By Charlotte

Have you noticed the signs plastered on Schreiber's walls advertising class rings, caps and gowns, or yearbooks? Did you realize that they are all being sold by the same company? Does the name Herff Jones sound familiar?

What began as a jewelry company eighty years ago is now one of the leading companies of its kind in the United States. Herff Jones sells "recognition, education, and motivation products for the scholastic and commercial markets." In other words, anything related to "school apparel," from class rings and yearbooks, to maps and diplomas, are produced by Herff Jones. As one student, who wishes to remain anonymous, jokingly said, "they are taking over the school." That, they are. Everywhere you turn, the name Herff Jones, or the "HJ" symbol, appears.

After 90 years of growth and progress, such success is almost inevitable.

In 1920, Harry J. Herff and Randall H. Jones worked for a jewelry manufacturing company - Burr, Patterson, & Auld - in Columbus, Ohio. Herff was the production manager and Jones was the national manager. In June of 1920, Herff and Jones left Ohio and used their entrepreneurial skills to found the Herff Jones Company in Indianapolis, Indiana. They began by manufacturing insignia jewelry, and soon Herff Jones became prominent in the class ring business, making high school memories, and the name Herff Jones, last a lifetime.

The first few years of business for Herff Jones and its sixteen employees were incredibly successful. In 1924, the company moved from the University Park Building in Indianapolis to the Jackson Building - more than three times the size of the original building. Again in 1928, the company moved - this time two miles away to the Stutz Fire Engine Building, which it purchased. Jones retired because of bad health and Howard A. Intermill joined Herff to manage the company.

In the early 1930s, Herff Jones expanded to manufacture award medals. Soon, more than three hundred men and women worked for Herff Jones as sales representatives, or plant and office workers. In the mid-50s, Herff and Intermill sold stock to seven sales representatives and the company became partially employee owned. Herff Jones employees increased to more than eight hundred.

For the 1960 Olympics, Herff Jones produced the official awards, making the name internationally known. Later in the 1960s and in the beginning of the 1970s, the company entered the yearbook business and soon manufactured high school and college diplomas. The company also expanded demographically. It purchased a paper mill manufacturing company in Pennsylvania. Over the next few years it acquired production facilities in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Utah, and even Canada.

Management changed as A.J. Hackl became the new president and CEO. He remained in this position for decades and then became the Chairmen of the Board of Directors. He has, for a long time, been known as "the man in charge." Employees consider him "a man of few words - honest and fair, with a contagious sense of humor."

In 1973, Nystrom, an educational aid company, was bought by Herff Jones, which also became part of the Carnation Company and Nestle. By 1980, Herff Jones was selling "graduate apparel," including caps and gowns. In the late eighties, Herff Jones widened its employee ownership. Today this is seen as a major incentive to work for the Herff Jones Company. In fact, one of the company's mottos is, "American-owned, employee-owned!"

In 1995, Herff Jones celebrated its 75th birthday. In the birthday yearbook the Company created, the new President and CEO (who took over after Hackl) wrote, "Our commitment to stay focused is what we do best?insuring quality products, on-time delivery, and excellent customer service. All of us can be proud of the Herff Jones tradition of excellence."

Management switched one more time, as Robert Potts became Chief Operating Officer and President of the company. He will soon assume the positions of CEO and Board Chairmen as well. Herff Jones staf view him as a "great guy." When asked how he started working for Herff Jones, his response was unexpected:

Mr. Potts has been with Herff Jones for thirty years!

In 1998, the Port Light staff switched to Herff Jones from Jostens, a major competitor. Mark Mandrakos, the Port Light sales representative, is not only proud to work for Herff Jones, but also proud of the many new and innovative products the Company produces. Port Light advisor Patti Raimondo is equally proud, "Herff Jones is very competitive. I get mail all the time trying to entice me to switch to another company. I'm not planning on it in the near future - I've been very happy working with Herff Jones." The Port Light staff and other members of the Schreiber student body also seem satisfied with the products they have received. It's no wonder. The Herff Jones web-site says it all: