Through Data,
We Bring People Together.
Franklin evolved into the leading provider of Data Empowered Direct Mail through the concerted efforts of our founders, managers and dedicated staff over many decades. Today, we're proud of the principles our founders imbued Franklin with, and we continue to value ingenuity and integrity in our daily work.
We're proud that a printer's apprentice learned so much on the job here that he would one day own this company. We're also proud that today we're a certified Women's Business Enterprise with female ownership. We believe that leadership should be diverse and dynamic.
Most of all, we take pride in harnessing change every day for the betterment of our staff, our customers and our community. Today, that means we manage data in powerful ways that bring people together. That's Franklin's definition of leadership.
Leadership
Learn more about the people who help Franklin fulfill this mission every day:
Julie Crifasi
Chief Executive Officer
Two decades into her Franklin tenure, Julie Crifasi keeps the critical priorities top of mind: Strong internal relationships support the needs of employees, and excellent client service exceeds customer expectations. Crifasi maintains a strong financial position and excellent credit history for Franklin, where she also serves as board chairman. Her father, Jensen Holliday, served as company president before his death in 2002.
"I'm proud to continue his legacy and I lead each day with inspiration from him," says Crifasi, who cherishes the family values deeply rooted in Franklin. "I love our commitment to innovation and to staying in the forefront of technology as a leader in our industry. We have exceptional employees who are dedicated to Franklin and our goals."
Craig Chumney
President
In 1985, Craig Chumney launched Baton Rouge-based DigiTrans, a data marketing and management company that attracted such customers as the FBI, American Express and NASA. Eleven years later, Chumney joined forces with Franklin, a merger that utilized Franklin's printing expertise and the variable data skills of DigiTrans. It was a match made in direct mail heaven.
"I lead the technology race here to continue to develop from the data side, with the emphasis being on data first, mailing second and printing third," says Chumney, who enjoys the small company personality that resides in Franklin's large company tool kit. "We've been able to get bigger and run on a national basis with the big boys, yet still keep the family values and entrepreneurial drive of a small company."
Gene Smith
Plant Manager
Among Franklin's newest leaders, Gene Smith isn't new to the direct mail and printing world, where he draws on more than 25 years of experience. He began his career in a quality assurance role and rose to plant manager, general manager and site leader posts. At Franklin, the can-do spirit that thrives throughout the company matches his keen interest in helping young managers delegate and in teaching them to motivate team members successfully in a fast-paced environment.
"Our team is full of experienced, professional employees who know their individual jobs very well," Smith says. "It's my job to ensure they have the tools they need and to make sure everyone is communicating and working in the same direction."
Tommy Holliday
Secretary/Treasurer
The year Lyndon B. Johnson beat Barry Goldwater, Tommy Holliday began his full-time career with Franklin. He'd already logged several years of part-time work with the company by then, and in 2010 Franklin bestowed a 50-year service award on Holliday. The honor came at Franklin's annual Christmas party, and it represented the highlight of Holliday's career, one in which he's served as the executive in charge of production since 1975.
"My father said, 'You can always replace equipment, but you can't always replace good people,'" says Holliday, who considers his Franklin colleagues the most wonderful people on Earth. He leads by example and by listening — two great motivators. "When people are given the opportunity to voice their concerns, they will almost always follow your advice."
Shannon Sloan
Manager of Production Planning
Art sparked her interest in the printing industry, but Shannon Sloan saw her goals quickly shift to other horizons when she joined Franklin as an estimator. She earned a degree in business management and became involved in customer service, production planning, purchasing, invoicing, data management and every phase of Franklin's front end of production. A thirst for knowledge is something she shares with many others at Franklin.
"Without the forward thinking and risk taking of past and present leaders, Franklin would simply not be where it is today," Sloan says. "Understanding their vision, I am able to do my part in helping us continue to move forward by working to streamline processes, increase efficiency and shorten turn times — and I still get to be an artist in my spare time."
Matthew Holliday
Director of Sales and Marketing
With a degree in Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Matthew Holliday's critical role in Sales and Marketing might seem unexpected at first glance - but it is a true reflection of Franklin's commitment to excellence through technology, automation, and data mastery. Matthew first joined Franklin in 1998 as a part-time employee while attending Louisiana State University, and was witness to the first few years of company growth after joining forces with DigiTrans. After eight years in various roles in the energy industry in Houston, Matthew returned to Franklin to focus on bringing the benefits of automation to its customers - and his commitment to customer satisfaction has only grown since that time.
"When I returned to Franklin in 2009, I was shocked at how much had changed in eight years - it was incredibly impressive to see how much work had been done to streamline processes and integrate technology for the benefit of our customers," says Holliday. "Since that time I've worked tirelessly each and every day to build true partnerships with our customers - I want them to think of us as a value-added extension of their Marketing departments."
Estelle Holliday
Vice President of Public Relations
Estelle Holliday assumed her formal role as vice president of public relations in 2003 following the death of her husband, Franklin President D. Jensen Holliday, the previous year. She also serves on Franklin's board of directors and maintains the company's long-standing tradition of community support. Making major decisions that put Franklin in position to enjoy even greater success is important to Holliday, as are the frequent reunions of retirees and company workers at Franklin functions.
"I love the family atmosphere amongst our employees," Holliday says. "Given my commitment to family values at Franklin, I make sure the employees are considered when making company decisions. And I'm proud to represent Franklin in the community and to give back what we can to others in the community."