Michelle King Robson, Founder, Chairperson, and CEO of EmpowHER Media in Scottsdale, Arizona USA, was named Chairman of the Year in the management awards categories of The 2011 American Business Awards, the top awards program in America recognizing achievements in the workplace.  (Entries for the 2012 edition of the ABAs will open in October - join the mailing list.)

What do you see as the top 3 changes/innovations in health care for women around the world?

1. Technology is making it far easier for women to take charge of their health and to be better informed through sites such as EmpowHER.com and many others.

2. Because of this technology, more women are voicing their health concerns or making their own decisions.  For too long women have suffered silently—maybe it’s something in our DNA—but now we need to take charge of everything that affects our health.

3. Women are physically different from men (surprise) so we shouldn’t have to rely on drug trials that are based on results in men only.  Currently only 37% of clinical trials target women’s health issues, and we have to change this.

There’s still so much that needs to change, but technology is a real game changer. Now women anywhere can get the information they need to make informed decisions.  This will have a positive impact globally.

What items of news recently caught your eye and why?

The biggest story in health care recently has been what’s going on in the field of biotechnology, and not just for women.  There is a story coming out about something called DRACO being tested by researchers at MIT.  It is possible that we will soon have a cure for the common cold, flu, and all kinds of viral infections.  This could be as big as the discovery of penicillin.

I was also powerfully moved by the story of Diana Nyad, a 61-year-old- woman, who—even though she didn’t make it from Cuba to the Florida Keys—managed to swim 103 miles. Not too shabby!  (And she might have completed the swim with the aid of DRACO …)   Nyad said: “60 is the new 40,” and at EmpowHER we truly believe that you can accomplish anything, regardless of age. Nyad is an inspiration to all women.

One final story I have to mention is that, after all these years, women in the U.S.A. will finally be getting free birth control.  Viagra had been covered by insurance for some time, but not birth control.  It’s about time!

Do you have a favorite business app?

I am a news junky for anything to do with health care, so I have lots of apps that will channel breaking news to my iPad, including Flipboard.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

I would have loved to have attended medical school and studied to be a doctor.  As you can guess, health has always been my passion.  When I was a girl there was not a lot of emphasis on higher education for women, but times have changed, and I am making sure that my own daughter receives a degree.  Nonetheless, I don’t feel hampered by not having done this myself, and it hasn’t stopped me from achieving what I wanted.  My mother always told me:  “You can be whatever you want.”  And she was right.

What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?

The team at EmpowHER Media has great passion for what they do: they work tirelessly to support my vision. They are dedicated to innovation, challenging the norm, and on finding new ideas or new ways to do things better.  I always try to hire people who are smarter than I am and who can execute my vision. We now have an amazing team here in Scottsdale, Arizona.

What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?

Settling for second best. I have no patience for mediocrity. “No, we can’t” is not an acceptable answer in my office.

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?

Women have been short-changed in health care because no one has stood up for them. I believe that anything to do with our bodies should be the individual’s choice.  Fortunately I have been able to make my voice heard and have been able to act as an advocate for women in health matters. I feel honored and privileged to be making a difference for women’s lives In the U.S. and around the world.

About Michelle King Robson
As Founder, Chairperson, and CEO of EmpowHER Media, Michelle King Robson has combined a successful track record as a business woman and entrepreneur with nearly two decades of civic and community leadership to lead what is today one of the fastest-growing digital-media companies in the world, focused on her passion for improving women's health. Michelle started the company following her personal struggle with a debilitating health issue. A tireless voice for women and the visionary behind EmpowHER, Michelle, a nationally recognized women’s health advocate, travels the world talking to women's groups, health care organizations, political leaders, regulatory bodies, and the media about women's health and wellness issues, and about the importance of women advocating for themselves and their loved ones. Her goal is to drive innovation and change in health care for women around the world.

About EmpowHER
EmpowHER Media is an award-winning, HON-certified health media company for women. The Company's flagship and Top 5 women's health and wellness site—EmpowHER.com—is an online community for female health consumers. We call them Chief Health and Wellness Officers of the Home. EmpowHER.com provides visitors access to one of the largest women's health and wellness content libraries on the Web, as well as one of the most active online communities of women discussing their health and wellness issues. Health care professionals, health and wellness marketers, and agency professionals rely on EmpowHER Media for reaching the most influential health and wellness buyer on the Internet: women. Millions of women visit EmpowHER.com every year, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing resources dedicated exclusively to women's health and wellness.

