SLCC staffer’s work seen every day, everywhere

Theresa Adair can do almost anything, when it comes to print.

Variety is a defining characteristic of her job as customer service and production manager for Printing Services at Salt Lake Community College. And she thrives on deadlines.

“I love it when somebody comes in and it’s down to the wire,” Adiar said.

She loves answering the question, “Can it be done?”

“I think that’s probably one of the reasons I’ve stayed in this for so long,” said Adair, who has over 27 years experience in graphic design. “You are always learning something new. It’s never the same day in and day out.”

When this mother of three grown daughters first started in the design business, she began on equipment that cost lots of money but did half the work of the technology she uses today.

“We didn’t have Adobe Suite back then,” she said, referring to those high school and technical college days.

She found work in the scrapbooking industry, with Jordan School District and a variety of freelance jobs before landing at the College part time and eventually full time.

Now she helps manage 20 part-timers across three campuses. Often they’re students looking to get into graphic design.

“One of the big things that’s been kind of fun has been working with students who have been in the program here at school,” she said. “It’s fun to actually get them involved in a real working atmosphere and help them with that transition, because there’s book learning and actual hands on. It’s just been fun to be able to share all of the knowledge that I’ve gained over the years.”

The Texas-born girl’s family moved to Utah when she was 7, growing up in Springville. She’s been married to her contractor husband 29 years and loves golfing – albeit 9 holes at a time – with him.

Not surprisingly Adair has had professional experience in photography, complete with a home studio. These days, she shoots for fun while traveling to far-away places like Asia.

She’s dabbled in skiing, jet skiing and even paragliding, but these days her passion is with running and fitness, like marathons and triathlons. Eight years ago she and some running friends started a Thanksgiving Day charity race, which today draws thousands of runners and raises tens of thousands of dollars each year for the Utah Food Bank.

“I think it’s a great way to get rid of stress,” said Adair, whose mother survived two bouts with breast cancer and gave her daughter a wake-up call. “I do run with friends, so, it’s a great social thing.”

She’s on her feet a lot at work, too, hovering over the latest job that might be a simple print or anything from banners, stickers and large signs or posters to books, catalogs, brochures, screen printing or wedding invitations.

“You know, I think we help a lot of people out of tight situations,” she said. “I think that’s been one of the biggest things.”

And, again, there isn’t much her group can’t do.

“Like I said, we can pretty much take on any challenge,” she said. “We’ll try to come up with something that works for you. We haven’t been stumped too often.”