Smyrna, GA – One of the industry’s most well-respected figures was honored in his home state of Georgia for a lifetime of commitment and service to the printing and graphic communications community. Ira Jackson, Jr., President of Perfect Image in Marietta, received the 2024 Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG) Benjamin Franklin Award during the association’s annual imPRESS Celebration of Print awards banquet on August 8 in Atlanta.

Among the attendees who gave Mr. Jackson a standing ovation were a number of his family members, employees and customers.

From the podium, Mr. Jackson delivered an inspiring speech. He thanked the Georgia print community and PIAG for the honor and offered some poignant advice for attendees.

“I have three rules that help guide me as I navigate life,” Mr. Jackson said. “Number one: always take the opportunity to celebrate family. Number two: hard work will lead you to your passion. And finally, the greater good, is good.”

The Benjamin Franklin Award was presented to Mr. Jackson by past winner Kent Tucker with Tucker Castleberry who summarized Mr. Jackson’s career and the steps he took to build Perfect Image into a successful business.

“Ira’s ability to navigate challenges, embrace innovation, and foster a culture of inclusivity and collaboration has set a remarkable standard for the industry,” Mr. Tucker said. “He is known for his creativity and is a deep thinker with a unique perspective on just about everything.”

Mr. Jackson purchased Perfect Image in 1991 after graduating from Rhodes College. Shortly after he took the helm, Perfect Image adopted a systemwide ISO-formatted quality control work process. It was one of the first printers in Georgia to reconfigure their operations to a hybrid manufacturing platform offering variable digital printing in addition to offset. More recently, Mr. Jackson made substantial investments in the company’s infrastructure, deploying new workflow automation software, launching a secure prepress web portal for clients and adding UV LED and wide format printing capabilities, all while achieving the G7 Master Facility Qualified certification.

Perfect Image has been recognized as Supplier of the Year by the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council and as Regional Supplier of the Year by the National Council. The company was inducted into the Atlanta Business League’s Hall of Fame, and Mr. Jackson was an honoree of the League’s Influential Black Men in Metro Atlanta. Perfect Image was named as a Top 25 Small Business of the Year by the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce over the past two years and recognized as the Chamber’s Minority-Owned Business of the Year for 2024.

Mr. Jackson is also involved in many civic and community organizations.

Additional information may be found at www.piag.org.