May 6, 2003 - WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Printing Industries Association serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO) is proud to honor the three winners in this year’s Skills OHIO-VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) competition, held April 26th in Columbus. Skills OHIO-VICA is a student organization of vocational students in almost every area of vocational education including graphic communications. These groups meet regularly to learn about career opportunities and skills. They learn about their specific skill area and also about general workplace skills. “We are proud to help honor some of the printing industry’s brightest up-and-coming stars with scholarship dollars,” said Anita Herington, PIANKO’s president. “They are the future of this industry and judging by their skills, we’re in good hands.” There are six regions in Ohio and each has its own skill competition. Multiple winners from those regions then compete at the state level each year. The winner of the state competition is then invited to the national Skills USA-VICA competition which will be held in Kansas in June. Following a full morning of competition in general graphic communications knowledge, film identification and assembly, press operation and desktop design, a winner was determined. Ryan Turnmire, senior at Ohio Hi-Point, Bellefontaine, took first place and the gold award. Janice Mszanski, a junior at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield took second place and the silver medal. Ashley Cooper, a junior at Scioto County Joint Vocational School in Lucasville took third place and the bronze medal. Turnmire will receive a $1,000 scholarship and Mszanski will receive a $500 scholarship from the Printing Industries Education funds, Inc.(PIEF). A $250 scholarship is awared to Cooper. PIEF is the scholarship foundation established by PIANKO. Turnmire will go on to compete in the Skills USA National Graphic Communications Competition, held in Kansas City in June. Funds for these scholarships come from proceeds from PIANKO’s Printing Excellence Awards. The competition in graphic communications this year was spearheaded by Terry Remaly of Hopkins Printing. Sponsors for this year’s competition were Agfa; Apple Computers, Inc.; Columbus Craftsmen Club; Flink Ink; Heidelberg USA, Inc.; Hopkins Printing; Hurst Printing Inks, Inc.; Kennedy Ink; Kohl & Madden Printing Ink Co.; MB Graphics; The Murphy Company; The Printing Industries Association, Inc., serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO), and xpedx.