Colleagues Mourn NAPIM’s Paul Volpe

Paul Volpe, who served as technical coordinator for the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) from 1976-95, died Feb. 9, 2002.
    
Prior to coming to NAPIM, Mr. Volpe enjoyed a full career at Sinclair and Valentine from 1953 to 1975. A fixture in the printing ink industry for 42 years, Mr. Volpe was honored with NAPIM’s Printing Ink Pioneer Award in 1985 and the New York Printing Ink Production Club’s Master Ink Technologist Award in 1990.
    
His colleagues at NAPIM remember Mr. Volpe for his knowledge and his warm personality.
    
“I knew Paul back when we both were at Sinclair & Valentine,” said James Renson, who served as NAPIM’s executive director from 1975-91. “He ran our S&V plant in Cuba, and after the revolution, he was relieved from his duties with a man with a gun. He just picked up his hat and walked out.
    
“He was a very pleasant and warm person who was always ready to help others,” Mr. Renson said. “He was definitely a people person. He really worked well with the technical people throughout the industry.”
    
“Paul was one of the brightest guys I’ve ever known,” said Jimmy Sutphin, NAPIM’s executive director from 1991 to 1997. “Paul and Jim Renson were incredible. I called them the Dynamic Duo. They were two great guys to learn from.”
    
“His 22 years in the industry with S&V really prepared him to serve the industry and help our members,” said James Coleman, NAPIM’s executive director. “He was a detailed, tenacious man who would dig for answers. He was also very involved with his community and his church.”    
    
Richard Incontro, NAPIM’s present technical coordinator, said Mr. Volpe was an immense help when Mr. Incontro succeeded him in 1995.
    
“He was exceedingly knowledgeable, especially in paste inks,” said Mr. Incontro. “He taught me very well.”  
    
In particular, Mr. Volpe’s influence on the industry can be found in his efforts to provide a foundation for the ink industry in light of the environmental regulations that sprung up from the federal government. “When he first came to NAPIM, he handed governmental affairs, which was beginning to become important,” Mr. Renson said.
    
“When Paul and Jim Renson were at NAPIM, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations were being implemented,” said George Fuchs, NAPIM’s manager of information technology and environmental affairs. “They did a tremendous amount of work to develop training information and manuals to help the ink industry comply to the new laws. They laid the groundwork for the ink industry, and they developed positions that to this day are still being used for guidance.”
    
Mr. Volpe is survived by his wife Lucy, four children and eight grandchildren. To send condolences please contact the NAPIM office at (732) 855-1525.
Colleagues Mourn Stuart Booth
Stuart Edgar (Budge) Booth, 62, died at his home on Feb. 11, 2002, after a battle against brain cancer.  
    
He was born Nov. 9, 1939, the eldest child of John Stuart and Frances Edgar of Summit, NJ. Mr. Booth graduated from Duke University, earning a zoology degree. Upon graduation from college, Mr. Booth joined the Navy, where he was trained as an anti-submarine pilot and flight instructor.     
    
After leaving the Navy as an officer, Mr. Booth began a successful career in the pigment industry with Kerr-McGee Corp. In the late 1970s, the Booths relocated their family to Portsmouth, RI, where he founded Synergistic Pigments, Inc. His brother, Michael Booth, joined a year later. In the 1980s the family acquired Roma Color, Fall River, MA.
    
Stuart Booth became president in the early 1990s, upon his father’s retirement. His enthusiasm and vision invigorated Roma Color and led the company to expanded sales, improved quality and several awards such as the Good Citizen Award from the city of Fall River in 1994, and the Blue Chip Award for Excellence in 1996.
    
“Stuart had several favorite expressions such as ‘There are no such things as problems, only opportunities,’” Michael Booth said. “And whenever you saw him and asked him how he was doing, it was always the same. Stuart was always ‘Fantastic!’
    
“Stuart was a natural leader who always brought tremendous confidence to every thing he did,” said Michael Booth. “And he was extremely generous. Stuart had a hard time saying ‘no’ to people. He liked to help people out, and give them a chance. Stuart was what these guys on the street used to call ‘good people,’”
    
The Booth family sold the business, now known as EC Pigments, to European Color in the U.K., in 1999. Stuart Booth retired in July, 2001 and moved to Oklahoma. He maintained his FAA license, owned several planes, and continued to fly right up until a few month before his death.
    
“Stuart treated his entire illness as if it were a temporary setback, never giving up and never feeling sorry for himself,” said Michael Booth. “He spent the last week of his life surrounded by his wife and children, listening to stories and joking around with them. One of his main goals was to get his FAA license renewed and continue to fly. He died peaceably at home.”
    
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Karen; one son, one daughter, two stepsons and a stepdaughter, three sisters, two brothers and six grandchildren.