GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A decades-old Grand Rapids business has strived to hold the same values under three generations of ownership.
Swift Printing was started 74 years ago by Walt Gutowski Sr., first operating out of his home before moving to 404 Bridge St. near Mt. Vernon Avenue in 1954, where it’s been ever since. He started by making wedding invitations, reaching out to people when they announced an upcoming wedding in the newspaper.
It was later taken over by his son, who grew the company by offering more products to other businesses.
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Last year, the business was handed down to Gutowski’s granddaughter, Jessica Gutowski-Slaydon. The third-generation business owner has been in the printing industry from birth, she said, going to the print shop on snow days with her dad. She said he would also occasionally hire her and her friends to work on projects.
“My parents never pressured any of us kids to work here in the …