FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2004

SGIA Pays Tribute to Key Industry Members

MINNEAPOLIS - Recognizing companies and individuals whose contributions, achievements and special efforts have helped to advance the screen printing and graphic imaging industry, as well as the Association that represents it, many companies and individuals received awards and special honors to coincide with SGIA ‘04, the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association’s 56th Annual Convention and Exposition, held here at the Minneapolis Congress Center on October 6-9.

SGIA’s Chairman's Plaque was presented to Nick Maccaroni of Max Graphics (Berlin, NJ) for completing his term as SGIA's 2004 Chairman of the Board, while the Chairman's Gavel was passed on to 2005 Board Chairman Kerry Gillespie of Gillespie Graphics (Wilsonville, OR).

Awards of Commendation for retirement as members and/or officers on SGIA's 2004 Board of Directors went to Tim Fry of Lowen Corporation (Hutchinson, KS), Ricardo Sunderland of Serigrafica Industrial y Comercial SA (Naucalpan, Mexico), Jerry Wellman of Absolute Impressions (Lewis Center, OH), and David Wright of Garan, Inc. (Starkville, MS).

Outstanding Service Awards, recognizing special contributions to the Association went to Curry Graphics, Inc. (Hayward, CA), Yellow Transportation/Affinity Group (Sadler, TX), Mike McDaniel of GM Nameplate (Seattle, WA), Jerry Wellman of Absolute Impressions (Lewis Center, OH), and Wayne Potter of Air Waves (Lewis Center, OH).

For their role as Educational Sponsors of this year’s Convention, Publishing Partners Awards went to IMPRESSIONS, Big Picture, Stitches, ScreenPrinting, Signs of the Times, and Wide Format Imaging.

SGIA’s annual Environmental Recognition Awards for excellence in environmental management were presented to Classic Stripes Pvt Ltd. (Mumbai, India), Cellotape (Fremont, CA), Gillespie Graphics (Wilsonville, OR), and Marabuwerke GmbH & Co. KG (Tamm, Germany).

For 50 years of continuous SGIA membership, the Association’s Excalibur Award was presented to Romo, Inc. (DePere, WI) and Visual Marking Systems/Globe Transportation (Twinsburg, OH).

Certificates of Appreciation, for donations of materials and services in support of 2004 Association projects, went to: Ritrama, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN); SMR Software (Grand Rapids, MN); Chromaline Screen Print Products (Duluth, MN); Falcon Graphics, Inc. (Arlington, TX); Clearr Corporation (Minneapolis, MN); Precise Software, Inc. (Waconia, MN); Sign Etch (Euluth, MN); Safety Speed Cut Manufacturing (Anoka, MN); MacDermind ColorSpan, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN); Caprock Developments, Inc. (Morris Plains, NJ); Quiplast S.A. (San Martin, Argentina); Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc. (Owosso, MI); 3M Industrial Adhesives & Tapes Div/Converter Markets (St. Paul, MN); FLEXcon (Spencer, MA); Autotype Americas, Inc. (Schaumburg, IL); Conductive Compounds, Inc. (Londonderry, NH); Nicomatic-North America (Warminster, PA); 3M Industrial Adhesives & Tapes Div/Converter Markets (St. Paul, MN); Suncoast Digital Technology (Largo, FL); and Nazdar (Shawnee, KS).

For their editorial support of SGIA, Press Awards were presented to Aditya Publications, EMB, Screen Printing en Español, ASGA, Digital Graphics, Digital Output, Images, Glass Magazine & Glass International, Dijital Teknik, Machinery & Materials, Korea Screen Printing, Paper Mart, Plastics Decorating, Screen Printing Monthly, ScreenMarknaden, Sign Builder Illustrated, Sign & Graphics, Printing Review International, Visual Impact, Focus on Imaging, Printwear, Screen, Process & Display Printing, SignIndustry.com, Signmunhwa Big Print, Screen Printing World, and usscreen.com—either magazines, journals or Web sites.

For contributing articles to Association resources, Contributing Author Awards were presented to: Scott Fresener (US Screen Printing Institute; Tempe, AZ); Jeff Solomon (All American Marketing Group; Valencia, CA); Vince DiCecco (Your Personal Business Trainer, Inc.; Kennesaw, GA); Craig Mertens (Digital Art Solutions; Tempe, AZ); Michel Caza (Graficaza; Cergy Cedex, France); Joe Clarke (Coates Screen; St. Charles, IL); Mike Ruff (ReyHan PGF; Eagan, MN); Jim Raymont (EIT Instrument Markets; Sterling, VA); R.W. Stowe (Fusion UV Systems, Inc.; Gaithersburg, MD); Vince Cahill (VCE Solutions; Waynesboro, PA); Patti Williams (IT Strategies, Inc.; Hanover, MA); and Don Banfield (Conductive Compounds; Londonderry, NH).

Academy of Screen Printing Technology (ASPT) Certificates of Recognition were presented to Mike Young (Imagetek Consulting International; N. Haven, CT); Dawn Hohl (Screen Printing Technical Foundation; Fairfax, VA); and Dutch Drehle (Specialty Graphic Imaging Association; Fairfax, VA).

Awards also recognized major SGIA ’04 sponsors: Platinum Sponsors 3M Commercial Graphics Division (St. Paul, MN), Avery Dennison Graphics Division North America (Painesville, OH), and VUTEk, Inc. (Meredith, NH); and Gold Sponsors GBC Industrial & Print Finishing Group (Addison, IL), InteliCoat Technologies (S. Hadley, MA); Scitex Vision America, Inc. (Marietta, GA), and U.S. Screen Printing Institute (Tempe, AZ).

Founded in 1948, SGIA is Leading a New Generation of Imaging Professionals — “Specialty imaging” comprises digital imaging, screen printing and the many other imaging technologies SGIA members use, including those they’ll tap in the future. These are the imaging processes and technologies employed to create new products and to enhance existing products including point-of-purchase displays, signs, advertisements, garments, containers and vehicles.

SGIA ( Specialty Graphic Imaging Association)
10015 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031-3489
Phone: 703.359.1301 or 888.385.3588
Fax: 703.273.0456
E-Mail: sgia@sgia.org
Website URL: www.sgia.org