CEOs Step Down at Press Vendors TKS, MDGM

By: E&P Staff Two longstanding U.S. suppliers of newspaper printing presses announced today the departures of their chief executives.

At TKS (U.S.A.), Inc., Irving, Texas, Gregory Harabin has stepped down as the company's president, CEO and member of the board of directors, effective September 1. The announcement coincides with finalization of the contract with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for the addition of six color towers to the Norcross plant, with controls and software from ABB.

TKS (USA), the North American sales and service affiliate of Japanese press manufacturer Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, named Nobuyuki Nakajima to succeed Harabin.

Announcing Harabin's departure, the company noted that he had guided it through four years in difficult market conditions. "We thank Greg for his leadership and wish him the best in his future endeavors," Katsumi Sato, chairman of TKS (USA)'s board, said in a statement.

Formerly southern region sales manager for MAN Roland Inc., U.S. subsidiary of the German press maker, Harabin took the helm at TKS (USA) in 2003. He first joined MAN in 1981 as a design engineer and rose through the ranks, overseeing projects and becoming newspaper applications chief engineer. In mid-1995 Harabin left MAN to direct engineering and customer service for a photopolymer equipment business. After returning to MAN, he oversaw the sale and installation of Regioman presses at The Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel.

Manugraph DGM Inc., Elizabethville, Pa., announced today that as on Sept. 1, Chris Lunt will relinquish his position as CEO. Essentially retiring after 30 years of service with the company, where he started in hands-on repair of press equipment, his responsibilities will largely pass to President Brian LaBine.

"I can say that I have fulfilled my dreams with this company and step down, knowing that it has become a global leader in singlewidth printing technology and am confident in the abilities of key management personnel to continue to uphold our philosophy of commitment to the industry," Lunt said in a statement.

No replacement was named for the CEO's position and other executives were not immediately available for comment. President Brian LaBine, Chief Operating Officer Kyle Monroe, Sales and Marketing Vice President Dave Moreland, and all other key management personnel remain in their positions, according to the company, which became a subsidiary of Manugraph India Ltd. last fall. In addition to its line of singelwide offset presses and folders, Manugraph DGM manufacturers the Americolor doublewide add-on tower sold by Inland Newspaper Machinery Corp.