GRCA Commerce Quarterly Fall 2021 - 19

GreaterReading.org
T
he Standard Group was founded in Reading, PA, in 1895
under Standard Paper Box Manufacturing Co. Our primary
business in the early years was the manufacture of set up
boxes, and our most significant customers were the knitting mills
in Reading, which produced ladies' hosiery. In the mid-'20s, we
migrated into letterpress printing to print the wraps for the boxes
we made. Back then, we delivered our product to customers via
horse-drawn carriage.
Our modern history started in 1983 when Charlotte Cooper
purchased the company from Robert Peters and Judge Daniel
Huyett, whose father and uncle had founded the company. At that
time, there were about 30 employees, all still working at the original
location on Pearl Street in Reading. With a mixture of antique
wooden floors and old-style freight set elevators side-by-side with
modern electronics and presses, the company is a marriage of old
school and cutting-edge technology.
Proud of 100 years of membership in GRCA,
The Standard Group Executive Team
" Looking back, it is rare that a business can go at it alone. As
a new business owner, I was very fortunate to have the resources
provided by the Chamber, " Charlotte said. " I remember that the
most beneficial and rewarding experience for me was participating
in the Chamber's CEO Roundtable. I was able to hear and discuss
the challenges of business ownership and gain the perspective to
lead my company. "
Charlotte Cooper & Don Cooper
When Charlotte acquired the company, she immediately got
involved in the Chamber's networking and educational opportunities.
Through the Chamber's resources, The Standard Group was able to
develop its workforce by sending so many employees to training
programs, round tables, and educational seminars, especially
those on leadership, sales and customer service. Charlotte's belief
and commitment to the Chamber was so deep that she eventually
became Chairman of the Chamber's Board of Directors.
Although Charlotte has since retired, our employees continue
to attend networking events, volunteer in committees, present at
educational events and participate in panels.
Through the years, The Standard Group has grown and expanded
its capabilities to include offset and digital printing, web-toprint,
print-on-demand, packaging and point-of-sale, mailing
and fulfillment, branded portals, events and trade shows, and
promotional products expertise. We also made the strategic shift
to LED-UV print technology to produce excellent printing results
while minimizing our impact on the environment. We have begun
our journey of continuous improvement to streamline our process,
increase our efficiencies and improve the overall customer experience.
Today, The Standard Group is an employee-owned company
and launched our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Being
employee-owned, our employees think, act and care as owners and
will directly benefit from the company's success.
" Employee ownership will reward our people for their innovation,
hard work, and dedication and ultimately will build a culture of
collaboration. I'm very proud of our staff, and I'm excited about
the future of the company, " said Scott Vaughn, Chairman of The
Standard Group.
Although we have grown in size and scope, we always remember
our humble beginnings. It's hard to believe that the company has
reached the milestone of 100 years of membership in the Greater
Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA). The Standard Group is
honored to belong to GRCA, and we look forward to more
involvement and further collaboration with GRCA.
19
http://www.GreaterReading.org
GRCA Commerce Quarterly Fall 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRCA Commerce Quarterly Fall 2021
