Goss International announces that after 44 years of service, its president Richard (Dick) J. Sutis will retire on July 31, 2009. Sutis will retain his positions as vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Shanghai Goss Graphic Systems, a joint-venture of Goss International and Shanghai Electric Group in China, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of Goss Graphics Systems Japan Corporation.

In the past few years, Sutis has transitioned out of direct management control of Goss International and focused on continuing the company's successful initiatives in Asia.

Sutis has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (BSMAE) with a Business minor from Illinois Institute of Technology. He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business. He was honored as a Rockwell International Engineer of the Year in 1980.

Sutis has made a lifetime commitment to the graphic arts industry. He started his career as an engineer in 1965 with the former Miehle-Goss-Dexter (MGD) company that later became Rockwell Graphic Systems after graduating from college. He then held product development, strategic business planning and various executive positions in the printing industry. He was appointed president of Goss International Corporation in 2002.

Sutis has personally contributed to many technology breakthroughs in the printing industry during the last four decades. He was involved in the development of the first four-high configuration single-width newspaper press (the original Goss Community press) in the1960s and the first stacked commercial heatset press in the 1970s. He was instrumental in the development of the first four-high double-width press (Goss Colorliner) in the1980s, as well as the successful high-speed compact double-width Global Newsliner press in the late 1990s. In recent years, Sutis has continued to strategically lead key company research and development efforts such as the award-winning digital inking, automatic workflow control system, and the enhanced Magnum press series.

He spearheaded the company's global expansion into Eastern and Central Europe and helped to establish Goss operations in Italy and France, modernize Goss operations in Japan, and invigorate and lead its successful venture in China.

Sutis is a Registered Professional Engineer, a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for 48 years, a member of the Board of Directors of the Web Offset Association of Printing Institute of America, a past Board member of the National Printing Equipment Suppliers Association (NPES), a past member of the Board of Directors of the Research and Engineering Council (R&E) and a past member of the Board of Directors of Goss Graphic Systems Preston and Goss Graphic Systems Nantes. He will continue to serve on the Board of Directors of Goss Japan and Shanghai Goss Graphic Systems Co., Ltd.

"It has been an honor to work with so many talented Goss staff as well as many industry professionals over the past five decades," Sutis comments. "Much has changed since my father showed me his presses at age five. These changes in technology are what keeps the industry vibrant and generates higher print quality, lower costs and more efficient throughput. I am ready to retire, but the presses will not stop. Print will continue to play an important role in our lives."

Jochen Meissner, CEO of Goss International, praised Sutis' loyalty, dedication and contribution to the company, "Dick has been a long-term friend to many of us, and his broad industry knowledge combined with global market intelligence and business leadership have been highly valuable to the company and its employees," according to Meissner. "I am very glad that Dick has agreed to continue to serve on the Board of Directors of our two Asian operations. I wish him all the best in his retirement."