Every year, friends of New York University’s Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology pack a ballroom at The Plaza Hotel in New York City to confer the "Prism" Award upon an industry figure of exceptional stature and reputation. On June 12, an elite crowd of more than 500 printing and publishing executives (Up 30% over last year) hailed Anne M. Mulcahy, chairman and CEO of Xerox Corp., as the 18th recipient of the honor. Other awards cited outstanding service to education at the Center, a 23-year old institution offering degree programs in business management and technology for careers in graphic communications. Since its founding the Center has conferred nearly 1,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees, including the only doctoral degrees in graphic communications awarded by any academic institution in the nation.

Jeff Jacobson, CEO of Kodak Polychrome Graphics, was master of ceremonies. Introducing Ms. Mulcahy was Stephanie A. Streeter, president and CEO of Banta Corp., who praised the Prism recipient for leading a business turnaround at Xerox and driving the introduction of new technologies such as the DocuColor iGen3 digital production press. Ms. Mulcahy—who a day earlier had announced a $3.1 billion recapitalization plan for Xerox—told the audience that print producers had three things to "get right" if they wanted to succeed: business model, technology, and workflow. Faster turnarounds, customized documents, and shorter runs will be the primary service offerings of the industry’s profit leaders from now on, according to Ms. Mulcahy. She urged all printers to be "more responsive to your marketplace, more competitive in your category, and more up to date and personalized in communicating with your customers—while greatly reducing your hidden costs."

Stephanie A. Streeter, left, president and CEO of Banta Corp., presents the Prism Award to Anne M. Mulcahy, chairman and CEO of Xerox Corp. Ms. Mulcahy praised some of her New York metro area customers, including Christopher DeSantis of Royal Impressions Inc. and Roger Gimbel of Global Document Solutions, for their foresight as early adopters of digital print technologies. Ms. Streeter complimented Ms. Mulcahy for the dynamism of her leadership style at Xerox, which she called a significant improvement over the company’s "more rigid approach" to management in previous years. See Mulcahy's full speech.

The Prism Student Award is presented annually to an outstanding recent graduate of the Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology. Here, Dr. Gregory S. D’Amico (left), director of the Center, presents the Student Prism to Mark Schumacher (M.A., 2002).

Jeff Jacobson, left, CEO of Kodak Polychrome Graphics, said he took special pleasure in presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to friend and mentor Edward E. Barr, who retired this year as chairman and CEO of Sun Chemical, a leading supplier of inks, coatings, pigments, and polyester plates. Mr. Barr, a 1957 graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business, is an honorary board member of the Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology and a longtime supporter of its programs. He reflected that although printing has been transformed technologically, "the unique chemistry of our industry’s people relationships haven’t changed."

The Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology owes a good deal of its present renown to 21 years of promotional work by its vice chairman, Melvin A. Ettinger (center), the recipient of a Distinguished Service Award during the Prism ceremonies on June 12. One indication of the success of Mr. Ettinger’s efforts is the fundraising prowess of the Prism Award Luncheon, which in 18 years has amassed more than $3.5 million for the Center from industry sponsorships and from the sale of more than 9,000 tickets. Here, Mr. Ettinger is ebulliently congratulated by Jeff Jacobson, left, and Dr. Arnold Spinner, a former director of the Center.