A Short History of the APALA Achievement Awards
Joel Harvey, of Y&R Los Angeles, and Stan Pinover founded the APALA Achievement Awards in 1978. The award was first called the Len S. Pinover Memorial Award, named after a pioneer in the print industry, and established as an annual award given to one outstanding Print Production Manager in Los Angeles.
Len S. Pinover opened the Intaglio Services Company, a photoengraving firm in New York City in 1936. “Intaglio” is the term for a print technique using relief printing plates, a process also commonly referred to as “gravure.” Members of his profession nicknamed him “Mr. Gravure” after he founded the Gravure Research Institute and Gravure Technical Association. Len S. Pinover passed away the year the award was created. Stan Pinover took over the company from his father. Each year until the late 1980s, Stan Pinover would fly in from New York to be the keynote speaker and present the award to the recipient. In 1992, the award for Traffic Manager was added.
Today, the annual awards are known simply as the APALA Achievement Awards. Each year, in June, nominees and recipients for five awards are presented at the APALA Achievement Awards banquet, the final event of the organization’s program year.
Selections Criteria
A Call for Nominations is sent to all APALA members, and nominations are requested by a due date. The selection process for nominees and award winners follows the following requirements.
The Production Achievement Award
The APALA will continue its 29-year tradition by recognizing Print Production Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience, who excels in technical skills, and professionalism. As a master executor, negotiator and problem-solver, this outstanding Print Production Manager takes creative ideas and transforms them into reality.
The Traffic Achievement Award
In 1992, the APALA presented the first Traffic Achievement Award acknowledging the exceptional role of a Traffic Manager. With excellent communication skills and an ability to motivate and manage multiple complex schedules, they are a guiding force in our industry. Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years of experience in Traffic or Project Management.
The Industry Spirit Award
This award celebrates the recipient’s efforts to promote the role of the Production Manager in the Los Angeles graphic arts industry. Their dedication goes beyond normal job descriptions or expectations. It is through their admirable contributions that they raise awareness and respect for print production and traffic while also setting high standards for our future.
The Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors the exceptional contributions of an individual who has helped shape our industry over their professional life. With this award, we acknowledge their remarkable achievements. Lifelong slackers need not apply!
The President’s Award
This award pays homage to an individual, selected by the APALA president, who has made a meaningful contribution to the APALA. This recipient has dedicated time and energy to make the APALA a respected organization in the Los Angeles graphic arts industry.
Who Can Be Nominated?
Nominees for the 2012 APALA Production Achievement Award and The 2012 Traffic Achievement Award must be holding the position or acting in the role of Print Production Manager or Print Traffic Manager and currently working in the Los Angeles County graphic arts community. The production nominees must be members of the APALA, however, traffic nominees do not need to meet this requirement.
Nominees receive a letter notifying them of their nomination. With their acceptance, they submit three professional references. The nominee and the references answer confidential, anonymous questionnaires. These will be reviewed and scored by the judging committee, consisting of past award winners and selected members of APALA. Judges of the Print Production and Traffic awards will score the questionnaires on a point system. Final tabulations will be made under the sole supervision of the APALA executive office. All entrants will remain anonymous to the judges. The questions asked and the names of the finalists will be published to the APALA membership.
Nominees for the 2012 Industry Spirit Award must be active members of the Los Angeles County graphic arts community, and active members of the APALA. They do not need to be a production or traffic manager.
The 2012 APALA Lifetime Achievement Award nominee must have at least 20 years of experience working in the Los Angeles County graphic arts community. They do not need to be a current member of the APALA.
Entrants with the highest scores will sent a second round of questionnaires. A second round of judges (independent from the first round) will score and submit their results to the APALA office. Finally, the APALA accounting firm tallies up all scores from both rounds and holds the recipient’s name with the highest cumulative score in each category until the announcement is made the evening of the awards presentation.
If you are interested in submitting a nomination, please submit nominations for the Industry Spirit and/or Lifetime Achievement Award with your brief statement (250 words or less) describing the outstanding contributions you feel they have made to our industry. The nominations will be reviewed and the current APALA Board of Directors will select the recipients.
Please submit your award nominations by the April 20, via e-mail, with the Heading “APALA Award Nomination,” and include your nominee, nominee’s contact information, and your statement.
*This year’s awards will be held sometime in May, 2012.