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Center Aisle Group, an organization committed to helping greeting card and gift manufacturers create and sell, has announced the launch of its LOUIE Award Scholarship Program. The scholarship is for first-time entrants into the Greeting Card Association’s 25th Annual LOUIE Award competition in the Rising Star Category.

“We wanted to help new and young companies get involved in the LOUIE Awards,” said Rob Fortier, creative talent wrangler for Center Aisle Group. “To be nominated for a Rising Star LOUIE award is a great way to gain exposure, and by having the entry fee paid for by Center Aisle, why wouldn’t you enter?”

“Rob and I have served as judges for the LOUIEs in the past,” said Meryl Hooker, principle at Center Aisle Group.  “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of amazing talent, and we want to help make sure that new companies in this industry know that they have a place in this competition.”

Center Aisle has composed a five-person panel of industry experts who will decide the recipients of the scholarships. The panel will select up to seven entrants. Center Aisle will also provide a ticket to the LOUIE Awards ceremony for each of its entrants that are selected as finalists by the LOUIE judges. The awards ceremony is held in May in New York City during the National Stationery show.

Rob Fortier and Meryl Hooker are principles at Center Aisle Group as well as the authors of the best-selling books, Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer’s Guide to Working with Sales Reps (Center Aisle Press, 2010) and Showtime!  The Greeting Card and Gift Company’s Guide to Trade Show Success (Center Aisle Press, 2011).

For more information on the Scholarship Program, visit www.centeraislegroup.com. 

For more information on the Greeting Card Association’s LOUIE Awards, visit www.greetingcard.org.