Señor Luis Novaro Enshrined in Flexo Hall of Fame— Collaborator, ” “conduit, ” “proponent of excellence, ” “benefactor” and “true gentleman; ” those terms all describe the 66th inductee into the Flexographic Technical Association’s Flexo Hall of Fame. Always “energetic, ” “enthusiastic, ” “charismatic, ” “noble, ” “gallant, ” “magnanimous” and “committed, ” many remember him as a “friend, ” “mentor, ” and “business owner. ” This individual, with a legacy that lives on, gets credit for being “selfless, ” “loyal” and “generous. ”
Over a 30+ year-career, his actions led to his recognition as the defacto leader of the Spanish speaking flexographic package printing and converting community.
His shadow cast across continents–from North to Central and South America and Europe as well. This international ambassador, while soft spoken, was admired by most everyone he encountered. His impact on FTA and the industry it serves and supports transverses time.
El Señor Luis Novaro, president of Distribuidora Gráfica Novaro, loved what he did and the people he did it with. His embracement of the volunteer spirit and his willingness to act in the betterment of all; now, years after his death, catapult him into the Hall of Fame as only the fourth individual whose legacy secured the honor.
FTA ROLE
Novaro provided a variety of educational opportunities—organizing seminars, translating and publishing training materials–and successfully forged a strong bond between FTA member companies in the US and those in Mexico, Central and South America.
He was an organizing partner of numerous educational FTA co-sponsored seminar programs in Mexico. Focused on communicating the principles espoused in Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications and Tolerances (FIRST), Novaro assumed the responsibility (and cost) of translating and publishing multiple versions of FIRST into Spanish.
He was dedicated to improving flexographic print quality and enhancing the stature of the Latin American community within the FTA membership.
Novaro was always a supporter of FTA initiatives. Eventaully serving on the FTA Board of Directors and FFTA Board of Trustees, his tenure extended far beyond that. He was a long time member of the Editorial Advisory Board for FLEXO Español and authored several articles in addition to partnering on the development of a unique educational software training program.
That resume of contributions to the advancement of flexographic printing, brought him further recognition in the form of the 2017 FTA President’s Award.
PEER’S PERSPECTIVE
Fellow Hall of Fame Member and former FTA President Mark Cisternino observes, “As a key industry figure representing the flexographic business community in México, Luis’ career was spent building a well-respected company that served many important customers and helped to grow the industry through his astute management expertise.”
He continues, “I was drawn to his unpretentious commitment to the universal education of the people who benefited from his actions. For as long as I knew Luis, he remained focused on creating opportunities to help everyone improve themselves through the development of learning initiatives, including his employees, his customers and even his competitors.”
Cisternino fuirther remarks, “Luis dedicated immeasurable company resources—both financial as well as through the commitment of many members of his team—to support his magnanimous efforts to improve flexographic print quality and enhance the stature of the Latin American community within the FTA membership. It now stands as an increasingly vital segment of the global marketplace.”
Bill Dowdel, another former FTA president, says his relation- ship with Novaro began when he was with DuPont Cyrel and Novaro was the company’s distributor in Mexico. “Luis was one of a kind. He was a charming man with wit and charisma, yet someone who marketed his product line as a friend to customers, colleagues and competitors. I never heard anyone say a bad word about Luis.”
Dowdell recalls Novaro being astute and extremely knowledgeable about the industry and points out that he knew exactly how to present his needs so that they would result in the growth of the business in Mexico. “He operated in a quiet, but effective way. The measure of Luis will be the many people he touched, the successful business he developed, and most of all, his loving family.”
FAMILY REACTION
Daughters Claudia and Iliana tell FLEXO Magazine, “As his family, we could not be more grateful to receive this award on his behalf. Looking back over 30 years, if not more, we recall many names that evoke pleasant memories and gratitude–Bill, Mark, Manny, Paty, Tony, Mark Jean, Graciela, Joe, Bob, Steven, Stan, Juan Pablo, Alfredo, Arturo, Benito, Sandy, Cori and so many others. Thank you always.”
“Our Dad was a special guy, indeed,” they declare. “He is missed daily and, through us, he thanks you all.”
The sisters note, “Ours was a family business, which made us spend a lot of time with each other. Working together allowed us to get to know him in a different way. It gave us an opportunity to observe him from another angle and recognize many of his qualities.”
“Life positioned our father as an FTA ally for the Mexican flexographic industry, earning him professional achievements, and friendships as well. He built high level professional relationships and worked hard to generate loyalty doing things ‘the right way.’”
Claudia and Iliana recall, “While attending the FTA FORUM ,we remember our father observing several times that a lucky industry is one where you can grow together–never alone, always among friends at your side.”
“Just being part of a nucleus that generates education, training and growth was already enough for him. We are certain that this recognition would be one of the most valuable in his career. He would be very honored by this distinction, especially coming from collaborators that he himself held in great esteem.”
FOND REMEMBRANCES
Mark Mazur, FTA Hall of Fame member, recalls, that, Novaro was always the “consummate, unflappable, professional.”
“Because of that, probably my finest memory of Luis is the one time I actually saw him lose control, though only slightly,” says Mazur. “It was at the 1995 FTA FORUM in Orlando. Because of the location, there was a large number of people for whom Spanish was their native language. Luis agreed to do simultaneous translation from English to Spanish for anyone at the conference.”
“Luis sat in a small booth broadcasting the translation. …Well, Mark Samworth had a 20-minute time slot with 107 slides. About five minutes into the presentation, Luis put down his headset, stood up and walked away, just shaking his head. We laughed about that for the more than 25 years.”
Mazur believes that if you look up the word “gentleman” in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Luis Novaro. “He was that rare individual who sincerely cared about the industry and the people around him. He was always willing to devote both his time and his money toward advancing flexography. …He was tireless in his efforts to help everyone achieve excellence.”
Dave Horsman, chairman of the Legacy Hall of Fame Committee and a member of the prestigious society himself adds, “Luis Novaro is more than just a worthy recipient–he belongs in our Hall of Fame. He always garnered a lot of support in our annual elections, finishing second at least one time before he passed, and has been in the top three vote getters since the inception of our Legacy award.”
“Luis was a special guy. I personally am extremely pleased that he is receiving this honour and also wish that he was still alive to accept it,” Horsman decrees. “It is more than well-deserved, based on his considerable contributions to the flexo Industry.”
Jean Jackson, another close friend and Hall of Fame member, states, “People need to understand that Luis supported the FTA–doing translations and paying for them—because he was completely committed to the big picture.”
She continues, “You would have thought, if you did an event, that he basically ran the Central American FTA. He was at every conference. He supported every event. He stood loyal to the organization. He represented FTA every time he did a conference and he did an exceptional job.”
According to Jackson, Novaro embraced volunteer spirit. “He understood it wasn’t about him. He didn’t want it to be. Luis lived the bigger message—‘Be best of the best for the industry.’ He elevated the value proposition. He embraced reliance on technical materials. It was always about the bigger picture’”
She maintains, “Luis realized we needed to move to a tech world. He understood it. That’s why he donned a big hat in this industry and truly represented the cause of the FTA. He was FTA through and through. To me he was both a huge friend and true gentleman. He welcomed everybody, shared everything and was a huge driver in our industry.”
“Look at the quality of print that comes out of Mexico- Luis
is to thank for that. Flexographers from his home country are doing him proud. And that honor was certainly hard earned.”