For the past week we've been recognizing the participation of the more than 200 judges in The 2011 International Business Awards, the world's premier awards program honoring achievements of all sorts in the workplace.  Today we look at the members of the panel whose scores determined this year's honorees in the Company/Organization categories.

Panel members included

Rene Co, General Manager, Corporate Communications & Reputation, Procter & Gamble Asia, Singapore
Sangmin (Eddy) Hong, CEO, Nextrans Inc., Seoul, South Korea
Sinta Kaniawati, Director, Unilever Foundation, Unilever Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Steve Keum, CEO & Creative Chairman, UK Creative Group, Seoul, South Korea
Ilchul Kim, Professor, Dongeui University (Dept. of Marketing Communications), Busan City, South Korea
Stephen Midgley, VP-Global Marketing, Absolute Software, Vancouver, Canada
Eunjoo (Stephanie) Song,  CEO & President, Culture Bank Inc., Seoul, South Korea

The committee was chaired and formed by Shin Sung-In, CEO, KPR & Associates Inc., Seoul, South Korea.

Among the categories judged by this committee were

• 33 industry-specific Company of the Year categories
• Most Innovative Company of the Year
• CSR Program of the Year
• Environmental Responsibility Program of the Year
• New Company of the Year
• Fastest Growing Company of the Year

Among the honorees in these categories this year are Bombardier Inc., Tata Motors Limited, Agricultural Bank of China, Quality Systems, ING Group, and Bertelsmann AG, among many others.

What do you think of the selections by this judging committee?

Q&A with Beth Smith, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of HybridMom.com of New York, USA, and winner of the Women Helping Women Award in the 2010 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.  (The 2011 awards are now accepting entries – the deadline is August 31.  The entry kit is online, here.)

What are your top 3 recommendations for being a successful working mother?

1. Take time on Sunday to organize your week, check your calendar for things that require errands, and do what you can in advance. Nothing is more stressful than buying and wrapping a birthday gift in your car on the way to a party!

2. Know that however organized you are things will not always be perfect. And that’s OK. Be kind to yourself, and make time for friends. Not only is this important for you, but your children are also learning the importance of self-care.

A friend of mine who recently lost her mom told me one of her favorite memories of her was her weekend ritual of reading the paper in bed.  She loved seeing her—a working single mom constantly in motion­—luxuriate for several hours in her satin sheets with the Sunday paper spread all around her. I love that image, too. Life is meant to be savored and enjoyed.

3. Make sure every member of the family pitches in. It’s sometimes easier to quickly make a bed than to call your child to come and do it, but in the end, if every family member does his or her part, it will make a big difference.

What item of news recently caught your eye and why?

I was deeply saddened by the recent helicopter crash in Afghanistan that took the lives of 30 Americans, including 22 members of the now-fabled SEAL Team Six.  Watching several families talk about their lost loved ones, I was struck by how proud and brave they still were despite their grief.

Do you have a favorite business app?

I check Google Analytics several times throughout the day. An article not getting quite the number of hits I suspected? I’ve been known to change a title (which can make all the difference) while waiting on a deli line. Priceless!

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

I would love to be a pastry chef. When I’m not working I’m usually baking.

What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?

Thinking outside the box. Hybrid Mom was founded on a shoestring budget and I love people who can make things happen, no matter what.

What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?

Procrastination. It takes more energy to worry about getting something done than actually rolling up your sleeves and doing it. 

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?

I love that every day I have the chance to help women entrepreneurs. I know what it’s like to ride the roller coaster, and if I can make the journey a bit easier for others, it’s a good day. Platforms such as the HybridMom.com Bazaar, where women can buy and sell products, and the soon-to-be-launched Freelance Circle, in which women can use their professional skills to help other businesses, were created to help women realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

About Beth Smith
After a 15-year career in publishing for a global business media company, Beth Smith decided to take off on a quest to find a happy medium … a way to have the best of both the working and the mom worlds. And she found that with Hybrid Mom. A co-founder of the company, and currently the Editor-in-Chief, Beth has been an instrumental part of creating and growing the Hybrid Mom brand. Today, she’s dedicated to providing a platform that allows other moms to do exactly what she did.

