Press Release              Event Date:  August 13, 2018

 For further information contact Mary Chrastil, 260-982-0672 nmhistory@cinergymetro.net

 August Historical Society Program Features Steve Heckman

 On Monday, August 13, the NM Historical Society is very pleased to welcome Steve Heckman, former President of Heckman Bindery, now The HF Group.  The program will be held in the Assembly Room at Timbercrest Retirement Center, 2201 East Street, at 6:30 p.m.  It is open to the public at no cost and will be enjoyable for audiences of all ages. 

 Many people in North Manchester and the surrounding area have worked at Heckman Bindery through the years as full- or part-time, temporary or permanent employees.  Heckman Bindery produces hard- and soft-cover bindings for printers and publishers, binds periodicals for libraries nation-wide, re-covers textbooks, and creates hard covers for children’s books used in libraries.  Besides binding dissertations and theses, the firm binds 3,000 books each week for the Library of Congress.  On the other end of the spectrum, short run books are also custom bound.  HF Group’s conservation division preserves and/or restores damaged books and documents.  The NM Historical Society has benefitted from the bindery’s skill and experience in this area. 

 Steve Heckman was born in North Manchester, attended Thomas Marshall School and Central High School, and Indiana University Business School.  He also joined ROTC at Indiana and entered active duty upon graduation.  He was in charge of a heavy battle tank platoon while on active duty for two years, followed by 6 years in the reserves.  Steve started at Heckman Bindery as office manager in 1963, and became President/Chairman in 1972, remaining in that capacity until 2006.

 Steve presided over a dramatic change in the printing and bindery industries with the advent of computer technology.  In 2005, he oversaw the merger with ICI Binding, the only other nation-wide competitor to Heckman.  They became the HF Group (H for Heckman, F for Fairfield, the family that owned ICI).

 All are welcome to attend this program to learn the history of a North Manchester institution with nation-wide connections, and the history of how technology has affected an entire industry.