PIM’s Annual Star Awards Banquet & Awards Ceremony Recap

BLOOMINGTON, MN — Printing Industry Midwest (PIM), the not-for-profit trade organization representing the Midwest’s leading print service providers, welcomed almost 300 print professionals to their 2024 Star Awards banquet and awards ceremony held on June 13, 2024. PIM’s Annual Star Awards is the Midwest region’s chance to celebrate our industry’s commitment to quality and creativity. Eleven PIM member organizations nominated sixty of their magnificent print professionals for leadership awards. Twenty PIM member organizations submitted around one-hundred-thirty-five projects to be evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges. Leadership nominations and print projects submitted increased from last year, making it clear the Midwest’s graphic community is filled with extraordinary talent!

Since 1972, PIM has awarded industry leaders the PIM Graphic Arts Industry Leader award. Each year previous recipients select a new member from a list of prominent leaders in print to win this award. During the banquet, PIM was pleased to announce Mel Enger, President of LB Carlson, as PIM’s 2024 Graphic Arts Industry Leader of the Year.

Mel has been active with Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) for 30-35 years; no one knows for sure because humble people stop counting. His contribution to PIM and the print industry has been paramount. 1984 was a busy year for Mel. Mel started at LB Carlson in 1984 and this year marks his 40-year contribution to the print industry and the firm which earned him partnership. In that same year, Mel married Deb and yes, they are also celebrating their 40-year anniversary. When Mel is not busy working, he enjoys golfing, deer hunting, and most of all being at the lake with family and friends. Congratulations to Mel on this well-deserved honor.

Other leadership awards handed out at the 2024 Star Awards Banquet including:

Shawn Meyer from Mackay Mitchell received the Creative Professional of the Year award

Auggie McKibben from RR Donnelly received the Customer Service Rep of the Year award

Fung Sang Lee from RR Donnelly received the Financial Professional of the Year award

Elena Taylor from Nahan received the Human Resource Professional of the Year award

Emily Shultz from The John Roberts Company received the Manager of the Year award

Avery Rueckhiem from ENPOINTE received the Production Professional of the Year award

Alex Negrete from IWCO received the Sales & Marketing Professional of the Year award

Japs Olson CVS Team received the Team of the Year award

Meg Garcia from AWT Labels & Packaging received the Young Professionals of the Year award

To view a list of all the winning professionals of the year, visit www.pimw.org/pim-awards/. 

The announcement of the top Midwest printed projects for 2024 including:

Best of Show was awarded to the “Play” produced by Bolger

Best of Show Runner Up was “Parks of Minneapolis Print” produced by Studio on Fire

Best of Show Honorable Mention went to “David Yurman” produced by Bolger

People’s Choice winner went to “You Dream It Up” produced by Wallace Carlson Printing

To view a list of all the winning organizations, visit www.pimw.org/2024-star-award-winners/. 

Congratulations to all the organizations who nominated their team members and the organizations who submitted their printed projects. Every year the Star Awards continues to showcase our members astonishing capabilities and accomplished employees. To learn more about PIM’s Star Awards, visit www.pimw.org/star-awards/.  

PIM organization were recognized for their efforts in PIM’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Accreditation program. This PIM program was designed to create foundational changes in the recruiting, hiring and training practices of our industry. PIM has metrics and a process for accreditation that will help organizations continue to uphold and enforce a more diverse and inclusive environment. This program has four-star levels – Commitment, Aim, Momentum & Excellence – each organization must reach to achieve accreditation. There are currently nine organizations enrolled in this program. Two of these organizations have achieved accreditation and received their stars at the banquet including:

The John Roberts Company earned Star Three – Momentum

Nahan earned Star Two – Aim

To learn more about PIM’s Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Accreditation program, visit www.pimw.org/diversity/. 

Another PIM program recognized at the banquet was PIM’s Great Green Printer program. This program has existed since the late 1990’s and has twenty-eight organizations enrolled in the program. To be part of this program, the organizations must commit to complying with safety and environmental regulations and working on initiatives that go beyond compliance with those regulations. That is, projects that are not required by law and provide a benefit for the environment and safety of their employees. These organizations must also allow an outside auditor, like PIM, to verify participation in this program. To learn more about PIM’s Great Green Printer program, visit www.pimw.org/great-green-printer/. 

PIM would like to express gratitude to the following sponsors who will help make the Star Awards a successful celebration: Lindenmeyr Munroe the 2024 Signature Star Awards Sponsor, Midland Paper (Beverage Sponsor), FUJIFILM (Appetizer Sponsor), Bremer Bank (People’s Choice Award Sponsor), CGS ORIS I AMERICAS (Centerpiece & Décor Sponsor), Federated Insurance (Program Sponsor), EO Johnson (Creative Professional of the Year Award Sponsor), Case Paper (Customer Service Representative of the Year Award Sponsor), Littler Law, (Human Resource Professional of the Year Award Sponsor), Anchor Paper (Team of the Year Award Sponsor), Heidelberg USA (Production Professional of the Year Award Sponsor), Canon Solutions America (Young Professional of the Year Award Sponsor), LB Carlson (Financial Executive of the Year Award Sponsor), Gravie (Manager of the Year Award Sponsor), Kodak (Sales & Marketing Professional of the Year Award Sponsor), Landa (Support Sponsor), Xeikon (Support Sponsor), CARDSource (Name Badge Printer) Daily Printing, Inc. (Printer of Certificates & Invitations) and EO Johnson (Printer for Banquet Event Materials).