When she’s not busy seeking out moms who’ve found creative ways to blend work, life, and family, Beth can be found (in her yoga pants) reading, traveling, or exploring ways to ignore the barking of her Yorkiepoo. Beth lives on Long Island with her husband of 18 years and her 10-year-old daughter Jenna.

About HybridMom.com
Hybrid Mom is a community connecting moms on the things that matter most—family, lifestyle, and work style. HybridMom.com was a recipient in the 2010 and 2011 Forbes Magazine’s Top 100 Websites For Women awards.

What do you think of Beth's tips for working mothers?  What are your favorite working-mom tips?

This week we've been recognizing the contributions of the more than 200 professionals worldwide who participated in the judging process for The 8th Annual International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards program, and today we acknowledge the participation of those on the Management Awards judging committee, which included

Allyson Stewart Allen, Director, International Marketing Partners, London, United Kingdom
Esther Oh, Deputy Director, Commercial Services, CITIC Pacific Mining Management Pty Ltd, South Perth, WA Australia
Valerie Ondes, CFO, High Frequency Economics, Valhalla, NY USA
Janine Popick, CEO & Founder, VerticalResponse, San Francisco, CA USA
Jacqueline Teo, General Manager, Programme Management Office, FOXTEL, Putney, Australia
Han Tjan, VP-Corporate Communications, Daimler, New York, NY USA

The committee was chaired and formed by Yvonne Howie, CEO, The CEO Institute, Neutral Bay, NSW Australia.

The average scores of the members of this committee determined the 2011 Stevie Award winners in categories such as Management Team of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Chairman of the Year.  The full list of honorees in these categories is online, but some notable Stevie Award winners this year include:

• The management team at iolo technologies, Los Angeles, CA USA
• Fujio Cho, Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation, Aichi, Japan
• Catherine A. Lesjak, Chief Financial Officer and Executive VP, Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA USA
• Mukesh D Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India
• Jose Ignacio Sanchez Galán, CEO, Iberdrola SA, Bilbao, Spain
• Mugheer Al Khaili, Director General, Abu Dhabi Education Council, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The awards will be presented at the 2011 IBA awards presentations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, 11 October. Tickets are now on sale.

What do you think of the list of honorees in the management categories this year?

Yesterday in this space we recognized the more than 100 professionals worldwide who participated in preliminary judging of The 2011 International Business Awards, the world's only all-encompassing, fully-international business awards program.  The average scores of those preliminary judges determined the entries that were eligible to be included in final judging.

Today we recognize the members of the final judging committee for the PR awards categories of this year's IBAs.  Our sincere thanks go to

Mary Frances Fagan, Director of Corporate Communcations, Europe and the Pacific, AmericanAirlines®, Hounslow, Middlesex, United Kingdom
Clare Gayner, Head of Corporate Communications, HP Asia Pacific & Japan, Singapore
Richard Hedges, Director-Communications, Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce PLC, Derby, United Kingdom
Miriam Henn, Head of Communications-Germany, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
Poonam Kaul, Director, Communications, Nokia India Private Limited, Gurgaon, India
Jin Montesano, VP, Corporate & Government Affairs, Asia Pacific Region, Kraft Foods, Singapore
Anita Sharma, Assistant Vice President, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd, New Delhi, India
Ranjana Smetacek, Director, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Fortis Healthcare (India) Limited, New Delhi, India
Josie Taylor, Corporate Communications & Analyst Relations, Microsoft Asia, Singapore

This outstanding judging panel was put together and led by Committee Chair Atul Ahluwalia, President - India, with Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick, in New Delhi, India.

Their average scores determined the winners of Stevie Award trophies and Distinguished Honoree (honorable mention) medals in categories such as

• Public Relations Agency of the Year
• Communications Department of the Year
• Communications Team of the Year
• Communications Executive of the Year
• and 13 Communications or PR Campaign/Program of the Year categories

This year's winners were announced last week and will be honored at ceremonies in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 11 October.

