New Dean Believes In Printers!
During the year and a half that I have been Dean of the UH College of Technology, I have been very impressed by not only the Houston-area printers but by the printing industry as a whole. For example, within a few weeks of my arrival in July 2000, the Texas Printing Education Foundation hosted a dinner so I could get to know many of the local printing industry executives. The "Alamo" at the International Center for Entrepreneurial Development (ICED) in Cypress overflowed with people who sincerely wished me well. They had lots of good things to say about our program and faculty. I was impressed! Several months later I had the pleasure of touring the Houston Museum of Printing History with its Chairman, Mr. Tom Eaton. Whenever I begin to think that the whole world revolves around computers, I take time to remember the history-changing documents produced by heroic printers of the past. Printers have made an indelible mark on civilization. I am proud to be associated with such people.
Another high point of my time in Houston was the first time I met Mr. Bud Hadfield, founder of KwikKopy. When I met Bud in his office at the ICED Worldwide Headquarters in Cypress,a certain chemistry developed between us. Indeed, I believe that we may be kindred souls! Bud is,in my opinion, one of the great men in printing's history.Through his innovation of franchised quick printing,people all over the globe have access to locally-accessible state-of-the-art facilities to print documents ranging from the mundane to the sublime. I was so impressed by Mr. Hadfield that I discussed with my staff the possibility of awarding him our second annual hall of fame award. My associates agree, so Bud will be inducted into our hall of fame in late Spring 2002.