Mike Fairley reacts to Lifetime Achievement Award

I feel really honored to be the recipient of the R Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award, but also very humbled to be see

I suppose in many ways I have been fortunate to spend the past 30 or so years working with the label industry. Previous managerial roles in printing education, paper, print and packaging research and communication, and developing training for the paper products industry, provided me with a very broad background of knowledge and experience in a whole range of sectors on which the label industry depends – and created a wide circle of contacts that have been invaluable to me over the years. All of that background came together in what, at the time, was still very much an emerging industry – labels and labeling. To be able to use that knowledge and the ability to communicate and enthuse the label world about new opportunities, developments, ideas and applications has been a privilege – and it's nice to know that the industry appreciates my fairly unique role over the years.
 
Much of what I have been able to achieve is also due to other people that supported and encouraged me from the very beginning in the foundation of Label & Labeling back in 1978, through the building of the Labelexpo/Cowise Group and then into its acquisition by Tarsus – people like Ron Spring, Clive Smith and, more recently, Roger Pellow, as well as my wife who organized and ran all the office side of the business for over 20 years.
 
Apart from Labels & Labeling, I have always aimed to put back into the industry; through organizing and running workshops, seminars and conferences, through market research, through writing reports, through market strategy and acquisition projects, through writing text and reference books, through speaking at label industry association events all over the world, and through one-to-one conversations with people in the industry. It really has been a pleasure to work with the label industry and to have so many friends around the world.
 
I have received a number of honors over the years: Fellowships of the Institute of Printing and the Institute of Packaging, a Licentiate of the City and Guilds of London Institute, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, but this award, and being giving honorary membership of FINAT last year, provide true label industry recognition. I thank the industry for that.

Mike Fairley

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