Bud Parisi, 1926-2010

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:09:03 GMT

Bud Parisi

1926-2010

Angelo "Bud" Parisi began his bookbinding career in 1946 at the Harvard Bindery where he worked as a "hand finisher" decorating the covers of library books with gold leaf, hand-set brass type, gas flame, and artisan skill. Bud was soon annoying his boss by encouraging the use of Linotype cast lead type and a Kensol stamping machine to letter a cover in a single "hit" rather than one line at a time by hand. Bud's ambition led him to invest in some old machinery so he could work nights and weekends at home, stamping diaries with personal names and logos for a large bindery. As his business grew Bud asked his boss at Harvard if he could switch to part-time work. His boss agreed initially, but on the first day that Bud was scheduled to be off; he called and fired him. This was 1958. Bud had two children, Carole age seven and Paul age 5. As they were driving to a doctor's appointment Bud told his wife Anne that he had been fired. She told him to drive faster---she had gone into labor. Their third child John was born that day, October 31.

Bud had no business training or experience. He had only $1000 in cash borrowed from his sister. He had little prospect of success. But Bud was confident and determined. He had recently purchased a two-family house so that the rent could pay his mortgage. He had no reliable income, so he worked nights cleaning bathrooms at Filene’s to put food on the table. With no letter of introduction, Bud went to visit the librarians at the Boston Athenaeum and Simmons College to ask for work. He impressed them with his character and initiative and was given a few books to bind.

And so began Acme Bookbinding. You might wonder where Bud got this name. Well, Acme means the pinnacle or top and it was first in the Phone book. In those days the alphabet was the key to a high ranking in the Yellow Pages---the equivalent today of a high rank on Google.

Bud’s business philosophy was simple. Produce the best product possible. Be honest. Let your customers be your sales force. His method of hiring a staff was also simple—remember that he had no money. Bud put up signs in colleges around Boston. Young people applied for the jobs as part time workers. They were smart, learned quickly and understood his tenuous situation. Slowly the company grew.

In 1978 Bud and his son Paul purchased the successor to the Harvard Bindery—New England Bookbinding. Bud’s old boss was now working for Bud. This acquisition of a company 50% larger than Acme Bookbinding was a stretch, especially since the combined company was limited to its then 12,000 SF 4th floor space at 300 Summer Street in Boston. Soon it was clear to Bud that the space, home to Acme Bookbinding for 20 years, was hurting the company—even though the rent was dirt cheap.

Now Bud was on a mission. He wanted to buy a building to house his growing company. He found a perfect site—5 acres in Charlestown with a burned out 25,000 SF building—that needed “some work”. But no bank would give him a loan. His friends told him that he had tunnel vision. No one would lend to a business with limited assets and an unimpressive financial record. But Bud was determined. He called on all the major banks, and then moved on to suburban banks far from his business. Bud finally got his break at Shawmut Needham Bank. The loan officers were impressed by his persistence and knowledge. Unbelievably, they loaned Bud $500,000. Now he had just 3 months to close the deal with the seller, renovate the building and prepare it to house a bookbinding company.

The stress was more than Bud bargained for. With a full agenda of “things to do” Bud took a shortcut on a machine setup, disabled a safety and had an accident that smashed three fingers on his right hand. Undaunted, Bud tackled his therapy and slowly he regained the use of fingers he was told he would never use again. Fired up by the need to get things done—Bud became the general contractor to renovate “his” new home. Bear in mind that Bud had no training as a contractor. He was indomitable and “he had no choice”. Bud succeeded in this transition—and 3 years later, after another bindery acquisition, Bud was doubling the size of Acme’s building—and 13 years later he would double it again when the company added trade binding to its library binding base.

During those years of growth, Bud gave control of his business to his sons, Paul and John. He continued to work but he had found a new passion. On his 40th birthday, Anne bought golf clubs for Bud. Little did she know how this would change their lives? Bud attacked golf with his full energy. It would not be long before Bud was in the running at member-guest championships with his clutch putting and long drives. His cherished achievements were two holes in one and several rounds of golf where he broke 80.

