Dave Franke, Senior Press Operator

Dave started in the printing business in 1976 as a junior high-school working 25 hours a week (five nights a week and every other Saturday). He made printing plates and ran an ABDick 360 press & thermographer, running mostly wedding invitations. After high school and one year of vo-tech, he went full time for the next 20 to 25 years for Taylor Corporation both in Minnesota and California, as well as for Hubbard Milling of Mankato.

During this time he touched on pretty much all aspects of printing. Early 4 years typesetting, camera/darkroom making negatives for bothphotos & type, "filmstripping" and plate making. Then a wide range of printing presses from teh ABDick duplicators to 6 colors 40" Heidelberg offset presses.

Dave also worked in bindery on paper cutters, folders, book binding, colator/stitcher etc.

Since starting at Creative Production in 2001 he worked mainly on a 20" 4 color Heidelberg press, along with our 2 color single color & envelope jet press. Dave also works on all the machines in the bindery area. He also does most all preventative and breakdown maintainance on machinery.