Flint Ink Corporation Chairman Dies After Illness

H Howard Flint II, the chairman and retired chief executive officer of Flint Ink Corporation, has died after a brief illness. He was 66 years-old.

H Howard Flint II, the chairman and retired chief executive officer of Flint Ink Corporation, has died after a brief illness.

He was 66 years-old.

Over his 40-year career in the ink industry, H Howard Flint II demonstrated leadership, integrity, a strong business sense and a warm personal regard for his colleagues, employees and customers.

Born in Detroit (USA), Flint was the grandson of the corporation's founder, H Howard Flint.

After working at the family company during college and graduate school, he began his full-time career at Flint Ink in 1964 and began gaining experience in a range of business functions, including human resources, purchasing, operations, and sales.

In 1967 he was elected to the board of directors of the company and in 1972 he was named vice president and branch manager of the ink manufacturing operation in Chicago.

In 1976, he returned to the company's Detroit headquarters to assume the position of executive vice president with responsibilities in finance and manufacturing.

He was elected president and chief operating officer of Flint Ink Corporation in 1988 and chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) in 1992.

In January 2005, Flint retired as CEO, assuming the position of non-executive chairman of the board.

Under Flint's leadership, the corporation more than quadrupled in size, expanding in to the international marketplace and moving in to digital and printed electronics technologies.

The company remains the largest privately-owned printing ink manufacturer in the world and currently serves customers throughout north and south America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.

Throughout his career, Howard was a respected leader in ink and printing industry trade associations.

He served as treasurer of the Gravure Association of America and as a trustee of the Gravure Education Foundation.

He was named Gravure Person of the Year in 1998 by the Association.

A past president of the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers, he received NAPIM's Printing Ink Pioneer Award in 1991.

In 1999, he received the Ault Award, the highest honour bestowed by NAPIM, in recognition of his contributions to the ink industry.

Flint was a member of the Western Michigan University Foundation Board for five years and he served on the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Colleges Foundation and was a current member of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Institute of Art.

An avid fisherman, boater and hunter, Flint spent his brief retirement pursuing the activities he enjoyed but remained active in setting the course of the company and meeting with customers.

He is survived by three daughters, nine grandchildren, a brother, David B Flint and a sister, Marilyn Flint.

A Memorial service will be held at 1000am on June 17 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

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