David Savastano, Editor05.15.17
The Ault Award is the most prestigious honor presented by the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM). It recognizes an ink industry leader who has devoted outstanding service to the industry. James La Rocca, this year’s recipient, is a most deserving choice.
La Rocca spent his entire ink industry career with Superior Printing Ink, joining the company out of The New York School of Printing as a color matcher in 1969. La Rocca took on numerous roles within Superior, from ink formulating, technical service representative, lead project technician, branch manager, Southeast regional manager, senior VP, Southern Region, and COO, in which he was appointed in 2006. He left the company in 2016.
“I’m just taking a sabbatical and maybe will get back to work,” La Rocca said. “I’m assessing the situation.”
La Rocca served on NAPIM’s Board of Directors for several years, serving as treasurer as well as a member of several committees. He was previously honored with NAPIM’s Printing Ink Pioneer Award in 2014. On a personal note, La Rocca was a member of Ink World’s Editorial Advisory Board from 2012 to 2016, and was a great help to me and to Ink World.
“Trade associations are essential,” La Rocca said of his work with NAPIM. “NAPIM is a great association and helps members and the industry. Without NAPIM, I would be very concerned for the industry.”
La Rocca noted that much has changed in the ink industry during his 47 years in the industry.
“It’s a different world in terms of technology, especially in the last 15 years,” he added. “You could have gotten by until the late 1990s with just sticking with conventional technologies, but you now have to change with the times. NAPIM is a great place to get exposed to new technologies and meet people who can help you with this.”
La Rocca said he is honored to receive the industry’s highest honor.
“I’m grateful that I have won this award,” La Rocca said. “Winning the Ault Award was one of my off-the-chart dreams that came true.
“I want to thank the people or person who nominated me and the selection committee who chose me,” he added. “My heartfelt thanks go to Stanley R. Hittman, my mentor, who taught me this business and much more. I also want to extend a special thanks to John Copeland for his confidence in me when I served NAPIM as an officer and board member of the association. I learned from him and the other industry executives I had the privilege to serve with.
“I share this award with many of my former co-workers, who shared my vision and passion for the job at hand,” La Rocca noted. “I share this award with many of the customers, who learned that we had their best interests in mind; we would succeed for them or die trying. They rewarded us with their business. I share this award with many of the NAPIM Technical Associate Members who delivered the products and equipment on time and on specification that we needed to satisfy our customers. I share this award with a loving wife and family.”
La Rocca added that he is honored to be in the company of the industry legends who have earned the Ault Award over the years.
“I do not take this award for granted, considering the men and women who earned this award before me and how their work, for the industry and NAPIM, inspired me,” he concluded. “For me to be considered a peer among them is gratifying.”
La Rocca spent his entire ink industry career with Superior Printing Ink, joining the company out of The New York School of Printing as a color matcher in 1969. La Rocca took on numerous roles within Superior, from ink formulating, technical service representative, lead project technician, branch manager, Southeast regional manager, senior VP, Southern Region, and COO, in which he was appointed in 2006. He left the company in 2016.
“I’m just taking a sabbatical and maybe will get back to work,” La Rocca said. “I’m assessing the situation.”
La Rocca served on NAPIM’s Board of Directors for several years, serving as treasurer as well as a member of several committees. He was previously honored with NAPIM’s Printing Ink Pioneer Award in 2014. On a personal note, La Rocca was a member of Ink World’s Editorial Advisory Board from 2012 to 2016, and was a great help to me and to Ink World.
“Trade associations are essential,” La Rocca said of his work with NAPIM. “NAPIM is a great association and helps members and the industry. Without NAPIM, I would be very concerned for the industry.”
La Rocca noted that much has changed in the ink industry during his 47 years in the industry.
“It’s a different world in terms of technology, especially in the last 15 years,” he added. “You could have gotten by until the late 1990s with just sticking with conventional technologies, but you now have to change with the times. NAPIM is a great place to get exposed to new technologies and meet people who can help you with this.”
La Rocca said he is honored to receive the industry’s highest honor.
“I’m grateful that I have won this award,” La Rocca said. “Winning the Ault Award was one of my off-the-chart dreams that came true.
“I want to thank the people or person who nominated me and the selection committee who chose me,” he added. “My heartfelt thanks go to Stanley R. Hittman, my mentor, who taught me this business and much more. I also want to extend a special thanks to John Copeland for his confidence in me when I served NAPIM as an officer and board member of the association. I learned from him and the other industry executives I had the privilege to serve with.
“I share this award with many of my former co-workers, who shared my vision and passion for the job at hand,” La Rocca noted. “I share this award with many of the customers, who learned that we had their best interests in mind; we would succeed for them or die trying. They rewarded us with their business. I share this award with many of the NAPIM Technical Associate Members who delivered the products and equipment on time and on specification that we needed to satisfy our customers. I share this award with a loving wife and family.”
La Rocca added that he is honored to be in the company of the industry legends who have earned the Ault Award over the years.
“I do not take this award for granted, considering the men and women who earned this award before me and how their work, for the industry and NAPIM, inspired me,” he concluded. “For me to be considered a peer among them is gratifying.”