PRESS
RELEASES
NAGASA PRESENTS 1997 AWARDS
TO INDUSTRY LEADERS
Washington, DC, April 1997 - NAGASA, the North American Graphic Arts Suppliers Association, honored several prominent graphic communications industry leaders at its recent annual meeting.
The association's Mullan award-presented annually to individuals who best exemplify a standard of excellence in the channel-was given to Richard M. Blair, President of Young Phillips, a major graphic arts dealer based in Clemmons, NC. Blair was honored for his role in guiding the association since its founding five years ago as an organizing director, dealer vice president, and for the past two years as its board chair. In presenting the award, NAGASA president and CEO David J. Steinhardt commented: "Dick Blair has been instrumental in seeing NAGASA become a respected print industry association. He is truly one of the founding fathers of NAGASA."
The association's Favat award, given for exemplary service to NAGASA, was presented to Thomas Saggiomo, general manager of the Eastman Kodak Printing Plate Division, and to Jon Wright, president of graphic Systems. In presenting the award, Steinhardt said: "Tom Saggiomo has been instrumental in developing the role of NAGASA Manufacturer Vice President over the past two years. An NAGASA Nomination Committee co-chair, he developed guidelines for the future which will serve our elected leadership for years to come. Jon Wright is being honored for his dedication and persistence in establishing NAGASA bar code and electronic data interchange standards. His efforts at every level of the association helped make electronic commerce a reality for members; reducing costs, errors and delivery times throughout the channel." The award commemorates John S, Favat, Sr., the graphic arts industry publishing leader who died in 1994.
The association also presented, for the second time, its Innovator Award, to recognize innovative practices in the graphic communications channel. Corporate Innovator Awards were presented to Omnitrade Industrial Co., Ltd. and to Tompkins Printing Equipment Company. Omnitrade Industrial Company was honored for demonstrating that the dealer channel can effectively bring large, technologically sophisticated products to the market. Tompkins Printing Equipment Company was singled out for leadership in international sales, both import and export.
NAGASA president Steinhardt also announced the first recipient of a new award-the Life Achievement Award-presented to Melvyn London of London Litho, for his lifelong dedication to the channel and to the industry.
NAGASA -the North American Graphic Arts Suppliers Association- is the world's largest trade association of dealers, resellers, distributors, and manufacturers serving the graphic arts, imaging and publishing industries. NAGASA members sell more than $4 billion of equipment, supplies, systems, software, paper and service annually. NAGASA is dedicated to strengthening distribution channel alliances, streamlining costs and operations, and improving the business performance of its more than 350 members. NAGASA: The Distribution Association for Printing and Imaging Technologies.