This One's for You

I remember the first gold medal I ever won. I was about seven years old. I can still hear the crickets chirping and see the sun beginning to set behind the burly pine trees that lined the deep end of the 25-meter swimming pool. And if I think hard enough, I can even still feel a chill as I pull a sweatshirt over my wet hair.

As the day-long swim meet came to an end, all the medal winners were called out to stand on a tiered-platform, just like at the Olympics, to be given their medals. I stood there, gazing down on my teammates and all of my opponents. It was an extraordinary feeling, and it never fully goes away. It really always feels good to get the gold.

That's why this issue of PrintMedia is so significant. It's about those who accomplished something great—the winners of the 17th Annual Gold Ink Awards and the newest inductees into the PrintMedia Hall of Fame. It's been 17 years since PrintMedia magazine opened its doors and welcomed a dozen or so judges into its offices for the first-ever Gold Ink Awards competition. And the intensity of that first competition has gained momentum with each year.

Close to 1,600 entries awaited inspection by the 16 judges over the course of four days. The judges' vast and varied knowledge of production processes was impressive, as they weighed each piece's strengths against the others'. The process was amazing, if not grueling and heated at times.

Selecting the Hall of Fame winners was no easier. In fact, it has been one of the most challenging experiences in my first six months here. But it has also been one of the most rewarding. This year's inductees are truly masters of their craft and an inspiration in their achievements.