What do you think of the PR awards categories judging committee?

Last week we announced the Stevie Award winners and Distinguished Honoree (honorable mention) medalists who've been honored in The 2011 (8th Annual) International Business Awards, the world's only all-encompassing, fully-international business awards program.  This year's honorees will be celebrated at a star-studded event in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Tuesday, 11 October.

Throughout this week we'll recognize the contributions of the more than 200 professionals worldwide who participated in the IBA judging process this year

The following 100 professionals participated in preliminary judging of the IBAs in May-July 2011. Their average scores determined the entries that were eligible to be consider in final judging. We thank them for their time, interest, and insights. With entries up 80% this year to more than 3,000, their contribution was more vital than ever!

Ravi Agarwal, Chief Electrical Engineer, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd, Mumbai, India
Ahmad Alhai, BRM Analyst, ADCO, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Jeff Allen, VP Marketing, AtTask, Inc., Orem, UT
Johnny Anderson, Vice President, Bulldog Solutions, Austin, TX USA
Ann Badmus, President, Badmus Law Firm, Dallas, TX USA
Vinod Bahety, Assistant Vice President, Yes Bank Ltd, Mumbai, India
Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior VP - Corporate Communications, Etisalat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Israel Bonequi, Creative Director, Birds Nest Foundatio,n Montreal, PQ Canada
Kathleen Boylan, Senior Vice President, Public Communications, Inc., Chicago, IL USA
Scott Breeden, Owner, Aztech Graphics, Oak Hill, VA USA
Jane Bryant, Director, Spire Communications, Fredericksburg, VA USA
Heena Bulchandani, Specialist - Training & Development, Dubai Electricity &,Water Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ozge Bulut Marasli, Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs, Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding A.S., Istanbul, Turkey
Fred Cannizzaro, Creative Director, nVision, New York, NY USA
George Cauttero, Producer, The Cauttero Group, Bronx, NY USA
Chick Ciccarelli, CEO, Chick Ciccarelli, Inc / WebWizards, Valley Village, CA USA
Pedro Colaco, CEO, Guestcentric, Fairfield, NJ USA
Rachel Deutsch, President/Creative Director, Biondi LLC, McLean, VA USA
Demet Deveci Erkol, Service Quality Group Manager, Turk Telekom, Istanbul, Turkey
Arkadiy Dobkin, Chairman & CEO, EPAM Systems, Inc., Newtown, PA USA
Eve Dumovich, CEO, Snowline Publishing, Ashford, WA USA
Rochelle Ekanayake, Managing Director, MrPierce Studios International, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Timur Erten, Specialist, Turk Telekom, Istanbul, Turkey
Michelle Esso, Marketing & PR Manager, Hyatt Legal Plans, a MetLife Company, Cleveland, OH USA
Elijah Ezendu, Senior Partner, Shevach Consulting, Lagos, Nigeria
Rachel Farris, Director, PR & New Media, PetRelocation.com,Austin, TX USA
Marc Foelsch, Senior Art Director, Fraser Wallace Advertising, Montgomery Village, MD USA
Julia Forsyth, Senior Global Marketing Manager, GSMA, Atlanta, GA USA
Steve Gallagher, Independent Video Producer, Bronx, NY USA
Steve Gershik, Marketing Director, 28Marketing, San Mateo, CA USA
Lauren Gertzman, Owner, Inside Minds, LLC, Washington, DC USA
Alan Gilleo, Chief Creative + Experience Officer, LeapFrog Interactive, Louisville, KY USA
Lisa Gregovich, Vice President - Customer Service, ePlan Services, Inc., Denver, CO USA
Mustafa Gümüs, Performance Reporting Manager, Turk Telekom, Istanbul, Turkey
Deanna Hart, Operations Manager, IHG - InterContinental Hotels Group, Salt Lake City, UT USA
James Hart, Founder, The European Marketing Agency (TEMA) Ltd, Bradford, United Kingdom
Naoto Hashizume, Manage, IFNet,Inc., Tokyo, Japan
Susan Hein, Creative Director, Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Washington, DC USA
Dr. K. Darcy Hohenthal, Founder, The Birthday Club, Manchester, CT USA
Jamie K. Holt, MBA, President/CEO, JMK Notary & Services, Miami, FL USA
Sangmin (Eddy) Hong, CEO, Nextrans Inc., Seoul, South Korea
Susan Hudgins, Director of Events, StarChefs.com, Brooklyn, NY USA
