Gail Ludewig

President and Chief Executive Officer 

 

Gail’s interest in learning about what makes businesses succeed began in Pittsburgh where she spent more than seven years in decisive positions at Mellon Bank. During that time, she was exposed to businesses of various sizes, spanning a variety of industries. In her efforts to understand what made them work – or not work – financially, she dug deep into operational factors and market conditions.

That same tenacious approach to learning still drives her today. She “officially” joined the family business in 1987, when she assumed the role of vice president and chief financial officer. In 2000, Gail became a third-generation owner of TotalWorks and assumed her current role of president and chief executive officer.

Gail has been a vital part of the family business for more than 20 years. Through her leadership and insight, TotalWorks has evolved from a typesetting shop to a publishing solutions provider and innovative leader in catalog software development and digital content management across multiple channels.

Never one to sit quietly by, Gail lends her talents and support to several industry associations and community organizations. She served on the board of directors and is a former member of the executive committee of the IPA -The Association of Graphic Solutions Providers. She is currently the chair of the board of directors for Chicago Foundation for Women and sits on the Advisory Board for POWER: Opening Doors for Women and on the Women of Achievement committee for the Anti-Defamation League. As a member of the Chicago American Marketing Association, Gail is involved in their B-to-B Committee activities. She is an outspoken woman business owner and was a featured speaker at the Crain’s Small Business Forum: Women Business Owners Tell All.

Gail attended Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and a Master of Science degree in industrial administration.