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INTRODUCTION

B ack in 1960 when The Noteworthy Company was a fledgling business and employed only seven people, Iinterviewed for an office position. Even backthen, it was immediately apparent to me thatTom Constantino was a very unusual man. Over the years, I had a first-hand opportunityto see how multi-faceted the man was. Tom had azest for everything that came his way, whetherit was an opportunity or a problem. He metthem both head-on. Insatiable with his energyand drive, he worked endless hours to build hisbusiness. He always said, “inch by inch it’s acinch; yard by yard it’s awfully hard.” And inchby inch he moved the company along. At theend of every year he would sit back and reflect,and then write down his resolutions for the newyear. Tom always had a goal; he challengedhimself and was relentless in pursuing his manydreams. Although his love of business was paramount,there was another, softer side to the man. Adedicated son, he spoke of his mother inalmost reverent tones. He appreciated thebeauty of nature; he found time to take oilpainting lessons, wrote poetry, had a soft spotfor animals (he even led a publicity campaigndefending the Grand Canyon burros) andgenuinely cared about his employees. There wasalways time for a laugh, time for a prayer, timeto spend with friends.

Tom had a deep appreciation of what hadcome before him; he loved antiques and oldbuildings. If anyone could breathe new life intoan old building, he could. Aesthetics werealways important to Tom, and this was reflectedin both the office and manufacturing plants. Holidays were special to Tom, and he enjoyedthrowing a party; even the most ominous eventcould evolve into a major celebration. He trulyenjoyed people from all walks of life. Whereelse would one meet a newly ordained NativeAmerican Bishop, a breeder of Jack Russellterriers, a winemaker from the Finger Lakes region, a sculptor of a religious statue to be placed in the Vatican gardens or a wanderingguitarist who told donkey tales? Well, workingfor Tom Constantino, I experienced all thoseintroductions and many more. Variety sure wasthe order of the day. I’m very honored Carol has given me theopportunity to write this introduction. AlthoughI could go into depth about Tom’s multi-facetedpersonality, the letters from various friends andassociates provide the reader with an inside viewfrom different perspectives. In describing his orher relationship with Tom, each writer capturesthe many interests Tom had. There is onething, however, that we all have in common; weare all richer for having experienced theuniqueness of this man.

by Dianne SantosDianne Santos and Tom Constantino

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BASIC BUSINESS BELIEFS

BUSINESS PRECEPTS

om Constantino was a self-made business man. He possessed the entrepenural spirit and a belief andunderstanding of the free enterprise system thatis seldom found in one individual. His drive,zeal and belief in the litterbag and theadvertising specialty industry provided theimpetus for the growth in Noteworthy. Beyondall of this, Tom developed over the years aunique set of business precepts. These ideasand beliefs are not normally found inmanagement text books or discussed inadvanced college classrooms. Few business people have heard these

concepts discussed in management meetings orreverberated in boardrooms of majorconglomerates. Those principles are basically homegrown andearthy ideas that worked well for Tom in theevolution of Noteworthy. Tom, being a mentorof many management people in his lifetime,often passed on these thoughts. It is our belief that these thoughts that Tomused so well are worthy of outlining here todevelop a better understanding of TomConstantino, the man, the manager, theentrepreneur.

• In pricing, don’t be a hog.

• Whether you lease or whether you buy, you pay the price to occupy.

• Don’t promote controversy.

• A good businessman must be a student of letters.

• Do a lot with a little.

• There is a “key” to every building and when you find that “key” you can best utilize the building.

• In establishing new product pricing, treat the volume considerations as though you have a real piece of action.

• You don’t need credit if you have the cash.

• Inch by inch it’s a cinch. Yard by yard, it’s very hard.

• Always hang around with people smarter than you.

• Reach for the stars and you’ll get a little stardust.

• Build on strengths.

• What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.

• Be a man before being a businessman.

• In business, it is important to practice the selfish act of giving.

• The donkey should set an example for us in business in terms of quality of character, keenness of hearing, (listening skills) and sense of direction and purpose.

• Don’t be a know-it-all; be a do-it-all.

• Look for the good in people and it will be there.

• I’m like the donkey – a beast of burden to serve mankind.

• The only promise that I make is that I make no promises.

• Seek much, need little and you will always have a lot.

by Tom Cummings

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NEW YORK STATESMALL BUSINESS PERSON

OF THE YEAR AWARD

F riends and colleagues admired Tom Constantino from the beginning for his unique blend of business sense,drive, compassion and love. In 1988, the stateand federal governments showed that they toorecognized these qualities in Tom. The U.S.Small Business Administration honored him inMarch of that year with its New York StateSmall Business Person of the Year award. InMay, he and Carol travelled to Washington D.C.,where Tom competed with 49 other statewinners for the National Small Business Personof the Year award. He almost won that contestas well, finishing third nationwide. Tom was nominated for the state honor bySen. Hugh Farley, who spoke on the floor ofthe Legislature when Tom won the award. Boththe Senate and the Assembly honored Tomwith resolutions citing his outstandingachievements and expressing pride in his beingnamed the state’s top small business person. The application for the award was extensive,and the resulting document revealed muchabout Tom and about The NoteworthyCompany. Contestants were judged on thestaying power of their companies, growth insales and in the number of employees,innovativeness of products or services, ability toovercome adversity, and community involvement. Carefully planned expansion of product lines,services and land and buildings keptNoteworthy in the forefront of the advertisingspecialty industry. Tom began the company onhis own in 1954, so Noteworthy had been inbusiness 34 years when he won the award.Employment grew from one in the beginning –just Tom – to seven in 1961, 91 in 1979 and220 in 1987. Sales volume increased from289,000 dollars in 1966 to 2 million dollars in1976 and 10 million dollars in 1986. The product line, which began with the“Travel Tissue Pak” and the now-famouslitterbag, has grown to include many differentkinds of bags made of paper and plastic, as well

as note pads, auto floor mats, book jackets,coloring books, activity books, postcards andother items.

