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"When I took over this company it was losing
money," said Manny Diaz, general manager of Minuteman Press in
Pinecrest. "With a lot of hard work, it's turned around. I'm
pretty proud of it, but we want to grow even more."
The Minuteman Press staff includes (left to right) printers Franz
Fernandez and Raul Quintero, general manager Manuel Diaz and graphic
designer Joel Rivera.
Minuteman Press is the third largest printing
franchise operation in the United States with about 1,200 franchises
nationwide. The Pinecrest shop has been in operation at the same
location, 12719 So. Dixie Highway, since 1993.
"Basically, what I've done since I came here in
1997 is put the client first," said Diaz. "The customer
comes first and we care about the client. We do personalized service
here. Since we've had that attitude, the business has grown."
Diaz, 36, says Minuteman Press is a full commercial
printer, with the tools and know how to help start a business from
scratch, printing a full stationery package that includes business
cards, envelopes and presentation folders.
Minuteman employs six people and the shop operates an
ABDick 9910 printer and a multi-lith 1650. Diaz says he is
investigating the possibility of buying a 3304 or a 3304 Ryobi for
faster color printing capability.
The company has an impressive list of clients,
including Larkin Community Hospital, the YMCA and Trinity University.
Diaz even counts the Village of Pinecrest as one of his clients.
Diaz, the divorced father of a four-year-old son, lives in Cooper City
and drives 30 miles each day to get to work. He says he plans to move
back to Miami soon. He recently was named to the board of directors of
the South Dade YMCA and is a member of the Falls Area Business
Community Network (FABCN).
"Basically, I just wanted to give a little bit
back to the community," he said. "I used to be in the YMCA;
that was the organization that taught me how to swim."
Diaz was born in Hershey, a province of Havana, Cuba
where the Hershey chocolate factory was located. He departed Cuba in
1968 with his parents when he was four years old and grew up in
Chicago. He moved to Miami at age 10.
"It was really strange to come to Miami and find
so much hatred," he said. "Up in Illinois, we just didn't
have that kind of attitude."
Diaz graduated Southwest High School in 1982 and went
right into the printing profession. Over the years, he has worked for
some of the most recognizable names in the business -- Original
Impressions, Dodd Printers, Caribbean Business Forms, Direct Graphics
before settling in at Minuteman.
For more information on Minuteman Press, please call
305-256-6902.
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