A Tradition of Excellence
As the profiles of the employees at Mooney-Keehely testify the Rochester area produced some very talented tradespeople who dedicated their work lives to their craft, delivering complex high-visibility projects, at a very high level, over many years. John O. Mooney must have to know what the future would hold in 1925 when he decided to start a print shop featuring premier engraving and innovative products at affordable prices available to everyone. The John O. Mooney Co. established itself as a quality engraver with stationery packages geared towards the funeral industry as its bread and butter. Mr. Frank Keehley, the General Manager, purchased the business in 1944 and renamed the company Mooney Keehley Inc. Mooney Keehley developed a high-end reputation in the funeral home industry particularly up the East Coast to customers in larger urban areas such as New York and Boston. Mooney Keehely produced prestigious projects such as President John F. Kennedy’s personal stationery. In 1974 Elihu and Brud Hedges purchased Mooney Keehley. They implemented processes and procedures along with advancing the manufacturing capabilities of the company always with an eye towards quality craft produced products. In 2005 Ken Hampson purchased the company from the Hedges and continues the traditions set forth over almost 100 years of history.
Building of Strength
Today at Mooney Keehley, the handed-down practice of hand-turned printing, trimming, cutting, punching, and surface stamping techniques – developed from its beginning – continues today. After Ken Hampson purchased the company in 2005, he scoured many a huge brick building of former homes of printing companies that had closed their doors eager to unload their vintage machinery. Ken was able to recruit a select class of craftsmen that built their lives on careers in print. He took inventory to evaluate his company’s strengths in the coming years. Instead of trying to become a broad distributor of funeral home products, he decided to sell what he could make in his print shop. He committed to focusing on being a specialist in creating printed keepsake products, but to a larger audience.
Expanding Your Options
Ken wanted to broaden the choices available to all people for their loved one’s funeral, memorial, and other end-of-life traditions and customs. He partnered with a design firm to develop new products and product collections for broader an emerging markets. Ken wanted Mooney Keehley to continue to produce the very traditional offerings his company is known for but also to develop new products for broader and emerging traditions and cultural approaches to honoring life. He is focused on a steady approach to growth producing premier products and developing innovative keepsakes that continue to hold special meaning. He and his dedicated staff feel that by employing hand-done print techniques, quality papers and boards, some digital technology, and a fresh design approach geared to ever-evolving cultural influences, Mooney Keehley can become a quiet leader. The goal is to help people to honor the life of their loved ones for a long time. Now that’s pretty cool.
