I regret to inform you that our friend and former Mentor Dick Cherry passed away on Monday at his home in Maryland. Funeral arrangements are not yet complete but it is anticipated that a memorial service will be held in a few weeks.
My first visit with Dick and Nancy was in 1999, although I came to know Dick through a trade association years prior. They owned and operated Southern Maryland Printing & Graphics, Inc. in Clinton, Maryland through 2008 when they transitioned it to Nancy’s son, Kirk Karwoski.
During their years with the alliance, Dick and Nancy won five Superior Performance in Print Shop Management Awards, also known as the 2/20&15 placing them among the top five percent of all printing companies in the United States by financial performance according to our estimates. The award, as you know, is the highest award given by the alliance for finance and requires a company to maintain a minimum of a 2:1 current ratio, 20% income before owner’s compensation; and a minimum of a 15% sales growth over a three year period.
Dick and Nancy were also receipients of our Eagle Award, given for outstanding alliance leadership as well numerous sales and board management awards throughout the years. And most important to Dick, was the company’s maintenance of a C-1 overall operational rating while achieving their high level of financial performance.
Dick, a US Coast Guard veteran and native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was most happy on the water, being active in his community and spending time with his granddaughter, Hannah, along with his wife, Nancy.
Dick’s passing has come as a shock to us all. We will pass along details as we know them.
In the meantime …. Happy Trails, Dick …. until we meet again.
Tom Crouser
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