As the product line widened and the numberof employees increased, the company expandedits holdings as well. Tom made a series ofcorporate acquisitions, each one planned to fithis business and personal philosophy and tobring Noteworthy closer to being a self-contained operation. He also purchased andrenovated a number of buildings in Amsterdamin order to enter the warehousing business, rentspace to other companies that needed it, andstimulate Amsterdam’s economy. The litterbag, which remains the company’sstaple, is a statement of Tom’s corporatephilosophy, because it puts an advertisingmessage directly in front of the customer as heor she drives everywhere in the car. In 1954,Americans were beginning a love affair withcars, and Tom sensed that the market wouldgrow. The millions of cars on the road todayare testimony of how right he was.

Tom being congratulated by New York State SenatorHugh Farley on winning the Small Business PersonAward.

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But the litterbag also is a statement of Tom’spersonal philosophy. By using litterbags,motorists were making a conscious effort toprevent litter and to beautify America,something very dear to Tom’s heart. Noteworthy at first produced only paperlitterbags, expanding to include plastic in the 1960’s. Plastic is a petroleum product, and by1973 the oil crisis had led to a tripling ofpetroleum prices. Tom was forced to buypolyethylene in larger quantities than heneeded and to pay more for it than he couldafford. But that experience convinced him thathe needed to be self-sufficient and producehis own plastic. He borrowed money to purchasemachines for the task, bought a building tohouse the machines, and became his ownsupplier of polyethylene sheets for makinglitterbags. Tom’s community involvement – and thecompany’s – extends far beyond theenvironmental benefits of the litterbag. Hisstrong religious faith sustained him in businessand also led him to embrace many religiouscauses, including the beatification of Kateri

Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks. Tom andNoteworthy worked to promote Kateri’s cause,and that work took Tom to Rome where hemet Pope John Paul II. Tom promoted other Native American causesas well, and became friends with Iron EyesCody, a national spokesman for Keep AmericaBeautiful. He set up several different NativeAmerican scholarship funds, and a NativeAmerican museum was established inNoteworthy’s headquarters building. Tom was active in United Way, the MohawkValley Heritage Association, the American RedCross, Hospice, Keep America Beautiful, the National Council for the Encouragement of Patriotism, the Flag Foundation, the Crime Prevention Council, Big Brothers/Big Sisters,the Montgomery County Chamber ofCommerce, the Amsterdam Free Library, theCaughnawaga Museum, the Knights ofColumbus and the Sons of Italy. Tom was a devoted family man. He loved his wife Carol and his sons, Nicholas and Anthony,and made time to be with them despite the demands of his work and his other interests. Staying power, increasing sales, growing employment, innovative products and services,ability to overcome adversity and communityinvolvement were the standards theSmall Business Administration used to select itsNew York State Small Business Person of theYear in 1988. They were tough standards, butTom Constantino rose to meet them, as he dideverything else.

Kluge Presses in the early 60’s.

Iron Eyes, Smokey Bear,industrialist Sidney Grossman and Tom.

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Stanley Linham and Frank Nowlin sharing a moment atthe Promotional Products Trade Show.

Energy . . . Enthusiasm . . . Excitement . . .

T homas B. Constantino often used these words to describe the importance of the letter ‘e’ inNoteworthy. “for it is without the ‘e’ that“Noteworthy” would be “not worthy” . . . But that little ‘e’ gives us the extras that make us worthyof note. How appropriate it is to reflect on these “e”words and realize that they best define ThomasB. Constantino. This is a collection of memories. The pictureof Tom that emerges from these reflections isthat of a man who had many facets, or perhapsinterests, dimensions and loves. If it can besaid of anyone that “The whole is greater thanthe sum of its parts,” it can be said of TomConstantino. Yes, he was an outstandingbusinessman, a pillar of his community, a familyman and a man of great personal faith. Butthose who have contributed to this collection –and all who met this extraordinary man –knew he was so much more.

Stan Linham, who hired Tom as anadvertising salesman in the early 1950’s, mayhave put it best when he wrote: “Tom gave every indication that he waswilling to work for success; I recognized thatthis young man had a fire in his gut tosucceed. He lived an exemplary life as ahusband, father, Catholic and supporter ofcharities, his church, Native Americans andothers. He was honest and straightforward; whatyou saw was what you got. Tom wascompassionate – to a fault. His employees grewas he did. His church was the benefactor of allhis good deeds. His love and devotion to NativeAmericans was all-consuming. He was a bornorganizer and leader. Amsterdam and theMohawk Valley may never have a betterambassador to the world than Tom.”

