Orlando -- The Printing Association of Florida (PAF) proudly announces the recipients of the 2010 Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) Award recipients.
 
Mr. John R. Berthelsen, President and CEO, Suttle-Straus; and Carlos Hernan Aguirre Vargas, Director and General Manager, Quebecor World Chile S.A.; will receive PAF's prestigious GALA Award during the annual reception held in conjunction with the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference, being held in Miami Beach, Fla. February 25-27, 2010.
 
Berthelsen and Hernan Aguirre Vargas will receive the award before an international audience of graphic arts industry leaders and guests at the annual awards banquet and reception.
 
Established in 1982, the GALA Award is one of the printing industry's most prestigious recognitions awarded to outstanding industry professionals each year. GALA recipients are nominated by PIA affiliates and CONLATINGRAF (Confederación Latinoamericana de la Industria Gráfica) members and are 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 inauguration 27 years ago, the GALA Award symbolizes not only industry excellence but also the linking of the Americas and two major industry associations.
 
John R. Berthelsen - North American Graphic Leader 2010

John R. Berthelsen is the President and CEO of Suttle-Straus. During his tenure, the company has been recognized six times by American Printer magazine in its annual listing of the "Top 50 Fastest Growing" printers in the U.S. Also, Suttle-Straus has been recognized for nine consecutive years (2000-2008) as one of the Master Printers of America "Best Workplace" companies, signifying superior employee relations.

Suttle-Straus was also recognized as one of the outstanding printing operations in North America by the National Association of Printers and Lithographers (NAPL). Since 1982, it has received three gold awards and one silver award in the NAPL Management Plus program. In 1990, the organization was the sixth printer to be inducted into the NAPL Printing Hall of Fame.

Berthelsen completed the NAPL Executive Certification program in 1993. After studying each of the four disciplines in NAPL's  Management Institute program, he became one of only a handful of Certified Graphic Arts Executives (CGAE) in the nation.

Berthelsen previously served a two-year term as an appointee of the governor on the Wisconsin State Council on Printing. In 1990, he was inducted into the printing industry's prestigious Soderstrom Society.

Berthelsen was a founding director and served as president of the Graphic Arts Alliance from 2002-2006. In 2005, he was inducted into the Ben Franklin Society, an honorary group for leaders in the graphics industry.

In 1998, he received a very prestigious recognition amongst his peers and was inducted into the Printing Industry Hall of Fame. This honor recognized his achievements in building his company, and his service to the industry and its organizations. In 2006, he was named the NAPL/PIA/GATF Sheetfed Executive of the Year, honoring his leadership and many contributions to the industry.

Carlos Hernan Aguirre Vargas - Latin American Graphic Leader 2010

PAF and CONLATINGRAF selected Carlos Hernan Aguirre Vargas as the Latin American Graphic Leader 2010 due to his exceptional humanitarian qualities, business acumen and wide-ranging printing association activities in Chile and in Latin America. He was born in Chile and, after receiving an education in Business Administration, continued his advanced studies at the Industrial University in Barcelona, Spain.
 
Vargas started his business career in the family-owned publishing house, Editorial Antartida, which later entered into a partnership with Quebecor World Chile S.A. He is today the company's director and general manager. He is also a partner in Librerias Antartida, the most important chain of libraries in the country.
 
Dedication to association activities has been a central point of Vargas' business career, and he has consistently pushed projects and initiatives for the development of the local graphic industries as well as promoted CONLATINGRAF as a benefit to the different segments of the graphic companies of his country.
 
Within the association, he has spearheaded the Graphic Industries Dual Education School in the Center for Technical Education; and served as director of the Institute of Graphic Studies, one of the principal graphic arts education entities in Latin America (Instituto de Estudios Graficos).                          
 
Vargas is currently the president of ASIMPRES, the Association of Graphic Industrialists of Chile. Since 2005, he has been an adviser to the development society of Manufacturers SFF, the Federation of Associations of Chilean industries. He is also a member of the advisory board in the Latin American Confederation of Graphic Industries, CONLATINGRAF, as well as a member of the educational executive committee for CEAGA. He also serves as Director of the Instituto de Estudios Graficos.                                          
 
GOA 2010
GOA 2010 is scheduled for February 25-27, 2010 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. To register or for more information, visit: www.graphicsoftheamericas.com.