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Charlie Brown named 2020 FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Charlie Brown.

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has named printing and foil stamping industry veteran Charlie Brown as the recipient of its 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Brown is the owner and co-founder of Phoenix, Ariz.-based die maker Metal Magic.

With college degrees in chemistry and electrical engineering, along with a reputation for being able to fix any mechanical problem, Brown started Metal Magic in 1988 with a US$10,000 loan from his father. He originally operated his new company in the back of the Arizona Embossing building. Only six months later, Metal Magic moved into its own building and hired its first employee, who is still with the company today.

Metal Magic quickly became known throughout the country as a leader in copper die manufacturing. That nationwide reputation rapidly increased the company’s demand for quality copper dies, and just five years after setting up shop in its own building, Brown purchased a new manufacturing plant to enable future growth.

The FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed on one individual every two years, honouring professionals in the foil stamping and embossing industry who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the industry at large. Nominations for the recipient of this award are submitted by FSEA members. From those nominations, a committee comprised of past FSEA presidents make the final honouree selection.

Brown will be honoured at the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards event on April 28, 2020, in conjunction with the 2020 FSEA·IADD Joint Conference. The 2020 FSEA·IADD Joint Conference will take place April 27-29 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana.