April 11, 2002 -- The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), which leads the industry in bringing graphic communications technology vendors and users together through professionally managed industrial technology exhibitions, celebrates its 20th anniversary this spring. Since its creation in 1982 by the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL), NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting TechnologiesSM (NPES), and the Printing Industries of America (PIA), GASC has built its catalog of tradeshows and conferences, including the annual GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO show, the quadrennial international PRINT show, and a full schedule of regional events, including GRAPHIC ARTS THE CHARLOTTE SHOW, GUTENBERG FESTIVAL and the VUE/POINT Conference, into some of the world's most successful industry events. "I've always admired the innovation and long-term growth strategies GASC and its partners have been able to put in place. They've delivered on the promise made to the industry at that first founding meeting beyond anyone's expectations," noted current Chairman of the Board David R. Reny, Vice President and Managing Director, Standard Finishing Systems. "The leadership and stability shown by GASC and its management over the last 20 years has allowed them to disburse significant revenue to the partners. That additional revenue has allowed them to continue providing the finest benefits possible to their memberships, especially knowing that the industry's exhibitions and educational efforts were in good hands at GASC," remarked Reny recently regarding the anniversary. Since its initial formation in 1982, GASC has owned or produced over 60 different recurring shows or events, ranging in size from the VUE/POINT Conference event, attracting 650 attendees to the Washington, DC area, to the 6th largest tradeshow and exhibition in the country in 2001, the giant PRINT show in McCormick Place, Chicago, IL, attracting over 65,000 visitors from all over the globe and spanning nearly 850,000 square feet of exhibit space. Prior to the creation of GASC, the National Printing Equipment Association (predecessor of today's NPES) organized the international PRINT exhibitions, beginning with PRINT '68. NAPL and PIA organized GRAPH EXPO, a U.S. national exhibition. Realizing the efficiencies to be gained and increases in exhibitor and attendee benefits to be offered, the three industry-leading associations launched GASC in 1982. GRAPH EXPO 83 was the first major event managed by GASC, setting new industry records for both attendance and exhibit space. Highlights of the ensuing 20 years include: · Successful PRINT shows in 1985, 1991, 1997 and 2001. · The relocation of GRAPH EXPO to Chicago every year beginning with 1998. (Previously, the show was held in Chicago in odd-numbered years and on the East Coast in even-numbered years.) · A large and well attended edition of CONVERFLEX-USA held in conjunction with PRINT 97, which accelerated the growth of converting and packaging printing exhibits at GASC shows and led to the launch, in 1998, of CONVERTING EXPO. · The evolution of a strong program of regional shows to augment GASC's national and international events. This impressive line-up now includes GUTENBERG FESTIVAL, and GRAPHIC ARTS THE CHARLOTTE SHOW. · Creation of the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation simultaneously with GASC in 1982. The Foundation was funded with a portion of the revenues earned by GASC events, and the first GASC payment to GAERF, $278,000 in 1984, was the largest single contribution ever made to graphic arts education. Since its founding, GAERF has distributed more than $4 million grant funding to projects nationwide. In 1992, GASC committed itself to the production of high-level educational programs. This commitment led to the creation of CONCEPPTS the prepublishing conference and exhibition in 1993, the acquisition of the VUE/POINT Conference in 2000 and GASC's assumption of responsibility for the seminar programs at GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO, and PRINT. Innovation has been the hallmark of growth for GASC, and such events as CONCEPPTS, VUE/POINT Conference, EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK and others have pushed the envelope of conference presentation format to provide the best possible forum for disseminating valuable industry information on both management and technology within the graphic communications community.