Suzanne Zaccone, executive vice-chairman and formerly president and co-owner of GSI Technologies, has been awarded the 2014 R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award. Zaccone is the first female recipient of the esteemed accolade which is part of the prestigious Label Industry Global Awards. Now in their 11th year, the awards judging panel met in Monaco prior to the opening of FINAT’s annual Congress, to review nominations across this and three other award categories.

Sponsored by Avery Dennison, the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the values and vision of Stan Avery and his pioneering efforts and is designed to honor the outstanding contribution to the promotion and growth of the label industry the winner has made. Zaccone joins an illustrious list of fellow high achievers who have also been bestowed with the title including Ritrama’s Tomas Rink, Steve Lee of RotoMetrics, Helmut Schreiner, FLEXcon’s Neil McDonough and Terry Fulwiler of WS Packaging Group.  

Suzanne, together with her brother Bob Zaccone, founded GSI Technologies in 1985 to produce prime and anti-counterfeit labels and polycarbonate overlays. Today, these applications represent only 15% of GSI’s business, with GSI now widely recognized as a world leader in emerging technology, producing advanced functional printed products including strips to measure glucose for diabetics, electroluminescent lamps, smart card displays, sensors and automotive circuits.

From 1998 to 2000 Suzanne was the TLMI’s chairman/president. The first female in that role in the organization’s history, she continues as a strong mentor for other women in the TLMI and women in the label industry in general, using her leadership skills to help young people in the medical field and other business areas. Suzanne has also been president of the board of directors to the DiTrolio Flexographic Institute since 2000. Suzanne was to go on and beat breast cancer in 2009, publishing her book, ‘A Random Interruption: Surviving Breast Cancer with Laughter, Vodka, Smoothies and an Attitude’ in 2010. 

During the same meeting, the judges also announced the shortlist of nominations for the three other categories. 

The 2014 finalists are:

The Award for Innovation (over 300 employees), sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web (in alphabetical order):
* Avery Dennison
* Durst
* Xeikon

The Award for Innovation (under 300 employees), sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web (in alphabetical order):
* CMC DayMark
* ETI Converting
* ITW Dynatec GmbH
* K.T. Labels Ltd
* Nuova GIDUE Srl
* Stephanos Karydakis SA

The Award for Sustainability, sponsored by Xeikon (in alphabetical order):
* Bio4Life BV
* The Stone Paper Company Limited

Mike Fairley, chairman of judges commented: “Suzanne has been an inspiration, mentor and role model, particularly to other women in the world of labels. I am delighted that Suzanne has achieved such an accolade and I look forward to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award trophy to her at the awards evening this coming September.”

The winners will be announced at the Label Industry Global Awards ceremony and dinner on 9 September as part of Labelexpo Americas in Chicago. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting www.labelawards.com.