Amherst, NY: Printing Industries Alliance (PIA) has selected Mariano Rivera, baseball great, community leader, and philanthropist as the recipient of its 2023 Franklin Award for Distinguished Service – the highest honor given to an individual by the graphic communications industry.

The Franklin Award began in 1952 as the printing industry’s salute to iconic personalities on the national stage. Previous recipients have included former U.S. presidents, authors, artists, journalists, and business leaders. Rivera will accept the award at PIA’s Franklin Event in New York City on Thursday, March 30, 2023. (Reserve online or download event flyer.)

Nicknamed “the Sandman,” Rivera played 19 seasons (1995-2013) for the New York Yankees, most of them as a record-setting relief pitcher. He is Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in saves (652) and games finished (952). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019, his first year of eligibility, and is the only player elected unanimously to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Since his retirement, Rivera has focused much of his time on philanthropic projects. The Mariano Rivera Foundation provides educational resources and career opportunities to children and youth from impoverished families. Its mission includes preparing young learners for careers in high-demand fields through mentorships and hands-on vocational training.

In 2021, the Foundation launched the Mariano Rivera Mentorship Program, a faith-based initiative aimed at serving underprivileged youth from facilities in New Rochelle, NY, Gainesville, FL, and Houston, TX. The program includes building the Mariano Rivera Learning Center in New Rochelle, a 40,000 sq.-ft. learning space that will offer STEM education, job skills, training, mentorship, and college preparatory services.

The curriculum will include hands-on, certification-based training for high-demand graphic arts and imaging technology jobs. While construction in New Rochelle is under way, program participants in the New York - New Jersey metropolitan area will have access to a satellite training center hosted by Premium Color Group, a commercial printer in Carlstadt, NJ.

These efforts have the support of industry organizations including PIA, EFI, and Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office. In announcing Rivera as the recipient of the 2023 Franklin Award, PIA President, Tim Freeman, emphasized the value to the industry of the work that he and his foundation are doing.

“The Mariano Rivera Foundation is providing an answer to one of our industry’s most consuming questions – where is our future workforce going to come from?” Freeman said. “To that end, we are proud to work with the industry organizations supporting the Foundation’s efforts and are pleased to designate the net proceeds from our upcoming Franklin Event to support the highly anticipated Mariano Rivera Learning Center in New Rochelle.”

Sponsored by PIA and the Print Drives America Foundation, the 2023 Franklin Event will take place on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Current, Pier 59, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY. The gala includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by a sit-down dinner, the awards ceremony, and dessert and coffee stations.

Individual tickets are $475. Platinum Sponsorships for tables of 10 are available for $6,500; Gold Sponsorships for half-tables of five are $3,250. To become a sponsor or to register to attend, download event flyer or visit https://pialliance.org/2023-franklin-event/ or contact Kim Tuzzo, Printing Industries Alliance, [email protected] or (800) 777-4742.