<PAGE>
                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.4(a)
 
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR CERTAIN REDACTED PROVISIONS OF
THIS AGREEMENT. THE REDACTED PROVISIONS ARE IDENTIFIED BY THREE ASTERISKS AND
ENCLOSED BY BRACKETS. THE CONFIDENTIAL PORTION HAS BEEN FILED SEPARATELY WITH
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
 
January 16, 1998
 
Mr. David Glick
Executive Vice President
Operations and On-Line Services
Perry-Judd's Incorporated
143 N. Wyndstone Drive
North Barrington, Illinois 60010
 
Dear David,
 
I want you to know how excited I was by the news that you have decided to join
our team. As we have discussed, we have an unprecedented opportunity to truly
differentiate Perry-Judd's from its competition and to continue to build it into
the industry leader if not immediately in size, surely in terms of performance
and customer preference.
 
Bob Milhous and Jerry have long believed that part of the differentiation is
through the caliber of people on the team and since I have been involved with
them, I have become a believer. You joining Perry-Judd's adds powerfully to our
abilities. I believe that you and I will become close associates and we'll have
a great deal of fun working together to realize some exciting and very
worthwhile goals. I am anxious for you to come on board!
 
To that end, I would like to detail and formalize our offer of employment to you
below:
 
  1. You will join Perry-Judd's Incorporated as Executive Vice President of
     Operations and On-Line Services. You will be elected to the Board of
     Directors. Your responsibilities will include the operational aspects of
     our current three web offset plants; Waterloo, Baraboo and Shenandoah
     Valley Press. The three division managers will report directly to you. In
     addition, you will have responsibility for our materials purchasing
     function, our postal affairs and distribution function, and our newly
     created off-site prep facility that serves our Waterloo and Baraboo plants
     from Madison. Our Vice President of Research and Engineering and his
     department will report directly to you and I suspect that we will soon
     create a central scheduling and production control function that will
     report to you. And very exciting is our new high tech business.............
                                                         Judd's On-Line. The two
     principals of this business, Richard Warren and Noel Jerke, will report to
     you individually and as a team as we begin to grow this new business
     rapidly. I suspect, David, that as we get more involved with Port City
     Press, I will also ask for your involvement there as well.
 
  2. Your base compensation will be $10,385 every other week totaling $270,000
     annually. You will have a bonus opportunity of up to 35% of your base
     salary for successful attainment of corporate objectives each year. Our
     plan allows for an overachievement bonus of up to 100% of your bonus for
     achievement at 125% of the corporate objectives.
 
  3. [***]
 
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    [***] Confidential treatment has been requested for redacted portions. The
confidential redacted portion has been omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
<PAGE>
Mr. David Glick                                                           Page 2
 
  4. In addition to the executive incentive plan noted earlier, you will be
     granted options to earn an additional 9,675 shares (1 1/8%) subject equally
     to both time and performance vesting requirements where the quickest
     vesting will take place for five years (time) or up to 8 years
     (performance) were the company not to meet its objectives in any of the
     first three years.
 
  5. If there is a change of company control, your equity value in the company
     will be guaranteed at $1,000,000 minimum value. With a change of control
     you become fully vested, which will also be the case in the event of your
     death.
 
  6. If there is a change of control that takes place and your equity is valued
     at less than $2,000,000 and you: a) lose your position altogether, b) are
     asked to accept a lesser responsibility and do not elect to do so and
     leave, or c) you are asked to relocate and do not elect to do so and leave,
     you will be entitled to salary continuation of $333,000 per year for up to
     three years or until you fund suitable employment, whichever comes first.
 
  7. We will pay you a hiring bonus of $100,000 on the first payroll date after
     March 31, 1998.
 
  8. We will pay you $50,000 on the first payroll date after November 1, 1998.
 
  9. [***]
 
 10. [***]
 
 11. We will pay reasonable relocation expenses [***]
 
 12. We will cover your temporary living expenses while you sell your home and
     purchase a new one here in Wisconsin, including car rental for a reasonable
     period of time up to six months or more if we analyze the financial impact
     on the company of your home value guarantee to be more than the continued
     coverage of your transitional living expenses.
 
 13. You will have up to 4 weeks vacation during your first year and beyond.
 
 14. You will be enrolled in the Perry-Judd's health benefit, life insurance and
     defined contribution (3% of base with no required match up to the legal
     deferrable amount) 401k plan as those plans are defined. Our life insurance
     coverage is two times annual salary.
 
That should cover it, David. I am looking forward to both our business and
personal relationships evolving and growing in the years ahead. We have an
outstanding challenge ahead of us and your contributions will undoubtedly be
both significant and welcome.
 
I'll look forward to your first day!
 
Sincerely,
 
/s/ Craig Hutchison
 
Craig Hutchison
President/CEO
 
CH/rs
 
bcc:  Bob Milhous
     Paul Milhous
     Jerry Peisach
 
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    [***] Confidential treatment has been requested for redacted portions. The
confidential redacted portion has been omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
<PAGE>
January 16, 1998
 
Mr. David Glick
Executive Vice President
Operations and On-Line Services
Perry-Judd's Incorporated
143 N. Wyndstone Drive
North Barrington, Illinois 60010
 
Dear David,
 
I'm looking forward to your arrival on February 5th. We have lots to do!
 
As follow-up to the formal offer letter that I sent to you, please let me offer
this addendum:
 
1.  Upon your starting here in Waterloo on February 5, 1998, we will present you
    with a check for [***] which is intended to cover your upcoming
    miscellaneous relocation costs.
 
2.  We would like you and your wife Jean to relocate here in the Madison,
    Wisconsin area as soon as you can. To that end, if you purchase a home here
    and your current residence is not yet sold, we will assist you in obtaining
    financing for your new home. Such assistance could take any number of forms,
    which we can discuss if and when this becomes an issue.
 
3.  In the event of your death, disablement, or change of the control of the
    company and you were still to own both homes (Barrington and Wisconsin), the
    company will be obligated to purchase one or the other of your homes as
    determined by you or your survivor.
 
4.  Your health insurance will be effective on your first day of employment. The
    waiting period for pre-existing conditions will be waived.
 
That should cover all the aspects of our offer to you, David. I'll look forward
to seeing you next week.
 
Sincerely,
 
/s/ Craig Hutchison
 
Craig Hutchison
President/CEO
CH/rs
 
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    [***] Confidential treatment has been requested for redacted portions. The
confidential redacted portion has been omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.