Tom was particularly devoted to one NativeAmerican, Kateri Tekakwitha, the “Lily of theMohawks.” He was a tireless crusader for thecause of her sainthood and was instrumental inthe drive for her beatification in 1980. Thisinvolvement and other acts of faith broughtTom into contact with many religious leadersincluding Pope John Paul II. Monsignor Paul A.Lenz, executive director of the Bureau ofCatholic Indian Missions, wrote: “The beatification of Blessed KateriTekakwitha at St. Peter’s in Rome was such agreat event, and it was made even morepleasant and meaningful with Tom going out ofhis way to do everything he could for everyone.Somehow Iron Eyes Cody, the noted AmericanIndian who was present with Tom at theceremony, did not have a ticket for theaudience with the Holy Father. Tom gave up histicket so Iron Eyes could meet Pope John Paul II.It happened, though, that someone thenarranged for Tom to be present also.

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“Everyone knew of Tom’s great devotion forBlessed Kateri Tekakwitha. He wanted to seeher canonized by the church and was theleading layperson for the cause of BlessedKateri. He and The Noteworthy Company wereresponsible nationally for much of the interestof Native Americans and others by providingphotos, articles and prayer cards to makeBlessed Kateri better known.”

Tom also was devoted to Padre Pio, andthose at the National Centre for Padre Pio inBarto, Pennsylvania knew him well. JuliaCiccarone, writing on behalf of her mother,Centre President Vera Calandra, recalled Tom’sgenerosity, and also his humor. “One of the many ways in which Tom assistedthe Nation Centre was to send us thousandsupon thousands of the plastic bags which hemanufactured, in all sizes. Mostly they wereoverruns from the various contracts that he hadwith different companies and clients, so it was not unusual to see the devotees of Padre Piofrom all over the United States carrying ‘Tom’sNoteworthy Bags’ advertising a lumber companyin St. Louis back to their hometown in Texas. “It was the very first of the Padre Pio Days of

Graces. . . and Tom was present from beginningto end. Our centre always provides a largeselection of Padre Pio literature and religiousitems to thousands in attendance, and eachpurchase was packed in one of ‘Tom’sNoteworthy Bags’. Tom came to the table and was looking over the books and rosaries, etc.From one of my sisters he purchased a bookand it was put into a plastic bag and given tohim. Continuing to look down the table, hisgenerous nature took over and he startedpurchasing book after book and item after itemfor his many dear friends and relatives, eachtime refusing the offer of another bag andslipping his purchase into the already bulgingbag in his hand. Finally, after stuffing absolutelytoo much into this poor bag, the handles gaveout, the bag broke and his purchases werescattered at the feet of hundreds of otherscrowded around the literature tables. Withoutskipping a beat, Tom turned to my sister,Maria, and deadpanned, ‘Damn these cheapbags! If I were you, I’d complain to thepresident of the company!’ He picked up hisitems in good humor, slipped away from the tables and left Maria gazing open-mouthed afterhim!”

The Most Rev. Howard Hubbard, Bishop ofthe Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, alsoreflected on Tom’s many-sided personality. “Tom Constantino lived to fulfill his identityas a Christian gentleman in his relationshipswith his wife Carol and family, with his civicand business associates, with the church, withthe community of Amsterdam and of theMohawk Valley, and – in a unique way – withthe business he founded, The Noteworthy

Tom with Monsignor Paul Lenz, Executive Director of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions.

Tom and Carol with Bishop Hubbard.

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Company. His very choice of the word“noteworthy” for this business venture quietlybut clearly expresses the standard of excellenceTom envisioned and mandated for a businessthat, in its very identity as the first and largestproducer of the litterbags, is connected withconcern and respect for the environment. “That term ‘Noteworthy’ characterizes thevigorous and generous support that TomConstantino accorded the churches inAmsterdam and the Auriesville Shrine over theyears. I call attention to his having hada sculpture created for the Vatican. I am wellaware of Tom’s magnanimous support for ourDiocese of Albany. The term ‘Noteworthy’ alsodescribes his enthusiastic promotion of theheritage of the Mohawk Valley and hisparticipation as a civic leader and businessmanin the life and projects and dreams of the areacommunity.”

Father Robert J. Boyle, S.J., was the directorof the Auriesville Shrine for several years. Healso recalls the sculpture mentioned by BishopHubbard, a copy of which Tom also gave to theshrine: “The most memorable occasion in myassociation with Tom was the acquisition of thestatue of Our Lady Fatima designed byFrederick Shrady. It was a truly blessed event.The speedy approval by the Jesuit superiors, thebeautiful sculpture, the sharing in the event of

a statue in the Vatican Gardens from the samemold, all made this a truly inspiring occasion.It was through Tom’s generosity that the Shrinehas this work of art and tribute to the BlessedMother. “There were many other indications of Tom’sinterest in and devotion to the Shrine. TheKateri float, the donkey cart in which BishopPernicone approached the Shrine on ItalianPilgrimage Day, the centennial celebration, thevisit to the Shrine of the Kateri conferencewhen the conference was held in Syracuse, arejust a few of the occasions when Tom’s interestand generosity benefited the Shrine – andoccasionally made life interesting.”

