2012 winners are Susan Kinney, President, Castle Press; and Gabriel Comelli Berruti, Impresora Policolor, Uruguay   

Orlando, FL – The Printing Association of Florida (PAF) proudly announces this year's recipients of the 2012 Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) Award.  This is the GALA's twenty-ninth year.  
 
Susan Kinney and Gabriel Comelli Berruti will each receive PAF's prestigious GALA Award during the annual reception and banquet held in conjunction with the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference being held in Miami Beach, Florida, on March 1-3, 2012.
 
Both Kinney and Comelli Berruti will accept their awards before an international audience of graphic arts industry leaders and guests at the annual GALA Awards reception and banquet being held at 7:00 p.m. on March 1, 2012, in the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island.

Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA)
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 Printing Industries of America 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, the GALA Award symbolizes not only industry excellence but also the linking of the Americas and two major industry associations.

Susan Kinney, President, The Castle Press – North American Graphic Leader 2012
Susan Kinney is owner and president of The Castle Press, a medium-sized commercial printer in Pasadena, CA.  

Founded in 1931 as a printer of fine limited-edition books, Castle Press has, under Kinney's leadership, grown into a commercial printing company widely recognized for the meticulous attention it devotes to the quality of its products and for the flexibility and speed of the leading-edge technologies it employs. Kinney purchased the company in 1979 and, since the acquisition, sales have grown from $200,000 to over $6M.

Today, Castle Press offers variable-copy digital and sheet-fed lithographic printing plus complete in-house mailing services, including database management and ink-jet, addressing the needs of a diverse range of organizations in many industries.  

In her lengthy career, Kinney has dedicated years of service to the American printing industry. She currently serves on the following committees and boards: PIA Southern California Board of Directors since 1984-Past President; PIA Southern California Education Committee Chair; PIASC Nominating Committee; PIA/GATF Education Committee; PIA/GATF Research Committee; and the GUA Board Member since 2006-Kodak Users Group.

In past years she has served the Xeikon User Group as President, National Council for Skill Standards in Graphic Communications as Past Chair, R & E Council Executive Committee, GATF Board of Directors, GATF Education Committee, GATF Marketing Committee Chair, PIASC Production Conference Chair, PIASC Sales Conference Chair, and the PIASC Management Conference Chair.

Kinney is the only woman in the United States to be inducted into all three printing industry honor Societies: Ash Khan (PIA), Society of Fellows (GATF), Soderstrom Society (NAPL). She has also received numerous additional awards including: Pasadena Women Achievers-Business Life – 2006; CITEA Industry Person of the Year – 2005; Women in Business Award Carol Liu & Jack Scott – 2005; Print On Demand Pioneer Award – 2000; GATF Leadership Award for National Skill Standards -1995; PIASC Pioneer of the Year – 1993; GATF Award of Excellence - 1992; GATF Naomi Berber Award 1992; PIASC Industry Award - 1991; award from California Department of Education for Graphic Arts Academy – 1991; PIA Southern California Executive of the Year; and winner of the Ben Franklin Award - 1990.

Kinney has written numerous articles on education issues for trade publications, and has been a sought-after speaker on issues ranging from education to variable data and digital printing. Industry venues and events in which she has participated include: PIASC Sales Club; Research and Engineering Conferences; International Association of Business Communicators; Spectrum; Non-Heatset Web Conference; ADA; On Demand; VuePoint; Seybold; UCLA Strategic Sourcing; Xplor; Tech Alert; Variables; PrintFest; PODI; and the NAPL Top Management Conference.

Gabriel Comelli Berruti, Impresora Policolor – Latin American Graphic Leader 2012
The Latin American Confederation of the Printing Industries, CONLATINGRAF, has selected Gabriel Comelli Berruti as the 2012 Latin American Graphic Leader. Comelli Berruti is the owner and director of Impresora Policolor, a printing company located in the center of Montevideo, Republic Of Uruguay. The firm specializes in producing and distributing calendars nationwide.

Comelli Berruti began his career in 1980, in his future father in-law's business, where he honed his skills until 1993. When the company was sold, he became printing area manager at Impresos S.A., a prestigious graphic firm. In 1995, he established his own company that developed into a well-known entity, not only in the capital, but also throughout Uruguay.

Comelli Berruti has an extensive association history. He has attended courses and seminars organized by the Association of Uruguayan Printers (today the Graphic Industrialists Association), and has held the directorship of CENGRAF, the association's graphic training center.

He became a collaborating member in the Uruguayan Printing Association and held several positions within the association including president, vice president, and representative to CONLATINGRAF.

In his long and distinguished career as a representative to the Federation, Comelli Berruti was honored in 1998 as a Member of the Advisory Board of the organization, a distinction that is granted only to past presidents and those who have excelled in their participation at national and regional levels. Currently, he serves as Treasurer in the CIFAG (Latin American Corporation for Education in the Printing Industry) institution, directly related to CONLATINGRAF. His professional training includes participation in courses by AIU/AIGU, Training for Teachers in Bogotá by CIFAG/GTZ, courses in Germany on the implementation of Dual Education by GTZ, and Training for Entrepreneurs on Negotiations, by EMPRETEC/BID.

Graphics of the Americas 2012
Graphics of the Americas 2012 is scheduled for March 1-3, 2012 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. To register or for more information, please visit: www.goa2012.com.