Pewaukee, Wis. – The Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA) held its annual Graphics Excellence Awards (GEA) Celebrations on May 23, 2018.

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. More than 300 people gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Addison, Illinois, on May 23 for two simultaneous awards ceremonies to celebrate another spectacular year of print in the three-state region.

Best of Show, the competition’s highest honor, was awarded to HM Graphics of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for their Product Catalog (4 or more colors) entitled Kohler Trends II. One judge said, “Design and printing collided and created this spectacular Best in Show. It is truly a celebration of layers of color.”

First Runner-Up was awarded to The Fox Company of West Allis, Wisconsin, for At the Threshold-The Campaign for Asheville School in the Booklets (4 or more colors) category. From the Brochures and Broadsides category, the Whirlpool Corporation GEBL Brochure won Second Runner-Up accolades for Mossberg and Company of South Bend, Indiana.

Best of Illinois went to Cardinal Color Group, Itasca, Illinois with a Brochure entitled W-Love Wins; Best of Indiana featured the OneAmerica Leaders’ Conference Brochure by Miles Printing of Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Programs (4 or more colors) category; and HM Graphics, took Best of Wisconsin honors with their John Deere Customer Appreciation Brochure and Envelope in the Diecuts, Pop-ups, Unique Folds and Involvement Devices category.

A new award, Best of Packaging, was presented to HM Graphics for their Zurn Sundara Handwashing System piece in the Cartons and Containers category.

Also new this year, the People's Choice honors were awarded in each location. Each winner was selected by a vote of the attendees at their respective Celebrations. The Milwaukee attendees selected Philipp Lithography, Grafton, Wisconsin, for their three-foot-tall Kellogg’s Froot Loops Box in the Large Format Printing category. The Addison attendees chose McGrath Printing l Custom Apparel, Crystal Lake, Illinois, for their Follow the Action Outdoors Premium Gift Set in the Special Innovation Awards – Printing category.

The GEA competition was judged over two days in March by a panel of outside graphics experts, who brought almost 100 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 70-percent life-size replica DeLorean automobile and a working robot slot machine.

Joseph Lyman, president of GLGA, is extremely proud of the quality of work submitted in the 2018 GEA competition and the results it produced. “As one of the largest regional graphic competitions in North America with more than 700 submissions representing 71 companies, the GEAs are one of most recognized programs GLGA manages throughout the year,” Lyman said.

This year, 79 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.

HM Graphics accepts the Best of Show plaque. From left: Stephanie Badzinski, Daniel Soltysiak and Jay Sandstrom of HM Graphics; Best of Show Sponsor Steve Rosenbeck of Press Color; and Angie Qualls and Tom Wasiak of HM Graphics.