at a shoe store in Worcester, Mass., in 1950 when he got a call that would change his life. A friend of his ran the print shop at the nearby College of the Holy Cross, and he needed some help. He asked Roy if he'd like to give it a shot.

"I said, 'sure, I'd be glad to,' " he recalls.

So the 20-year-old Roy gave up a future in footwear and embarked on a career that would span almost six decades. Now approaching his 59th year at New England's oldest Catholic college, Henry Roy likely holds the record for the longest tenure as an in-plant manager.

"It's been a delight," enthuses Roy, who now oversees eight employees in the Graphic Arts Department. "It's been a labor of love. This is my second home."

It was this way almost from the beginning, Roy says, even when he was making just $36 a week there.

"I did like the work," he says. "I found it very easy to pick up."

This was fortunate because six months into the job his friend was drafted, and Roy found himself in charge of the mimeograph machine, the Spirit duplicator, the Multi 1250 and the Addressograph.

"I did a little bit of everything," he recalls.

He hired part-time student help at first, and by the end of the 50s he had a full-time assistant. The shop added some Army surplus equipment, like a camera, a cutter, a folder and a Multi 1850, and grew more versatile. Its mail volume grew too, so in 1961 Roy's wife Gertrude came on board as mail room supervisor.

"She worked 35 years with me, and those were my most memorable years," he declares. "It was a delight."

As the '60s progressed, the in-plant upgraded. It added a Varityper typesetter and an Itek platemaker.

"That was a big change for us," Roy remarks.

Copiers entered the in-plant in the '60s too.

"I was the first one in the area to get a [Xerox] 914," he reports.

Always eager to accommodate customers, Roy said yes when the athletic department wanted four-color covers for its media guides. He then fired up his one-color 1250 and did the work.

"My counterparts downtown were pretty surprised I could do that," he recalls.

From his earliest days, Roy found inspiration in the sense of accomplishment he felt in his work.

"I was very satisfied at the end of the day with the work that we would turn out," he says.

The college made him feel very welcome, too.

"Working with the professors...was always enjoyable. Holy Cross is really a family operation here. The support I got from the departments was outstanding," he praises.

These good relationships brought in more work through the 1970s, and the shop expanded. It added Compugraphic typesetting equipment as well as staff.

About 20 years ago, Roy introduced the idea of centralizing copier management, which saved the college a lot of money.

"I was one of the first ones in New England to create an umbrella service contract," he says. "We just paid for the copies that we made, so it was big, big savings. I was kind of proud of that one."

In the 1980s, Roy was able to move the in-plant into a more open space with a delivery area. This greatly improved workflow.

Throughout his many years at the in-plant, Roy has successfully adapted to the industry's technology changes. The shop added computer-to-plate equipment more than 10 years ago and now has an array of two-color presses and digital printing equipment. It recently added online ordering for business cards and envelopes. Roy wants to expand this to other types of work.

When asked what he is most proud of about his in-plant, Roy quickly points to his staff and the way they work so well together.

"They're just a good group," he lauds. "They all like each other."

He likely fosters some of this cohesiveness in the way he treats them. It's not unusual to see him jumping in to help on the shop floor whenever he's needed.

"I think that helps my employees feel that we're all working together," he says. "I treat my staff members the way I would like to be treated."

Outside of work, Roy is a "fanatic golfer." He and his now retired wife have three daughters, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. But don't let any of that make you think Roy is ready to wind down.

"I have no plans to retire," he says. "I just love my job. I love working here." IPG