The USA-based Printing Industries Alliance and global Idealliance have announced that the 2018 Franklin Luminaire Committee has selected Benny Landa as the recipient of the 2018 Franklin Award for Distinguished Service.
Describing Landa as a visionary inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the father of commercial digital printing, the organisations say they will bestow on him, ‘the highest honour given an individual by the graphic communications community.’
Steve Drew, co-chair for the Franklin Luminaire committee, says, “We are delighted to salute Benny Landa with this prestigious honour and acknowledge his achievements in front of more than 300 prominent chief executives and senior executives from the printing, publishing, digital, advertising, and graphic communications community.”
They have presented the award for over 60 years to leaders in the military, politics, business, journalism, and communications, for outstanding achievements and contributions to American society. Landa will receive the award, named for Benjamin Franklin, a printer by trade, at the annual Franklin Luminaire Awards in October.
A pioneer of digital printing at Indigo, later HP Indigo, Landa continued his pathway with what he calls nanotechnology applications in the fields of imaging, energy, and health. The organisations say his vision for the future also includes investment in promising Israeli technologies and philanthropic activities that enable underprivileged youth to gain access to higher education.
Landa has a portfolio of over 800 patents worldwide. Recipient of numerous honours and awards, including the imaging industry’s Edwin H. Land medal, he has also received numerous lifetime achievement awards and honorary doctorates.
Previous recipients of the award include several US presidents, New York State governors and mayors and public figures such as Martha Stewart, Norman Rockwell, and Walter Cronkite.
