PEWAUKEE, WI — June 6, 2024 — The Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA) has revealed the first group of top winners of their 2024 Graphics Excellence Awards (GEAs). The announcements were made at their Chicagoland Awards Celebration held on June 6, 2024, at the Stonegate Conference Center in Hoffman Estates, IL.
The Awards 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.
This year there are two award ceremonies on separate nights so that more members throughout GLGA’s three-state region can attend and celebrate another spectacular year of print. A second ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
GLGA president Joe Lyman emceed the ceremony, which also included the presentation of more than 40 plaques to Illinois and Indiana’s Best of Category and Best of Division honorees. The celebration also recognized this year’s Women in Print Excellence recipients and nominees.
Erica DeLaRosa and Dave Biddenstadt of Platinum Converting accept the First Runner-Up award.
First Runner-Up was awarded to Platinum Converting of Bartlett, Illinois, for their 2023 Sappi Holiday Kit in the Promotional Campaigns – Business-to-Business category.
Second Runner-Up honors were presented to Priority Press, Indianapolis, Indiana, for their Draper At Home Window Shades Lookbook in the Product Catalogs (4 or more colors) category.
Best of Illinois went to LCP, Waukegan, Illinois, for their Lake County Press 2024 Calendar in the Calendars category. Best of Indiana featured the RLDatix Five Senses Kit from the Digital Packaging Folded Carton category by Tactive, of Indianapolis, Indiana.
People’s Choice honors are awarded in each location, with each winner selected by a vote of the attendees at their respective Celebrations. The Chicagoland attendees selected Case Paper Company of Chicago, Illinois, and JohnsByrne of Niles, Illinois, for their entry entitled “Between the Sheets: Back to the Future Edition” in the Print/Graphic Arts Self-Promotion category.
Top honors still to be announced are the Best of Wisconsin, Best of Packaging, Wisconsin People’s Choice, and- the competition’s highest honor – Best of Show. These awards will be revealed at the Celebration coming up on Wednesday, June 12 in, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Watch for the news posted live from the event on GLGA’s LinkedIn networking group page and posted on GLGA’s website.
The GEAs 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 including posters and calendars, books and catalogs, labels and tags, wide format, and packaging.
“Print is an essential and exciting industry, with capabilities that continuously evolve to answer today’s communications needs. GLGA is honored to shine a light on the exceptional companies and their skilled staffs who produce such high-quality work,” Lyman said.
For more information, contact Awards Coordinator Debra Warner at (414) 213-8329.
About the Great Lakes Graphics Association:
The Great Lakes Graphics Association is the trade association dedicated to representing the graphic arts industry throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin through education, promotion, and public affairs. It represents approximately 13 percent of the total print market in the United States with its three-state region, accounting for combined annual shipments of nearly $19 billion. Founded in 1886, GLGA celebrated its 135 year anniversary in 2021 and continues to be the oldest print trade association in North America.
