MINNESOTA WAR HEROES VISIT JOSTENS

Members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
present appreciation plaque to Jostens

MINNEAPOLIS, October 14, 2003

Yesterday, four members of the Minnesota Pearl Harbor Survivors Association (PHSA) presented Jostens with a commemorative plaque as a gesture of appreciation.

Two years ago, Jostens hosted a formal tribute for all members of the Minnesota Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, honoring each veteran with a commemorative Pearl Harbor 10k gold ring inscribed with the words “Lest we forget.” The idea to honor the veterans was sparked in response to an inspiring letter Jostens received from a Pearl Harbor survivor who is a native of Minnesota. The letter, accompanied by a worn and mangled 1939 class ring, described in detail the experiences the veteran and his ring endured together during WWII. Jostens refurbished the veteran’s original ring and then decided to make commemorative rings for all of Minnesota’s surviving Pearl Harbor veterans.

The four veterans – Bob Carlson, Minnetonka, Dick Thill, St. Paul, Orville Ethier, St. Paul, and Walt Larson, Rogers – presented the appreciation plaque to Jostens’ executives on behalf of the 90+ remaining Pearl Harbor veterans in Minnesota. Bob Buhrmaster, chairman and CEO, and Mike Bailey, president, met with the veterans and graciously accepted the plaque. “It was a great privilege and pleasure to honor this distinguished group of veterans, for whom recognition was long overdue,” said Buhrmaster.

“We came here today to let Jostens know what those rings have meant to the Pearl Harbor veterans and their families. We wear them with such pride – many of the men refuse to take them off,” said Bob Carlson, state chairman of the Minnesota chapter of the PHSA. “At all of our meetings and events, those blue stones are shining on every member’s hand. We came here to show our appreciation and to let Jostens know what a difference they made.”

Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Background
The objective and purpose of the PHSA is to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, to preserve historical information pertaining to "The Day of Infamy, Dec. 7, 1941,” to shield from neglect the graves of those who served at Pearl Harbor, to stimulate communities and political subdivisions into taking more interest in keeping our nation alert, to fight unceasingly for our national security in order to protect the United States from enemies, to preserve the American way of life and to foster the spirit and practice of Americanism, and to instill love of country and flag and to promote soundness of mind and body in the youth of our nation.

Jostens Background
Jostens was established in 1897 and is one of Minnesota’s oldest companies. The company employs approximately 6,500 people, including 1,150 people in Minnesota. Jostens manufactures and markets products that help people celebrate achievement, reward performance, recognize service and commemorate experience. Jostens has crafted more than 50 million rings for high schools, colleges, military academies and sports championships over the past century.