Duncan Todd named 2005 Benjamin Franklin Award Winner
To be honored at 28th annual Gallery of Superb Printing banquet on May 10 in Burlington, Mass.

Duncan G. Todd, whose family roots in New England commercial printing extend back five generations to 1811, has been named the 2005 winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award by the Printing and Publishing Council of New England.

Todd will be honored next month when the council and the Boston Litho/Craftsman’s Club jointly host the 28th annual Gallery of Superb Printing to showcase some of the finest work by leading commercial printing and graphics arts companies across New England.

The banquet will be held Tuesday, May 10 at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Mass.

A life in the printing business
Todd was introduced to the printing industry as a youngster at Thomas Todd Company, the family business, where he distributed hand type and remelted Linotype slugs during school vacations.

He quickly moved on to summer employment as a stripper and platemaker. After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1974, he joined the company full time as production manager. After five years, he became vice president and in 1987 Todd succeeded his father as president.

He also had a long association with The Horn Book, Inc., publishers of periodicals about books for children and young adults. He has been a director since 1978, and has served in a number of capacities, becoming president in 2003.

He was vice president of marketing at Mercantile Printing Company in Worcester, Mass. from 1992 to 1997 until he joined Champagne/Lafayette Communications Inc. in Natick as vice president of sales and marketing. He was named chief executive officer there in February 2000, a position he held until the sale of the company four years later.

He presently works as an account executive at Pride Printers, Inc., in Woburn, Mass.

A history of industry involvement
In addition to spending his entire professional career in the printing industry, Todd has devoted countless time to industry organizations, clubs and associations.

He has been a member of the Society of Printers since 1976, serving as council member, treasurer, auditor, and, from 1981 to 1983, the youngest president in the Society’s 100-year history. He has been a member of the Printing and Publishing Council of New England since 1981, serving as general chairman in 1986 and 1987. He was a member of the Boston Club of Printing House Craftsmen from 1975 until 1995, serving as a member of the board of directors from 1980 until 1983 and the Gallery of Superb Printing Committee from 1983 until 1992.

He has devoted significant time to Printing Industries of New England, the region’s largest trade association for printing and graphic communications companies. He served on PINE’s nominating committee, finance committee, executive management conference committee, the Graphic Arts Professional Association, and as president of Master Printers Division. He was a member of the board of directors from 1988 until 1999 and board chairman from 1995 to 1997. He was a member of PINE’s Government Affairs Committee.

On the national level, Todd was a member of the board of directors of Printing Industries of America from 1996 to 2002, and the executive committee from 1998 to 2002. He also was a member of PIA’s Government Affairs Committee, and a member of the board of director of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, prior to the merger of the separate boards of directors for PIA and GATF into one.

Todd has also served as a juror for awards competitions held by the Bookbuilders of New England, Maine Graphic Arts Association, and the Printing Industries of Maryland.