James K. Feeney, a member of the FTA Hall of Fame and the first president of Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp in Lincoln, RI, died July 2, 2021, at 85 years old.
FTA members remember him as having an insatiable thirst for information. He read, studied, collected data, analyzed numbers, probed minds, mailed surveys, tabulated polls and most importantly shared what he learned, as evidenced by his and FLEXO Magazine’s March 2000 “Survival Guide for the 21st Century.”
On two occasions a decade apart—1989 and 1999—he delivered the keynote address at FTA’s annual FORUM. His talking point those two days, much like all others: the state of the industry—wide web, narrow web, mid web, prepress, competitive technologies and more. It seemed he had the answer to most every question, and if he didn’t, he immediately began searching for it, with the promise to get back to the person who posed it.
It’s easy to appreciate these words that Jim himself voiced in 2008: “As I look back on my 31 years with FTA, my earliest memory is a two-term assignment on the Board of Directors and Foundation Board of Trustees. We were an aggressive, outspoken and action-oriented group. That may have been my best experience with how an effective association board should operate.”
Jim took that lesson to the boards of major trade associations—as president of the Flexible Packaging Association and chairman of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute. At FTA, he spoke at 1983’s Flexographic Color Reproduction Conference, judged and chaired the Excellence in Flexography Awards (1987), on two occasions served as the wide web session chair at FORUM, received both the Distinguished Service Award and FTA President’s Award, and was indicted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
True to his nature, he always paused to herald the contributions of others. “My colleagues and I spent a quarter of a century selling and servicing hundreds of millions of dollars of high-tech, high-speed, wide web flexographic presses. It was reinforced, over and over, that the best of what we made still performed poorly without plates, inks, anilox rolls and cylinders whose technology was also up to the task. But, most importantly it was still the people who made the difference. I’m always amazed how one, single, outstanding individual could positively influence everything else for the better, differentiating his company from just OK to excellent. So, when you find really good ones—nurture them, inspire them, challenge them and reward them. It will be the best investment you’ve ever made.”
The message got through.
Hall of Fame member Arleen Neustein, a long-time W&H customer, remembers, “Jim was always a positive force in the industry. As W&H’s leader, he, along with Hans Deamer, introduced German-engineered presses to North American converters. They spoke our language—they talked electronics, mechanics, ergonomics. They made large, complicated machinery understandable. They covered design, build, install, support and they lived up to their word. It was Jim and his team that forged W&H’s reputation and made it the leading press manufacturer that it is.”
Dave Horsman, the Hall of Fame inductee the year after Jim, states, “I first met Jim at K89 when we were competing for a press order in Canada—accompanied by our prospect, he graciously invited me into the booth and offered me a beverage and a snack and we had a very general and courteous conversation. At FORUM 1999, Jim pulled me aside and told me how proud he was of me for my dedication to the industry and FTA, which actually blew me away, as I was not used to competitors saying things like that to me. In 2000, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, I got to congratulate him first of the seated attendees and said to him, ‘Jim, last year you told me how proud you were of me, I want you to know that I am very proud to know you.’”
Horsman adds, “I always think of him as one of the classiest guys I ever met. Jim was a great man and our industry was fortunate to have him in it, and I feel very blessed to have met and befriended him.”
Andrew Wheeler, current president of W&H Corp, explains, “Jim was able to very clearly juxtapose the advanced German machinery with the American way of thinking. He had an incredible appreciation for and understanding of the German management as well as the customer’s mindset. He inherently knew that his job was to not only “sell” the North American customers, but also to make sure that our German colleagues were on board as well. He was selling trust—in him, as well as the company.” In 1994, the W&H Board of Directors voted to bestow its highest honor—the prestigious Golden Pin—on Jim.
Wheeler continues, “Jim was the perfect kind of guy to work for; he was affable, stern and straightforward. You knew where you stood with him always.” Wheeler and the entire Lincoln, RI-based team credit Feeney with having been the face of the organization for 24 years (1977-2001) and observes, “Trustworthiness and integrity became the foundation of the culture he instilled in his team and remain firmly anchored today, 20 years after his retirement.”
Tony Bart, who preceded Jim into the Hall of Fame by a few years, notes, “Jim befriended flexographers across the country, due to his knowledge of press mechanical details, and with the ability to clearly explain the intricacies of the total flexo process. He helped guide W&H engineers in innovating new products to satisfy the ever-changing needs of the industry. Because of his willingness to help others and improve the abilities of the flexo community, he shared with printers and competitors alike. He viewed the other printing processes (lithography, letterpress, gravure, rotary screen and even digital printing) as competitors to the flexo printing process. His interest and commitment to flexo was self-evident with his voluntary involvement within FTA committees, boards and seminars.”
Tony recalls further, “Above all, Jim was a gentleman. His insightful view of issues and congenial manner were highly respected by all. To Jim, I gratefully say, ‘Thank you for your contribution to all of us and the flexo process.’”
Giving credence to those testimonials are some words of wisdom expressed by Jim himself. They hold true to this day: “New faces and new technologies are changing the world around us, some will make our jobs easier and others can threaten our livelihood. New technology is attacking press makeready times. It’s providing infinitely variable repeats, great sleeve technology, more colors, higher speeds and mid web presses… Global trends are making everything fast, fast, fast. This industry is clearly moving out quickly. Promises are being made that, if true, could revolutionize how we make our changeovers, and with volume—how we decrease our costs… Good product, printed faster, doesn’t cost a dime of capital, and the favorable results drop quickly to the bottom line.”
Jim leaves his wife of more than 60 years, Sandra; three sons, Jim Jr., Patrick and Dan; daughter-in-law, Mackie; and four granddaughters, Jaymi, Minerva, Tyler and Jesse.