FTA Inducts Vreeland into Hall of Fame

RONKONKOMA, N.Y.—The Flexographic Technical Association has named Howard B. Vreeland Jr., chief operating officer of Anderson & Vreeland Inc., the 46th inductee to its Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Sunday, April 27, at Foundation of FTA’s Annual Forum in Dallas, Texas.

Vreeland knew from a very early age that printing plants and pressrooms would become focal points in his life’s work, as well as the center of his uncompromising efforts to identify, develop, and introduce new products that contribute to the advancement of flexographic print quality and consistency. His career in flexography was launched in summer 1967, while still in high school, and his apprenticeship continued every summer thereafter, straight through his days at Adrian College, Adrian, Mich. Vreeland’s first assignment after graduation was sales training. Immediately thereafter, he was dispatched to Los Angeles where he worked the southern California, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada region. He managed several other territories, eventually taking on the roles of product manager, vice president of Anderson & Vreeland, Midwest, and general manager of A&V’s sales/warehouses. Today he oversees operations at a 112,000-sq.-ft. design, engineering and manufacturing facility in Bryan, Ohio, where he and the team offer customers a “systems approach” to flexo platemaking, with state-of-the-art plate processors, materials and electronic prepress equipment. Vreeland’s wife, Ann, noted that it has been his lifelong ambition to work in the family business.

For the last 35 years, Vreeland has been actively involved in FTA and other graphics arts associations. He has been a frequent speaker at FTA/FFTA Workshops, Roadshows, Conferences and Annual Forums. He professes to be a true believer in participation and a true advocate of FTA. Once an Excellence in Flexography Awards judge, he now plays a recurring role on the Awards Committee. At one time, he took the helm of FTA’s Supplier Leadership Council, where as chairman, he was instrumental in development of a SupplyLine newsletter. Other FTA/FFTA committees that he was associated with included Project Evaluation and Flexo in High School. In 1992, Vreeland was elected to FTA’s Board of Directors, where he filled a three-year term running to 1995. That year, he was elected to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and two years into his tenure he was elected chairman. Vreeland later held a seat on FlexSys Training Corp.’s Board of Governors.

Ron Kerr, long-time colleague at Anderson & Vreeland, remembers both early and recent experiences. “What I have admired about Howie is his ability to work with the suppliers to bring new products to our industry. He is the driving force that keeps A&V in the forefront and is the visionary of our company,” he says.

Tammy Heisler, who has worked with Vreeland for 25 years, expressed similar thoughts. “Howie is a very strong leader, who I feel very comfortable following; as do all of the employees. Professionally, he sets standards high and is there to help guide and support us in achieving the goal.”