Honorary 2003 Stevie Recipients Announced
Contact: Patrick Kowalcyzk, patrick@mkpr.com
Jill Feldman, jill@mkpr.com
Michael Kaminer Public Relations, 212.627.8098
JOHNSON & JOHNSON, THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY AND WASHINGTONPOST.COM TO RECEIVE HONORARY STEVIE AWARDS AT 1st AMERICAN BUSINESS AWARDS
The SteviesTM will be presented on April 30th in New York City
New York, NY – April 22, 2003 – Gearing up for the business world’s biggest night of the year, The American Business Awards announced today that Johnson & Johnson, The Dow Chemical Co., and Washingtonpost.com will be the inaugural recipients of three honorary awards recognizing excellence in American business.
The American Business Awards are the first national, all-encompassing business awards program honoring great performances in the workplace.
Nicknamed the SteviesTM for the Greek word "crowned," the awards will be presented on Wednesday, April 30, at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers in New York City. The ceremony will be hosted by CBS News personality Charles Osgood and broadcast nationwide on radio, and worldwide via the Internet, by Business TalkRadio.
The Reputation Institute Stellar Reputation Award will be presented to Johnson & Johnson, which has topped The Reputation Institute’s public survey of corporate reputations for the past four years. The annual survey, conducted with Harris Interactive, gauges public perception of leading companies based on such criteria as vision and leadership, social responsibility, products and services, workplace environment, emotional appeal, and financial performance.
"Johnson & Johnson’s sustained position at the top of our rankings is an outstanding accomplishment deserving of recognition at the first American Business Awards," said Dr. Charles Fombrun, executive director of The Reputation Institute, a private research firm dedicated to advancing knowledge about corporate reputations.
The Miller Heiman Sales Excellence Award will be presented to The Dow Chemical Company in recognition of the company’s corporate-wide efforts to build and maintain strong customer relationships and for continuous reinforcement of best sales practices throughout the organization. Miller Heiman, which will sponsor the award for both the 2003 and 2004 American Business Awards, helps companies more effectively talk to customers by providing sales consulting, training, and organizational assessment and development services.
"Dow reflects the qualities that Miller Heiman believes represents true sales excellence," said Sam Reese, president and CEO of Miller Heiman. "Across the organization, they are committed to improving the customer experience by investing in broad-reaching initiatives that help sales more effectively build and maintain strong customer relationships. This includes a top-down commitment within the organization, a strong sales education program, and ongoing technology development to improve every interaction with customers."
Sponsored by Peppers and Rogers Group, a management-consulting firm recognized as the leading authority on customer-based business strategy, the "Impact" Award for Best Practice in Customer Strategy and ROI will be presented to WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive for MyWashingtonPost.com (http://www.mywashingtonpost.com). The site’s innovative customization program is largely responsible for a 200% increase in registrations in just one year.
"MyWashingtonPost.com is an outstanding example of forward-thinking business strategy," said Don Peppers, founding partner of Peppers and Rogers Group. "They have developed a better understanding of the site’s visitors and are able to effectively match buyers and sellers with enhanced information, resulting in an extremely successful and lucrative combination."
More than 40 Stevie Awards will be handed out in categories including Best Overall Company, Best Executive, Best New Product or Service, and Best Salesperson. For a full list of finalists and categories, please visit www.americanbusinessawards.com.
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 an awards show in New York City on April 30. 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 Business TalkRadio, DHR International, Empire Media, Forbes, Hoover's Online, Inc. Magazine, Miller Heiman, Selling Power Magazine, and Wired Magazine.
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