The Very Rev. Msgr. Edward R. Glavin, formany years pastor of Tom’s beloved St. Mary’sChurch in Amsterdam, recalled that a dozenyears ago the church needed to raise 1.5million dollars for a major reconstruction andredecorating project that included the church,the pipe organ, the rectory and even the parking lots. All this was to coincide withFather Glavin’s Golden Jubilee celebration. “For the campaign, we decided to have a stiffcardboard triptych in beautiful colors whichwould both tell the story of the Parish and itsglories. It would also be the instrument for fundraising. Father Gulley and I decided that wewould ask Tom to advise us on this triptych,and we met with him, bringing with us photosof the city, the church, the school, and a beautifulstained glass widow, the great organ, the choir,etc. We discussed with Tom the material to beon the six panels. Finally Tom said to us, “It’snot up to me to say this to you, but don’t youthink we should include a prayer?” FatherGulley and I laughed and, of course, agreed. Soone panel was devoted to the “Magnificat,”which was chosen as the prayer for the successof the campaign. “Coming back from Noteworthy, Father Gulleyand I laughed at ourselves that it had taken TomConstantino to put the prayer into the triptych.”

Tom’s strong religious faith was an integralpart of his business and family life as well.Carlyle A. “Bud” Wilson II of BocarEnterprises, Indianapolis, Indiana, relied on theBible to characterize Tom.

Rev. Robert Boyle, S.J. former Director of the NationalShrine of the North American Martyrs in nearbyAuriesville, New York.

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“We knew each other very well, and alsoeach other’s families. We spent many hourstogether. We both gave to Mr. Longears. Weshared donkeys. Most of all we shared our loveof ideas and values. I could write a very lengthytribute to my friend who has gone home, butfive Bible verses say it all. They represent what Tom believed, and he lived by them in all hisbeing: “You shall love the Lord your God with allyour heart and soul and mind and strength,and your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). Be doers of the word and not hearers only,deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). For as the body without the spirit is dead, sofaith without works is dead also (James 2:26). Faith working through love avail much(Galatians 5:6b). For you Brethren have been called to liberty;only to not use liberty as an opportunity forthe flesh, but through the love of Christ serveone another (Galatians 5:13)”. Other business associates around the countrymay or may not have mentioned Tom’s faithspecifically in their recollections, but all knewof his deep personal commitment to his family,his business, his church and his community.

Marvin Spike, president of the AdvertisingSpecialty Institute, knew Tom for a long time: “During nearly a quarter century that I wasprivileged to know Tom Constantino – in manycases to learn from and admire him – therewas hardly ever a contact in which I didn’t walk

away with a new idea or stimulating different insight on an old one, be it for business or forthe never-ending number of caring causes inwhich Tom was always involved. “As a client, Tom was always open to an idea.Always willing to listen. More important, as aperson, the simplest “hello” usually wound upat least a 15-minute session about somethingthat made me feel better about myself or ourmutual world – business or personal. Theindustry is a better place and more often finds itself being part of important national andworld causes because of Tom”. A couple of years ago, Marvin presentedCarol with “The Counselor’s” lifetimeachievement award in Tom’s memory. Duringthe presentation, he said: “Not surprisingly, though dollars and centsseemed to be anywhere but at the top of thelist of priorities to which Tom committedhimself and business, his company is amongthe Top 20 Suppliers this year. But this specialaward has more to do with a lifetime devoted tothe most singularly worthwhile causeimaginable – the betterment of mankind.”

Bill Larsen, president of Bill Larsen andAssociates Inc., remembers that he and Tom“had to learn to love one another” becausethey both were impatient and eager to getthings done and sometimes took it out on eachother. But “The thing that made it work wasthe fact that we were both good at our respective jobs and we both knew it.” Tom and Bill worked together to develop thered poly danger flag, which first came out with one side red and one side white. But thatwasn’t legally acceptable in Wisconsin, so Tomredesigned it in pure red poly. Millions of sales later, it is an industry standard. “The thing that most people didn’tunderstand about Tom – and neither did Iuntil years later – is that when you didn’t getyour on-time delivery, it was more often thannot because Tom was into some worthy project.Tom, of course, was totally involved in bothdonkeys and Catholic charities. I never didunderstand that combination, but maybe Tomdid, and consequently more times than hisproduction manager cares to remember, theequipment was tied up doing some totally non-profit endeavor for one or the other, while bonafide, profitable orders sat idly by waiting theirturn after Tom’s personal contribution wastaken care of.

David McNeer and his dad, John McNeer meet McGruff inthe Noteworthy trade show booth.

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“Tom and I exchanged many promotionalideas over the years, and I credit him forteaching me more about direct mail than anyother single person I know. Tom is missed – healways will be missed – but what a privilege itwas to know him and work with him over themany fruitful years we spent in association.”

Ray Geiger, chairman of the board of GeigerBros., also recalled Tom as a man of manydimensions. “He was a dynamic man and dedicated toGod, his country, the lowly Indian, and thedonkey, which was a part of his life. I oftenwondered how he could afford to make his tripsand find himself in such good company overthe years. “Through all the things we did, Tom’spersonality came through. He was a loveableguy and was certainly a fine leader.” Les Horton, chairman of the board of LescoCorp. recalls the early days of the advertisingspecialty industry. “Our good friend Tom Constantino is one ofthe leaders who helped bring along theadvertising specialty industry. A few of us canremember when our entire international showoccupied part of the seventh floor at the Palmer House in Chicago. “Part of the reason for the success ofNoteworthy is due to the seeds planted by TomConstantino, in which his company assistedmany distributors in many ways, particularlywith creative ideas and extra fine service.”

