NZSDA Announces 2025 Awards of Excellence Judging Panel

The NZSDA has announced the judges for the 2025 Awards of Excellence.

The association says the judges lending their expertise for the Awards are current NZSDA President Shae Goom, current Vice President Logan Sutton, and guest Judges Corey Fleet and Nick Kapica.

Shae Goom

Goom has judged multiple times and has previously won awards as Managing Director of Wise Studios Wellington and Wise Studios Auckland. A second-generation signwriter with over two decades in the industry, the NZSDA says that Goom's experience is invaluable in his final year of judging the Awards.

Logan Sutton

Sutton is the current Vice President and incoming President of the NZSDA. He is also the Creative Director of Future Grafix, a multi-award-winning sign shop in New Plymouth. At age 18, Sutton partnered with his uncle to open Future Grafix. Twenty-four years later, the business is a successful and innovative signage company that he manages alongside his wife, Krystal

Corey Fleet

Fleet joins the panel as a first-time guest judge, bringing a fresh perspective to the judging process. He is a seasoned signage professional with 29 years in the industry and has worked for many well-known signage companies. He founded Smudge Signs in 2009 with his wife, Kylie. Fleet has a deep passion for anything signage-related and a strong technical design and fabrication background. After building Smudge into a successful, innovative company, the Fleets started Fleck NZ, a CO2 laser cutting/engraving, plastic fabrication and 3D printing business dealing directly with the trade.

Nick Kapica

Kapica returns as a judge this year for a second time after being invited back by the NZSDA following a successful judging stint in 2024. Kapica is an independent consultant with a transdisciplinary approach that blends graphic, spatial, and urban design to craft holistic experiences within the built environment. His journey began in London’s fringe theatre scene before studying Visual Communication at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. He worked for The Independent Newspaper before his curiosity led him to Berlin during the 90s, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the vibrant club scene and later establishing the design studio SV Associates.

More information on the New Zealand 2025 Awards of Excellence can be found on the  official awards website.