Here's what some of Carl & Lenore's customers had to say about Jostens products and their services.
Anna Kearns, Springhill High School, Springhill, Kansas told us...
I am writing this letter to recommend Carl and Lenore Caldwell as yearbook representatives from the Jostens Yearbook Company. I have been an adviser for only one year but the support they gave me and the confidence they instilled in me will last a lifetime.
Carl and Lenore made it a point to drop by my school to check on my students and me frequently throughout the school year. I never felt alone or isolated, though I also never felt smothered. They were very considerate about checking before they visited, and their visits were always happily anticipated by all of my students. My yearbook staff had all of these opportunities to learn from and get to know Carl and Lenore, as well as a few other opportunities when we visited the Jostens plant and attended one of their fantastic workshops.
In addition to getting to know me and the yearbook staff they offered various opportunities for us to learn from them as well. I believe it speaks volumes that these two bothered to learn every one of my students' names, despite all the students and advisers they work with across the region.
If this isn't enough to demonstrate how dedicated and knowledgeable Carl and Lenore are, you should also know that when I started teaching in August 2010, I expected the bid process to bring us a new company. However, after an academic year of working with these two and considering the other options, my choice was clear. As a result, I have signed another contract with Jostens to work with Carl and Lenore.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via e-mail by clicking my name above.
Susan Hanson, Maranatha Academy, Shawnee, Kansas told us...
It is my pleasure and delight to write on behalf of Jostens® Yearbook Company, and specifically, Carl Caldwell.
I first met Carl in 2010 when he approached our school about the possibility of switching from Walsworth Publishing Company to Jostens. I was immediately impressed with Carl's energy, professionalism, and knowledge of Jostens software. Not only did he show me how his product could improve my yearbook design and save me publication dollars, but he also introduced me to an advertising idea that would be easy for my staff to support in generating welcome extra cash flow.
Since I had already signed with Walsworth Publishing Company, I could not switch for the 2010-2011 school year, but I did the next best thing. I recommended Carl to Grandview Christian School in Grandview, MO. The Superintendent and yearbook advisor were equally impressed and signed immediately. Maranatha Academy was not pushed aside. It was Carl who invited me to attend the Jostens JEA Jostens Adviser Dinner, where I got the chance to see how connected the Jostens yearbook family—reps and schools— truly is. It was Carl who invited me and my staff to attend the Jostens "Kansas City Extreme Spring" workshop where my editors got the chance to hear from Jostens professionals on how to make our book better, see examples of other books, and share quality time picking the brains of other school staff members over the lunch provided.
In the spring of 2011, I was given permission by my administration to solicit yearbook publication bids for the 2011-2012 school year. Carl brought in the winning bid saving our school just over $1700.00 without giving up any features or quality. This is considerable for my department. Previously, every cent brought in through book sales, senior baby ad sales, corporate sponsorship, outside advertising and a school budget line item of $600 went to pay Walsworth Publishing Company. Now, for the first time in the five years I have been at the school, there is surplus revenue with which to update camera equipment. The financial benefit is of greatest concern to me as publications adviser, but my staff is pleased from a hands on perspective.
Carl is a natural teacher. He took time last spring to meet with my yearbook staff to show them how to build a story around an event. They still talk about the clip they saw of Leslie Stahl's interview with Derek Paravicini for 60 mintues. Carl showed the clip and then challenged my staff members to write 250 words covering the who, the what, the where, the when, the why, and the how of this young man's story. Today, each time Carl visits my yearbook class, he purposefully goes from staff member to staff member answering questions, checking layouts and making suggestions, and following up with editors. They favorably comment on the patience he always extends to them, especially considering that Jostens software still presents a learning curve. While they are yet discovering the nuances of Jostens software, some of the things they like best about it in comparison with Walsworth's online program are its user friendliness, the ease with which portraits flow, the flexibility and availability of editing tools while in a DPS, access to multiple pages at one time, and the immediacy of image upload.
Needless to say, my staff and I are more than satisfied with the decision to change publishing companies. We look forward with great anticipation for the finished product, confident that this will be a long lasting relationship.