Katz grew up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was born into a Jewish family. As a teenager, Katz and his three brothers turned their garage into a makeshift print shop, where they created cards, menus, and other stationery items, which they sold door-to-door. He also created and printed his own magazine, Boys Ideal.[1]
Katz took pictures of the Pittsburgh Flood of 1936 and made a profit by selling them as a book. With this money, he started a wholesale paper business called "Printer's Paper Supply Company".
During World War II, Katz created the “Rite-Kit”, which was a box that contained paper, envelopes, and a pencil for servicemen.
In 1945, he founded Papercraft Corporation,[2] for selling gift wrap, after acquiring a $10,000 investment.
Katz and his first wife Agnes donated $10 million to the University of Pittsburgh, his alma mater. At the time, this was the largest donation ever made to the university.[3] The university renamed its business school the "Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business" in his honor in 1987.[4]
In 1988 Joseph Katz and his son, Papercraft CEO Marshall Katz, relented control over the company though kept 30% of its stock.[5]
He died of cancer in May 1991.[6] He was survived by his children Marshall P. Katz and Andrea McCutcheon; grandchildren Jonathan S. Plesset, Nicole Plesset, and Lauren Katz; and great grandchild Jeffrey Plesset.[5]
