Our Story: Honoring a Legacy, Building the Future
Our company is proudly named after my grandfather, John Anthony Steffens.
My grandfather grew up during the Great Depression, and like so many of the Greatest Generation, he endured and overcame countless hardships. At just 17 years old, he volunteered to join the U.S. Army and went on to serve honorably in both World War II and Korea.
After his service, he returned home and met the love of his life, my grandmother Ruth Ann. He began working in advertising for newspapers and later helped establish a groundbreaking company and concept called Multi-Ad.
A Pioneer in Advertising
Multi-Ad transformed the way print advertising was managed. National brands like Procter & Gamble, Tyson, Ford, Chevrolet, Studebaker, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi would entrust their entire year’s print advertising to Multi-Ad. The company would organize these ads into a three-ring binder with dividers for each vendor and monthly marketing plans.
These binders were distributed free of charge to retailers nationwide, who could then submit ads to their local newspapers. This innovation shaped how print advertising was executed in communities across the country for more than 40 years.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
When I named our company John Anthony, I was honoring his story — a story of hard work, strong customer relationships (he always called his customers “partners”), and an enduring legacy of innovation.
I’ve spent my entire life in this industry. My start in printing began as a teenager at B&D Binder and Index, my father’s company, where I worked afternoons and summers boxing product, cutting paper, helping with shipping, and doing anything else that was needed.
After high school, I pursued a B.B.A. in Marketing at the University of Texas at Arlington. During that time, I began making sales calls — most of them cold calls — while supporting the exceptional sales and customer service team at B&D.
By 2009, at the age of 26, I was honored to be named one of Printing Impressions Magazine’s Top 40 Print Executives Under 40 link to article.
Resilience and Growth
The years between 2008 and 2012 were challenging for many industries — especially printing. Yet B&D weathered the storm and continued to thrive as the loose-leaf industry’s leading manufacturer of custom printed index tabs and trusted source for custom binders.
Today, John Anthony carries that tradition forward. Our team brings together over 100 years of combined industry experience, and we remain committed to building lasting partnerships, delivering exceptional products, and always being available to support our clients.
How We Can Help
We’re proud to be your trusted source for:
- Custom Binders
- Packaging Solutions
- Custom Index Tabs
- Stock Tabs
- Ad Specialty Products
At John Anthony, our goal is to earn your trust, build lasting partnerships, and provide the quality and service our family has stood for, generation after generation.