New York, NY and Alexandria, VA - Printing Industries Alliance and IDEAlliance have selected Linda Fairstein, best-selling author and legal expert, as the recipient of the 2014 Franklin Award for Distinguished Service—the highest honor given an individual by the graphic communications community.  The coveted award, which has been bestowed for more than 60 years upon U.S. Presidents, diplomats, military leaders, and other renowned titans of industry and the arts for their outstanding contributions to society, will be presented to  Ms. Fairstein at the newly-combined Franklin Luminaire Event on Sept. 17 (5:30-10:00) at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.

Ms. Fairstein served as Manhattan’s Assistant District Attorney beginning in 1972 and was promoted to Chief of its Sex Crime Unit in 1976. During her illustrious 20-year tenure, she supervised the prosecution of several controversial and high-profile cases and has remained as one the nation’s most foremost legal experts and advocates on domestic violence crimes committed against women and children. She has not only received numerous awards from a variety of different  organizations for her pioneering work with victims of sexual violence,  but is a well-known and popular international best-selling author of 16 novels featuring fictional Manhattan prosecutor Alexander Cooper. Her latest book, Terminal City, debuts on June 14.

“We are delighted to salute Ms. Fairstein with this prestigious honor and to join forces with IDEAlliance in celebrating her achievements in front of more than 400 prominent CEOS and senior executives from the printing, publishing, digital, advertising and graphic communications community” said Event Co-Chair Adam Avrick, President, Design Distributors, Inc. and Printing Industries Alliance Board Member.  “The exciting evening carries on a long-standing tradition of offering close networking opportunities with new and potential clients, building professional relationships , and most importantly, investing in the education of our future workforce.”

Event Co-Chair Laura Reid, Vice President of Production, Hearst Magazines and Board Chair of IDEAlliance agreed. “Our Committee members are working diligently to make the program a spectacular gala which no one will want to miss.  This is now the most prestigious awards program in what is arguably the most important visual communications market in the world. We will also salute, as IDEAlliance has for the past 25 years, five outstanding individuals with Best of Communications Awards in recognition of their creative excellence and personal dedication as media production leaders.”   

The 2014 Luminaire Award Honorees are Elaine Barker, Director of Operations, JWT NY; Bonnie Blake, Clinical Assistant Professor, New York University; Gena Kelly, Vice President of Manufacturing, Conde Nast; Benjamin Palmer, Co-Founder and Chairman, The Barbarian Group; and John Puterbaugh, EVP and Chief Digital Officer, Nellymoser, a division of Brown Printing.

Diane Romano, President & COO, HudsonYards & Caps Visual Communications, active for many years in both awards programs, will serve as Chair Emeritus of the Franklin Luminaire Awards.  A fundraiser for students in graphic communications, proceeds from the program support the next generation of media professionals, offering student scholarships through the Graphic Communications Scholarship Foundation (GCFC).  

The deadline for discounted early bird sponsorships has been extended to July 1, 2014.  All sponsorships must be submitted by August 15 to ensure placement of program ads, venue signage and reserved table assignments.  Individual ticket seats are available until Sept. 15. 

Current Platinum sponsors include Brown Printing, Condé Nast Publications, Continental Web Press, Hearst Magazines, HudsonYards, Quad Graphics, RR Donnelley, and Xerox Corporation.  Gold sponsors are Blanchard Systems, Inc./Dalim Software, Coloredge, Design Distributors, Publishers Press, Inc. and Reliable Paper Recycling. 

To become a sponsor or register, visit http://www.PIAlliance.org/franklin-luminaire-event.html, download the registration form, or call Vicki Keenan, [email protected], (908) 298-7711 or Georgia Volakis, [email protected], (703-837-1075) for information.