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SBDC Hall of Fame

Gerald J. Hace

Gerald J. Hace

Gerald J. Hace
Gooding Company Inc.
Niagara SBDC

In April 1990, Gerald J. Hace purchased S.S. Gooding and became the first non-related owner in the printing company's 114-year history. The company has been an integral part of the Lockport business community since 1876. Prior to 1990, the company was known primarily as a snap set or forms manufacturer. A small portion of its business was general commercial printing and 80% of the business was forms printing. Gooding Company has tripled in size since 1990. The company has maintained a steady growth rate and continued to expand, working with Business Advisor Dinene Zaleski every step of the way.

Over the last five years, Gerald Hace has focused on developing long-term strategic relationships with pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer packaging companies, and the company sells exclusively to the pharmaceutical and consumer packaging markets. Gooding Company, Inc. has been responsible for providing well paying jobs to residents and property taxes in the Lockport community for over a century. The company's overall economic impact since 1990 is slightly more than $2 million. In 1990, the company employed 15 full-time employees; currently the company has 32 employees. The company is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and the company owner remains involved in local economic development issues. Gooding Company was the SBDC Turn-Around Company of the Year in 1997. In 1999, the Printing and Imaging Association of Buffalo recognized Gerald Hace as the Printing Executive of the Year, in recognition of his contributions to the graphic communications industry. In 2008, Gerald Hace was named the Small Business Person of the Year in the SBA Buffalo District.

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