Public Printer Tapella Honored at Franklin Event

NEW YORK—More than 500 people packed Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on September 10 to pay tribute to this year’s printing, publishing and advertising luminaries during the annual Franklin Event, hosted by the Printing Industries Alliance (PIA).

PIA/GATF President and CEO Michael Makin presented the new Industry Recognition Award to U.S. Public Printer Robert Tapella (he was not in attendance due to illness). The 2008 Power of Communication Awards were bestowed upon James Hammer, fourth-generation owner of Hammer Packaging (printing); Ken Lantz, senior vice president, director of print creative services, at DRAFTFCB (advertising); and Tom Fox, former vice president, manufacturing and technology, American Express Publishing/Time Inc. (publishing).

The John Peter Zenger Medal winner was Frederick Moss, vice president and a 50-year veteran at Galvanic Printing & Plate Co. and president of Flexi Printing Plate Co. It is given to an industry member who has demonstrated exemplary character in the form of courage, charity, activism, or community or military service.