| Andrew E. Shapiro, The Family Man Andy Shapiro was, above all, a family man. Among his greatest gifts and most enduring legacies was the ability to make so many people feel like family. Born in New York City and raised in Westchester County, Andy Shapiro devoted his professional life to helping newspapers increase advertising revenue by expanding their creativity. His first stop was Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in English and met his wife, Jo-Ann Johnson. After a stint in the advertising department of the News-Journal in Mansfield, Ohio, Andy settled in New York and joined the family business -- Metro Creative Graphics, Inc. -- which had been founded in 1910 by his grandfather. A few years later, Andy and Jo-Ann welcomed their beloved daughter, Debbie, into the world and into the family. As Debbie grew, so did Andy’s responsibilities at Metro. He started out in the mail room and eventually held every position within the company before assuming the role of Chairman in 1995. From the start, Andy’s kindness, grace and dignity were both apparent and appreciated. He quickly got to know everyone in the company and always related to them as partners rather than the owner’s son. In later years, as President and Chairman, Andy’s way with words, his uncanny ability to remember everyone he met, and his unassuming and inspiring leadership style made his employees, colleagues and customers feel that they were part of the Metro family. Over the years, Andy brought his two families together. Jo-Ann joined Metro’s customer relations effort, then moved on to serve as a Regional Manager. Debbie came on board to help launch a formal customer relations department. Today, some 16 years later, Debra Shapiro Weiss is Metro’s Executive Vice President -- the fourth generation of Shapiros to help lead the company. Many in the newspaper industry will remember meeting Andy at one of his myriad of appearances at conventions and newspaper group meetings throughout North America to speak about revenue-generating ideas. He was an engaging, energetic and highly knowledgeable speaker, yet what most who met him remember were their one-on-one conversations before or after his speech. Andy was intensely and genuinely interested in what people had to say -- about their newspapers, their communities and their families. And when he talked with subscribers about Metro’s services, Andy listened hard, making mental notes that were always shared with the staff when he got back to New York. To Andy, everyone was important. In the rest of his life, Andy was no different. His generosity and exuberance for savoring life’s moments are legendary. He loved great food and great wine. His camera always by his side, he was known to bring his car to a sudden halt whenever he saw the potential for capturing that perfect photo. He never forgot his friends and he always knew how to laugh. He faced his illness with the grace, dignity and determination that he brought to every challenge. But most of all, Andy Shapiro loved his family. And he never stopped showing it. |
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