The David I. Levy Award:
Hal Leader, Founder | Printing Prep, Inc.

Criteria: The David I. Levy Award was created to recognize outstanding achievement and service in the communications industry. Recipients should have a distinguished record of achievement over an extended period of time, which includes contributions to his/her company, the industry and the community.

Born in Buffalo, Hal Leader became interested in printing while he was a student at Bennett High School. During his high school and college years, Hal worked at Sahlin Typographic Service and gained a true love of typography from Emil George Sahlin, a Roycrofter who was a great man and a true inspiration.

After graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1961, Hal began working at Hoffman Printing in Buffalo. He could not convince the management at Hoffman that a new machine was going to turn the typesetting world upside down, so he left Hoffman and started his own company. That’s how Printing Prep Incorporated began in 1968: with $5,000 and a dream.

And more than 40 years later, he is the president and CEO of the most successful, longest-running typesetting and pre-press business in Buffalo. Hal will credit this success to the great employees he found and cultivated. His commitment to his employees hasn’t changed over the years, and neither has his love of type.

Printing Prep has achieved many notable successes as a direct result of Hal. His dream was
recognized again and again by outstanding achievement awards and national typography awards. And when other printers might turn down a job because of the size or deadline, Hal Leader and Printing Prep would not.

Hal has always loved Buffalo. Throughout his career, he always made a point of giving back
to the community he loves. He and his wife, Betty (whom he still refers to as his “lovely bride”),
enjoy everything Buffalo has to offer. This is their home, and they live it and love it, now that Hal is retired from Printing Prep.

And in true “Leader” fashion, Hal didn’t simply retire and sell his business. He made sure that his employees had the chance to own it first! Hal Leader – committed, dedicated, hardworking and compassionate to his fellow man.