For the second consecutive year, Mohawk’s Allyson Van Houten has been asked to judge the prestigious LOUIE Awards. The LOUIE Awards recognize the most outstanding greeting cards, invitations and announcements marketed in the U.S. during the previous calendar year. Officially known as the International Greeting Card Awards Competition, the LOUIEs are named after Louis Prang, the German-born Boston lithographer credited with the birth of the U.S. Christmas card in the 1870s.

This year’s theme, “The Artist & The Card” will spotlight the artists behind the cards, the tradition of sending greetings and invitations, and the simple – yet broad – medium of paper.

Van Houten will be part of a 20-juror panel along side other industry professionals from retailers such as GREERChicago and Kate’s Papier; editors from popular blogs such as Oh So Beautiful Paper, and executives from Hallmark Cards, Inc. and American Greetings Corp. The judging will take place January 29th and 30th during the New York International Gift Fair. Winners of each of the 50 categories will receive a LOUIE Award at the 25th Anniversary LOUIE Awards gala on Sunday, May 19th, during the National Stationery Show. Learn more about the LOUIE Awards here.

Allyson Van Houten is Project Manager, Interactive Marketing, Mohawk.