ABOUT US

In the News

Michael A. Duff Memorial

February 11, 1941 - February 10, 2010

Mike passed away one day shy of his birthday in the company of his family and a few close friends after a sixteen month battle with cancer. Much like in his life, Mike exceeded the expectations of his doctors as he battled his sickness head-on with a sense of confidence and bravery that few could match when facing their mortality like this. Mike’s attitude made these difficult months worth the battles with sickness and side effects of medicine.

Mike was raised a cowboy by his Aunt in Colorado, and spent a fair amount of his life in Utah before ending up in the Midwest with his wonderful wife Cathie. Mike met Cathie in the reprographics industry which was his one and only professional passion in life. Mike dedicated his career to that world, and when he married Cathie, they lived in southern Wisconsin so that Mike could manage a shop in Milwaukee while Cathie commuted south to Chicago, where they eventually lived together and ran Cushing & Company, together, for the past 25 years.

Mike was a passionate lover of cars, golf, movies, gardening; he was a man willing to befriend anyone he encountered. He made friends with people from every span of the globe: whether he was at a trade show, a family party or on the golf course, where he would happily ride with a stranger for 18 holes and end up with a new friend. His success here is revealed by the outpouring of kind words being sent back to Chicago, where his friends from various cities around the globe are remembering “Duff” for his various signature traits and magnetic personality.

Despite the excessive time spent tinkering with his cars, Mike would make a strong argument that his greatest loves were his amazing wife Cathie, with whom he spent his happiest and most rewarding years, and his children and grandkids, who all fortunately have inherited some of Mike's wonderful characteristics. Children Steve, Laura, Christopher, Piper, Mary Michael and Kate; and "Old Gringo's" grandkids Dustin, Dylan, Angie, Emily, Laury, Madison, Gus, Ruby and Reagan; will all miss you and always remember you for your courage and charm.

Services

Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home
6150 N. Cicero
Chicago 60646
773-736-3833

Wake will be Sunday afternoon from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The funeral will be at noon on Monday at St. Mary of the Woods, 7033 N. Moselle Ave, Chicago 60646, 773-763-0703.

Click here to post a comment in the online Book of Condolences.

Barker Blue Featured in McGraw-Hill's
California Construction Magazine

California Construction, October 2009

Joseph Cushing Honored for Dedication to the March of Dimes

Chicago, Illinois - May 12, 2009

Joseph Cushing, of Cushing & Company, was honored for his 14 years of dedicated service to the March of Dimes chapter of Chicago. The honoring took place on May 1, 2009, during the 15th Annual March of Dimes Construction and Transportation Luncheon. Held at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom in Chicago, the luncheon recognized local leaders in the construction and transportation industries for their contributions to the foundation.

Recognized for his many years of dedication, Joseph Cushing is committed to the mission of the March of Dimes, an organization that supports the work in the fight against birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Cushing’s dedication is appreciated and respected amongst the foundation, for he also has donated his time to ACE Mentoring Chicago & City of Hope.

As the Executive Vice President of Cushing & Company, Joe is responsible for working closely with key clients and the operations staff. He has been instrumental in changing the culture within the company to empower staff to become more customer focused and service conscious. Additionally, Joe has served as the President of the Board of Directors of the North Central Reprographics Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the ReproMAX Association and The International Association of Independent Reprographers.

For additional information on Joseph Cushing and his company, visit www.cushingco.com.

Selling Green in a World Where Print Rules

Repro Report, January/February 2009

Digital Design & Construction: Interoperability in Action

enr.construction.com, February 2, 2009

McGraw-Hill Construction and Meridian Systems Partner to Deliver Integrated Project and Document Management Tools

construction.com, February 12, 2009

Partner Highlight: Cushing

Network News, November 2008

Cushing is Named ReproMAX’s 2008 Partner of the Year

October 2008

The ReproMAX Partner of the Year award is used to acknowledge those leaders in the reprographics industry whose long term commitment to excellence is consistently noted and admired by industry peers. Each ReproMAX award recipient has been chosen by their peers in ReproMAX through a system of voting and meeting the following criteria:

ReproMAX DFS Pro Named Top Planroom of 2008

May 24, 2008

For the second year in a row, ReproMAX's online project document management portal, ReproMAX DFS Pro, has been given the distinction of the Top Planroom by Wide-Format Imaging's Readers' Choice Top Products of 2008.

Electronic Job Tracking

IRgA, May/June 2008

Drupa 2008

Network News, July 2008

SMPS

Joe Cushing is named Advocacy/Alliance Director for the Chicago SMPS Chapter''s 2007-2008 Board of Directors.

IRGA Past Presidents Look Back

Repro Report - IRgA, May/June 2006

Cathleen Cushing Duff reflects on the industry and her time in office as Past President of the IRGA (1993-94).

Improving Workflow has Multiple Benefits

Wide Format Imaging, May 2006

Cushing is keeping ahead of the curve by utilizing new technology through PLP’s OpCenter for Large Format Bond printing.

Read more >