John D. McNeer of Newton ManufacturingCompany knew Tom for 35 years. “I sincerely admired his many great attributes and his genuine enthusiasm for our industryand its purpose. “Tom was a self-made man who started his career selling calendars and specialtyadvertising on the street. He learned thisbusiness from the ground up. Tom was alwaysbubbling over with genuine enthusiasm for hisproducts or ideas. Years ago I gave him thenickname, ‘Mr. Bubbles,’ which seemed to fitperfectly. “When you consider that Tom’s main productwas an inexpensive litterbag, you can readily seehis challenges. Literally hundreds of graphicdesigns, distribution ideas and advertisingprograms made his litterbags shimmer andsparkle in the limelight. His creative mind and

endless brochures helped to educate, informand inspire distributors and their sales forceson how to use it as one of the finest massdistribution mediums imaginable. “His concern for our environment wasextremely important in fostering the growth ofthe litterbag and the continuing success of his

business year after year. Among his manyrecognitions was the honor of being namedNew York State Small Business Person of theYear.” John wrote this poem when Tom died:

A Tribute to Tom

A man so rare you will seldom find, With a giant heart and the keenest mind. So generous, thoughtful, kind and sincere, Tom lived a great life from year to year. He tackled life’s challenges, problems and troubles With boundless energy – our friend “Mr. Bubbles.” We will miss him for sure in the days ahead, But only his body rests with the dead. Those who knew Tom will most certainly say His spirit and soul are in heaven today.

Elizabeth Toth, whose husband Al was Tom’sfriend for 40 years, recalls that the two menroomed together at a business meeting inChicago. “Tom asked Al to go with him to Chicagoand help him set up his first advertising show.They drove all night to get there, as neitherone could afford to stop on the way.

Tom explaining the benefits inherent in theNoteworthy Trick or Treat bag.

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“Tom asked Al to go into business with him,but since Al had a family, he wanted time tospend with his growing children. Tom was notmarried at the time and had a million ideasgoing around in his head (Editor’s note: thatdidn’t change when Tom got married). “There is no question about it – Tom was a very creative man, a wonderful friend. Whilewe were still living in Arizona, Tom calledoften.” Stan Sufnarski, now a retired teacher living inVermont, grew up with Tom, graduated fromhigh school with him, served in the Navy at the same time and served with him in the NationalGuard. Tom was the godfather of Stan’s son,Michael. “Tom would always call me here in Vermontto chat with me and tell me how the companywas doing. He loved his company, hisemployees, his lovely wife Carol and their twobeautiful boys. He loved my father, who was anemployee of Noteworthy back in the 50’s. “Wherever Tom went, whether California, Italy,Portugal or Mexico, I always received a callfrom him. He never forgot his pal Stan. “I watched the company grow from a miniscule one-room office in his mother’s houseon Slater Street to the prosperous Noteworthy

Company of today on Church Street. Tomenjoyed his work immensely and never mindedthe long hours he devoted to his business. Healways welcomed me with open arms whenever I visited the company in Amsterdam. Hegenerously offered me his camp for anovernight stay any time.” Amsterdam’s business community knew andloved Tom Constantino. He was respected andadmired for his drive and his creativity, as wellas his love for the City of Amsterdam and hisdesire to help people. Carl Schmidt, manager of Longview FibreCompany knew Tom for more than 20 years. “Through exceptionally hard work,perseverance, dedication and faith, TomConstantino nurtured The Noteworthy Companyfrom a gleam in his futuristic eye through someextremely difficult times and laid thegroundwork for the splendid company that it istoday. “When I arrived in Amsterdam in 1966 tooversee the construction, hire the employeesand remain as manager of the Longview Fibreplant, one of the first people in Amsterdamwho welcomed me, my family and the companywas Tom. He not only made the polite offer of

Tom with his boys, Nicholas and Anthony.Tom shown with some of his donkey collection.

Below: Tom shown with newborn donkey and BudWilson, breeder of Jack Russell terriers and donkeys.

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assistance, but I could count on him to loan usa piece of equipment if he had it, some space to store machinery or materials on a temporarybasis until we could move it to our facilityunder construction, or to give me some advicethat was unique to the Amsterdam area. “I sought and received advice, and used on many occasions Tom’s talent as a soundingboard for thoughts and concerns. Over theyears we ‘broke bread’ on many occasions, andthose fun times will be among my favoritememories of Amsterdam. Tom was a deeplyreligious man, and I admired him especially forthis. I know that his faith carried him over andthrough some very rough times personally aswell as in his work.”

Herbert L. Shuttleworth II, one of the drivingforces behind Amsterdam’s carpet industry in itsheyday, remembers Tom as a friend on severallevels. “I always considered Tom not only to be aclose personal friend, but also a dedicated,enthusiastic and far-sighted community leaderwith a keen desire to advance the interest notonly in our Amsterdam area, but also in the

entire Mohawk Valley. With his wellspring ofideas, we met many times in either his office ormine to explore the implications andpossibilities “Perhaps my fondest recollection was the tripwe made together to completely explore the oldStarin Estate outside of Fultonville, and thenvisiting the site of another of his great interests,the Indian village west of Fonda. He felt stronglythat the two places were so important in pasthistory that they should be preserved for posterity.It was a marvelous day, as his interest andenthusiasm were so contagious and compelling.”

