How could we possibly distill onto just a few pages the life and impact Mark Michelson has had on the printing industry? For starters, the pages of this magazine might have faded into non-existence if not for him. He would be too humble to admit that, but many of the printing industry magazines that were at one time titans in the field have become just a memory. However, 40 years ago, Michelson took over the helm of Printing Impressions and shaped it into what it is today. Surviving technology changes not just within the printing industry, but as a journalist — he recalls the manual aspect of the job fondly.
“We had T-squares and X-Acto knives if you wanted to open up the leading between the lines, you had to manually move them down and keep it straight,” he says. “I would come home with type stuck on my elbows and my clothes and repro copy stuck to the bottom of my feet from the waxing machine … and I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the manufacturing side of publishing the magazine.”
Exactly 40 years ago, he also launched the Printing Impressions/RIT Hall of Fame awards, so it’s only fitting that in its 40th year, we honor the man that brought us here. Each year, the awards honor four experienced printing industry leaders who have proven their dedication to the craft. This year, the Hall of Fame will have only one inductee.
A Long Journey to the Top
Originally from DeKalb, Illinois, Michelson worked at a newspaper after graduating from Northern Illinois University. Knowing that he wanted to move out of newspapers and coinciding with a move to the East Coast, Michelson entered the printing industry with a job at North American Publishing Company (later renamed NAPCO Media) in January of 1982 as an assistant editor for the publication now known as Packaging Impressions. In 1983, he moved up to take the position of editor of the brand before moving on to take over Printing Impressions in 1985, a position he held until his retirement in October of 2024.
Read this full article on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
