Alan Leeson, former owner of Spectrum Label in Hayward, CA—now a Resource Label Group company—and a long-tenured member of FTA’s Hall of Fame, passed away on Nov. 22.
Born Dec. 4, 1937, he was just 12 days short of his 84th birthday. Raised in Tucson, AZ, later migrating to California, then Reno, NV and back to California, the father of four often stepped beyond flexography and at points in his life served in local chambers of commerce. He was also elected president of the San Carlos School District Educational Foundation.
A motor enthusiast of all kinds—from presses, to classic automobiles, to high-performance motorcycles, Cadillacs, Street Rods, El Caminos, Trans Ams and Harley Davidsons (all of which he collected); plus Vandenbergs, Mark Andys, Rotoflexes, Kelleighs and Storks—these machines captured his imagination. He once invented a spring-loaded device to hold journals against bushings that served to eliminate gear marks and improved consistency in print.
“Like the classic cars, I can’t sit idle,” Leeson told FLEXO Magazine at the time of his induction into FTA’s Hall of Fame. “Akin to a printing press, I strive to avoid long periods of downtime.” Advice rendered to peers: “Always be looking for something to spark the juices.”
For Leeson, it was 52 years ago that flexographic printing provided that spark. It ignited his passion for performance and his pursuit of excellence in product, service, community and people. Flexography became the principle element in transforming a financial executive, certified public accountant, former US Airman and Ph.D. candidate into a “printer’s printer.” It was a label he wore proudly.
As former president and CEO of Spectrum Label, Leeson was the 42nd inductee into FTA’s Hall of Fame when he joined the group in 2004. Three years earlier, he was CMM’s Converter of the Year.
In 1968, he started a company with Gailerd Smith, Tom Daly and one other employee. Originally a junior partner in S&D Graphics, Leeson became the sole proprietor six years later. He maintained full ownership from 1974 to 2002, rechristening the firm Spectrum Label in 1983.
Leeson’s role model at the onset: New Hampshire-based Gar-Doc Inc. His mentor: Darrell Dochstader. His strategy: Become a major player in the label industry by working on how to print and involving everybody in the plant in the process. The philosophy matched FTA’s. Leeson quickly signed on and became deeply involved in the association’s pursuits.
By the time he retired, a venture that began with $800, a used 3-color, 6-in. flexographic press and two customers, grew 15-fold in employees, seven-fold in presses and had been generating millions of dollars in billing for years.
Leeson once told FLEXO, “If there is a secret to success and longevity in business, it’s the recognition that dealing with customers, suppliers, employees, the environment and your community at a consistently high level of excellence must become a natural way of life for everyone in the organization. Mediocrity, anywhere and in any form, simply cannot be accepted.”
Elaborating on points of differentiation at Spectrum Label, he offered: “Our uniqueness has little to do with how many dots per inch we print or how fast our presses run. Our uniqueness is manifested by the following. We have won more technical achievement and excellence awards than any other company of our type in the world.”
In FTA circles, Leeson rose from member representative to committee volunteer and from director/trustee to chairman of the board—a post he held from 1988 to 1989. Among committees he served on: Training, Nominating, FORUM, Awards, Finance, Planning, Compensation and Bylaws.
The one-time vice chairman of the Narrow Web Leadership Council judged FTA’s Excellence in Flexography Awards Competition eight times. Other FTA and Foundation of FTA (FFTA) functions that he took prominent roles in included FORUM, FFTA Roundtables, and the European Flexographic Technical Association International Conference.
Leeson and Spectrum Label printed FLEXO Magazine’s very first cover demonstration project and received an FTA’s President’s Award for it. A second President’s Award followed two years later, recognizing his help in revising FTA bylaws. In 1996, Leeson received a Special Achievement Award for his efforts as Excellence in Flexography Awards Committee chairman.
Fellow flexographers Bruce Riddell and Mark Massey remembered Leeson as an influential force in their own careers. Riddell, who long served Spectrum Label as VP engineering, said, “Alan made it his mission to have Spectrum Label strive to be its customers’ best supplier, by any measure. He expected his personnel to pursue this excellence in all things from graphics to community leadership.”
Riddell continued, “His contributions to the industry as a pioneer for flexo education and training were a driving force that made strides in the development of flexographic print quality. He was like a father to me and to many others. Another like him will not pass this way again.”
Massey, who worked alongside both Leeson and Riddell as Spectrum’s VP manufacturing, added, “Alan passed away at his home in Napa with his loving wife Donna by his side. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family, as well as his family that grew up under his leadership at Spectrum Label.”