#294 - Be an Entrepreneur with a Purpose & Help Others with John DiDonato & John Kilburg

John DiDonato has been at the helm of printing leader K12 Print for over 30 years. With a natural ability to see the big picture, he has successfully created a printing "engine" that is not only hard to compete with but has a bigger purpose in mind. Manufacturing Beginnings - John DiDonato's career prior to launching K12 Print was in various manufacturing roles. He learned how to use lasers at his first "real job" at LaserTron. Always looking to do something bigger, he went on to build his own laser and began creating parts for Fortune 500 companies such as Motorola and IBM, as well as NASA and Boeing. As the American story unfolded, eventually, all the manufacturing jobs were shipped offshore. The Birth of K12 Print - It was at this time that John pivoted toward printing, something he knew would be harder to take overseas. As he built K12 Print, he advocated for making things in the U.S.A. as much as possible. The K12 Print facilities are state-of-the-art, with the ability to print high quality, competitively priced customized items at rapid speed. K12 Print specializes in the printing of plastic cards, business cards, promotional and marketing items and custom apparel. A Vision With Purpose - K12 Print's home base in Palm Beach County, Florida, is also home to many people struggling to find jobs and make ends meet - especially those without a four-year college degree. In a moment of clarity, he put it all together. John's vision for K12 Print became more purposeful. K12 Print has the opportunity to not only sell a high-quality product at a competitive price in an efficient turnaround time but also make a difference in the community. From here, the Printing with a Purpose concept was born. K12 Print gives its customers the opportunity to enhance their brands while changing young lives. A portion of K12 Print's apparel profits will go to help the underserved youth populations, but K12 Print plans to go even further. The K12 Print vision includes a program that will take an active role in providing training and job opportunities in our organization for the underserved members of our community.

John Kilburg is the President of K12 Print and has been with the company since 2012. He is responsible for all the company's day to day operations. He spent over 20 years working as an IT technician and Network Engineer for companies such as AT&T and DTE Energy. After leaving DTE Energy, he was searching for an opportunity to be an integral part in the growth of a company. That is when he met K12 Print Founder and CEO, John DiDonato who offered him the opportunity he was looking for. He has helped grow the company from a small plastic card manufacturer into a respected printing company with over 25000 customers, including Amazon, General Motors, and other fortune 500 companies. John also serves as the company's liaison to the organizations in which K12 Print supports in it's mission of providing resources to underserved communities. In this roll he has developed a new understanding and respect for those who dedicate their lives to making the lives of others better. In his spare time, John enjoys golf and spending time with his family.