PEWAUKEE, WI - The Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA) held its annual Graphics Excellence Awards (GEA) Celebrations on May 24, 2017. The Celebrations are the culmination of the annual GEA competition, which recognizes companies throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin for superb craftsmanship in the design, creation and production of outstanding printed projects they produce for their customers.

Best of Show, the competition’s highest honor, was awarded to The Fox Company of West Allis, Wisconsin, for their Business and Annual Report entitled Artisan Partners Consistent Approach. One judge said, “It is the most powerfully printed piece in the show, blending soft pastels with metallic type and adding distinctive photos in silvers and golds.”

First Runner-Up was awarded to Dreamworks Graphic Communications of Glenview, Illinois, for their 2017 Calendar entered in the Print/Graphics Art Self Promotion category.  The Product Catalog Hueforia – Color That Moves You won Second Runner-Up accolades for Supreme Graphics of Arcadia, Wisconsin. 

Best of Illinois went to LCP, Waukegan, Illinois with a Booklet entitled National Office Furniture – Buenos Aires Argentina; Best of Indiana featured Fulfilling the Promise – Indiana University Brand Guide by Miles Printing of Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Internal Communications Pieces category; and Quad/Graphics, Sussex, Wisconsin, took Best of Wisconsin honors with their Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baileys Out of this World Service Catalog. 

Imperial Communications, New Berlin, Wisconsin, won the hotly contested People’s Choice Award featuring Sephora Holiday Wraps in the Promotional Campaign, Consumers category.  Celebration attendees vote for the winner of the popular People’s Choice Award.  

The GEA competition was judged over two days with a panel of outside graphics experts who brought more than 60 years of collective print, finishing and converting experience to their evaluation of the contenders. There was a wide range of excellent entries from booklets, reports and calendars; to boxes, labels and tags; and wide format and sculptural 3D pieces such as a mannequin made out of corrugated paper.

Joseph Lyman, president of GLGA, is extremely proud of the quality of work submitted in the 2017 GEA competition and the results it produced. “As one of the largest regional graphic competitions in North America with more than 800 submissions representing 69 companies, the GEAs are one of most recognized programs GLGA manages throughout the year,” Lyman said. 

This year, nearly 80 percent of companies submitting projects won either a Gutenberg (Best of Category) or a Best of Division award. “This demonstrates just how outstanding the quality of work produced in our region is and the high level of parity there is among printers, finishers and converters located throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin,” Lyman said. “We are extremely proud to represent such outstanding print organizations.”

For more information on any of these awards, visit www.glga.info or contact Debra Warner toll-free at (855) 522-2210.