TORRANCE, Calif., (September 25, 2003)-The Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF), the non-profit organization dedicated to the document communications industry, announced today the winners of the 2003 Educator of the Year and the Excellence in Education Awards. Presented annually, the Educator of the Year and Excellence in Education Awards address all segments of the document communications industry worldwide. The Educator of the Year Award, sponsored by Pitney Bowes, Inc., honors an academic representative who is dedicated to the advancement of our industry through education. This individual has made outstanding contributions to education efforts, above and beyond their normal course of duties, in the document communications and graphic arts industry. EDSF also named five educational institutions and training organizations as recipients of the 2003 Excellence in Education Awards sponsored by many of the leading corporations in the document communications industry, including: IBM Printing Systems, Heidelberg Digital LLC, Hewlett-Packard Company, Scitex Digital Printing, and Xerox Corporation. The Excellence in Education Awards focuses on academic institutions and independent educational organizations for their pioneering efforts relating to the document communications industry. Recipients address industry issues through original programs, state-of-the art technology, while promoting the industry through their curricula, coursework, and overall efforts. This year, EDSF is honored to recognize Frank Romano, Roger K. Fawcett Distinguished Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York as the 2003 EDSF Educator of the Year. Romano balances his academic responsibilities with education and service to the industry, giving his time selflessly to the industry about which he is so passionate. During his tenure at RIT, Romano developed over 20 new courses, including the first digital printing, electronic publishing and multimedia courses at the university, and has advised nearly 300 undergraduate and graduate students. In his role as Administrative Chair, Romano worked closely with the vendor community to establish and equip RIT's state-of-the-art digital publishing center, known throughout the industry as an exceptional resource and laboratory for digitally produced materials. RIT's School of Print Media, which has been designated as the Sloan Industry Center for Printing, acquired this status largely through Romano's efforts. Romano was inducted into the Digital Printing Hall of Fame in 1999 and received the Graphic Arts Marketing Information Service, PIA, Neil Richards Visionary Award the same year. "It is a tremendous honor to be selected as this year's Education of the Year by the Electronic Document Systems Foundation. Education is its own reward and the EDSF recognition is icing on the cake," said Frank Romano. "A teacher's real award graduates every spring." This year, the following schools received the EDSF Excellence in Education Awards: Innovation in Higher Education: School of Graphic Communications Management, Ryerson Polytechnic University; Innovation in Continuing Education: Digital Imaging Certification Examination, National Council for Skills Standards & Staffing Tools, Inc.; Innovation in Distance Education and Training: DMIA Print University, Document Management Industries Association; Innovation in Professional Growth and Development: Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT); and the Harry V. Quadracci Printing and Publishing Graphic Arts for Innovation in Secondary/Post Secondary Education. "It's critical that we recognize the efforts of our industry educators, individuals, and institutions," said Jeanne Mowlds, EDSF executive director. "Their work not only benefits the industry, but shapes the future of the document communications field as well." The EDSF Education Award recipients will be honored at the EDSF Board of Directors Reception on October 28 during the 2003 Xplor Conference & Exhibits in Atlanta, GA.