Furka, Glassman, Schick, and Stark honored for dedicated service during ceremony at the association’s Annual Postal Exchange Summit.

Alexandria, VA - Idealliance, the communications industry association representing all facets of the global omnichannel media value chain, presented awards to four leaders from the mailing industry and U.S. Postal Service during an awards ceremony at its annual Postal Exchange Summit, Feb. 2-3 in Clearwater, Fla. The event drew a record number of industry professionals who participated in roundtable discussions with USPS executives and industry representatives on creating a more efficient mail supply chain in the future across all partners from mail owners to print-mail service providers to logistics, transportation, and software companies.

"We were pleased to have this opportunity to recognize the outstanding contributions of four individuals who have worked to enhance cooperation between the mailing industry and the U.S. Postal Service and advance the implementation of best practices throughout the entire mail supply chain," says Idealliance President and Chief Executive Office David Steinhardt. The following received honors at the event:

Peter Furka, Classification Specialist, U.S, Postal Service, received the Donald A. Mumma Award, the highest award of distinction Idealliance presents in the mail preparation and processing arena. The award is named for the late Donald A. Mumma, a USPS mailing requirements manager who was instrumental in launching the collaborative and work-sharing approach between Idealliance and the Postal Service.

"The Mumma Award is a reminder that communication and collaboration between the U.S. Postal Service and the industry are the key ingredients for our success," noted 2016 Mumma Award recipient Christopher G. Lien, President of BCC Software, LLC, at the awards ceremony. "Peter has built a career working with the industry and all the co-words—communication, cooperation, collaboration, and consultation."

Tom Glassman, Director of Data Services & Postal Affairs, Wilen Direct, was honored with an Idealliance Circle of Excellence Award, given by the Idealliance Board of Directors in recognition of extraordinary contributions to advancing best practices across the creation, production, and distribution of graphic and visual communication.

"Our success is generated through our members—by their expertise, support, and time," said Steinhardt in presenting the award. "They move our industry forward by always raising the bar of excellence. Tom is recognized for his dedication to one of the most successful launches of an online certification program in the history of Idealliance—MailPro® which has had more than 500 registrants in less than six months."

Joe Schick, Vice President of Postal Affairs, Quad/Graphics, Inc., a member of the Idealliance Board of Directors and Chair of its Addressing/Distribution Committee, predecessor to the current Postal Operations & Technologies Council, and John Stark, Director of Distribution Services, PubWorx,Idealliance Representative to the U.S. Postmaster General’s Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee, were honored with Idealliance Awards of Appreciation in recognition of service to the association and the industry.

More than 70 mailing industry professionals attended the 2017 Postal Exchange, which was designed around a six-session series of spirited discussions that looked at the future of mail and the mail supply chain from mail operations to mail marketing and pricing, acceptance, induction and payment, mail costing and pricing, and the evolution of the Mailers Technical Advisory Committee.

A key area of work was the development of an Industry Strategic Plan to align mail supply chain partners and work to create a more competitive, efficient, and profitable mail supply chain, and to serve as a complement to the U.S. Postal Service Strategic Plan.

For more information, contact David Steinhardt at (703) 837-1066 or [email protected]