White Eagle Printing Co. -- A Rare Bird

Mercer Business, Sep 01, 2002 by Vernam, Lee

According to statistics recently released from J.H. Cohn LLP, just slightly more than one in every 10 family-owned businesses, survive to the third generation. Compensation plans, questions over succession, concerns regarding non-family management, relationships between fathers and sons, siblings, children and inlaws, and the ability to maintain equilibrium between three groups of family members: owners, workers and shareholders are some of the stumbling blocks that prevent a company from reaching third generation ownership.

Bucking the odds, with prudent planning, one Mercer County business has not only managed to survive to the third generation, but continues to flourish with record sales posted in 2001. White Eagle Printing Company, which is celebrating 75 years in business, produces high-quality, customized printed materials for a broad customer base that includes many of the most recognized companies in the region.

Each generation has brought to the commercial printing and publishing company a new perspective and fresh ideas to grow and prosper in the ever-changing industry; from Albin Bielawski, founder in 1927 to his son, Ted Bielawski starting in 1954 to his son, Eric Bielawski starting in 1996.

Ted Bielawski, the second generation and current chairman of the board recalls, "My father started the business in the 1920's when there was a need in the community for ethnic newspapers." White Eagle's first-generation owner, Albin Bielawski was a civic leader in the Trenton/Hamilton area, who perceptively filled a niche for the influx of immigrants in the region, by publishing newspapers in a wide range of languages and cultural interests. But as times changed with the Americanization of those immigrants, so too did the focus of White Eagle's business. The company had established a reputable name in the publishing field, thus making a move into commercial printing a seamless transition.

When Ted took the reins as president in the 1970's, he had already spent most of his life enveloped in the business, working in many different capacities since his early teens. As a graduate of Rider College, Ted brought a new philosophy to the company with a head for business and a management style that, to this day keeps its 30 plus employees devoted to the work at hand. "I have never chosen to layoff employees, even during the slowest of times," said Bielawski. "It's important to me to hold onto our highly skilled staff, they are how we have be come known for our high-quality printing. In fact, Stan Krupa has been with the company for over 40 years, now as executive vice president and production manager. He epitomizes the dedication of our whole team, regardless of their longevity with the company," stated Bielawski.

During Ted's nearly 50-year tenure, he saw dramatic changes in the printing industry. And, White Eagle continued to change with the times, but always remained true to its employees and wide-range of customers.

In 1977, his vision to move the growing commercial printing and publishing house from cramped quarters in downtown Trenton, became a reality at a sprawling site on Kuser Road in Hamilton. "There was no one out here at the time, but its proximity to the regional post office, where we mail customer magazines, brochures and the like almost daily, and it's great location between the Philadelphia and New York markets, near the NJ Turnpike were a real draw for me - it only made sense that all of the unfinished highways would connect at our front door someday. And they certainly did," Bielawski said.

While Albin started the business with Linotype and single color presses, Ted ushered in the age of computers, and for the following decade tate-of-the-art equipment was continuously added, which enabled White Eagle to cater to its customers' more sophisticated needs.

As Ted looked to the future, he envisioned passing the baton on to one of his sons. Son, Brad lived in the area and worked at White Eagle for several years, but his sights were on a whole different industry. Ted proudly exclaims, "He headed to California, as a sitcom writer, starting his career with the Cybill Shepherd Show." The printed word was of import, but apparently not for him in New Jersey. Upon this realization, Ted approached his son Eric, a corporate attorney in Philadelphia. With little knowledge of the printing industry, Eric accepted his father's challenge and quickly learned all facets of the high-end commercial printing business with particular emphasis on the sales and customer satisfaction side of the business. Within five years, Eric was elevated to the position of president of White Eagle.

Unlike his father, who had literally grown up in the business and knew he wanted to work in it his whole life, Eric, 36, was not involved in the business because he wanted to make his own mark in a different field. "I had serious reservations about coming to work here, even when my father broached the subject," the third generation Bielawski said. "I saw it as a true balancing act. On one hand, the company obviously had a long track record of success, which inherently lends itself to a belief of maintaining the status quo. On the other hand, I saw that we needed to implement certain changes to sustain future growth, whether we would be able to make the necessary changes, in my eyes, was an open question."