KALAMAZOO, Mich., March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JB Printing, the longtime Kalamazoo printing business that was founded in 1933, has been sold by John and Donna O’Keefe to new Minuteman Press franchise owners Mike and Jess Luepke. Moving forward, JB Printing is now operating as Minuteman Press in Kalamazoo.
Buyer Mike Luepke shares, “JB Printing has built a strong reputation for quality work and dependable service, and we were fortunate to acquire a business with that kind of legacy and trust already in place.” Seller John O’Keefe adds, “Mike and Jess Luepke are geared to succeed in meeting the customers’ requirements while offering products beyond what a typical printing company can. We are excited for this new chapter for JB Printing clients who are in great hands with Mike, Jess, and Minuteman Press.”
History & Sale of the Business
The O’Keefe Family purchased JB Printing in 2013 and have owned a printing business since 1984. John shares, “JB Printing was founded in 1933. We acquired the business 80 years later, and now we are proud to transfer the business over to Minuteman Press in Kalamazoo and begin this new chapter.”
As far as his experience in the industry is concerned, John says, “After taking printing classes in high school and working in the industry for years, we started our first business AmeriKal Printing. We started as a quick print shop and grew into a full-service commercial printing business. Our growth was due to focusing on providing top-notch customer service, hiring great employees, adding services, and a lot of hard work. We acquired JB Printing in 2013 and the rest was history.”
With retirement approaching, it was time for John and Donna to think about selling the business. At first, John says they couldn’t find the right fit. He explains, “We had been approached by numerous people interested in purchasing JB Printing. The people that we met with did not meet our criteria for what was important to us. Our primary concern for potential buyers was the future and success of our employees and care of our faithful customers. We did talk to a business broker but did not move forward with them. We felt that they were not going to find us the best buyer or get us a good price for our business.”
John shares how he discovered Minuteman Press as a resource for sellers and his experience in selling the business:
“Over the years, we were contacted by Minuteman Press, but we were skeptical and delayed taking it seriously. Realizing that we needed to plan for retirement, we finally reached out to them. Michigan Regional VP Rich DeRosa replied and after numerous discussions to learn more about us, our goals for the company and our employees, we met with Rich. We had concerns about finding the right buyer. Rich calmed our anxiety about the process and our need for confidentiality. Rich is great about communicating and was driven to find a good match for what we wanted in a buyer.
Minuteman Press provided us with a fair valuation for the business. The great thing about the process is that Minuteman Press vets potential buyers and then provides them with training and support to help them thrive during the transition and grow the business. Rich DeRosa kept everything moving forward and made a complicated process easy.”
Welcome to Minuteman Press, Kalamazoo
Mike and Jess Luepke officially took over the business in January of 2026. Mike says, “Before joining Minuteman Press, Jessica and I owned and operated a boutique fitness gym. Through that experience we developed strong skills in marketing, sales, operations, and culture-building. We continue to own the gym today, but we have strong systems and leadership in place there that allow it to run smoothly. That gave us the opportunity to take on a new challenge and apply our entrepreneurial experience to another industry.”
When asked why they chose to join the Minuteman Press franchise family, Mike shares:
- “The reputation of the business itself. JB Printing had built an incredible reputation in the Kalamazoo community and had a loyal customer base that had been developed over decades.
- The strength of the business financially. The company was very profitable even without a major focus on marketing or sales efforts, which told us there was significant opportunity for growth.
- The Minuteman Press culture and system. From the beginning we sensed a genuine family atmosphere within the organization, from the leadership team all the way through the franchise network.
- Finally, the training, systems, and ongoing support that Minuteman Press provides—especially for people like us who are entering the printing industry from the outside.”
Mike adds, “Working with Rich DeRosa and the Minuteman Press Team has been a very positive experience. The process was professional, organized, and supportive from the beginning. When we lost a key employee, Minuteman Press went above and beyond by keeping a regional representative onsite to help stabilize the operation and ensure a smooth transition. We were able to hire a strong replacement quickly, and Minuteman Press continued supporting us longer than expected to help train the team. That level of commitment was extremely impressive.”
On the transition of the business from JB Printing to Minuteman Press, Mike says, “We feel very grateful to step into a business with such a strong history in the Kalamazoo community. As a team, our goal is to honor the reputation JB Printing built while continuing to grow and serve local businesses well into the future. Our message to customers is simple: the talented people who produce the work you rely on are still here, and we are excited to support them and continue delivering the quality and service this business has been known for.”
And on a personal note, Mike expresses the following heartfelt sentiments about this new opportunity to connect with the Kalamazoo community:
“I have only known operating a small business within a local community. At heart I am a connector and a problem-solver. Whether it has been in the world of fitness or now in the world of printing, I enjoy helping people solve problems and connecting them to solutions—often custom solutions. Printing and marketing are really about connection. We help individuals, businesses, organizations, and even local governments communicate clearly and reach the people they need to reach. That is very gratifying work.
On a deeper level, I believe that family is God’s primary design for redeeming culture. In many ways a healthy business can function similarly. When you build a strong team, empower people, and give them opportunities to succeed, it becomes something bigger than just work. Watching people grow and succeed together is one of the great joys of leading a business in a small community.”
Final Thoughts & Reflections
As John and Donna O’Keefe ease into retirement, they are happy to have found Minuteman Press International to secure their exit strategy. John says, “Selling your business is one of the most frightening and stressful undertakings you can have. The commitment from Rich DeRosa and Minuteman Press to fairness, confidentiality, and bringing the right people to the table brought as much inner peace as you can hope for.”
When one chapter ends, another begins, and Minuteman Press in Kalamazoo is now in the capable hands of Mike and Jess Luepke. For his part, Mike concludes, “What I can say about my own journey is that at this stage of my career I see myself more as a buyer than a builder. That is one reason we chose to purchase an existing business that was transitioning into a Minuteman Press location rather than starting something from scratch. The training and support from Minuteman Press has been top‑notch. The technology team at MPIHQ has also been excellent at helping us navigate their systems. They have been responsive, patient, and extremely helpful as we learned the operational side of the business. Overall, the support has truly been second to none.”
For more information on Minuteman Press in Kalamazoo, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/mi/kalamazoo/
Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com
To learn more about how to sell your printing business at no cost or broker fees to you, visit https://sellyourprintingbusiness.com
Media Contact:
Minuteman Press International
Chris Biscuiti, 631-249-1370
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78f2b14e-e6a9-4c75-a1fe-5b062d07da1e
