Ready, Fire, Aim

by John Fennell

"Ready, Fire, Aim," a new book by Missouri School of Journalism Associate Professor John Fennell, is a business biography on the life and legacy of printing industry icon Harry V. Quadracci. Fennell, a member of the magazine journalism faculty and former editor of Milwaukee Magazine, wrote the book after the founder of Quad/Graphics died in a tragic drowning accident. Quadracci started the company with 11 employees in the then-rural community of Pewaukee, Wis., in 1971. After signing its first major contract with Newsweek in 1977, Quad/Graphics grew rapidly to becoming the third largest printer in North America. Today, the company's clients include Time, Sports Illustrated, Playboy, National Geographic, People and other noted magazines and catalogs. "Harry Quadracci became an industry icon through his intuitive business sense," Fennell said. "Instead of "ready, aim, fire," he believed you simply had to jump in and do things -- "ready, fire, aim." That's how he operated his company."

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Nancy Jurss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a fascinating individual in the printing industry, an industry most people pay little attention to. Since it is the industry I have been in most of my life, I had heard some of the stories. After reading his biography, I understand better the reputation of Quad as a great place to work, which I really didn't get since I saw it from an outside perspective. After reading about him, I'd really like to know more about his wife, Betty. Her ability to manage Harry and the family must have been pretty amazing as well.