Leo Indarwahono, Public Health & Educational Executive, Unilever Indonesia Tbk., Jakarta, Indonesia
Beverly Jensen, Ph.D., President, www.WomensMedicineBowl.com, Greeley, CO USA
Allen Jernigan, CEO, My Marketing Department, Inc., Seminole, FL USA
Sunil John, CEO, ASDA'A Burson Marsteller, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Michael Johnson, Senior Manager, Global TAM Services, Dell, Round Rock, TX USA
JP Jones, Owner, Paige1Media, Lawerenceburg, TN USA
Paul Jones, President, TK Advisors Inc., Toronto, ON Canada
Anila Kalleshi, President, Kalleshi Center, Tirane, Albania
Norbert Kilen, Strategy Director, Think Kong, Warszawa, Poland
Hirotaka Kinoshita, Manager, IFNet,Inc., Tokyo, Japan
Ron Klingensmith, Chief Creative Officer, Slack and Company, Chicago, IL USA
Slade Kobran, Chief Marketing Officer, Infogroup, Princeton, NJ USA
Rafal Kucharski, Advertising Manager, Wytwornia Mebli, Swarzedz, Poland
Vishnu Kumar, Vice President, Everonn Education Limited, Chennai, India
Vivek Kumar, Head Servicing: Technology & Services, Communications Adfactors PR, Mumbai, India
Wayne Kurie, Creative Consultant, Washington, DC USA
Peter Levy, President, Corniche Productions, Brooklyn, NY USA
Maheshkumar Mathilakath, Head of Quality, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Colin McKillop, Chief Executive Officer, Butcher Enterprises Engineering Ltd., Windsor, ON Canada
Farhad Meher-Homji, Director, Brightlabs, Brisbane, QLD Australia
Sharon Metzung, Publications & Graphics Manager, Lake Metroparks, Concord Township, OH USA
Eliza Misiecka, Founder & CEO, GENESIS PR Poland, Warsaw, Poland
Simona Mollova, CEO, Investment JSPK credit consult - jsk, Sofia, Bulgaria
Tamara Nall, President & CEO, The Leading Niche, New York, NY USA
Debra Naylor, President, Naylor Design, Washington, DC USA
Kum Ng, Founder, International Frameworkcooking Foundation, Madison, WI USA
Angela Nielsen, President, One Lily Creative Agency, Apple Valley, CA USA
Yuji Okumura, Director, llluslon inc, Fukuoka, Japan
Jason Pasch, Web Designer, JasonPasch.com, Washington, DC USA
Supon Phornirunlit, Creative Director, Supon Creative, Washington, DC USA
Katharine Ramsden, Managing Editor, Thomson Reuters, Stamford, CT USA
Emma Real, Specialist, Corporate Communications, AECOM, Chicago, IL USA
Dennis Reno, Vice President, Customer Experience, Oracle Corporation, San Francisco, CA USA
Avis Richards, CEO, Birds Nest Productions, New York, NY USA
Jennifer Rotner, Owner, Elite Editing, New York, NY USA
Francisco Ruiz, Executive VP, International Armoring Corporation, Ogden, UT USA
Gauri Sankar, Senior Manager - Retired, Canara Bank, Bangalore, India
Hande Sarantopoulos, Corporate Communications Manager, Coca-Cola Icecek, Istanbul, Turkey
Aysegul Seferoglu, External Communications Coordinator, Effect PR, Istanbul, Turkey
Juliet Shavit, President and CEO, SmartMark Communications, LLC, Newtown, PA USA
Carol Sheldon, Senior VP Customs, DHL Global Forwarding, West Columbia, SC USA
Garrick Sheldon, Assistant Project Manager, Rising Tide Interactive, Washington, DC USA
Ishrat Shums, Head Design (elearning Solutions), Tata Interactive Systems, Mumbai, India
Nicole Silva, Vice President, Edelman, Chicago, IL USA
Bo Simmons, President, Cool Blue Interactive, Atlanta, GA USA
Seema Singh, Engineer, Al Faraa Group, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Thurston Smith, Owner, SPK Productions, Greenwich, CT USA
Caroline Storey-Sabetti, Executive Director, Business Solutions & Marketing, Staff Management | SMX, Chicago, IL USA
Shoab Syed, Principal, Consultant, Sovnex, Brampton, ON Canada
Joe Thoma, President/CEO, Primary Source Press Inc., Oviedo, FL USA
Abby Trexler, Senior PR Manager, Jack Morton Worldwide, New York, NY USA
Anyck Turgeon, CEO, CoreClean Group, Austin, TX USA
Tusshar Varangaonkar, Director, Gharrkul Industries Pvt. Ltd, Amravati, India
Atilla Yerlikaya, Corporate Affairs, Coca-Cola Icecek, Istanbul, Turkey
Julia Zamorska, VP of Corporate Communications, iolo technologies, Los Angeles, CA USA
Rebecca Zhao, Director/Designer, zstudioca.com, Hong Kong, China
Joseph Zitzelberger, Director of Manufacturing Development, PACCAR Inc, Chillicothe, OH USA
Chris Zoloth, Director, Global Customer Care, IHG, Salt Lake City, UT USA

