It's hard to believe that Monday's Printing Impressions/RIT Printing Industry Hall of Fame awards ceremony held during Graph Expo in Chicago marked the 25th anniversary of the Hall of Fame. An award created when I assumed the role of editor-in-chief in 1985 to recognize individual industry achievement, this year's induction class was certainly worthy of our important silver anniversary milestone.
The 2010 Hall of Fame honorees included Joan Davidson, group president of Sheridan Publication Services in Hunt Valley, MD; Ed Garvey, president and CEO, The Garvey Group, Niles, IL; Gary Garner, president and CEO of the GLS Companies in Brooklyn Park, MN; and Joe Metzger, president of Metzgers Printing + Mailing, Toledo, OH. Their names will now be inscribed on a special plaque hanging at the Rochester Institute of Technology to help inspire future generations of graphic arts industry leaders. They join a list of 96 past inductees—an honor roll that truly reads like an industry Who's Who.
Recognizing entrepreneurial spirit, teamwork and the importance of giving back through industry involvement, the annual Hall of Fame allows us to pause and reflect on those individuals who make the printing industry so remarkable. In an at times tearful acceptance speech, Joe Metzger captured the essence of just what the Hall of Fame award is all about. Congratulations to Joe and our other 2010 inductees.
As an industry, we so often focus on our many challenges and shortcomings in these unsettling economic times. It's comforting to take solace that torchbearers like Metzger, Davidson, Garner and Garvey will help light the way for others printers to follow.
To hear audio recordings of the acceptance speeches from the other inductees, click the following links:
Joan Davidson, Group President of Sheridan Publication Services