What do you love most about your job?
Coming to work every day to a job I love and people who care about doing things right and enjoy their work. No workplace is perfect, but DavCo is the best place I’ve worked since my first job in 1980. We take pride in doing things right and generally enjoy what we do. I also enjoy helping customers communicate about their businesses effectively, helping them grow.
Tell us about a work-related success story that you’re proud of.
I don’t know that I have a specific one, but I’m proud of the overall improvement we’ve made to proofreading and other processes for DavCo and customers for more professional communication. Working with designers to establish good policies for how we manage files, how we do our design work, photography and photo editing. Hiring quality people with skill and integrity, and expanding the department to add positions for proofreading and preflight. Working together with designers here to establish good practices so our work for customers is both effective and attractive. I’m also proud of how we’ve helped so many customers establish and improve their branding.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy photography (sports, events, portraits, and landscape). I’ve found a few ways to earn money with some of my work, so that helps pay for this expensive hobby, but I also donate my work sometimes, especially at our church. I run several times a week, even in the winter, and I also enjoy bike riding and pickleball with my wife and friends. My wife and I enjoy traveling when we can. Honestly, some of the best times are just eating good food and playing games with family and friends.
Describe an interesting hobby or pastime that you have.
Since I listed hobbies in the previous question, I’ll add a pastime here: watching The Chosen. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a TV series about the life of Jesus. It’s so well written and produced and acted. It takes the greatest story of all time and tells it in such an engaging and impactful way. The characters are real people with flaws, not portrayed on a pedestal like they sometimes are. And it has made the story of God’s redemptive love available in a new way to billions of people around the world.
What’s something surprising that
not many people know about you?
- I have 59 first cousins and my grandma called me her favorite grandson… (ok, 54 of those cousins are on my dad’s side, and on my mom’s side my five cousins were all girls, so that’s the grandma who said I’m her favorite grandson.)
- I was introduced to my wife at my pastor’s wedding.
- I ran a half marathon when I was 54.
- I sang bass in a barbershop quartet in college, and traveled with two other singing groups in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Do you follow any sports teams?
Yes! I am a big Ohio State football fan. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio so I also follow the Bengals and Reds. I do follow the Philadelphia Union, and sports teams at Lancaster Mennonite High School, especially boys’ and girls’ soccer. All three of our kids graduated from there, and I’ve enjoyed staying connected. I have taken photos of both boys’ and girls’ soccer games for about 15 years, and have also done a number of other sports periodically including volleyball, basketball, field hockey, and track.
What are some of your favorite local spots to visit?
Lapp Valley Farm and other ice cream shops. September Farm Cheese. Sight & Sound. There are lots of good rail trails for biking that my wife and I like to ride on with friends. Keystone Church!
What’s something that you’ve always wanted to try or learn?
How to speak Spanish and how to play piano, but not at the same time.
Tell us about a personal success story that you’re proud of.
I wrote and illustrated a children’s book, but it’s just for my nieces’ children. I’ve also designed books for several vacations we’ve done that include my wife’s words and my photos.
How has your role evolved since you joined DavCo?
I actually started in customer service in 2004, but that was just a few months. Then I moved to head up the design department in the print division. The design director role itself hasn’t changed much since then, but the department has grown, and technology has changed a good bit too. So it’s been a journey of managing changing technologies and a design team that has five of the same employees as when I started 20 years ago, and six who started since then.
What’s the best trip you’ve ever been on and why?
My wife and I took our adult kids with us to Banff, Canada for our 30th wedding anniversary in 2022. The mountains and wildlife were breathtaking! I took thousands of photos and we all had a great time hiking in the mountains. And we had a great 25th anniversary trip to Costa Rica – that was just the two of us.
What’s your favorite memory from working at DavCo?
Oh there are many fun stories over the years. One time in my first months here, I dealt with four men named Amos Stoltzfus in one day – one was at the front counter, and a second one came to the front counter at the same time. While they were there, I got a call from another one. Later, I got another call from a fourth Amos Stoltzfus! I thought someone was pranking me. There was also the time several cows from a neighboring farm escaped and wandered into the grass beside DavCo. Several of us went out to herd them back to their corral. There are also many great Christmas banquet stories!
What is one thing you can’t live without?
Jesus. Well, that’s not a thing, but a person. So if I need to list a thing, I should be honest and should say my phone. But that could probably be everyone’s answer. So to list a thing that is more unique, I’ll settle on my camera. I love documenting family events, people, and sports, along with the beauty of God’s creation anywhere.
If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
Probably Italy. That seems like the best combination of beautiful mountains, ocean views, and cities, people, culture, and food! If we went there for two weeks, I’d probably take 10,000 photos, and I don’t want to say how much food I would eat! I’d also love to visit Glacier National Park, or some of the other ones out west.
What does your typical day at DavCo look like?
Reviewing the design and photo editing work of the design department, and proofreading and sending proofs. Assigning jobs. Establishing guidelines and policies. Responding to customers and sales reps who have changes to proofs. Lots and lots of emails!
Tell us about your family / kids / pets.
My wife Lynette and I have been married for 33 years. We have three children. Jared got married to Erica in 2023 and they live about 10 minutes from our house. He works as administrative assistant at a CPA firm in Lititz. Our second son is Josiah, and he is completing his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Minnesota. We enjoy spending time with him and his girlfriend, Anna, when we get the chance. Our youngest is Jaleah. She got engaged in December and we are looking forward to Jake joining our family in early 2026. Jaleah is a high school chemistry teacher. We love having our kids come over for food, games, and conversation. We have no pets.
Anything else you’d like to add?
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV)