Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) Recipients to be Honored at Graphics of the Americas 2012 in Miami Beach

The Printing Association of Florida (PAF) proudly announces this year's recipients of the 2012 Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) Award.  This is the GALA's twenty-ninth year.
 
Susan Kinney and Gabriel Comelli Berruti will each receive PAF's prestigious GALA Award during the annual reception and banquet held in conjunction with the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference being held in Miami Beach, Florida, on March 1-3, 2012.
 
Both Kinney and Comelli Berruti will accept their awards before an international audience of graphic arts industry leaders and guests at the annual GALA Awards reception and banquet being held at 7:00 p.m. on March 1, 2012, in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island.

 Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA)

Established in 1982, the GALA Award is one of the printing industry's most prestigious recognitions awarded to outstanding industry professionals each year. GALA recipients are nominated by Printing Industries of America affiliates and CONLATINGRAF (Confederación Latinoamericana de la Industria Gráfica) members and are chosen for their leadership in areas of management, technology, business and quality; as well as their contributions to the graphic arts industry, their community and society in general.
 
Since its inauguration, the GALA Award symbolizes not only industry excellence but also the linking of the Americas and two major industry associations.  

Susan Kinney, President, The Castle Press - North American Graphic Leader 2012

Susan Kinney is owner and president of The Castle Press, a medium-sized commercial printer in Pasadena, CA.

Founded in 1931 as a printer of fine limited-edition books, Castle Press has, under Kinney's leadership, grown into a commercial printing company widely recognized for the meticulous attention it devotes to the quality of its products and for the flexibility and speed of the leading-edge technologies it employs. Kinney purchased the company in 1979 and, since the acquisition, sales have grown from $200,000 to over $6M.  

Today, Castle Press offers variable-copy digital and sheet-fed lithographic printing plus complete in-house mailing services, including database management and ink-jet, addressing the needs of a diverse range of organizations in many industries.

In her lengthy career, Kinney has dedicated years of service to the American printing industry. She currently serves on the following committees and boards: PIA Southern California Board of Directors since 1984-Past President; PIA Southern California Education Committee Chair; PIASC Nominating Committee; PIA/GATF Education Committee; PIA/GATF Research Committee; and the GUA Board Member since 2006-Kodak Users Group.

In past years, she has served the Xeikon User Group as President, National Council for Skill Standards in Graphic Communications as Past Chair, R & E Council Executive Committee, GATF Board of Directors, GATF Education Committee, GATF Marketing Committee Chair, PIASC Production Conference Chair, PIASC Sales Conference Chair, and the PIASC Management Conference Chair.

Kinney is the only woman in the United States to be inducted into all three printing industry honor Societies: Ash Khan (PIA), Society of Fellows (GATF), Soderstrom Society (NAPL). She has also received numerous additional awards including: Pasadena Women Achievers-Business Life - 2006; CITEA Industry Person of the Year - 2005; Women in Business Award Carol Liu & Jack Scott - 2005; Print On Demand Pioneer Award - 2000; GATF Leadership Award for National Skill
Standards -1995; PIASC Pioneer of the Year - 1993; GATF Award of Excellence - 1992; GATF Naomi Berber Award 1992; PIASC Industry Award - 1991; award from California Department of Education for Graphic Arts Academy - 1991; PIA Southern California Executive of the Year; and winner of the Ben Franklin Award - 1990.