NEW YORK, NEW YORK, March 7, 2006 -- Following three years of consecutive sell-outs for its traditional gala, the Association of Graphic Communications (AGC) is headed once again towards yet another record breaker as its 54th Annual Franklin Event, scheduled for May 23, 2006, approaches. This year’s program will be held from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at New York City’s Pier Sixty. Over 700 senior level executives from the printing, advertising, publishing and graphics community are expected to attend. Forty-one companies have signed up already to sponsor the popular event and additional patrons are anticipated. As of this date, top-level Platinum sponsors include: Agfa Corporation, C&B Consulting Group, CGI North America, Capps Digital, Central Lewmar, Graytor Printing Company, H A Metzger, Hearst Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, International Paper, Kodak, LP Thebault, MAN Roland, Mohawk Paper, NewPage Corporation, Pantone, Inc., Pictorial Offset Corporation, Pitman Company, Ramsey Press, Quebecor World, Sandy Alexander, Sappi, Schawk, SCI Strategic Content Imaging, Superior Printing Ink Company, TanaSeybert, Time, Inc., UNIMAC Graphics, and Xerox Corporation. Gold-level sponsors to date include: American Bindery Depot, Axis Global/Edelman Associates, Citiplate, Dalim Software/Blanchard Systems, Heidelberg USA, Jen Mar Graphics, Lindenmeyr Munroe, Publicis New York, XMPie, and xpedx. Reserved tables of ten are still available at the Platinum level ($6,000) and reserved tables of five at the Gold ($3,000). Individual tickets, with no guaranteed seating, are $350 each. Anne Mulcahy, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Xerox Corporation, will be the recipient of the prestigious Franklin Award. Ms. Mulcahy joins a group of distinguished Americans. Past recipients include Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Margaret Mead, Walter Cronkite, Christine Whitman, Larry King, Henry Luce, Michael Bloomberg and George Pataki, to name but a few. Also being honored with Power of Communications Awards in different categories are: Power of Communications for Printing: George Amann President, UNIMAC Graphics (Carlstadt, NJ) Power of Communications for Advertising: Victor Basile Senior Vice President, Director of Print Graphic Services, Publicis New York (NY) Power of Communications for Publishing: Jerry D’Elia Vice President, Director of Manufacturing & Distribution, Hearst Magazines (New York, NY) A Special AGC Award for Industry Achievement will be given to Harvey Brice, Managing Director, Superior Printing Ink Company (New York, NY). “The Franklin Awards ceremony is the Academy Awards of our $20+billion industry,” noted AGC Chairman Diane Romano (President and Chief Operating Officer, HudsonYards). “Our honorees and attendees comprise a virtual ‘Who’s Who’ within the fields of printing, advertising, publishing, and graphic services. AGC is excited about providing such an intimate networking opportunity for senior graphic professionals to recognize and thank these five multi-talented industry leaders.” Companies or organizations wishing to become a sponsor, or obtain more information, should contact AGC’s Executive Vice President, Vicki Keenan, at 212/279-2100, ext. 108.