I was hired as the production manager here in the Fulton facility in April 2017. When we became Walsworth – Fulton, I was promoted to plant manager. I’ve been in printing for 35 years as of December.
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Kevin Werdehausen
What were some of your career stops before you came to Ovid?
I started at Von Hoffman Printing as a general helper in the press area back in Dec. 1985. I worked my way up through the years in the pressroom: the role tender, second pressman, operator. But then, working nights and everything kind of got hard on the body, and they were starting a customer service department in Jefferson City, so I interviewed and got on there.
It was kind of a running joke for a while that every two to three years I switched roles in the company. I went everywhere. Then, Von Hoffman was bought out by RR Donnelley. I moved to Texas to run a plant for four years. I was with RR Donnelley until they closed the plant in 2013.
Then my daughter decided to have grandbabies. In 2016, I moved back from Texas to Missouri. I did a short stint back with Donnelley, or LSC communications as it was known at that time. I worked there for a little bit before I got hired on at Ovid. The rest is history.
Are you originally from the mid-Missouri area?
Kevin has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 32 years.
I am. I was born in St. Louis but moved to this area when I was seven years old. I’ve been in central Missouri, around Jefferson City for basically my entire life.
Can you talk about how important this company has been to the Fulton community over the years?
It’s huge. John (Bell) had a very large presence in Fulton and he still does. He still, to this day, comes by the plant. The company always invested a lot into the community and we still do to this day.
A funny story is when we were taking the Ovid Bell sign down from outside the building to replace it (with a Walsworth sign)… there’s a barber across the street. Within six minutes John Bell was calling the plant and asking “What’s going on? Why are you taking the sign down?” That’s how fast that barber had called him. That’s how close-knit this town is.
You have worked in the printing industry specifically for 35 years. What is it about this industry that’s allowed you to make a career out of it?
When Kevin isn’t at work he is spending time with his grandkids.
I think it’s the people more than anything. It’s a different kind of person that makes a printer. When they say printing is in your blood, I agree with it.
I tell the young folks coming in; print is not dead. Go to a grocery store or a doctor’s office, you see magazines everywhere. The last two years have truly been among the most successful years Walsworth has had for a printing company that has been around for 86 years.
What do you think specifically has been the key to that?
People just like to have something in their hands to read. It’s nice to have an iPad or a computer, but the infrastructure has to exist. People in rural communities can’t get the internet they need. People who go shopping in stores don’t want to get on their phones, they want to pick up an ad to look at when they walk in the store.
When you talk to the kids at high schools, what approach do you take when talking about a career at Walsworth or in printing?
We tell them you don’t need a college degree to be successful if that’s not what you want. By all means you should pursue your education and be the best person you can be, but you can make a good career and a good life with manufacturing.
We promote that Walsworth invests in the company and invests in their people. As we tour the plant, we show that we’re installing a press we bought from Australia, which is our largest project ever. Four years ago, we invested $3 million in new equipment.
What does a typical day look like for a plant manager?
(Laughs) I call it controlled chaos. The first thing I do is walk around the plant before an 8:30 am production meeting with my managers. And then you have your normal meetings through the day, and you’re working with customers and with other facilities and working with the team up there to make sure you’re running smoothly.
Can you tell us about your family outside of work?
Kevin moved to the mid-Missouri area after his daughter had two kids, Harper and Hazel.
I have been married for 32 years to my wife Lisa. I have two beautiful daughters; Sara and Lacey, and two beautiful grandbabies. I have a grandson, Harper, and a granddaughter, Hazel, who are six and seven. They’re pretty much our entire lives right now.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Spend time with my grandkids. I love to golf. My wife and I like to get in our Jeep, take the top off and go for a ride. We always pack a go bag just in case we find some place we want to stay. Missouri is beautiful when you get on the back roads.
What’s a fun or interesting fact about you that most people might not know?
I like to try new things and have fun. We have a group of older friends, we call ourselves the “Fuddy Duddies” because we don’t want to get old and be fuddy duddies.
About once a quarter we get together and we just do weird things. A little while back, everybody got $10 to go in and buy someone else’s outfit at Salvation Army. So they bought an outfit and you had to wear it. And then we all went out to dinner. A couple weeks ago, we dressed as the 60s and we all went out to dinner and had a good time.
We have some rapid-fire fun questions that we ask everyone. First thing you can think of. What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
Amityville Horror. That was the scariest book I ever read. I was probably 13 and it scared me to death.
What about favorite movie?
I would have two there. My favorite movie overall is Gladiator. But I would say my favorite comedy is The Proposal.
Favorite food or favorite meal?
Deep dish pizza. Giordano’s in Chicago.
Favorite vacation spot?
I’d have to say Ireland. In 2014, we went to Ireland and it was amazing. The castles and the buildings and the people.
If you had a personalized coffee mug, what would it say?
It is what it is.
Do you have a favorite memory of working at Walsworth?
Yeah, we were printing a book for an older lady – it was her dream in life to have a book printed. And it was a cookbook, believe it or not. I was her CSR. And I was the one who got to hand deliver it to her.
She opened it and started crying and giving hugs. It was just… giving somebody that joy. I’ve seen their dreams come to fruition, right? The book was something she had wanted her whole life. And we got to do it for her and I was one of the ones who got to present it to her and it was pretty cool.