They say that behind every successful man is a strong woman. Well Bud certainly had that in Anne. Together they built a family and a company. They shared 60 years of marriage. They fought cancer and emphysema. They were a team.

Bud was one of seven children. He had 2 sisters and 4 brothers and a mother who had the most marvelous laugh one could imagine. Bud’s mother was called Honey—she lived to the age of 100.

Bud valued his family above all else. His children meant the world to him. He believed in hard work. He never made excuses. He was quick to point out a better way to do most anything. He always had something to say—and much of what he had to say might have been taken as criticism. But he was usually right.

Under his strong exterior and sometimes gruff demeanor, Bud had a heart of gold. He did not think himself to be good with words—but he could rattle off a joke on any subject with just the right message. He had an amazing talent for numbers, inherited by his children and grand children and evidenced in his skill at card playing—a skill and passion also inherited by the grandchildren. First Kelly, then Justine, then Grant, then Chase, then Reid and finally Sean—he was so proud of them. He delighted at their every achievement.

I will always carry close to my heart Bud’s favorite sayings.

If you have time to do it over again, you have time to do it right the first time---and you would do it over again if Bud was involved.

Measure twice, cut once.

Don’t be impressed by what people say, but pay attention to what they do.

Unfortunately for all of us, and for Bud, cigarettes robbed him of his golden years. He lived his life with courage and he ended it the same way. He was not afraid. He told me that he was ready to dance with the angels. His last wish was that all of his children and grandchildren strive for happiness-and to look for it in the relationships with family. Bud was proud of all of us, but I don’t think he ever realized how proud we were of him.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, Bud is survived by his brother Charles and his sister Mary.

Bud would also like to include Iris Liencres, his caregiver of the past 12 years, in this list of family. She enabled Bud and Anne to live on their own when their health began to fail them. Special mention should also be given to Bud's daughter Carole who would not allow the medical system to give up on her dad.

A wake will be held at the Joyce Funeral Home on Friday, Feb. 26 from 4-8 pm www.joycefuneralhome.com . The funeral will be on Saturday Feb. 27 at 10:00 am at Our Lady's Church on Trapelo Road in Waltham www.olca.org .

Monaco

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:27:37 GMT

Showpiece !!

Monaco is really beautifully bound, stamped, finished...thanks.

Showpiece...really.

Thanks to all at Acme

Sparrows

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:03:10 GMT

A Joy to Work With !

Dear Manny-

My mother’s poetry book looks terrific! I just wanted to thank you and your crew for the incredible job they did. It looks so gorgeous and is such a nice memento for her friends and family to have to remember her by.

I appreciate your getting it turned around in such a short time so it would be available at her memorial. Everyone commented on how great it looked. I only wish my mom could have seen it – she would have been thrilled!

You and Sara were both such a pleasure to work with. I know this was a small job for Acme and appreciate all the care and attention you put in to make sure it got done well and on time.

I’m so glad to learn about the availability of on-demand printing and Acme’s scope of services and look forward down the road to getting some of my own poems printed this way.

Again, a huge heartfelt thanks for all your hard work and being such a joy to work with!

with gratitude,

Meris Delli-Bovi

colby

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:07:04 GMT

Art at Colby -- Stunning!

THE BOOK has arrived here - spectacular!! The binding is perfect - the jackets folded beautifully, it couldn't be better.

It is BEAUTIFUL! Truly stunning! Thank you all for such a fabulous book.

Obama

Thu, 14 May 2009 22:31:06 GMT

Watch this page to see the steps
in the Binding of a Deluxe Copy
of the
Official Obama Inaugural Book
that Harcourt produced
as a gift for President Obama

Acme Book News

Bud Parisi, 1926-2010

Monaco

Sparrows

colby

Obama