The group said it was with great sadness that it announced the passing of Robert Payne, its former commercial director.
Payne was one of the original three-strong MBO team that acquired Bath Business Forms and Economailer from Communisis back in 2008, with the trio: Mark Cornford, Arthur Ayres, and Payne naming their holding company MCAARP Holdings based on their initials.
Prior to that Payne had been a stalwart of the business forms industry, having joined Standard Check in the 1980s.
He brought an accountancy background to his commercial role as the company changed ownership over the years, becoming part of Bowater, Rexam, and then Communisis.
Ayres retired last year, while Cornford remains at the helm as CEO.
Cornford paid tribute to Payne's many qualities, and said he had been “a critical addition to the team”.
“As with most things in life, it’s the balance of the people, and their differing strengths and weaknesses, that make things work,” Cornford said.
“Arthur Ayres was our financial strength and Robert was our commercial strength and both of them, with very different personalities to me, gave us great balance in the leadership of the business.
“I genuinely loved and respected Robert, he gave me stability, insight and an understanding of the marketplace which helped me take the risks that I took,” he added.
“He was also great fun to be with, we laughed a lot. What a great bloke, we shall miss him.”
Cornford said Payne’s family were justifiably proud of the man that he was and what he had achieved in his life.
Payne was also praised for being a great mentor and source of advice for colleagues, for his diligent and meticulous approach to work, and for being the group’s “resident guru” for anything to do with listing paper.
Outside of work Payne was a keen golfer, and was also a source of great company and humour when taking clients out to the races.
“He is fondly remembered and will be missed by all of us at Integrity.”
Payne retired from the group in 2015.
He died from cancer at the end of last month, aged 75.
He is survived by his wife Sharon, and their children and grandchildren.
