Quad/Graphics on Friday announced the appointment of J. Joel Quadracci to President/CEO of the company, effective July 1, 2006, in anticipation of the yearend retirement of current Chairman/CEO Thomas A. Quadracci.
Joel is the son of the late founder of Quad/Graphics, Harry V. Quadracci, and has been employed with the company for almost 15 years. Harry was Tom’s eldest brother.
“I am proud to continue the tradition of family leadership at the company, and to build on the dreams of my father and all the others who came before me,” Joel said in a statement. “I am confident that the transition of leadership will be seamless because Tom and I and the entire executive team have worked closely together for many years.”
Currently, Joel serves as Sussex, WI-based Quad/Graphics’ President/COO and is responsible for the operations of the company’s core printing business and related activities. In his new role as President/CEO, he’ll have complete oversight of the company and be responsible for its long-term strategic development. His position as COO will not be replaced.
Following his retirement from the chief executive position on July 1, Tom will remain involved in the business as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, and will fully retire from the company on December 31.
A co-founder of the company, Tom chose his retirement date to coincide with the company’s and his 35 th employment anniversary.
“For the past 35 years, I have had the good fortune of being part of something very special and that is helping build Quad/Graphics from a tiny one-press operation that printed surplus work for other printers into the world’s largest privately held printer of magazines and catalogs,” Tom said in a statement. “Now as the company’s and my 35 th employment anniversary draw near, I believe it the appropriate time to transition leadership to the next generation.”
Tom helped Harry start up Quad/Graphics in an abandoned factory in Pewaukee, WI, in 1971. Over the years, Tom had many roles, including serving as Quad/Graphics’ first Plant Manager. In subsequent years, he served as President of QuadTech, the company’s dedicated R&D division; Vice President of Manufacturing & Technology; Executive Vice President; President & CEO; and Chairman & CEO of Quad/Graphics.
