HOOKSETT, N.H. (April 29, 2026)—PINE has announced that Polaris Direct, a nationally acclaimed direct marketing services and printing company, is an award winner in the association’s New England regional Awards of Excellence competition. The announcement was made to hundreds of industry professionals, educators, and students in attendance at PINE’s 2026 Awards of Excellence, on April 16, 2026.
Polaris Direct received the Pinnacle Award for their 2025 Holiday Card in the Direct Mail Campaign Division 3.
PINE’s 2026 Awards of Excellence Competition attracted more than 250 entries from more than 35 printing and imaging companies across New England competing in a variety of printing and graphic communications categories, including best annual report, direct mail campaign, labels & packaging, and more. A panel of judges with extensive experience in printing and print production were brought in to examine the wide range of work submitted. Each entry was judged anonymously on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included: registration, clarity and neatness, sharpness of halftones and line drawings, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, overall visual impact and bindery.
“Our judges have a total of 80 years of print production experience and are invited across the country to other regional print associations to judge, so they have seen all levels of print,” said Christine Hagopian, PINE’s President. “The quality of PINE members’ entries can stand up against any others across the country. Our members should be very proud of that.”
Members of Polaris Direct’s Strategic Marketing Services team accepting the 2026 Pinnacle award. From Left to Right: Dennis Badeau, Lindsay Christie, Andrea Manseau, and Kevin Riley, PINE Board of Directors Chair.
About PINE
PINE (Printing Industries of New England) is the largest trade association to serve printing and graphic communications companies throughout New England. PINE serves more than 200 member businesses with a range of solutions designed to strengthen operations and drive growth. The association is affiliated with America’s Printing Association Network, consisting of more than 12 regional trade associations across the country.