The Chicago Printing Ink Production Club’s (CPIPC) Annual Christmas Party is a tradition like no other in the ink industry. The 2015 dinner, held recently at Pescatore Palace, Franklin Park, IL, was once again a success, with more than 185 attendees gathering to celebrate the holidays.

“The dinner was great,” said Luigi Ribaudo of Sun Chemical,  who serves as chair for the Annual Christmas Party. “The party was a great success thanks to our members and sponsors who support the event year after year, as without their support the event wouldn’t be possible.”

In addition to the festivities, CPIPC presents its annual awards for Ink Person of the Year and Ink Supplier of the Year. Ribaudo received the award for Ink Person of the Year, while Ron Gallas, director of sales, global, Flint Group Pigments, Chips & Resins, was named Ink Supplier of the Year.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Ribaudo said.

This year, the club also presented its Lifetime Achievement Award, only the third time it has been awarded; Ludwig Horn of Lawter (2003) and Dean Roeing (2004) had been the only members to previously receive this prestigious honor. Central Ink CEO Richard Breen, this year’s recipient, is a deserving choice.

Breen, who had received the club’s Ink Person of the Year award in 2000, has been in the ink industry since 1946, when he joined CEB Inks, his father’s ink company, part-time during high school. Starting off cleaning ink pots, Breen worked his way up through the technical and sales sides, and became president of Central Ink in 1985. He has received numerous honors from the ink industry, including the prestigious Ault Award from the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) in 2012.

In addition, the club presented its Presidential Award to John Copeland, the new executive director of NAPIM, and the Outgoing Presidents Appreciation Award to Kris Johansen of Toyo Ink.
 
The club’s new officers were also installed, with Michael Stoltz of Flint Group the new president for 2016. Brian Chwierut of Sun Chemical is VP; Duke Thompson of Brandt Technologies is treasurer and Bob Jendrzejczyk of Clariant is secretary.

For more information on the CPIPC, see the club’s website at www.cpipc.org.