Joseph Isabel, a local entrepreneur, countshimself fortunate to have known Tom while Joewas in high school and a college student. “He was a man with a vision: he aimed highand was not afraid of hard work to accomplishhis goals. “He knew of my interest in radio andtelevision as a young man. Many people lookedat me as a dreamer, but not Tom. Heencouraged me to pursue my dreams as he

Right: Tom in Caicos Islands.

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once did. He was always helpful and ready torender assistance. “I will always remember Tom as an ambitiousworker, a man with strong principles and a loving individual – a man who has touchedmany lives and is dearly missed by thecommunity.

Reigh Carpenter, Ph.D., longtime friend,confidant and scribe, listed a number of thingshe remembers about Tom: “The many times he called me in to spendseveral hours at his home for one-on-onesessions on issues of the day. . . drafting, writingspeeches and organizing comments for many ofTom’s local presentations. . . the nice, friendlyfolks at Noteworthy. . . the many times he wouldcall me in to take notes on his newinspirations. . . notes on future communityprojects which he asked me to develop, to writeand/or to generate a plan of attack. . . latemeals at his home at which time he wouldcreate a new project, ask for my opinions, inputand personal reactions. . . Tom’s absolutedevotion to and concern for fostering hisreligious beliefs. . . for Auriesville andthe Tekakwitha Shrine. . . all key factors in his

fulfillment of life. . . the time we spent togetherwith Lionel Fallows in the formation of the Mohawk Valley Heritage Association and thedevelopment of the Elwood Museum. . . workingto organize the Indian museums with Tom andJoe Todak at the Auriesville Shrine, TekakwithaShrine, and Noteworthy Company. . . thenumerous meetings with Tom and the Catholic clergy and the bishop on special needs andprojects. . . Tom’s many hours of dedication to Noteworthy. . . his contributions to thecommunity, non-profit groups and the manygroups who sought his help and donations. “Once he said he liked to have someone witha doctorate degree around him. . . perhaps ithelped, but Tom had a deeper, more thorougheducation than many of the doctorates I haveknown. Truly, Tom was a self-made man whohad more education and knowledge than most Amsterdamians.”

Lionel Fallows also knew Tom for a number of years, collaborating with him to help form anorganization that was vitally important to bothof them and still fills a critical role in the Cityof Amsterdam. “A strong expression of purpose and meaningand heritage in our community is the MohawkValley Heritage Association, nurtured underTom’s careful but – as always – positive anddemanding leadership. The association wasspawned, really, in the Noteworthy board roomon Church Street, which Tom encouraged us touse for our meetings. His persuasive andappealing call for recognition down through theyears has moved the association forward to itspresent position. Indeed, without Tom’s tirelessand dauntless involvement, the associationwould have died on the vine. “My personal relationship with Tom wasalways warm, friendly and loving. He had a great talent to probe our inward thoughts andfeelings in his search for what needed to bedone for our community, and indeed for ourworld.”

Tom was a trustee of the Amsterdam FreeLibrary for several years. John Brisbin was thelibrary director during Tom’s time on board.John’s memories of Tom go far beyond the factthat Tom was a tireless worker and animportant benefactor for the library.

Tom, Dr. Reigh Carpenter, Lionel Fallows, Mayor MarioVilla appear at Noteworthy Christmas party with IronEyes Cody.

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“At the heart of this brusque dynamo whowould jet around the globe to trade shows andstorm through the Noteworthy complexbellowing orders and changing his mind for thedozenth time was in fact a very simple guy, agood Italian son, a very loving husband andfather, a man who in spite of his fortune neverlost his working-class roots. The carpet mills and much of the population left town duringthe 1970’s, but Tom never left Amsterdam –not physically and certainly not psychologically.What he liked best was sipping coffee andyakking with the everyday crowd in Brownie’s,Fariello’s, or having a steaming plate of linguiniwith friends up on the hill at Lorenzo’s. “From Amsterdam, then, not only hisbusiness but his altruistic and philanthropicinterest flowered. They ranged from ecology tothe arts to the Native American history of theMohawk Valley. Tom wanted to ‘uplift’ everything (that was one of his favorite words).He wanted to rebuild and encourage all thefragmented good he saw around him. To thatend, he was so incredibly generous that morethan a few members of his management teamgrew pale wondering if he’d give away the wholestore and go broke without thinking muchabout it. Of course, he never did. He just kepton succeeding and he kept on giving. “No one on earth, I’m sure, tried harder toaid the cause of Kateri Tekakwitha’s officialsainthood than Tom Constantino did. Heprinted and circulated hundreds of thousands ofholy cards and pamphlets about her, personallylobbied bishops, cardinals and popes on herbehalf and paid for the full renovation of hershrine on the northern banks of the MohawkRiver”.

Tom embraced other causes besides KateriTekakawitha’s possible canonization. John A.Calhoun is executive director of the NationalCrime Prevention Council, whose symbol,McGruff the Crime Dog, has appeared on manyNoteworthy products. “Tom was the first businessman tounderstand both the marketing potential ofMcGruff and McGruff’s potential for theAmerican public. Tom had that rare ability tocombine his social passion with a business –talents rarely, if ever, found together. “Tom could wax eloquent about hisattempted canonization of the first NativeAmerican saint as well as talk in depth aboutbusiness practices.

