08/28/2025
Honoring Excellence
On Thursday, August 21, members of the print community came together at The Revery in Columbus for an evening dedicated to connection, recognition and inspiration. The 2025 PEA Grand Ceremony was not only a showcase of outstanding achievements but also a celebration of the people who make our industry thrive.
Throughout the evening, the glass atrium buzzed with conversation as members shared stories, exchanged ideas and built meaningful connections. The event highlighted the strength of our community—how collaboration, innovation and mutual support continue to move the print industry forward.
The highlight of the night was the awards presentation, where we honored member companies for their excellence and commitment to their craft. Each round of applause underscored the pride we share in seeing peers and colleagues recognized for their work.
Equally exciting was the presence of students in attendance. Having future industry professionals join the celebration added a fresh energy to the evening and served as a reminder of the importance of mentoring and engaging the next generation. Their participation enriched the night and highlighted the bright future ahead for our field.
This year’s Grand Ceremony was more than a recognition of achievement—it was a reflection of the connections that unite us and the collective passion that continues to define the print community.
Make sure to start setting aside your entries for the 2026 Print Excellence Awards contest, which officially kicks off on September 1!
Congratulations to our 22 members who won the 35 Best of Category Awards! They include: Admiral Products, Americhip, Arnold, Baesman Group, BRD Printing, Inc., Carta Finishing, Freeport Press Inc., Graphic Village, HKM Direct Market Communications, Inc., Hopkins Printing, HOT Graphics, Inkline Printing, INNOMARK Communications, Kenwel Printers, Model Graphics & Media Inc., Mount Carmel Printing Services, Olberding Brand Family, Oliver Inc., Paragraphics, RPI, Think Patented and West-Camp Press, Inc.
In the Student Design category, we built on the precedent set last year by expanding it into 13 sub-categories that mirror those of the main contest. Congratulations to: Students of Bowling Green State University, Brighton High School, Delaware Area Career Center, Eastland Career Center, Ferris State University, Fort Hayes Career Center, Greene County Career Center, Marietta College and Upper Valley Career Center.
We were honored to welcome back two distinguished judges for this year’s competition: Jeff Ekstein, owner of Willow Printing in Toronto, Canada, and Michael Klyn, retired VP of Sales at Peake DeLancey Printers in Hyattsville, Maryland. Jeff has been judging national awards for more than 15 years and has served as a PEA judge for the past six, while Michael brings over 35 years of judging experience, beginning his printing career in Ohio at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Both remain highly active in the Americas Printing Association Network and bring unmatched expertise in evaluating print excellence nationwide. Their precision and dedication ensured a rigorous judging process, made even more challenging by the overwhelming response and the exceptional caliber of submissions this year.
Jeff and Michael were asked to choose their personal favorite pieces from the Gold Award winners. Jeff Ekstein chose as his personal favorite Dekker Bookbinding’s entry for the Insano (Nitro Mega) Album Book. Michael Klyn selected Carta Finishing’s entry titled When the Buffalo Return as his favorite.
The Rising Star award is given to a new participant in the Print Excellence Awards. Excelling in their first competition is a special achievement, especially this year, since we had many new participants and the Rising Star was extremely competitive. The winner of the 2025 Rising Star Award is Paragraphics for their entry Migra Custom Turkey Ammunition in the category of Packaging.
The People's Choice Award is the only award presented that was not decided on by our judges. Attendees of the Grand Ceremony voted to name WestCamp and their Blakely Garage Mural as this year's recipient.
The Best of Show Awards honor printed pieces that have worked their way to the top of a rigorous competition. These awards are selected from the winners of the Best of Category Awards and the Best of Region awards that are chosen during the Print Week celebrations at the beginning of the year. Best of Show Awards are presented in four divisions, based on number of employees.
The Best of Show winner in the 20 employees or fewer division, is Kenwel Printers for their CA Ready to Thrive catalog.
The Best of Show winner in the 21 to 50 employees division is Arnold who won for their U.C. Co-Op Pocket Folder entry.
The Best of Show winner in the 51 to 100 employees division is Oliver, Inc. for their House of Rohl booklet.
The Best of Show winner in the 101 and above employees division for goes to Graphic Village for their Stories of World Impact piece.
Congratulations to all of our winners!
This year’s Grand Ceremony would not have been possible without the incredible support of our sponsors and the tireless efforts of our volunteers. Their contributions helped create an evening that truly celebrated the best of our industry. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and proud to have them as such an integral part of this memorable event!