There was socializing, storytelling, hearty laughing, dancing, and even singing with the band during a mid-November soirée in New Jersey filled with positive vibes and, dare we say, industry love. This was my inaugural Gala for The Cannata Report and marked the company’s 40th overall. Gala-goers celebrated to the theme of “Raise Your Glass,” the 2010 song popularized by the singer Pink. There were some new, humorous twists and musical turns to this year’s Gala, such as the hilarious opening comedy act (presented by HP) from Larry Weiss, chairman of NYC dealer Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office.
The recipients of this year’s Frank Awards were announced and there were auction winners, too (more on that below), but the BIG winner is the Inserra Family Diabetes Institute at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, which will be presented with a check for $188,000. That’s how much money was raised and pledged for diabetes research in memory of Mike McGuirk, the late founder of ProCopy Office Solutions, a Flex Technology Group Company.
“What mattered most to Mike was giving back,” an emotional Kelly McGuirk, Mike’s widow, told the 250 Gala attendees. “That this year’s fundraising at the Cannata Gala was held in his honor is deeply touching, as the event meant so much to him. Our family is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from across the dealer channel. It’s a beautiful tribute to Mike’s commitment to service, charity, and to the community he cared for so much.”
Frank G. Cannata, Kelly McGuirk, and CJ Cannata.
Founder Frank G. Cannata added: “We reached out to dealers all across the country, and the response was incredible. Losing a man like Mike McGuirk is difficult because it’s not just his absence that we feel, but the tremendous impact he had on the lives of so many people through his charitable work and dedication to service.”
“I don’t think you could ever run across a man who was so giving, so understanding, and just so generous with his time and effort,” Cannata noted about McGuirk, whom he says he loved and respected. “Mike always showed people the greatest of respect. Kelly once told me that Mike could never understand why people always made a fuss about him, but that was Mike’s character and his strength. He didn’t think he was anything special, but he damn well was.”
CHECK OUT OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO.
Emcee Goldberg returns, record auction, and the Frank Awards
Master of Ceremonies Bob Goldberg took the stage donned in a baseball cap that read “ITYR.” With a chuckle, he’d later reveal that the acronym means, “I Thought You Retired!” In a surprise about which only he knew, Goldberg presented a humanitarian award to his longtime friend and philanthropist, Frank Cannata. Since the 1998 edition of the Gala, The Cannata Report has raised more than $3.4 million on behalf of various charitable organizations, including the V Foundation and Mariano Rivera Foundation among others.
Gala Emcee Bob Goldberg
CJ Cannata, our president and CEO, took part in the auction this year, describing in detail the vintage albums from 1985 that were part of the festivities. Auctioneer Frank Cannata joined CJ on stage for the auction, which raised an additional $9,500. Selected by CJ Cannata, the five iconic vinyl discs are authentically autographed by the respective artists:
- Dire Straits (“Brothers in Arms”)
- Heart (their eponymous comeback album)
- Madonna (“Like a Virgin”)
- Prince & the Revolution (“Purple Rain”)
- Bruce Springsteen (“Born in the U.S.A.”)
The audience responded enthusiastically: We thank Laura Blackmer of Konica Minolta, Johnathan Garlow of Ford Office Technologies, Kelly McGuirk, Ed McLaughlin of Predictive InSight, and Reena and Earl Philpot of Precision Duplicating Solutions for their winning bids!
Another new “wrinkle” this Gala was that each table submitted entries for the first “Name the Frank Award Tune” contest. This program addition was inspired by many guests who have told us they play their own version of “name that tune” each year as presenters walk onstage to music cues. Konica Minolta—otherwise known as Table #13—took home the top prize (ten $25 Amazon gift cards) by earning the highest score among all participating tables. Congratulations to music aficionados Barry Simon of Datamax along with Konica Minolta’s Laura Blackmer, Elisa Esposito, Deanna Flanick, John Fulena, Maggie Grande, Amanda Hansen, Stacey Lucariello, Heather Milcarek, and Vicky Ringwood.
STREAM THE OFFICIAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA SOUNDTRACK.
Who won a Frank Award this year?
Next, the awards portion of the Gala brought the 14 “Frank Award” winners to the stage announced by notable dealer principals. Notably, OEMs Ricoh and Sharp won three awards each. “The Frank Awards shine a spotlight on the innovative companies and their products and solutions that are setting new standards of excellence in the industry according to office technology dealers in our Annual Dealer Survey,” said CJ Cannata. The 2025 winners are:
- Best-in-Class: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
- Best Diversification Partner: Intermedia Cloud Communications
- Best Production Print Manufacturer:Ricoh USA
- Best Marketing Strategy: Ricoh USA
- Best IT and Security Services Provider: ConnectWise
- Best Print Management Software Provider:ACDI and PaperCut
- Best Technical Service Provider: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
- Best ECM/Document Management Software Provider:DocuWare
- Best A4 Manufacturer: Kyocera Document Solutions America
- Best Leasing Company:GreatAmerica Financial Services
- Excellence in Innovation: Ricoh USA
- Best Manufacturer: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
- Best Female Executive: Laura Blackmer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
- Best Male Executive: Larry White, Toshiba America Business Solutions
Winners of the Frank Awards are determined by The Cannata Report’s Annual Dealer Survey and reflect the opinions of office technology dealers nationwide. Jerry Blaine, president and CEO, and co-founder of New York dealership LDI Connect, was presented with the Frank G. Cannata Philanthropy Award, which is given annually to honor an individual in the business technology industry who emulates Frank G. Cannata and inspires others with their philanthropic endeavors and giving spirit.During the evening’s Official After Party, sponsored by Xerox, we were treated to performances from Cherie Labuzetta of Xerox, who was back by popular demand after debuting at last year’s gala. This year, she sang several numbers, including “Forget You” and “Rehab.” Cherie was joined on stage by Xerox/Lexmark colleague Sean Endicott for a beautiful version of “Time After Time.” Industry icon Ed McLaughlin of Predictive InSight, known for his smooth vocals and interpretations of music standards, performed “Summer Wind,” made famous by Frank Sinatra, and charmed the crowd with “What a Wonderful World.”
2025 Outstanding Veteran Award
Stew Campbell of Datamax (Arkansas) received The Cannata Report‘s Outstanding Veteran Award. The other five worthy nominees this year were:
- Jay Bartlett, Advanced Office
- Christopher Brown, Impact Networking
- Matthew Curless, Impact Networking
- Angelita Fanas, Sharp
- Jonathan Hinkle, All Copy Products
We thank these six U.S. veterans for their service to our country and for their dedication to assisting fellow veterans in the office technology dealer channel. Nominees are selected by a special committee of established, office technology industry thought leaders. Like Luke Oldenburg (from Impact Networking), our 2024 outstanding vet, Campbell now becomes a member of this committee and will help choose worthy nominees for 2026.
CHECK OUT OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY GALA PHOTO GALLERIES.
Thank you to all our sponsors
Heartfelt thanks again to our platinum sponsors Hytec Dealer Services and TD Synnex. Gold sponsors were ConnectWise, Distribution Management, First Citizens Bank, and Katun Corporation. Silver sponsors were Nexera and Static Control.
“We are humbled that a small NOMDA breakfast has grown into a multi-media gala celebration because of the tremendous support from throughout the entire industry,” said CJ Cannata. “Thank you to our sponsors, our partners, the dealer channel, and to the larger office technology community. A special shout out and much gratitude to the many dealers who are there for us year after year and have shown us unwavering support. I would also like to thank wholeheartedly the entire team at The Cannata Report.”
