May 16, 2014

Greeting Card Association Announces Sponsors of 26th Annual LOUIE Awards

Winners of the Greeting Card Association’s 26th Annual LOUIE Awards competition will be announced at an elegant gala on Sunday, May 18, at Espace in New York City. This important industry event – considered the “Oscars” of the Greeting Card Association – would not be possible without the generous support of its many sponsors and supporters.

The GCA also extends its gratitude to Universal Presentation Concepts (UPC) for the generous contribution of the outstanding LOUIE Awards Exhibit and GCA Lounge at the signature mix™ marketplace tradeshow – which includes the National Stationery Show® – taking place May 18-21, at the Javits Center in NYC.

Special thanks go to the 26th Annual LOUIE Award sponsors: Platinum Sponsors – American Greetings; Hallmark. Gold Sponsors – Designer Greetings, Inc.; Infinity Foils, Inc.; Jast Company; National Stationery Show®/Emerald Expositions; Universal Engraving, Inc. Silver Sponsors – Avanti Press, Inc.; Neenah Paper. Category Champion – Bobst North America, Inc.; The Madison Park Group.

Additional credit goes to the following individuals and companies who supplied materials and/or services for the production of the 26th Annual LOUIE Awards call for entries, invitation, place cards, program and/or décor: BrightMARKS, LLC; Susan Baldaserini, Ever Upward Studio; Cambria Evans; Exclusive Bordering; Fine Impressions; J.S. McCarthy Printers; Infinity Foils, Inc.; Neenah Paper; Smudge Design Co.; The Social Type; Universal Engraving, Inc.; and Universal Presentation Concepts (UPC).

“The GCA is so grateful to everyone who has helped contribute to making this year’s LOUIE Awards program a tremendous success,” states 26th Annual LOUIE Awards Chair Cambria Evans, creative director/founder of J.Bartyn Design. “We are fortunate to garner support from both members and nonmembers of the Association in order to recognize the outstanding creativity within the greeting card industry.” This year’s LOUIE theme, “Eye Candy: The Best Cards of the Year,” was designed by Evans and overseen by LOUIE Strategic Chair Katy Greenspan, director of the artist community at Minted.

About the LOUIE Awards

Launched by the Greeting Card Association in 1988, the prestigious LOUIE Awards recognize the most outstanding greeting cards, invitations, and announcements marketed in the U.S. during the previous calendar year. Named after Louis Prang – the German-born Boston lithographer credited with the birth of the U.S. Christmas card in the 1870s – the competition is open to all domestic and foreign publishers of greeting cards, invitations, and/or announcements, and attracts hundreds of entries annually. Additional information is available at www.greetingcard.org.

About the Greeting Card Association

The Greeting Card Association, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the U.S. trade association serving the greeting card and social expression industry. Founded in 1941, the GCA today represents nearly 200 American and international publishers from diverse businesses – ranging from young start-ups to established companies of all sizes, scopes, and years in the industry – as well as suppliers that provide production services and product distribution at the wholesale level. Managed by Bostrom, the GCA is committed to celebrating, promoting, and preserving the tradition of sending greeting cards. For more information, visitwww.greetingcard.org.