Baldwin Announces Passing of Chairman Emeritus Harold Gegenheimer
10/5/2006
Shelton, CT, October 5, 2006 -- Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. (AMEX: BLD) a global leader in accessories and controls technology for the printing industry, announced the passing of the company’s Chairman Emeritus Harold W. Gegenheimer. He was 95.
Baldwin Chairman and CEO Gerald A. Nathe said, “We are saddened by Harold’s passing, but we are pleased that Harold lived a full life, well. He played key roles in the invention of products that were vital to the post World War II growth of offset printing as press speeds and color print quality improved and web and sheetfed printing grew.
“All of us at Baldwin owe so much to Harold for his leadership and creativity. We extend our sincere condolences to his family,” Nathe said.
Gegenheimer graduated from Georgia Tech in 1933 with a degree in mechanical engineering and athletic and scholastic honors. He then joined the Baldwin Company, where the new college graduate became its fifth employee. In 1937, he left Baldwin to work for the next 15 years in other print-related organizations where he became involved in press design, product development and general management.
Following World War II, Gegenheimer returned to the graphic arts and made an important contribution to sheetfed offset printing by inventing the sheet-reversing concept that is used today on convertible offset presses. Many consider it one of the major sheetfed press innovations of the past 60 years.
Gegenheimer rejoined Baldwin in 1951, overseeing the development of such inventions as the Automix, Balcontrol and Automatic Cloth Blanket Cleaners. Gegenheimer retired as chairman of Baldwin in 1983. Since 1986, he has served as Chairman Emeritus.
In addition to his business career, Gegenheimer found time to build a long record of service to the industry. From 1977 to 1979, he was president of NPES: The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies. His efforts eventually led to the joint founding of the Graphic Arts Show Company in 1982 by NPES, NAPL and PIA. In 1982, he received the Robert F. Reed and GATF’s Society of Fellows’ Award for his contributions to the technical development of the graphic communications industries and the Byron G. Culver Award presented at Rochester Institute of Technology for his contributions to graphic arts education. RIT named him “Graphic Arts Man of the Year” in 1983. In 1993, the board of directors of NPES recognized him by creating two service awards in his name. He served as chairman of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation's National Scholarship Trust Fund, and later as GATF’s Society of Fellows Chair from 1993-1995. He was elected to Georgia Tech's Engineering Hall of Fame in 1995, and later that year endowed the development of an annual Lecture Series on Innovation at his alma mater. In 1996, he received GATF’s Award of Excellence for Education and Training in Industry. In 1997, he was honored with the Soderstrom Award in recognition of his many contributions to the industry’s advancement.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 11th at 2:00 pm at Mystic Congregational Church, 43 East Main Street, Mystic, CT 06355 (telephone 860.536.4259).
A reception and celebration of Harold's life will follow at his home in Mystic, 2 Eldridge Street, Mystic, CT.
About Baldwin
Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is a leading international supplier of offset printing press accessories and controls for the newspaper publishing and commercial printing industries. Baldwin offers its customers a broad range of market-leading technologies, products and systems that enhance the quality of printed products and improve the economic and environmental efficiency of printing presses. Headquartered in Shelton, Ct., the company has sales and service centers, product development and manufacturing operations in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Baldwin’s technology and products include cleaning systems, fluid management and ink control systems, web press protection systems and drying systems. For more information, visit http://www.baldwintech.com .
Investors may contact Frank Hawkins or Julie Marshall at (305) 451-1888 or e-mail info@hawkassociates.com. For an online investment kit, visit http://www.hawkassociates.com. An investment profile about Baldwin Technology may be found at http://www.hawkassociates.com/bldprofile.aspx.
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