“He was a believer; he took risks, and herealized that in the long run, all of it did nothave to do with making money, but withmaking the world a better place. I saw thiswhen I had dinner at his home with his lovelywife and children. There I saw the value ofdignity, hard work and caring being carried on.They will be carried on in his family and his company. “I feel extremely fortunate that our pathscrossed.”

Tom loved his country with the same passionwith which he embraced other parts of his life.George F. Cahill, president of the National FlagFoundation, remembers that he and Tom hit itoff immediately when they first met some 20 or30 years ago, because each could sense theother’s patriotism. Tom became an importantand influential member of the Flag Foundation,and he and Carol went to Flag Plaza inPittsburgh to attend a reception in honor of actor Jimmy Stewart and his wife. JimmyStewart is an honorary director of the NationalFlag Foundation.

Tom Cummings, Mac Gray (National CrimePrevention Council), Eleanor Hangley of the Ad Council,John Calhoun (NCPC) take a break after discussionsinvolving McGruff, Noteworthy and the Ad Council.

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contributed immensely to our ability to properlyhost Mr. and Mrs. Stewart. “I remember how absolutely honored anddelighted I was to receive an invitation to the25th anniversary celebration of The NoteworthyCompany. It was a delight to see all whoworked with and admired Tom so much overthe years gather around Tom and Carol to helpthem celebrate that great event. “Tom Constantino was a patriotextraordinaire who understood the fragility anddelicacy of liberty, and demonstrated by hisevery act a marvelous example of the fact thatliberty must constantly be served, nourishedand treasured by those who would have ittomorrow.”

Tony Renna of Schenenctady first met Tom 40years ago when he and Tom were working for

the same cause – immigration. They alsoworked together for the Sicilian EarthquakeRelief Fund. They didn’t see each other for afew years after that while they were involved inwhat Tony calls “building our empires,” buttheir paths crossed again when Tom beganworking with Keep America Beautiful and wanted Schenectady to follow Amsterdam’sexample and get involved in this program. Tonywas named to head “Keep SchenectadyBeautiful,” and says it is still effective andstrong after 10 years. “A few years ago, Tom was delighted to learnthat I had more time on my hands, so hescheduled more travels together, always servingsome worthy cause. We served in promotingKateri, the Native Americans, Keep AmericaBeautiful, and the religious community whereverneeded. Tom was always in the middle of theseworthy causes, and yes, I was always at his sidedoing what I could to help. “Tom was a great man and a great influenceon my life. Just by following his daily actions,my religious convictions were intensified. Hewas always guided by his daily prayers, bothmorning and night. He would fall to his knees and give thanks for all the guidance he hadreceived each day. Tom was always grateful for each member of his family. He was most proud of his wife and two sons. He was grateful for hisfamily of employees and for the success he enjoyed. “Tom Constantino was my very dear friend. I am proud to have had the privilege to share hisworld in depth. I learned from Tom, and I amgrateful for all his teachings. He was a profoundfriend.”

“I called a very small handful of friends nearat hand, and fewer still at a distance. Tomimmediately indicated that he and Carol wouldbe with us for the luncheon to honor Mr. andMrs. Stewart. We were thrilled and delighted tohave them. Their presence and participation

National Flag Foundation Executive Director George F.Cahill, and Tom agree on a joint promotional venture forNFF.

Always a flag waver,Tom was thrilled whenasked to carry theAmerican flag during a Padre Pio celebration.Shown at left isgood friend, TonyRenna, who made thetrip to Italy with Tom.

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Louis C. Vaccaro, president of the College ofSaint Rose, recalls meeting Tom and Carolseven or eight years ago. He got to know Tomsomewhat later after visiting The NoteworthyCompany. “I searched for the underlying reason for hissuccess as a business person, as a communityvolunteer and as a devoted husband and father.The more I looked and the more I pondered,the clearer it became that Tom was successfulprimarily because of his genuine goodness. Hewas good to everyone he met. He was goodbecause he believed in the goodness of otherpeople, and he was generous. He sought outopportunities to help the less fortunate. Thecollege and our students benefited from hisgenerosity when he established the Iron Eyes Cody Native American Scholarship Program. “I enjoyed visiting with Tom because in manyways he retained the childlike qualities ofcuriosity, adventure and creativity, allinterspersed with a deep and abiding faith inpeople. It is not a surprise to me that The Noteworthy Company continues to thrive,because Tom laid such a solid foundation andwas able to assemble a workforce which mirrorsmany of his fine qualities. “I am happy to be considered a ‘Noteworthy’friend.”

State Senator Hugh T. Farley recognizedTom’s many attributes when he nominated Tom for New York State Small Business Person

of the Year award. Tom won that honor andcame very close to being the national winner aswell. “I know Tom was extremely proud of theSmall Business Person of the Year Award whichhe received in 1988 from the United StatesSmall Business Administration. As the awardcertificate notes, Tom exemplified the“imagination, initiative, independence andintegrity” which small businesses bring to ourfree enterprise system. “Tom was a forerunner in the campaign tokeep America beautiful. Long before it was a popular notion, and certainly long before others realized its profitability, Tom promoted thepride which comes with cleaning up ourroadsides and communities. It was Tom’s visionwhich made Noteworthy the ‘First and LargestProducer of Litterbags’. “But most important, I know that Tom set hishighest sights on being a good father and a good husband. His deep commitment to hisreligion and family transcended everything elsein his life, and in this commitment, Tom foundboth peace and success.”

