RAY FRICK

Ray Frick is founder and Managing Principal of the Augustus Group LLC, October 2004 to present, a specialized senior management strategic advisory and consulting firm. Mr. Frick, longtime executive and industry leader, is a 1999 Printing Industries of America Hall of Fame Inductee. The Augustus Group delivers targeted solutions for business and financial challenges by deploying focused calculated planning, metrics analysis, and turn-around expertise. Mr. Frick’s team provides broad-gauged merger and acquisition due diligence and advisory services. The Augustus Group is national and international in scope of services.

Frick and his seasoned executive practitioner team collaborate with companies and engaged private equity firm investor partners to improve operational performance, augment cash flow, drive business betterment through strengthening financial results, achieving optimization of shareholder value for liquidity events and owner exit.

Frick was CEO, President, and co-owner of The Lehigh Press, Inc. from May 1998 through October 2003, achieving the highly successful sale of the company. Mr. Frick and his team led the transformation of a near bankruptcy turnaround situation to solid profitability, returning 9x EBITA/7.6 times invested capital to shareholders at transaction closing October 2003. At the acquirer’s request, Mr. Frick stayed on in a retained consulting capacity from October 2003 to August 2004 when a follow-up transaction with KKR and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners occurred.

During Mr. Frick’s CEO tenure, he and his team rationalized the cost model, built quality sales, added relevant technology and reinvigorated the Lehigh Press sales and marketing engine, all propelling Lehigh Press to a $150MM technologically advanced privately owned company, with market leadership positions in both highly specialized direct response print materials and full color el-high book components. Lehigh celebrated its 80th Anniversary in 2004, and operated in three printing industry sectors: book components for educational publishers, direct marketing/commercial printing and advanced digital prepress.

Formerly, Frick served as President and Chief Operating Officer, Commercial, Book and New Market Groups at  Quebecor Printing (USA) Corp from 1994 through May 1998. At Quebecor, Mr. Frick achieved P&L growth to $1.1 billion in revenues in printing and digital communications. Mr. Frick built the Quebecor Direct Group from start-up to over $300MM, achieving the No. 1 US market position in 1997 and 1998 through a series of acquisitions, including Petty Company, Sayers Communications Group, Eagle Lithographers, and internal reconfiguration of existing Quebecor facilities.

Earlier, Ray Frick was Group President, Direct Marketing Banta Corp from 1988-1994. Under Mr. Frick’s leadership the Banta Direct Marketing Group achieved the No. 1 market position in U.S. direct marketing printing space, 1992 – 1994.

Prior, R.R. Donnelley & Sons employed Ray Frick in a variety of Book Group sales positions, based at corporate headquarters in Chicago.

Ray Frick started his career at E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co. following graduate school. While at DuPont Co., Frick held industrial marketing research and sales positions, leading to Manager, National Graphic Arts Distributor program, Mylar – Film Department.

BOARD AFFILIATIONS  –  INDUSTRY,  ACADEMIC,  NON-PROFIT ARTS AND CIVIC

  • Board of Directors, Opera Festival of Chicago, 2022 – 2023
  • President, Board of Directors the Lake Forest Symphony. December 2017 to March 2020, Mr. Frick led the Symphony through an exciting artistic and financial stabilization period of this highly respected ensemble.
  • Roosevelt University, Board of Advisors – The Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA)
  • Grant Park Music Festival at Millennium Park, Board of Directors
  • WFMT Radio Station, one of North America’s premier classical music stations & network – Board of Advisors
  • Chicago Lyric Opera Guild – Board of Directors
  • Lookingglass Theatre, Board of Directors, Chicago, IL.
  • Board of Directors, PIA/Web Offset Association, 1999 to 2003
  • Board of Directors, Printing Industries of Illinois & Indiana, 2000 to 2004
  • Board of Trustees, Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) Retirement and Disability Fund, 2000 – 2002
  • Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation, Board of Directors, 2000 to 2004
  • Mr. Frick served on the Board of Trustees of Radford University College, Accra, Ghana January 2013 to 2016
  • Also, Mr. Frick held the position of U.S. Visiting Entrepreneur & Lecturer in Leadership & Entrepreneurship at Radford University, Accra, Ghana, January 2013
  • Additional civic, charitable, and educational development activities, include Boston Symphony Orchestra – Presidents at Pops; The Park School, Brookline, MA; Make-A-Wish Foundation; Tutoring and Scholarship Program; Chicago City Lights Fourth Presbyterian Church, Junior and Senior High School students, Chicago underserved inner city communities.

HONORS, MEDIA,  CLUBS,  EDUCATION & ATHLETICS

  • Hall of Fame inductee – Printing Industries of America, Rochester Institute of Technology, Class of 1999
  • Further, Mr. Frick is Co-Executive Producer of a current feature motion picture titled Akwaaba. A contemporary romantic comedy, Akwaaba is set in New York and Ghana. Pre-production began Q4 2017 with targeted release Q2 2024. Akwaaba is a Rhythms of the Globe cinema project.
  • Caxton Club Bibliophile Society – Member & Donor
  • Newberry Research Library Founded 1887 – Member & Donor
  • Cover Story, Printing Impressions Magazine, “Making Print That Lasts a Lifetime”, July 2012
  • Faculty Speaker, Mergers & Acquisitions, Annual Fulcrum Printing Industry Conference, 1999 & 2000
  • Research & Engineering Council, Keynote Address, Reflections on Our Changing Industry at the Dawn of the New Millennium, November 1999
  • Mr. Frick is a member of the Chicago Club, Exmoor Country Club, The Cliff Dwellers, The Algonquin Club of Boston, Wentworth by the Sea Country Club, NH, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, President’s Circle.

Frick holds an MA in International Studies from the University of Maryland and a BA with honors in Political Science and International Relations, Gettysburg College. Mr. Frick earned All East, All Middle Atlantic Conference and Associated Press All Pennsylvania football honors as defensive tackle with free agent professional football contract offers from the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams. Frick was a Varsity wrestler and member of SAE Fraternity. Mr. Frick has two amazing daughters.