Tech Support
The Archivist
The dates below are gleaned from payroll books, attendance lists at meetings and from names mentioned in the meeting minutes. Many people had extended times away from Dumont and many others did essentially volunteer work which has not been and cannot be independently verified. A comprehensive listing of Dumont workers appears here.
1971
A group of visionaries and optimists are busy finding income producing work, a place to do it, getting that place ready for the work and navigating the business world. These people include Ed Hale, Trudy Chippier/ Harrington, Winnie Lang/Pietrykowski, Gary Robins, Bryan (Notes) Anderson, Ron Colpitts, Liz Willick, Rod Hay, Bill Aird, Peter Lang, and Brenda Wilson. Steve Izma warrants special mention. He is the only person who was actively engaged at both the beginning and at the end of Dumont, weathering all the waxing and waning of the optimism and changing visions over the years. He is still involved in this website, perhaps an indication that there will be only one way his involvement with Dumont will ever finally end.
June 6: Dumont Press Graphix is incorporated.
June 18: Trudy and Winnie become the first employees.
August 1: The first Dumont Hiring Call.
August 13: John Stafford leads the pack.
September 10: The first of the annual fall group of new staffers includes Rick Astley, Mike Canivet, Cynthia Campbell, Dan Chabot, Philippe Elsworthy, Ed Hale, Steve Izma, Liz Janzen, Peter Lang, Mike Mears, and Nick Sullivan.
October 8: Dan was having such fun that Diane Chabot joined us just after Phil left, having built all the light tables and other useful items.
November 26: Peter, John and Nick all go on sabbatical; we will see them again sometime in the future.
December 1: Rick departs after only a few months.
1972
January: Short term employment for Gord Cassleman and Ken Hanley still leaves us short staffed.
February: Reinforcements arrive in the form of Bill Aird, Bob Driscoll, Rod Hay, and Bob Mason.
March: Mike Mears departs, replaced by Marty Pollack but only for a two week work term.
April: Trudy and Bob Driscoll depart while Liz Janzen and Bob Mason go on their sabbaticals. Bill Cino comes in to replace all four.
May: John Stafford rejoins the group.
August: Ed Hale moves on to the bright lights of Toronto.
September: Mass hiring for the upcoming year: Lesley Buresh, Ron Colpitts, Liz Willick, Mary Holmes, Evalina Pan, Gary Robins, Reevin Vinetsky, and Brenda Wilson comprise the bright-eyed group of eager workers. We did re-acquire a game hardened veteran in Nick (Savage) Sullivan to help show them the ropes.
October: Having trained their replacements, both Dan and Diane Chabot leave along with Evalina who lasted only one month.
December: Cindy, Bill Cino, and Winnie depart while Mary goes on sabbatical.
1973
January: Candace Doff joins us and Liz Janzen returns.
February: More recruits in the form of Douglas Epps and Jan Johnson.
April: A cruel month sees Jan depart after only 30 days service, along with Reevin, Candace, and Nick Sullivan, while Liz also makes her final departure.
August: Rosco Bell, Janet Stoody, and Susan Phillips get hired while Mike Canivet goes on sabbatical. John Stafford says his final goodbyes.
September: The annual fall hiring brings in Ken Epps, Joanne Kennedy, Alice Mills, Alison Stirling, and Jann Van Horne. Susan leaves after only one month.
October: Murray Noll joins -- better late than never.
November: Bill Aird departs, replaced by the returning Bob Mason.
December: A cold winter begins with the departures of Rod Hay and Janet Stoody.
1974
January: Sue Calhoun comes in out of the cold.
February: Neither Joanne nor Jann fear the cold so both depart the warm but draughty shop.
May: Alison Stirling departs for a few years.
July: Ron and Liz depart.
September: The fall hiring flurry sees Mike Canivet and Mary Holmes return from their sabbaticals, joined by first timers Jane Harding, Doug Roberts, Carol Beam, and Michael Rohatynsky. Carol shows up in the minutes for the first time although she may well have been involved previously. The experienced Lesley Buresh and Alice Mills depart, leaving the new folks with big shoes to fill.
1975
March: Ken Epps begins a sabbatical while Mary Holmes departs.
September: Claire Powers is the only fall hire.
1976
January: Carol Beam and Doug Roberts leave for new adventures.
February: Ken Epps returns, joined by Linda Lounsberry.
March: Charlotte von Bezold brings in her unique style.
April: Sue Calhoun and Bob Mason depart.
May: Brenda Wilson leaves and is missed by all.
July: Murrray Noll departs for the nation's capital and continues typesetting for many more years.
September: The fall hire catches John Dufort, John Hofstetter, and Moe Lyons.
October: Not to be outdone, Bill Culp joins us.
December: Rosco Bell hears the call of the west and inexplicably heads to frozen Regina.
1977
January: Charlotte departs but is replaced by the returning Pete Lang and Kerrie Atkinson.
March: Pete and Kerrie depart after wintering at Dumont; Douglas Epps heads west.
April: Gary Robins begins a leave of absence.
September: The fall call for recruits brings in David Arnault, Barb Droese, Kae Elgie, and Lake Sagaris. Gary Robins ends his leave of absence but just cannot ignore the call of the west and heads in that direction.