There would be a tremendous void if amongthese fine tributes and accolades we failed toshare a bit of the humorous and humanisticside of Tom Constantino. This final letter, fromlongtime friend Jim Phoenix of Marietta,Georgia, seems to capture the very normal sideof this magnanimous man.

A Ride to Remember“One Saturday afternoon Tom phoned to ask

if my wife Doris and I would go to a church

Iron Eyes Cody, Dr. Louis Vaccaro, President of theCollege of St. Rose with Tom.

Keep America Beautiful President Roger W. Powers,shown with Tom and Jim Phoenix.

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festival with him that evening at a small parishabout 60 or 70 miles upstate. “We met at Tom’s house, and with Tom at thewheel of his big Lincoln, took off for our destination. As we travelled, Tom would bringup various ideas whirling about in his head. Aswe discussed them, Tom would gesture withboth hands and lean across to look at me tosee if I understood his logic. “Every time he did the the car would gofaster and faster and weave about on the roaduntil we’d say, ‘Careful, Tom,’ or ‘Watch yourspeed.’ “By the time we got to the festival, Doris wasa nervous wreck and my arm was aching fromwhere she was squeezing for the past hour. Aswe got out of the car, she whispered, ‘Whydon’t you drive going home?’ “Now Tom is beyond the doubt the bestpromotional man I’ve ever met, and hisbusiness accomplishments speak for themselves.

But the one thing I could do better than Tomwas to drive a car. In fact, I pride myself on being a superior driver. “Come the dreaded hour of our return journey, I asked Tom if I could drive, but herefused my offer, and we were on the road onceagain with Tom at the wheel. About 10 minutesinto the trip, Tom started to fall asleep. I wouldnudge his elbow, Tom would snap to attentionand I would repeat my offer to drive. Afterseveral little naps, Tom finally agreed, climbedinto the back seat and was soon sleepingpeacefully. “When we arrived at his house I drove up thedriveway and started to make my swing aroundthe house. Not being used to the big Lincoln, Ihad to stop, reverse, then complete the turn. Atthat, Tom awoke and said ‘What kind of adriver are you, Jim? I always make it on thefirst try!’ ”

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Mrs. Matilda Cumo, wife of the New YorkGovernor, shown in front of the hand painteddonkey cart owned by Tom. The cart is fromPalermo, Italy.

Native Americans John & Burton Pretty-on-Top flankFather Larry Lorenzoni with Rev. Gilbert Hemauer andTom during 1986 World Day Prayer for Peace.

Tom shown with pets, Blarney and Stromboli and

donkey Herman.

With Native Americans

Showing Mrs. Bob Hope the Auriesville

Shrine with Father Thomas F. Egan, S.J.

Director of the Shrine during that time.

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Brother Gilbert fiddles away for Tom and Father Egan.

Tom, Native American Bishop Donald Pellote, and FatherLarry Lorenzoni.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II and Tom.

Harry Calandra, Tom, Eddie Cherosky at a Padre

Pio Celebration.

Tom presenting Archbishop Pio Laghi with a Kateristatue in 1988.

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Paul Harvey &Tom.

Donkey Mike visits

Amsterdam with his

guitar.Winemaster and Bagmaster. Dr. Konstantin Frank and Tom review a

bottle of Dr. Frank’s wine, made in the Finger Lakes region of New

York State.

Tom creating an

oil painting of

poppies.

Rev. Alessio Parente, Tom and Mrs. VeraCalandra, Executive Director of the Cause ofPadre Pio.

America’s Flag Lady, Mary Lou Kieswetter.

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One of Noteworthy’s favorite ads “Judge Us By The Company We Keep”featuring Woodsy Owl, Keep America Beautiful spokesman,Iron Eyes Cody, Tom, Smokey Bear, & McGruff, the Crime Dog.

Tom and his mother.

Tom during his Navy years.

The Winds of FateOne ship sails eastAnother sails westOn the selfsame winds that blowTis’ the set of the sailand not the galeThat determines the way they go.

Like the winds of the seaAre the winds of fateAs we journey along through lifeTis’ the set of the soulThat determines the goalAnd not the calm or the strife. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox

One of Tom’s favorite poems.

AUTHOR’S NOTE It has been a pleasure, a privilege and an honor tocompile this booklet about Tom Constantino. I knew Tomfor about 7 years, nowhere nearly as long as theauthors of these fine testimonials, but long enough toknow that he was an extraordinary man. In my personaland professional dealings with him, he was always honestand forthright, and that is something to be admired. Buthe was more than that. He genuinely cared about peopleand about ideals some might think of as old-fashioned –devotion to his family, concern for his employees andassociates and friends, patriotism, environmental awarenessand a burning desire to succeed. The longer I knew Tom, the more I became aware ofthe depth of his religious faith. Everything he said and didwas influenced by his belief in God, and everyone he metcame away richer for that. Including me.

John Becker