The Suit Magazine

On the date of its inception in an old barbershop, Henry Schiele’s printing company had two small presses, a desk and a single phone.That was in 1948.
Since then, things have changed. The original entrepreneur passed his business along to the next generation; today his son, John Schiele, presides over a major operation.
Schiele manages the three integrated companies that now make up the Schiele Group: Schiele Graphics, the sheet-fed division; Repro Graphics, the web division; and Johnson
Printers. The company has become one of the most sought-after suppliers of graphic arts in its home base of Chicago.

Much has changed since the 1940s. “I try not to get bogged down in the day-to-day activities,” Schiele told The Suit. “My dad was a huge micro-manager, and every time he walked in the room, you could tell people got tense,” said Schiele. “I’m the exact opposite. I rely on my employees; they know their job better than I do. I spend most of my day thinking about our business plan and working on opportunities as they come in. I do research on the internet and talk to people about what’s going on in the industry.”

With an eye to market demands, the Schiele Group has expanded into multi-plant enterprise that produces business cards, brochures, digital designs, coupons and more. Still, Schiele stays loyal to the basic, important things he learned from his father – customer service and dedication to quality.

“We listen to our customers and ask what their needs are and what else they are buying. Then we mold ourselves to their needs,” Schiele said. “I know it sounds like a cliché, but I believe in staying focused on the customers and servicing the heck out of them.”

www.schielegroup.com

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