Meet Chris Herrfurth

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Chris Herrfurth, Production Manager, Westchester K-12Chris Herrfurth, Production Manager at Westchester K-12 talks about his career, from his start at an advertising firm which sparked an interest in production work to his transition into the K-12 publishing industry. Learn more about Chris, and why he enjoys what he’s doing here at Westchester K-12 Publishing Services.

You worked at other development houses before joining Westchester K-12. What roles did you have, and what sparked your interest in production work?
I got my first real start doing illustration, design, and production work for a small advertising firm in Dayton, Ohio. We were still doing production layout via paste-up process using knives and various dangerous chemicals to create camera-ready art. It was a very involved and time-consuming process, so, when we got our first office Mac about 6 months later, I immediately saw the potential, and knew that I had to learn this emerging technology. I always had an interest in computers, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on that Mac, but unfortunately, I was laid off from that job before I was able to learn what I needed to. I decided to go back to school and take a course in desktop publishing. After placing that first digital image and then filling the rest of the page with Lorem Ipsum, I was hooked, and I knew that I would be working with this technology for the rest of my life.

With the experience that I gained from that course, I landed a job as a designer in the advertising department of a large furniture and electronics retail chain, designing and producing all of the advertisements that ran in different newspaper markets along the eastern US.

From there, I landed my first job in the K-12 publishing industry, as the 2nd shift Production Supervisor at the Mazer Corporation, and over the course of 13 years, served in many different roles, from Production Manager to IT-specific roles such as Technical Process Manager, Helpdesk Manager, and Applications and Systems Administrator.

In 2009, I joined TSI Graphics (since acquired by MPS), a full-service K-12 provider. It was there where I began to build on my knowledge and experience with interactive development technologies, and eventually earned the additional title of Interactive Developer. While at TSI, I was involved in the development of several well-received iPad apps including the award-winning The Dog and The Bone.

In 2014, I joined Checkpoint Systems as their Digital Media Specialist. This was the first time in almost 20 years that I worked outside of the education publishing industry. I was responsible for the development of all sorts of digital media marketing materials, but I was also charged with the development of a central workflow tracking system for the entire ALS division.

In 2017, I returned to my roots and joined Westchester K-12 Publishing Services as Production Manager.

What made you interested in joining Westchester K-12?
The opportunity to return to my roots was obviously very appealing to me. This industry has a way of getting in your blood and it stays with you. However, it was really having the chance to work with some of the greatest colleagues from my past that sealed the deal for me.

How is Westchester K-12 different from other development companies?
The overall attitude and energy level here is quite amazing. I’ve worked in places where the employees are just going through the motions and trying to get through the day, but here, everyone really cares about getting the job done right for the customer. I’ve always seen things this way, and it’s great to be part of a company that has a similar mindset.

Why do you believe an educational publisher should choose Westchester K-12 as their services vendor for their next project?
When you choose Westchester K-12 as your vendor, you’re getting a partner who cares about your success and the success of every project you work on together.

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