Miami Beach, Florida– February 14, 2005–The Printing Association of Florida today announced the award recipients from their annual Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) award. Mário César de Camargo, president of the Brazilian Association of the Graphical Industry (Abigraf), and Warren Wilkins, President of Webcom Limited, have been named Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas for South and North America for 2005. Both men received their awards before hundreds of industry leaders and guests at the 22nd annual GALA Award Banquet and Reception, Friday, February 4th in Miami Beach, Florida, during Graphics of the Americas 2005. (Graphics of the Americas is one of the largest annual international printing, converting, and design trade shows in the Americas, with over 450 companies, occupying 1100 booths, filling more than 500,000 square feet and more than 22,000 domestic and international attendees.) Established in 1982, the GALA Award is one of the printing industry’s most prestigious recognitions awarded to two outstanding industry professionals each year. GALA recipients (one each from North America and Latin America) are nominated by PIA affiliates and Conlatingraf members and chosen for their leadership in areas of management, technology, business, and quality, as well as their contributions to the graphic arts industry, their community, and society in general. Since its inaugural 22 years ago, merging with the previous Latin American Leaders “Man of the Year Award” given by the Confederación Latinoamericana de la Industria Gráfica (CONLATINGRAF), the GALA award symbolizes not only industry excellence but also the linking of the Americas and two major industry associations. “The printing industries in North and Latin America have greatly benefited from the influence of both Mário César de Camargo and Warren Wilkins,” said Mike Streibig, president of the Printing Association of Florida. “Their hard work and dedication to their individual companies and the industry at large have earned them these honors.” Camargo joins a distinguished group of industry notables who have earned this coveted honor. Past Latin American GALA recipients include Esteban Ramallo, Puerto Rico (1983), Armando De Armas, Sr., Venezuela (1984), Adolfo Carvajal, Colombia (1985), Armando Birlain, Mexico (1987), Nassin Yahri, El Salvador (1988), Max Heinz Gunther Schrappe, Brazil (1989), Manuel Soberon Salguiero, Mexico (1990), Herman Zupan, Argentina (1991), Francisco Valdevieso, Ecuador (1992), Nestor Mendes, Paraguay (1993), Juan Antonio Alducin Garcia de Presno, Mexico (1994), Luis Vera Giannini, Chile (1995), Dr. Alfred Karl Ploger, Brazil (1996), Alberto Umaña Carrizosa, Columbia (1997) Angel Moreno, Costa Rica (1998) Cesar Gonzalez Samohod, Chile (1999), Antonio Tabanelli, Sr., Argentina (2000), Lourival Dantas Novaes, Brazil (2001), Jose Luis Zamora Contreras, Mexico (2002), Anselmo Morvillo, Argentina (2003) and Ernesto Salviat Wetzig, Chile (2004). Wilkins joins a distinguished group of industry notables who have earned this coveted honor. Past North American GALA recipients include Robert Havrilla (1994), Wallace Stettinius (1995), Roy Winn Luckett (1996), Howard C. “Buzz” Webber, Jr. (1997), Donald Duncanson (1998), Mark G. Jorgensen (1999), Bob Murphy (2000), Joe Arriola (2001), Hans Peetz-Larsen (2002), Ray Roper (2003), and Jerry Williamson (2004). In 1999, former Conlatingraph “Man of the Year” winners from 1983 to 1993 were invited back to Miami Beach to be formally inducted in the Graphics of the Americas Leaders Hall of Fame and have their names inscribed on the Eagle bust that is on display at the PAF headquarters in Orlando.