Cober

A meaningful addition to our history.

We are honoured to receive the donation of an antique tabletop printing press and printer’s cabinet from Jane McCutcheon, given in memory of her late husband, Ted Tiemessen (1951–2024).

Ted spent much of his career in print and production after immigrating to Canada from Holland in the 1970s. Beyond his professional work, he was a stained glass artisan, farmer, builder, and passionate collector of antique tools. This printers’ box was among his most treasured possessions.

Jane’s connection to Cober spans decades. As co-owner of Camp Tawingo, she worked alongside Lloyd, Peter, and Billie Cober, and Robert Engel on camp marketing materials. In the early 1980s, when Jane co-authored Camp Tawingo Publications, Cober printed more than 130,000 books that were distributed to camping professionals around the world.

Following Ted’s passing in December 2024, Jane felt this beautiful piece of printing history should find a new home at Cober. We are grateful for her generosity and honoured to preserve a small part of Ted’s legacy for future generations.

Thank you, Jane, for entrusting us with this remarkable gift.

From shop floor trouble shooting to keeping systems running seamlessly – John’s journey is powered by a calm approach and connection 💻🔧

We’re excited to highlight John Osterling, IT Systems Analyst, and a key part of keeping Cober connected behind the scenes. Since joining in 2020, John has grown from a part-time intern position to a vital member of our full-time IT team, bringing a hands-on, problem-solving mindset to everything he does.

John’s journey with Cober started through an internship at tri-OS College, where he worked part-time in the Indigo room learning the presses firsthand. Drawn in by the energy and atmosphere, he transitioned into IT full-time, combining his passion for technology with real-world production experience.

In his role, no two days look the same. From troubleshooting technical issues and setting up new equipment to running network cabling across the facility, John plays a critical role in keeping operations running smoothly. He works closely with teams across the business and is always ready to jump in and help. As John puts it, “I like to be approachable; my door is always open.”

One of John’s favourite parts of the job is solving problems in real time. “I like being able to watch all the red flags turn green and everything starts flowing.” Whether it’s coordinating with technicians or supporting internal teams, he thrives on keeping things moving.

A standout moment for John was helping run over 1000 feet of network cable during Cober’s recent expansion, which was his first time working on a construction site and a true team effort to get the job done.

Outside of work, John enjoys gaming, watching anime, and taking on hands-on projects, most recently renovating and transforming a house into a duplex alongside his brother. He also hopes to one day travel to Japan and experience the culture firsthand.

John’s approachableness, adaptability, and willingness to jump in wherever needed make him an essential part of the Cober team.