YOUNGSTOWN -- From the time Ronald Smith was a youngster, he always knew he wanted his own print

YOUNGSTOWN -- From the time Ronald Smith was a youngster, he always knew he wanted his own print shop.
In 1988, after working in the business for nearly 15 years, he made his dream come true.
He got his first real taste of printing as a sophomore in a mechanical drafting class at Cardinal Mooney High School.
He responded to an announcement in class that the owner of a downtown business was looking for someone to sweep the floors and pick up around the shop.
"Ted Khoury, the owner of The Showcase, was actually looking for a printing apprentice, but by making the job sound as unglamorous as possible, he knew he would get someone who really was a go-getter and wanted to work," Smith said.
While at The Showcase, he attended Choffin Career Center where he studied graphic arts. After graduation, he worked for Dick Moore at his Insta-Copy in the Union Square Plaza.
A year later, Moore tapped Smith to be the manager of the downtown Insta-Copy, a position he held for 10 years.
Moving on: "Dick [Moore] was a great boss and he was wonderful to work for, but after about 10 years, I was ready to go out on my own, so I said to him, either I'm going to buy you out or I'm going to be your competition," Smith said.
Moore agreed to sell the business to Smith.
In September 1988, Smith moved the business to 210 W. Wood St., which once housed the Royal Printing Co., and changed the name of the business to R.L. Smith Printing Co.
"I thought Insta-Copy conveyed quick copying, and my customers said they didn't even use the name. They just told their employees to call Ron Smith and get this printed," he said with a laugh.
The house: The front part of the business is in a 102-year-old house that is used for offices and some equipment.
An addition on the back of the building holds supplies, more equipment and work areas.
In 1996, the house was gutted and remodeled.
"This is a great building to work in. It creates a professional environment, and it has an openness," Smith said.
Over the years, he has increased his staff from four to 15 people.
"I firmly believe that one of the ways a company can grow is when the owner can delegate. I think we manage our workflow very well, and we pride ourselves on getting the work to the customer on time without having to work late hours or on weekends," Smith said.
Services offered: In addition to commercial printing, Smith does large format imaging and digital printing.
"I love new challenges, and there are so many different pieces of equipment out there. When I purchase new equipment, I look for things that are going to make our operation a cut above the rest," he said.