Peter J. Schaefer

Partner

Peter Schaefer is a Founding Partner with New Direction Partners. He is an experienced dealmaker with thirty years of investment banking and valuation experience, twenty of which have been exclusively in the printing and packaging industries. He has closed more than 150 transactions in virtually every segment of the printing and packaging industries.

Peter’s most notable transactions include the sales of Sandy Alexander to Snow Peak Capital, Trend Offset to Mittera, Midnight Oil and Classic Graphics to Imagine! Print Solutions, Meisel to R.R. Donnelley, six businesses to Taylor Corporation.

Prior to New Direction Partners, Peter worked for fifteen years at Compass Capital Partners having served most recently as its President. He serves on the Board of directors of the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and has served on several Advisory Boards within the printing/packaging industries. Peter is married to Kathleen, and they have six children and two grandchildren.

James A. Russell

Partner

Prior to New Direction Partners, Jim Russell was President and CEO of Arbor Press in Royal Oak (Detroit), Michigan. During his tenure at Arbor Press, the company was recognized as an eight-time winner of the National Association for Printing Leadership’s (NAPL) prestigious Management Plus Awards program that recognizes the best managed graphic arts companies in the country. Arbor Press was also recognized twice during Jim’s leadership as one of the 50 fastest growing printers in the country.

While serving as President of Arbor Press, Jim simultaneously served as President and CEO of RBF, Inc., of Lansing, Michigan, an industry leader in the document management industry.

Jim has hands on experience as both of buyer and seller, having completed many different acquisitions and sales during the time he served as CEO of the family owned businesses. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Hope College in 1983. Jim also has served on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, NAPL, Printing Industries of Michigan, and currently serves on the Boards of numerous non-profit and faith-based organizations.

Thomas J. Williams

Partner

Tom Williams concentrates on Investment Banking Services and providing client companies with management, turnaround and restructuring support. He brings substantial management and financial services experience to New Direction Partners, based on his history of success as President of P.C. Leasing Corp., Executive Vice President of PhoenixCor, Inc., Vice President and Portfolio Manager at GE Commercial Finance and Vice President, Sales and Marketing for U.S. Concord, Inc.

Most recently, Tom was Managing Director of DoveBid Valuation Consultants Earlier in his career, he held positions of increasing responsibility in sales, marketing and product planning with the Graphic Systems Division of Rockwell International Corporation.

Tom holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Graphic Arts Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a member of NAPL’s Soderstrom Society and a past President of the International Printer’s Supply Salesmen’s Guild. He is active in community affairs, charitable organizations and trade associations and is a speaker and lecturer at association meetings, industry seminars and universities.

Paul V. Reilly

Partner Emeritus

Mr. Reilly has been providing investment banking and financial advisory for eighteen years and engagements have included flexible packaging, paperboard packaging, label, commercial printing, direct mail, web-to-print, digital printing, envelope manufacturing, and graphic art supplier clients.

Previously, Mr. Reilly was Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman of the Board of Cenveo, Inc. (NYSE: CVO), one of North America’s leading printing firms. During his ten years at Cenveo, the firm grew from $17 million to almost $2 billion in sales and completed some 60 acquisitions.

Mr. Reilly has an undergraduate degree in Finance and an MBA in Computer Methodology from Baruch College. Previously a CPA, he served as a Bernard M. Baruch Graduate Assistant from 1974 to 1975. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Paul now resides in Colorado and Florida with his wife of 49 years, Patty. They have three grown children and six grandchildren. His interests include skiing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, sailing, and golfing.

Albert J. Reijmer

Director

Al Reijmer began his 40+ year Graphic Arts career in his family-owned printing firm in Utica, Michigan. Upon the sale of the company Al continued his formal education receiving degrees in Graphic Arts Technology at Macomb College and Business Administration at Wayne State University. Subsequently, Al held production management, estimating and finance positions at King-Smith Company and TAS Graphic Communications, both industrial scale establishments with large format sheetfed and web capability serving the automotive and related industries in southeast Michigan.

