Generation of family ownership: Sixth.
Company size: In the U.S., we have four mills, a stationery factory and a printing facility in Massachusetts; manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and a security technology business in Georgia. In Sweden, there is a bank note printing plant, a paper mill and a passport business.
Number of employees: Approximately 1,500.
Years with the company: Thirteen years on the board of directors, two years as CEO.
First job at this company: I worked in a paper mill sorting rags used in papermaking.
At what age? 17.
Historical note: Our start date is cited as 1801, when Zenas Crane traveled from to Dalton from Newton, Mass., in search of water and power, and erected the first mill. But his grandfather and father made paper in Boston earlier than that, some of which Paul Revere printed for currency.
Best thing about this job: I love the business and have a sense of pride in it. It covers so many things. We have artisans from generations of our family and employees’ families that have been doing many things with paper for hundreds of years. We also have scientists working in highly technical research and development. We have a broad range of businesses and skills and I’m very proud of that.
One of our greatest successes: Our longevity and the constant reinvention we’ve had to do to stay in business so long.
Best advice I ever got: Treat everyone fairly. Try to be open and treat employees, the community and the board as partners. Don’t focus on one constituency alone.
Quote from our company’s mission statement: We have excellence in our products and services and fairness and integrity in our decisions and relationships.
Artwork on my office wall: Various photos on high-quality art paper we manufacture. They range from sailing, an activity I love, to some of our mills in the 1920s, to nature shots.
Worst thing about working in a family business: The sense of responsibility I feel, particularly when I’m having a bad day. I feel it not only for the generations directly in front of me, but for those who come later.
Best thing about working in a family business: The luxury of being able to be patient, and the ability to make decisions for the long-term health of the business.
My mentor: I learned from as many people as I can. Early in my career I worked for Gov. [Richard] Snelling of Vermont, who believed in seizing the day. He taught me that if something needs to be done or you feel that the world should change, you should do it yourself and not wait for anyone.
Advice I’d give someone wishing to enter this business: Get some experience in another industry or business so you can bring some perspective to the family business. And treat that perspective with care when you get there.
On a day off I like to… get as out of reach as possible. It’s hard in this technological age. I often go sailing off the coast where I can’t be reached by cell phone.
Philanthropic causes our family supports: We’re a major supporter of the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass.Zenas Crane founded it. Our family also opened the Crane Museum of Papermaking in Dalton, Mass., in 1930. Its exhibits trace the history of papermaking from Revolutionary times and it’s free to the public.
I realized I had emerged from my parents’ shadow when… my generation assumed leadership roles in the business.
Words I live by: We use the word “family” quite often here. When I talk about the family business, I’m not talking just about the Cranes. Employees and the community have permeated our entire culture for generations. I’m talking about them as well.
— As told to Patricia Olsen