Tomorrow we'll begin to recognize the members of our 10 final judging committees.

What do you think of our list of preliminary judges?

Organizations and individuals in 35 nations, including first-time winners Bahrain, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and Slovakia, have been announced as Stevie® Award winners in The Eighth Annual International Business Awards, the world’s only international, all-encompassing business awards program.

Nicknamed the Stevies from the Greek word “crowned,” the awards will be presented at a gala event on Tuesday, 11 October at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Tickets for the event are on sale now at www.stevieawards.com/iba. 

Winning 42 Stevie Awards this year, organizations and individuals in the United States made the best showing.  South Korea came in second place with 29 awards, while the host nation United Arab Emirates earned an impressive 24 Stevies.  The United Kingdom earned 22 awards followed by Turkey with 11 and Germany with 10 Stevies.

Some notable winners include:

• Company of the Year (Conglomerates): Siemens AG (Germany)
• Executive of the Year (Electronics): Yun Jong-Yong, CEO, Samsung Electronics (South Korea)
• Most Innovative Company of the Year (Middle East and Africa): Etisalat Group (UAE)
• Fastest Growing Company of the Year and Best New Company of the Year: Everonn Education Limited (India)
• Best New Product or Service of the Year (Health Products & Services): Cascades Intelligent Antibacterial Paper (Canada)
• Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year: ITT Corporation (United States)
• Marketing Campaign of the Year: Finansbank A.S. (Turkey)

A complete list of all 2011 International Business Awards honorees is available at www.stevieawards.com/iba. 

Stevie Award trophy and Distinguished Honoree (honorable mention) medal winners were selected from more than 3,000 entries received from organizations and individuals in more than 50 nations.  All organizations worldwide are eligible to compete in The International Business Awards, and can nominate in a wide range of categories, including management awards, company/organization awards, marketing awards, public relations awards, customer service awards, human resources awards, new product awards, IT awards, web site awards, and more. 

Business professionals around the world participated in preliminary judging in May-July.  Their average scores determined the entries that were eligible to be considered in final judging, which was performed earlier this month by the members of 10 specialized committees.  In total, 200 executives around the world participated in the judging process. 

About the Stevie Awards 

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.stevieawards.com/, and follow the Stevie Awards on Twitter @TheStevieAwards.   

Location hosting patron for The 2011 International Business Awards is the Ministry of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates.  Premier sponsors include IBM Netezza and Smart Reader® Worldwide.  The Korea Business Communicators Association is the national sponsor for South Korea.  Localization sponsor of the 2011 Stevie Awards is SDL.  Location hosting supporters of the 2011 IBAs include Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Dana Gas, Forbes Middle East, the Gemological Institute of America and The International Business Times.