In the early 80’s Al shifted his career focus to the supplier side of the industry, utilizing his hands-on production, finance and management experience to assist printing firms analyzing their equipment acquisition requirements through comprehensive investment analysis and ROI evaluations. Al spent 25 years at Heidelberg USA in numerous positions, eventually as Senior Vice President. Since then Al was President of TD Global, a worldwide supplier of graphic arts equipment, and most recently as Vice President of Manroland, Inc.

Al has lived on 3 continents, born in Indonesia, lived in the Netherlands and currently resides in Michigan. He and his wife Diane have two adult daughters and enjoy travel and the nearby Great Lakes. Al concedes he is a proud lifelong student of this vast and ever changing industry.

James J. Tepper

Director

Jim Tepper joined New Direction Partners in 2012 following his retirement from Printing Industries of New England, an industry association delivering top management guidance and services for graphic communications firms. In his role as President of PINE, Jim provided considerable consulting and direction for many companies regarding growth, market positioning, acquisitions, and establishing and executing stockholder exit plans. He applies that experience and knowledge to his support and service of NDP clients now.

Prior to his tenure with PINE, Jim worked in management at the University of Massachusetts in the Continuing Education Division. He holds an MBA from the Eisenberg School of Management at U-Mass and a BA from Springfield College. He has served on numerous national boards and committees at GATF and the Printing Industries of America as well as at PINE.

Jim has served on the Board of Directors for his local Rotary Club, is the Treasurer of his church, and has served for 7 years on the Westboro Advisory Finance Committee. Jim continues to serve as the Treasurer of the Graphic Communications Scholarship Fund of New England.
A Retired Marine Corps helicopter pilot with combat tours in Vietnam, he continued serving and flying in the Marine Reserves for 25 years following active duty, retiring in 1997 as a Lt/Col. He is a member of the PIA Benjamin Franklin Society and has 2 sons/daughters-in-law, and 5 grandchildren. Jim resides in Westboro, MA.

Joseph Polanco

Director

Joe Polanco has more than 40 years of industry and association experience in the printing industry. After graduating with a Printing Management degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Joe spent nearly 15 years in operational positions in printing companies before joining PIA MidAmerica, a Printing Industries of America Affiliate, where he served as its President and Affiliate Manager for 20 years prior to retiring.

In his role at PIA MidAmerica, Polanco was dedicated to helping companies realize their success potential in the ever-changing and often challenging printing industry. This included facilitating the sharing of best practices, helping companies develop financial management tools and assisting their strategic growth through merger/acquisition. This wealth of experience, and his broad portfolio of contacts within the industry, makes Joe a valuable partner to printing businesses looking to make a change.

Joe also holds an M.B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, and makes his home in San Bernardino, California with his wife Liz. They have two adult children, both of whom live in Southern California with their spouses.

Randolph W. Camp

Director

Randy Camp, a Director at New Direction Partners, has been involved in marketing and printing since graduating from the University of Georgia in 1969 with a degree in Journalism, beginning with a marketing role at The Coca-Cola Company. Most recently, he served as the President and CEO of the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG), an affiliate of Printing Industries of America.

In 1972, Randy joined family-owned The Walton Tribune which became a web publication printing company, Walton Press, Inc., with the sale of the newspaper in 1976. He was CEO of Walton Press from 1980 until its sale in 1997, and CEO of the residual commercial printing operation, Walton Media, until its sale in 2010.

Randy has volunteered extensively in the printing industry and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the industry’s inner workings. He has held high-level volunteer positions in the Printing Industries of America, including Chairman of the Board, and he has served on the Boards of the Graphic Arts Show Company and the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation. Randy was the 1992 recipient of the PIAG Benjamin Franklin Award and was later inducted into the PIA Ben Franklin Society; he is also a member of the prestigious Soderstrom Society. Randy and his wife Jane have two adult children and three grandchildren.