Screen star shines at LIA NSW awards

Screen printer, Dayane Knox, of Mills Styrox wins NSW LIA/Heidelberg graduate of the year.

A good turnout of 115 guests at the Sydney Rowing Club in Abbotsford saw Dayane Knox pick up the top prize for graduate of the year at the LIA NSW dinner, beating a strong field in what the judges said was an extremely close competition.

Knox collected the award from Savas Mystakidis, account manager at Heidelberg, principal sponsor of the award, and will now go on to compete with LIA graduate winners from other states for the biennial $15,000 GAMAA-LIA national graduate scholarship prize.

It was a night that highlighted the opposite ends of working in the graphic arts, on the one hand celebrating the achievements of recent graduates just embarking on their careers while, in contrast, Greg Grace, chairman of the judges, announced his retirement from Heidelberg after 21 years with the press manufacturer.

Grace has been a stalwart of the industry for many years, both with Heidelberg and in his work with the LIA. He plans to continue his role in the industry as a teacher and competition judge.

Pictured: Dayane Knox, NSW LIA/Heidelberg Graduate of the Year (second from left), with LIA committee members (l-r) Ray Berwick, NSW president, Greg Grace and Grant Churchill.

LIA executive office, Bob Lamont also paid tribute to Heidelberg’s on-going sponsorship the award which began back in 1981 when Rod Spencer, then with Seligson & Clare, decided it would be an appropriate way of showing support to new talent entering the industry.

The complete line-up of finalists this year was: Sarah Donvito from Sinnott Bros (prepress), Ben Chamberlain from IntoPrint (press), Phillip Marshall from Amcor Cartons (press), Wayne Dorch from Pettaras Press (finishing), Tim Adams from STI Lilyfield Printing (finishing), Chantel Bailey from Hann Print (screen) and Marko Ristovski from Alfred Johns (prepress).

Guest speaker at the dinner was Dr Chris Trethewy who gave a first-hand account of emergency medicine in rural Australia including what it is like to perform critical medical procedures in the back of helicopter no bigger than a Mini Clubman.

Just prior to the awards ceremony, the NSW LIA held its AGM at which the new state committee was elected. Ray Berwick was re-elected as president while David Wells becomes vice-president. For the first time, the organisation has a female secretary, Denise Thompson of Lanier, while Mike Williams continues as treasurer.