Press Releases

2015 Naomi Berber Memorial Award Honors Twyla J. Cummings, PhD

Published

9 years ago

September 25, 2015

Printing Industries of America (PIA) is pleased to announce that Twyla J. Cummings, PhD, Senior Associate Dean and Professor and Graduate Executive Board Advisor of Rochester Institute of Technology, will receive the 2015 Naomi Berber Memorial Award. This award honors outstanding women in the graphic communications industry for their exceptional record of accomplishments, unusual contributions toward the development of the graphic communications industry, and for having furthered the interests of the industry.

After earning her B.S. in Chemistry at Wright State University, Twyla went on to receive her PhD in Business Management at The Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, OH. Since then, Twyla has a long history of industry involvement, including numerous studies, publications, and presentations focusing on women in the printing industry.

She has participated in and held numerous chair positions on many advisory boards, including the America East Advisory Board, the Newspaper Association of America, and the Research and Engineering Council of NAPL. Additional accomplishments in Twyla’s career include being honored with the RIT Isaac L. Jordan Diversity Award, being a recipient of Rochester Women’s Network 15 Up and Coming Award, being inducted into NAPL’s Walter E. Soderstrom Society, and participating extensively in the YWCA.

Tim Freeman, President, Printing Industries Alliance, nominated Twyla for the Naomi Berber award, seconded by Frank Romano, Professor Emeritus, RIT, in recognition of her achievements in the industry, her outstanding record of mentoring at RIT, and through the many community organizations with which she is involved. The Rochester Institute of Technology has produced graduates who now serve on the Printing Industries Alliance Board of Directors, as well as in various management positions at many member companies throughout the Printing Industries Alliance footprint.

Twyla’s award will be presented at the 2015 PIA Fall Administrative Meeting, November 13, 2015, in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information on Printing Industries of America’s awards programs, visit www.printing.org/printingindustryawards or contact Kayleigh Smith at ksmith@printing.org.

Let’s Talk About It

Creating a More Diverse and Inclusive Screen Printing Industry

LET’S TALK About It: Part 3 discusses how four screen printers have employed people with disabilities, why you should consider doing the same, the resources that are available, and more. Watch the live webinar, held August 16, moderated by Adrienne Palmer, editor-in-chief, Screen Printing magazine, with panelists Ali Banholzer, Amber Massey, Ryan Moor, and Jed Seifert. The multi-part series is hosted exclusively by ROQ.US and U.N.I.T.E Together. Let’s Talk About It: Part 1 focused on Black, female screen printers and can be watched here; Part 2 focused on the LGBTQ+ community and can be watched here.