24-04-2025
Crandall receives Raymond P. Shafer Award
CONNEAUT LAKE — Service is second nature for Dan Crandall, owner of Fine Print Commercial Printers. That was on banner display Wednesday night as Crandall, 67, received the Raymond P. Shafer Award at the Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce's Diamond Awards dinner at Hotel Conneaut.
'I'm looking around the room, and I'm realizing, everyone here is a winner,' Crandall said in his speech. 'Everyone here is great. That's what makes this community really go; you can't do it alone.'
Crandall moved to Meadville in his mid-20s after growing up in the Chicago, Illinois, area. Richard 'Dick' Lang of Dad's Dog Food was one of his first mentors, and Crandall had been in business just a few months when he received a call to meet with Lang.
'When you get someone like Dick Lang, that's kind of a big deal,' Crandall said. 'So I sat down, and he said, 'I gotta tell you something. I'm going to tell you how to be successful.''
The young entrepreneur was all ears — and lots of hair — as he took in Lang's words: ''You have to share. You have to share with your community. You have to share with your employees. You have to share with your family.' He said, 'If you live and work here and you derive your income from our area, you gotta give back.' … So I've always held that close to my heart. It's important.'
Crandall quickly became ingrained in the community.
Aside from owning a business, Crandall is also on the Active Aging board and the Iroquois Boating & Fishing Club board, is a member of the Meadville Coin Club, and is chairman of the ONE Federal Credit Union board. He has also held the positions of chairman of the Redevelopment Authority, and president of Rotary AM Meadville, Meadville Community Theatre and the Academy Theatre.
He's been involved in several community-based projects like rehabilitating dilapidated structures or organizing a coin show twice a year.
The award, created in 1991 and named after Gov. Raymond P. Shafer, recognizes an individual who has made a positive impact on the quality of life in western Crawford County through volunteer service. The award for distinguished community service is named after Shafer (1917-2006), the former governor of Pennsylvania, who also served as the state's lieutenant governor and Crawford County's district attorney.
Crandall's acceptance speech was riddled with his recognition of others, though. He applauded community figures like Andy Walker, Jackie Roberson, Heather Clancy-Young and Richard Friedberg for their mentorship and proper examples of being a community ally.
Aside from the pomp and circumstance, though, Crandall held up the little green trophy he received earlier that evening before the awards. It reads 'Greatest Grandpa.'
Crandall's voice cracked as he thanked his wife, Sue Crandall, and his stepdaughter, Makenzie Black, for their support and the support of his entire family.
'When I first got into business, I was motivated by money and I wanted to be successful,' he said. 'Now, I'm motivated by my grandchildren, one of whom is here tonight. He called me and asked if he could come, and I said, 'heck yea.''
His 8-year-old grandson, Pierce Buhman, then took to the stage to embrace his grandfather and take in the applause.
'My motivation now is to be a good guy so they think I'm alright,' Crandall beamed.
