Checkerboard Wins Top Industry Awards

WEST BOYLSTON, Mass., June 25, 2002 - Checkerboard Ltd., a leading producer of fine stationery, walked away from this year's - International Greeting Card Awards with two of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

The International Greeting Card Awards (also known as the Louie Awards) were held on May 22, 2002 at the National Stationery Show in New York City; the awards are named after Louis Prang, the creator of the American greeting card. The "Louie" is considered to be the Academy Award of the greeting card industry and is reserved for only the most accomplished, elegant, and innovative card designs. The awards Checkerboard received were in the Imprintables category, cards and invitations that consumers can print on home printers.

Checkerboard, a prolific manufacturer of elegant wedding invitations, whimsical birth announcements, and upscale stationery, was primarily known as a custom printer with a reputation for quality papers, inks, and creative design. The company recognized the emergence of the Imprintables market and ventured into that portion of the stationery business only two short years ago. In this, their first full Imprintables release, Checkerboard's line garnered four nominated designs, two of which won the "Louie" The Imprintables collection includes cards for every occasion and celebration - soft watercolor birth announcements, elegantly layered wedding invitations and distinctive stationery.

The Louie Award-winning designs are Gilded Gifts, which was nominated in the Everyday Imprintables ($1.75 and below) category and Laundry Day, nominated in the Imprintables Baby category. Checkerboard also had designs nominated in both the Personalized Invitation and Everyday Inprintables (Above $1.75) categories.