Susan Davis International of Washington, D.C., USA, won a Stevie Award for Communications Campaign of the Year in the PR awards categories of the 2010 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Here we look at how the communications firm brought widespread recognition to the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II.

Congressional Gold Medal

The unsung heroines of World War II, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), were finally honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in a March 10, 2010 ceremony at the United States Capitol. The WASP—1,102 trailblazing civilian female pilots—were the first women to fly military aircraft. They were not granted military status until 1977, and today fewer than 300 survive.

Susan Davis International (SDI) worked on behalf of the Women In Military Service for America Memorial Foundation to tell the long-forgotten story of the WASP, their service, and their honor. The firm gained the WASP widespread international, national, and local media attention with a combined national and grassroots media strategy.

Media Campaign

To increase awareness of the WASP, SDI designed a media campaign to communicate the unique stories of each WASP as well as the broader story of their collective service. To create additional opportunities for the WASP and media to interact, SDI recommended, developed, executed, and managed two events including a Wreath Laying and Remembrance Ceremony and a Military Salute Reception on March 9, 2010.

Personal Stories

SDI researched personal WASP stories to build a comprehensive media
strategy for coverage in advance of, and during, the celebratory activities. SDI’s initial press release announced events the Foundation would host to honor
the WASP. Preview articles were secured in national and regional outlets
including U.S. News & World Report and the Los Angeles Times.

Grass Roots Strategy

In advance of the ceremony in Washington, D.C., SDI developed state-specific press releases for the ten states with the highest number of surviving WASP, which they strategically distributed to print, online, and broadcast media.

Media Interviews

As the sole connecting resource between the WASP and the media, SDI managed and coordinated hundreds of phone and in-person interviews in hometowns and in Washington, D.C. SDI also pitched and secured media interviews for Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, president of the Women in Military Service For America Foundation, and modern day aviator Lt. Col. Nicole Malachowski, who both contributed to the WASP story.

During the celebratory events, SDI worked closely with WASP and their military escorts to fulfill media requests. Immediately following the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony, SDI worked with NBC and ABC pool cameras to facilitate on-camera interviews requested by affiliates around the country, most of which had been generated through SDI’s hometown outreach.

SDI also matched specific WASP with print journalists. The firm had interested ABC World News in following WASP Bernice “Bea” Haydu on her journey to Washington and connected the ABC pool camera with her for a conclusion to the story.

The Story is Finally Told

SDI’s strategy produced more than 925 print articles, 1,200 online articles, and
68 stories on national radio and television. Local radio and television affiliates aired more than 1,170 stories across the nation. More than half of earned media coverage told the individual stories of the WASP, with 174 of those stories on front pages from Alaska to Maine.

SDI’s efforts produced more than 200 million media impressions, including a CNN live interview in the Capitol Visitors Center the morning of the ceremony. The WASP story was told on PBS News Hour, CBS Evening News, CNN, NBC Nightly News, ABC’s World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, and NPR.  It also earned front-page coverage in such publications as the Washington Post, Contra Costa Times, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Anchorage Daily News, and Denver Post.

The WASP story resonated in more than 180 markets across the nation, ensuring Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II their long-delayed and much-deserved recognition.

About Susan Davis:

Susan A. Davis, Chairman and Founder of Susan Davis International, is an internationally renowned communications strategist. For more than two decades, she has created and managed innovative, award-winning media and public affairs campaigns for domestic and international industry leaders, governments in the U.S. and abroad, non-profits, and NGOs. Ms. Davis is widely known for her expertise in strategic positioning, alliance and relationship building, government relations, and crisis communications. She has provided counsel to government and industry leaders throughout the United States, Europe, and Central America, and continues to counsel key public figures worldwide.

About Susan Davis International

Susan Davis International (SDI) is a full-service, woman owned/operated boutique public affairs/strategic communications firm with a 25-year history of producing award-winning campaigns and events. SDI, with more than 68 agency partners worldwide, services clients including multinationals, the U.S. and foreign governments, federal agencies, non-profit organizations, NGOs, and trade associations.  For more information go to www.susandavis.com.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business today launched the Call for Entries for its eighth annual competition.  Entry kits and complete details on the competition are available at www.stevieawards.com/women. 

