John Zamora, 69, Former Owner of Los Angeles-Based Graphic Press, Passes

LA QUINTA, Calif. — John Zamora, the colorful and sometimes controversial former owner of Los Angeles-based printing company Graphic Press and a man who spent his entire professional career in the industry, died March 18 at the age of 69.

Mr. Zamora worked for a number of printing companies aside from Graphic Press, including George Rice & Sons. In 2000, he acquired Wolfer Printing, which had been in business for more than 100 years, and transformed it into Graphic Press.

The company set off a ripple in the printing industry with the revelation that Mr. Zamora's new state-of-the-art plant was enhanced by $40 million worth of new equipment. That gave Graphic Press plenty of ammunition to compete in a hotly-contested Southern California market that then included George Rice & Sons, Lithographix and Anderson Lithograph.

In 2008, Mr. Zamora garnered a $9.2 million settlement in a lawsuit he brought against Nogales Investors for, among other things, slander, breach of contract and wrongful termination. The previous year, Nogales Investors had obtained Insync Media of Inglewood, Calif., and merged it with Graphic Press, creating Insync Marketing Solutions.

In 2009, Insync filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy, having owed primary creditor Wells Fargo Bank about $10.7 million.

Graphic Press was profiled in a 2001 article in Printing Impressions.

Mr. Zamora had a legendary love for thoroughbred horses and owned the JZ Stock Farm ranch in Temecula, Calif. He also enjoyed deep sea fishing, boating, water and jet skiing.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, along with sons Brian and Brad; daughter Cara; and seven grandchildren. The family has requested donations be made in John's name to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.