The M&R Companies Holds Dedication Ceremony in Memory of Joe Clarke

Roselle, Illinois-based screen printing equipment manufacturer The M&R Companies dedicates its Printing Technology and Training Center in honor of the late Joe Clarke. The company marked the dedication with a ceremony on Jan. 21.

As part of the dedication, the facility has been renamed the Joe Clarke Printing Technology & Training Center. The company says it plans to host training sessions, seminars, and SMART Academy classes on digital, hybrid, and screen printing at the center.

“It is the hope and purpose of the new training center that the memory of Joe Clarke and his contributions will inspire and motivate the thousands of future visitors and students that will learn about screen printing here,” says Danny Sweem, CEO of M&R.

Clarke, an innovator and educator in the industry, passed away in Sept. 2019, and the company announced shortly afterward that it would be honoring Clarke with the training center.

The ceremony took place at M&R headquarters in Roselle, Illinois, with friends, family, and colleagues in attendance. Among the attendees were Joe Clarke’s wife, Colleen Lynch, and his son, Joe Clarke Jr., along with many other industry friends and family. M&R marked the official open of the facility with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, and a ceremonial red squeegee was cut, instead of the traditional ribbon, “in true Joe Clarke fashion,” according to the company.

“One of the reoccurring topics my dad and I would talk about is the idea of legacy and what it means to leave a positive and lasting impression on the world,” says Joe Clarke Jr. “I know how proud Joe would have been at the legacy he left behind, as evidenced by the dedication of this Training Center. Speaking for the whole family, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this gesture.”