Mark A. Coudray – (born December 13, 1954) In 1973, Coudray started his first screenprinting shop, Coudray Serigraphics, in San Luis Obispo, California, when he was nineteen in his family garage, and it is still in business today. The textile printing shop quickly became a World Class Operation, producing the world’s finest and award-winning textile printing.
Coudray is also the Founder and President of Coudray Graphic Technologies, a digital imaging and prepress supplier to the industry, and TShirtSuccess LLC, where he dispenses marketing advice to those in the textile printing segment of the screenprinting industry. And he has visited over 40 countries as a consultant in the screenprinting industry, helping others achieve higher quality and control over the variables of the screenprinting process.
Since 1978, Coudray has been a popular presenter worldwide at industry trade shows, conferences, conventions, and technical symposiums, speaking on technology, quality, and management practices. He is best known for his extensive work in controlling color halftone printing and quality management of the screen printing process. His book, “Achieving Quality Graphics on Screenprinted Apparel,” published in 1998, is still considered a bible for many textile screenprinters.
Few individuals in the screenprinting industry have been as prolific and innovative as Mark Coudray. Coudray is the recipient of 18 Golden Image Awards, awarded to the best of the best in print quality at the annual Specialty Graphic Imaging Association conference.
He received the Specialty Graphics Imaging Association’s Magnus Award in 1982. The Magnus Award is presented to the industry’s most outstanding individual or firm each year for their work in the promotion of the screenprinting industry.
He has authored over 300 articles, columns, and technical papers on screenprinting.
For his efforts, he has received three Swormstedt Awards; his 1992 paper on “Understanding Halftone Moire” and his 1994 paper on “Stochastic Halftones.” and in 2017 for “The Fourth Disruption: Why Venture Capitalists Are Eyeing Garment Decoration,” published by ST Media’s Screen Printing magazine in August/September 2016.
The Dave Swormstedt, Sr. Memorial Award is presented annually, during the Specialty Graphics Imaging Association conference in October, to the author(s) of an article written on any aspect of screen printing or graphic imaging and published in the fiscal year — August 1 through July 31 — immediately preceding the meeting. Coudray was chosen by his fellow Academy of Screen and Digital Print Technologies (ASDPT). members to receive the prestigious Swormstedt Award, recognizing him for his outstanding writing ability and exceptional industry insight.
Coudray is a 2001 Specialty Graphics Imaging Association’s Parmele Award recipient. The Parmele Award is the highest honor for the screen printing and graphic imaging industry. Named in tribute to one of the Association’s founders, Howard Parmele, the Parmele award is considered the “Oscar” or “Emmy” of the screen printing and graphic imaging industry and has been awarded each year since 1955. The Parmele Award is conferred upon someone whose dedication and accomplishments reflect an ongoing commitment to improving the industry’s products, services, and image.
Coudray is a 1989 inductee into the Academy of Screen and Digital Print Technologies (ASDPT).
He served as Chairman of the Specialty Graphics Imaging Association in 2000 and is a two-time Academy of Screen and Digital Print Technologies (ASDPT) Chairman. He has served as a Specialty Graphics Imaging Association Director for over 24 years.
Coudray has been an expert witness in screenprinting related trademark and patent litigation.
He is a Visiting Professor at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California, and was the 2005 California Businessman of the Year for the Republican National Committee 2005.
And he is a 1977 Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America.
Education
1972 – Santa Barbara High School, Santa Barbara, California
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, a degree in Printing Management. He graduated Suma Cum Laude in the Graphic Communications Program and is an Honored Alumnus at Cal Poly. Since 1993, Coudray has served on the Advisory Board of the Graphic Communications Board and was Chairman of the Board for four years.