Topeka, Kansas — The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award – Nelson Stevens. The award honors Stevens for his four decades of leadership in the print finishing industry.
Stevens started his career in the industry in the late 1960s, working with BOBST as a sales manager for 12 years. In the early 1980s, Stevens formed his own company, Independent Machinery, Inc., where he sold used equipment and began refurbishing machinery from BOBST and other manufacturers. Among other successes, in 1991, Stevens signed an agreement with Gietz to bring its line of foil stamping equipment to North America. Through his efforts, 62 Gietz foil stamping machines were placed in North American print finishing companies. Many of these presses were sold for the foil stamping and embossing production of wine and spirit labels, where a foil stamped label became a mark of a premium product.
Stevens was a pioneer as an independent representative for finishing equipment manufacturers, selling machines for foil stamping, diecutting, UV coating, litho-laminating, window patching and folding/gluing. The FSEA is proud to honor his impact on the finishing and foil stamping marketplace.
The FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed on one individual every two years, honoring professionals in the foil stamping and embossing industry who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the industry at large. Nominations for the recipient of this celebrated award are submitted by FSEA members. From those nominations, a committee comprised of past FSEA presidents will make the final selection.
Stevens will be honored at the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards event on April 12, 2018, in Franklin, Tennessee, in conjunction with the 2018 FSEA·IADD Joint Conference. The 2018 FSEA·IADD Joint Conference will take place April 11-13 at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs in the Nashville, Tennessee, area. For complete programming and registration details, call 785.271.5816 or visit www.fsea-iaddconf.com.
The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) provides a wide range of resources to help print finishing companies remain profitable today and into the future. From real, tangible benefits offered through cost-saving programs to educational opportunities (FSEA National Convention, IADD·FSEA Odyssey, webinars, case studies and articles) to green initiatives proving the sustainability of foil decorated paper/board, the FSEA strives to provide its members with ideas, data and solutions to grow in today’s marketplace.