Benjamin Franklin Award

2023 Call for Nominations Are Now Open

WHAT IS THE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARD?

PIAG’s Benjamin Franklin Award is the highest honor presented in Georgia’s printing industry. Past recipients of this award claim that this is indeed the highlight of their careers. Keeping the significance and prestige of this honor in mind, please take the time to make your choice known. Review the following criteria and return your nomination to PIAG right away.

The PIAG Benjamin Franklin Award honors an individual for being a long-term major contributor to the graphic arts industry in Georgia. Nominees for this award should meet the following criteria:

  • Made a positive impact on the printing and imaging industry in Georgia and is widely recognized as such
  • A person of high principles and integrity
  • One who shares his/her time and talent to work toward the advancement of the graphic communications industry
  • Works for the betterment of society through civic, community or religious commitments
  • Worked a minimum of 10 years in the graphic communications industry, with at least five of those years in Georgia
  • Past PIAG Board Chairs are not eligible for nomination until two years after their chairmanship
Submit Your Nomination Today

Congratulations to 2022 Recipient, Kent Tucker

A native Georgian, Kent Tucker was born in Atlanta to Tuck and Sara Tucker. The Tucker family has deep roots in the printing industry as Tucker Castleberry was founded by Kent’s grandfather, Wiley Tucker Sr., and A.C. Castleberry in 1949. Kent’s father, Tuck, currently runs the company.
 
Given the family history, Kent’s love for print started at a young age. Kent spent most of his teenage summers working in shipping/receiving, prepress, the bindery, and even a summer working on their 1979 Heidelberg 5 color press. After graduating from UGA, Kent began working full time at Tucker Castleberry, starting out in Customer Service, before moving to Estimating, then Production Manager, and eventually to his current role as Executive Vice President leading the sales team.
 
Kent is committed to the advancement of the printing industry and his involvement with PIAG is extensive. After first joining the Board of Directors in 2009, he then served as Chairman twice, in 2013 and 2016. He has also been a member of a PIA peer group for the past 15 years. 

For over 20 years, Kent has worked alongside his dad in an industry they’re both passionate about. They have built an exceptional company, with customer relationships of 30+ years and an average employee tenure of over 18 years. Integrity, respect, and responsibility are the forefronts of their success, and Kent fully embodies each one of those traits.
 
Kent’s grandfather won this award in 1985, and his father won it in 1998. It is an honor for this family tradition to continue, and this will mark the first time three generations have been recognized with this award.

Read More About Kent

  • 2022 Kent Tucker
  • 2021 David Bennett
  • 2020 No winner announced due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • 2019 Pat McBride
  • 2018 Bill Garvey
  • 2017 James “Butch” Mooney Sr.
  • 2016 James P. Dunn
  • 2015 Andy Shulman
  • 2014 Hal Collins
  • 2013 Dennis C. Martino
  • 2012 Guy Dupree
  • 2011 Hoyt Tuggle
  • 2010 Jerry Scher
  • 2009 Jefferson R. Riley
  • 2008 Hugh Sulliva
  • 2007 Ronald T. Williams
  • 2006 John R. Pope
  • 2005 Daneise H. Archer
  • 2004 Tommy Thomasson
  • 2003 Rick Sauers
  • 2002 Norvin C. Hagan
  • 2001 Ed Edwards
  • 1999 Alvin B. Carter, Jr.
  • 1998 Wiley A. Tucker, Jr.
  • 1997 Rachel Ann Shattah
  • 1996 Mark Cox
  • 1995 Tim Combs
  • 1994 Paul Massey
  • 1993 W. Everett Bennett
  • 1992 Randolph Camp
  • 1991 Cary Rosenthal
  • 1990 Henry Daniel
  • 1989 J. Bowen Baxter
  • 1988 Wanzie T. Collins
  • 1987 Arv O. Vogel
  • 1986 W. Clifford “Cliff” Gober
  • 1985 Wiley A. Tucker, Sr.
  • 1984 Hugh M. Inman
  • 1983 Jerry L. Marler
  • 1982 E. Russell Williamson
  • 1981 Mark Pope III
  • 1980 Ed Kilpatrick
  • 1979 George Armstrong
  • 1978 Howard Reed
  • 1977 Kent Higgins
  • 1976 John Moore
  • 1975 DeWitt Cross
  • 1974 Carroll Barfield
  • 1973 Georgia Russell
  • 1972 John Stuart McKenzie
  • 1971 Alex Dittler and John Harland
  • 1970 Cully Cobb
  • 1969 Joe Wyant
  • 1968 Marshall Lan
  • 1967 Joe Self
  • 1966 John Bowen
  • 1965 Gil Bachman
  • 1964 John Butler
  • 1963 Dick Stout
  • 1962 Wright Shippey
  • 1961 Jim Townsend
  • 1960 Tom Morgan
  • 1959 Mendel Segal
  • 1958 Tom Cooper