Business Leaders Help Launch The American Business Awards
Contact: Patrick Kowalcyzk, patrick@mkpr.com
Jill Feldman, jill@mkpr.com
Michael Kaminer Public Relations, 212.627.8098
BUSINESS LEADERS HELP LAUNCH
THE AMERICAN BUSINESS AWARDSSM,
CELEBRATING GREAT PERFORMANCES IN BUSINESS
Nicknamed "The Stevies"TM, the First National,
Independent Business Awards Will Honor Unsung Heroes
New York, NY – September 24, 2002 – Shining a spotlight on ordinary people doing extraordinary work at American companies, a coalition of business leaders is helping launch The American Business Awards, the first national, all-encompassing business awards honoring great performances in the workplace.
The road to the Awards officially kicked off today with a call for nominations of individuals and companies who have made exceptional contributions or accomplishments in the business world.
Nicknamed the SteviesTM for the Greek word "crowned," the elegant awards, designed by the same company that makes the Clio and Emmy, will be presented at a gala ceremony in New York City in April 2003.
At a time of both intense corporate scrutiny and economic uncertainty, organizers said The Stevies would help bolster public confidence and investor trust by honoring the unsung heroes of American business.
"It’s more important than ever that we recognize the millions of Americans who accomplish innovative and extraordinary things every day, but rarely get acclaim for it," said Michael Gallagher, president of The American Business Awards. "The American Business Awards will instill a sense of awe and respect for those companies and individuals who set the standards for excellence."
The American Business Awards are overseen by a Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors including business luminaries such as Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes, Bruce Nelson, chairman & CEO of Office Depot, marketing gurus Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Drew Schutte, publisher of Wired Magazine, Jeffrey Tarr, chairman & CEO of Hoover’s Inc., and Donald Trump, chairman, president and CEO of The Trump Organization. For a full list of board members, please visit: /aba/judges-0
"No one knows better than my colleagues in media that there are countless stories of integrity, leadership and creativity in the business world that are never heard," said Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes. "We are looking forward to finding the true heroes of American business and giving them the recognition they deserve."
Bruce Nelson, chairman & CEO of Office Depot, agreed. "We think it’s time to celebrate all that is right in American business."
Founder Gallagher added that The American Business Awards also offer a new and cost-effective way for companies to reward and motivate employees in tough economic times.
"National recognition by business leaders will foster a sense of pride that simply cannot be achieved through bonuses, raises, or stock options alone," said Gallagher.
Beginning today, The American Business Awards will be accepting nominations in more than 40 categories ranging from Best Executive and Best Sales Team to Best Marketer and Most Innovative Company. The competition is structured so that nominees will compete only against other firms of their size, in their industry. For a full list of categories, please visit: /aba/categories-0.
Sponsors of the 2003 American Business Awards include DHR International, Empire Media, Forbes, Hoover's Online, Selling Power Magazine, and Wired Magazine.
To learn how to submit nominations, visit http://www.americanbusinessawards.com, or contact The American Business Awards at 11 Penn Plaza, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10001; phone 212-946-4773; fax 212-504-3014; email info@stevieawards.com.
Deadline for early bird entries is November 25, 2002. Final deadline for entries is January 21, 2003.
For high-resolution photos of The Stevie Awards, visit:
About The American Business AwardsSM
A celebration of great performances in the workplace, The American Business Awards are the first national, all-encompassing business awards program. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Awards recognize outstanding leadership, innovation, perseverance, creativity, teamwork, and integrity through more than 40 categories. The first American Business Awards – nicknamed The SteviesTM from the Greek word for "crowned" - will be presented at a star-studded awards show in New York City in April 2003. The program is overseen by a Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors, which includes leading business executives, authors, and academics. Sponsors of the 2003 American Business Awards include DHR International, Empire Media, Forbes, Hoover's Online, Selling Power Magazine, and Wired Magazine.
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