FINAT’s president Kurt Walker has been chosen as the recipient of the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Label Industry Global Awards. Judging for the 12th annual awards program took place during the FINAT European Label Forum (ELF) in Amsterdam, where the judging panel met to consider nominations across this and three additional award categories. 

Sponsored by Avery Dennison, the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award, is bestowed upon an individual who has made a substantial and key contribution to the label industry over a minimum of 25 years. After graduating from university, Walker entered the printing industry where he has held various positions in sales and marketing. In 1988 he joined the label industry and acted, until his retirement in 2012, as CEO of tesa Bandfix in Switzerland. Walker became a member of the FINAT board in 1999 and has also served as vice-president, membership committee member and treasurer before being appointed president of the worldwide association for the self-adhesive labeling industry in 2011.

Known for being innovative and forward thinking, Walker has been influential in unifying the wider global label industry. A significant supporter of the L7, now L9, Walker has been instrumental in helping grow the alliance’s profile and importance, whilst also helping secure and ensure the ongoing success of FINAT’s Young Managers Club. Walker joins the ranks of eminent and distinguished past winners including: Suzanne Zaccone of GSI Technologies, Tomas Rink of Ritrama, RotoMetric’s Steve Lee, Helmut Schreiner, Nilpeter’s Lars Eriksen and FLEXcon’s Neil McDonough.

During the same meeting, the judging panel also announced details of the finalists for the three other categories. The 2015 finalists are:

The Award for Innovation (for companies with more than 300 employees), sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web (in alphabetical order):

• Esko
• HP Indigo
• Revo
• Super Film
• Xeikon 

The Award for Innovation (for companies with up to 300 employees), sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web (in alphabetical order):

• Any Graphics
• GEW
• Hybrid Software
• Iwata
• Lake Image Systems 
• Rotas
• Troika Systems
• Web Resources

The Award for Sustainability, sponsored by Xeikon (in alphabetical order):

• Avery Dennison
• Bio4life
• Lintec
• Dr Fischer 

Mike Fairley, chair of the judges explained: “Kurt Walker was the unanimous choice of the judging panel. His impressive long-term industry pedigree as CEO of tesa Bandfix, as well as terms as treasurer, vice-president and president of FINAT - where he encouraged and built global links and supported the establishment and growth of the highly successful Young Managers Club - made him the stand-out choice for this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. We look forward to honoring Kurt and the other winners in person at the awards ceremony in September.”

Judges for this year’s awards, under the chairmanship of Mike Fairley were: Thomas Hagmaier, upcoming president of FINAT, Andy Thomas, group managing editor of Labels & Labeling, Armin Karl Geiger, editor of NarrowWebTech, Steve Katz, editor of Label & Narrow Web and Anthony White, label industry consultant.

The winners will be announced at the Label Industry Global Awards ceremony and dinner on 29 September, where Walker will also officially be presented with the award. Held as part of Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, limited tickets are still available to purchase at www.labelawards.com.