Call him a “virtuoso”—an individual possessing outstanding talent and technical abilities.
The term implies love of music—an actual melomaniac! Fitting to a “T,” one of his favorite bands’ hits—Imagine Dragons’ “Believer,”—opens with the line, “First things first!” Fondness for the tune brands him a “Fire Breather.” While he is not “Radioactive,” people say he bleeds purple and dreams of someday heeding the call to “Sound the Gjallarhorn!”; then lead the chant, “SKOL Vikings!”
The man clearly has eclectic taste. He’s described by friends as “colorful and creative,” “focused on fun,” committed to building others’ life skills,” “good natured,” “passionate,” “always willing to share.” They say his name tops countless package printers’ speed dial list whenever they face a flexographic emergency.
He wears many hats. On any day, he could, as a living, breathing version of FIRST 7.0, assist with understanding the minutiae of an especially technical paper, while offering guidance on one of any number of complex topics.
Or he could, as an “idea man” who often foresees problems before they happen, iron out the wrinkles of someone’s PowerPoint presentation while analyzing the ramifications of electing a stool and lavalier vs. a podium position.
He could, as a computer-savvy power user and unwitting tech support specialist, conduct a webinar while troubleshooting issues with his employer’s email server, while testing cloud storage providers to host terabytes of archived materials, while developing a contingency plan in the event the Wi-Fi at office, home, hotel or any other location is spotty.
And speaking of contingency plans, he thwarted his nose and gave the proverbial finger to Covid-19, instituting workarounds to get the job done. Cancellation of on-site events, while not optimal, became mere transition points and cyberspace a viable alternative to an auditorium or meeting room.
Flexographers needed training, so instruction was provided. Standards were evolving and their application required briefings. So, tutorials were recorded. With conventions on hold, Virtual Conference Centers, like FTA’s, made it possible to not skip a beat. He, of course, spearheaded their construction and oversaw a seamless roll-out.
As education director—the title that appears on his business card—he could preside over a litany of training programs, amend and revise updates to a resource library, conduct a pressroom audit and deem a plant “certified.”
Breathing real life into the words of Author, Library and Museum Director John Cotton Dana’s famous quote, “He who dares teach, must never cease to learn,” this highly recognizable individual actively engages with all kinds of pupils to enable their understanding and application of knowledge, concepts and processes. His approach combines design, content selection, delivery, assessment and reflection.
his hometown of St. Paul, MN.
His style is his own. His success rate, unparalleled. His methods, effective and far from traditional. His reputation, rock solid and impeccable. His fortitude, inspirational. His pace, sometimes fast, always formidable, more relaxed when the situation requires. His attention to detail, meticulous.
Juggling tasks is routine. It’s been happening for more than three decades—sometimes on the pressroom floor; other times in a corner office, home office, classroom or virtual learning center. As shift supervisor, pressroom manager, printing instructor, manager of training and technologies, or in his current role, a long list of triumphs and achievements includes job placement of students, operators with refined skills, programs and curriculums to teach the trade.
For handling with aplomb the balancing act that is his growing “to-do” list; for putting his all into any project he’s a part; for tireless devotion to making flexographers better at what they do; for being the proverbial stickyback keeping so many workflows humming, the 63rd inductee to FTA’s Hall of Fame is—don’tcha know?—Joe Tuccitto.
Character Counts
Robb Frimming, FTA president, believes, “It is fitting that during FTA’s 65th anniversary year, one of our own is being inducted. The Hall of Fame is an esteemed group of industry changemakers, and Joe is deserving of this honor. He has been and continues to be an amplified force for the flexographic industry and for the last 16 years, a touchstone for our members.”
Frimming stresses, “Joe’s passion for process control is evident with his work prior to FTA, along with all the great work he has put into FIRST and FIRST Certifications. If all that isn’t enough, Joe has a strong passion for education and mentoring the next generation of emerging leaders. I have worked with him for nearly 20 years. I appreciate all that he brings to the table. Congratulations Joe!”
Lon Robinson, VP manufacturing, Tension Corp and fellow Hall of Fame member, decrees, “Joe is a true legend in the printing industry, a friend to everyone he meets and a valuable resource for countless colleagues. His knowledge and expertise in printing are unparalleled. His dedication to his craft and his willingness to help others, have made him a respected and beloved figure in flexo.”
Attesting to true character, Robinson says, “As a great teammate, Joe has always been willing to lend a hand and work collaboratively with his FTA colleagues. His positive attitude and excellent communication skills have helped to build strong relationships and adapt to the varied roles he has filled in his career. Joe has been a driving force in the growth and development of FTA member firms. His contributions to the flexo industry have been nothing short of extraordinary. He truly deserves to be recognized as a Hall of Famer.”
Laura Wright, CEO of CSW Inc, FORUM 2023 Chair and FFTA Board Chair, details, “I’m very happy to hear that Joe is being recognized for his tremendous contribution to the flexographic industry. During Joe’s career with FTA, he has worked endlessly to promote and foster technical standards and knowledge to make this industry and those engaged in it successful. Working with him on the last several FORUMs has been a pleasure and a privilege. Congratulations, Joe, for this well-earned recognition!”