Julie Newhouse

As a way to jump in, can you tell us a little bit about your role with the company, your responsibilities, your duties?

I am the general manager (in Ripon), so I’m responsible for the things that happen within this plant location, everything from estimating through billing including all the manufacturing areas. The entire team works to support and service our customers.

You make sure everything is running, right?

Yes, that we’re an effective and efficient location.

It would be more apt to ask what you don’t do. Your role kind of encompasses everything.

One of the things most critical to me is the growth of every employee here. I love mentoring. I love bringing people along and helping them grow as employees and individuals. That’s a huge responsibility that I take seriously.

How long have you been at the Ripon location?

Since 2016, I joined the company in March of 2016.

What different roles have you had?

I started as the director of customer care, responsible for estimating, customer service and planning. I was promoted to president in June of 2018 and served in that role until the Lyke family sold the business. I became general manager when Walsworth purchased Ripon Printers.

Before you came here, how long had you worked in the printing industry? What were some of your previous stops?

I’ve been in the print industry my entire career. I went to UW-Stout which has a graphic communications management program. I also have my MBA from UW-Oshkosh.

I’ve held a lot of different roles in the print industry. I was a customer service rep. I was an estimator. I managed the old composition and keylining departments if you’re familiar with that. I managed prepress. For many years, I was VP of Manufacturing at a large sheet-fed company (Independent Printing in De Pere, Wisconsin).

What is it you love most about printing?

I find printing to be a unique combination of craft and technology. When I got into the industry, I loved art, and I loved books. I knew I didn’t have the talent to be an artist, but printing combined all of those interests.

What would you tell someone in high school or college about why they should consider working for a printer?

If students have an interest in art and they enjoy technology, printing is such a unique combination of both of those things. If they are creative, most of those kids want to be designers, which can be competitive. Plus, the wage potential is higher if they get into more technical fields such as prepress. Those are some of my talking points when I visit career fairs.

Do you get the “print’s dying” or “print is going away” response?

I do, but I just say, “look around you.” See everything that is printed. Go to the grocery store. Print isn’t just brochures, books, and newspapers. It’s packaging; it’s labels. There are so many avenues for print. And we need people. We’re not going away.

Are you originally from Wisconsin?

No, I’m originally from southwest Minnesota, out on the prairie. My high school graphic arts teacher went to UW-Stout, so that’s how I ended up in Wisconsin. I’ve lived in Wisconsin since my high school graduation. And I converted to a (Green Bay) Packer fan.

I have a sister in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I have another sister who ended up living in Wisconsin, too.

Have you been to a Packers game?

Absolutely. My in-laws have season tickets. When we first moved to Appleton, we started using the season tickets in ‘92 with the Brett Favre era and into all of those playoff years.

What’s the most memorable moment you had at a game?

So, there are two. One was a Carolina Panthers playoff game. I don’t remember what year (Editor’s note: January 1997). It was raining in the middle of winter. The weather was pretty tough, and the Carolina fans were not prepared for it.

The other one I remember was a game on Christmas Eve 1995. The opposing team (Pittsburgh) threw what would have been a touchdown pass to win the game, but the receiver dropped the ball in the end zone. His name was Yancey Thigpen. I’ll always remember his name. When the Steelers came back to Lambeau Field, we all cheered for Yancey Thigpen because he helped the Packers clinch the NFC Central division and get homefield advantage in the first playoff game.

Tell us about other hobbies outside of work.

My husband and I enjoy going to auctions and antiquing. We’ve also been doing a lot of landscaping, enjoying that more. We planted more than one hundred flowers and shrubs over the last two summers.

Tell us a little bit about your family.

My husband, Greg, and I have two girls. Olivia and Valerie are twins. They are 26. Thankfully, they live nearby. Olivia is up in Green Bay, and Valerie is in Oshkosh, so we get to see them fairly regularly.

Are your twins identical or fraternal?

They are identical, but you can tell them apart.

What do they do?

Both went to college and graduated during the pandemic. Olivia is in driver recruiting at Schneider National, and Valerie is a customer service rep at a local bank.

For the Walsworth team members who are located elsewhere, can you describe the Ripon community and how the company fits in?

The Ripon community is just a wonderful, close-knit, small-town community. Ripon Main Street is an organization that has really revitalized the downtown area. (The company) has always been, and continues to be, very involved in the community whether it’s through supporting financially or volunteering. Many people here volunteer.

How do you specifically give back to the community?

I teach a Junior Achievement class. I taught it for many years in Oshkosh and started in Ripon this spring. It is a middle school class where the students learn about finances and career paths. I find it very enjoyable as it is useful information for the kids.

What’s one thing about you most people might not know?

Both my parents were teachers.

What did they teach?

My mother taught English. And my father taught typing and business. We have a collection of old typewriters that he started.

I also collect blow mold snowmen – the old kitschy kind that you put out for the holidays.

What’s your favorite food?

If I were to choose a meal, it would be steak and a baked potato.

If you had a personalized coffee mug, what would it say?

I don’t know. (laughing) I think you should ask someone else that.

Who should we ask?

Kelly (Mundell) or Gail (Novitske)

(From Kelly Mundell: “She loves task lists, so it would probably look like the To Do List mug, except she drinks tea, not coffee. Or the one about keeping calm and smiling because she is always calming us down and encouraging us.”

From Gail: “Keep Calm and Put it on a Task List.”)