April 1, 2002 -- Betty Quadracci has long been a risk-taker and business-minded daredevil. As publisher of Milwaukee Magazine for nearly two decades, she has led the cutting-edge city publication from near demise to the forefront of its genre. In 1985 she founded The Quad/Creative Group, a flourishing graphic design firm. As president, Betty has provided her staff with the tools to develop long-lasting relationships with many of the nation's leading publishers, catalogers, retailers and other businesses. To honor her leadership, innovation and outstanding achievements, New York Women in Production presented Betty with its Luminaire Award at a March 20 awards dinner in New York City, attended by more than 400 people. Leading the Way Betty's leadership at Quad and in the publishing and graphic arts industries is unmistakable. Milwaukee Magazine has been a consistent award winner since Quad/Graphics purchased the financially and journalistically fledgling magazine in 1983. In the 19 years since, it has gone on to win more than 165 awards for editorial and design excellence. "Betty is a fearless publisher with a reputation for boldness. She believes it is good for Milwaukee to have a publication that answers to no one but its readers," said John Fennell, editor of Milwaukee Magazine. "With her encouragement, the magazine takes on a variety of controversial issues and the city is better for it. She is unique in the industry and respected for it." With Betty at the helm, Milwaukee Magazine has distinguished itself from the other 80 U.S. city magazines in its commitment to investigative journalism and its role in affecting change in the city, the state and beyond through in-depth analytical reporting. Similarly, Betty has grown an award-winning firm in Quad/Creative, whose staff of 50 in two cities provides professional design services for business communications (including Web sites), custom publishing and catalogs for an impressive list of national clients. Giving Others Head Starts Betty, a Quad/Graphics co-founder, is just as committed to the advancement of education and the arts. She was one of the first trained Montessori teachers in the country and founded Waukesha (Wis.) Montessori School in 1965. She also helped launch Waukesha's Head Start program in 1968, now the oldest continuously operating Head Start program in the United States. Today she is a trustee of the Milwaukee Art Museum and is active on several local civic and philanthropic boards. In 1998, Betty was the recipient of the Sacajawea Award for her leadership at Milwaukee Magazine and Quad/Creative. The award, which is presented annually by Milwaukee's Professional Dimensions organization for women executives, also noted Betty's advocacy of the First Amendment, early-childhood education and women's issues. "She has forged her own life, her own accomplishments, her own goals," said Sharon Hogue, a Quad/Graphics Customer Service manager who has worked with Betty for many years. "In doing so she has inspired other women to accomplish and succeed."