1978
January: Another busy year begins with the departure of Claire Powers.
February: It continues with the departure of Lake Sagaris.
March: And the departure of Mike Canivet.
May: Then even more with the departures of Linda Lounsberry and John Dufort.
December: The final departure for the year is Ken Epps. A short term replacement arrives in the person of Jim Morton.
1979
January: Short term replacement Jim Morton leaves but Shirley Tillotson takes his place. Alison Stirling returns to the fold, after wandering awhile.
February: Michael Kelley joins the firm.
May: David Arsenault (better known as Jacob) leaves to become the renowned Australian author David Arnault.
June: Eliza Moore is hired. There is no September hiring spree but ...
December: The outflow of staffers continues with Michael Kelley, Jane Harding, John Hofstetter, Eliza Moore, and Michael Rohatynsky all leaving.
1980
January: Catherine Edwards joins us but Kae Elgie departs.
March: Pat Ferrin stays only this one month. Shirley Tillotson also departs, along with Bill Culp, but Barb Marshall bolsters the work force.
April: Diane Ritza is hired.
June: Barb Marshall ends a short three month stay.
August: Joe Szalai joins us along with Larry Caesar.
September: No hiring blitz this year, however Larry says goodbye after his month and Barb Droese ends her three years at Dumont.
1981
June: Ralph Reiner arrives.
July: Becky Kane arrives.
August: Alison Stirling departs for the second time and Karen Luks takes her place. Alison remains as a volunteer and frequent part-timer for several more years.
September: Mary Spies is the only fall recruit. Ralph Reiner departs after only three months.
1982
January: Eliza Moore begins her second work term.
April: April Fool's Day sees the departure of Karen Luks ...
May: ... but Marie Koebel celebrates May Day in grand style by becoming a Dumonteer.
July: Diane Ritza becomes a part-time worker while Eliza ends her second work term.
1983
January: Bruce Andor rings in the New Year by getting hired.
March: Lisa Willms begins a short stint at Dumont.
July: Larry Caesar begins another period of employment.
September: Lisa's short time ends although she appears later as a part-timer.
December: Mary Spies switches to part-time for the foreseeable future and Larry ends his second go-round.
1984
March: Greg Meadows reverses the trend by starting as a part time worker and switching to full time in November.
July: Paul Hartford decides to spend the hot summer in the shop.
September: Paul leaves as the weather cools and is joined by Diane Ritza. Catherine Edwards hangs up her pica ruler but remains available to be called in whenever needed. This is also the last official month for Steve Izma although he remains a valuable resource and part-time worker until the end.
October: Joe Szalai ends his full time employment but pops in occasionally afterwards.
1985
January: The paying work seems to be very uneven and unpredictable so people come and go as the work load changes. Mary Spies comes back part time until August and Catherine Edwards comes back, also part time, for January, February, March, and October.
March: Bruce Andor leaves after two years. Lin McInnes and Kathy Zinger sign up for full time work from March to August.
April: Greg Meadows leaves after only one year.
June: Pam Andrews gets part time work until August while both Debbie Connors and Madeleine Clin get to stay until October.
September: Lisa Willms comes back for three months of part time work. Cheryl Hendrickson gets hired full time.
August: Larry Caesar is hired a third time, possibly a record.
1986
The last year of the struggle. Work is intermittent and hard to schedule. By the fall, discussions have begun about winding up operations and disposition of the collective's assets.
Debbie Connors returns for some part time work in April. Annette Beingessner does some work in that month as well.
New part time workers include Leslie Millard (Feb., Mar., and April), Daryl Marquette (Mar., April, and May), and Rebekah Abra (May and June).
As for the remaining full timers, Larry Caesar's third work term ends in April.
Debra Elson is a new full time hire in May while Chris Bechtel works full time as a new hire only in September.
Experienced Kathy Zinger is back for a few months beginning in April and Joe Szalai comes back in August.
Guiding the ship all year long are Cheryl Hendrickson and long time stalwarts Becky Kane and Moe Lyons.
From September 1986 to April 1987 it is unclear whether people were paid for their work. It seems that those months were spent taking care of unfinished business and the income was used to pay operating expenses and back debts.
After April 1987, all work was essentially non-commercial, performed by volunteers without pay, but collecting money to pay for the overhead of the shop. We believe that such work continued until sometime in 1989, when the shop was converted to a photography studio by Steve, Brian Cere, and Paul Hartford. That arrangement continued until around 1996 when the lease was finally given up and all remaining Dumont property was moved out.
Some records of interest:
Steve's longevity, as previously noted.
Moe Lyons has the longest, mostly continuous tenure at Dumont. She began in September, 1976 and was there until the end.
Annette Beingessner served the shortest amount of paid time at Dumont. On April 14, 1986 she worked 5 hours and made $25. However, the government stepped in and took 61 cents as her UIC dues so she ended up with $24.39 take home.
Jim Campbell owns another dubious record according to UIC. His period of employment as our shipper/receiver began in June 1970 and ended in September, 1979. We can hope he never had to explain exactly what he was shipping during his first year.
Comments