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business feature over 50 categories including Best Entrepreneur, Best Young Entrepreneur, Best Executive, Mentor or Coach of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Employee of the Year, Best Overall Company of the Year, and Most Innovative Company of the Year, among others.  The awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards and International Business Awards. 

All female entrepreneurs, executives, and the organizations they run, worldwide, are eligible to be nominated.

The discounted early-bird entry deadline is July 27 and the final deadline is August 31, 2011.  Entrants save 25% by entering early. Winners of the eighth annual competition will be announced at a gala awards dinner in New York in November.

New categories in 2011 include Non-Profit or Government Organization of the Year, Smartphone or Tablet App of the Year, Video of the Year, and multiple new Marketing Campaign, Communications/PR Campaign, and New Product or Service of the year categories.

Winners of the 2010 Stevie Awards for Women in Business included, among others: Teach for America’s Rebecca Fishman Lipsey (Best Executive), Nu Skin Enterprises’ Melissa Tantoco-Quijano (Best Asian Executive), International Financial Data Services’ Debralee L. Goldberg (Best Canadian Executive), Métier, Ltd.’s Sandra Richardson (Mentor of the Year), and Australia’s WildlyWealthy.com (Best Overall Company of the Year). A complete list of 2010 honorees is available at www.stevieawards.com/women.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are judged by many leading women entrepreneurs, executives and luminaries in business. 

A portion of each ticket sold for the November 11 awards dinner will be contributed to Camfed (www.camfed.org), which fights poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa by educating girls and empowering women to become leaders of change. 

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide.  Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.stevieawards.com/, and follow the Stevie Awards on Twitter @TheStevieAwards.   

Sponsors of the 2011 Stevie Awards for Women in Business include Infogroup and KeyBank’s Key4Women program.  Localization partner of the 2011 Stevie Awards is SDL.  The November 11 awards presentations will be broadcast by the Business TalkRadio Network.

Who are the outstanding women you think should be nominated in this year's awards?

 

Sung-In Shin, President & CEO of KPR & Associates, Inc., Seoul, South Korea will chair the final judging committee for the Company/Organization categories of The 2011 International Business Awards.

What are your top tips for companies wishing to promote their products or services in Korea?

My first tip is this: Korea is often described as a unique market for new entrants. The most important step is for companies to do their homework thoroughly. Extensive market research and analysis of the local business environment, including potential competitors, is essential to preparing strategies and plans that can succeed here.

The next step is to identify your target audience clearly and segment it appropriately to deliver the most compelling messages through the most efficient channels.

Finally, communication with the market must be sustained continuously, not just at irregular times like for new product/service launches.

Here's my second tip: Companies that want to succeed in Korea must clearly differentiate their products or services from competitors. Without sharp differentiation, it is easy for a service or product to be passed over. Consumers gravitate toward a brand that captures the imagination with a distinctive selling point.

Finally, this point: New entrants in the market must leverage local experts­ in areas such as legal, accounting, public relations, and advertising. In addition to the language issue, there are many complex factors in the Korean market that require thorough understanding and consultation.

What item of news recently caught your eye and why?

The Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) went into effect on July 1. This will boost bilateral business exchanges and economic expansion. I hope that it will also speed ratification of the Korea-US FTA, which is awaiting a vote in the respective national legislatures.

Do you have a favorite app?

I frequently use major news media apps to stay up to date on the latest domestic and international news related to our business and that of our clients, as well as to gain insights for business conversation.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be?

When I was at university, my parents and professors wanted me to pursue a career in education. This would appeal to me as an alternate profession as I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with the younger generation, who will be the future leaders of our society.

What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?

I value integrity and trust, open communication, selflessness, a challenging spirit, and a value-added service attitude. I believe professionals with these characteristics are more likely to be successful.

What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?

I think that lack of initiative is the worst trait to have, followed by a negative attitude and having a litany of excuses. I firmly believe that a positive attitude is essential, especially in a client-service business.

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?

I like to view every day as a gift, and it is up to me to make the most of that gift. I also look at complaints and criticisms as opportunities for me to improve. When encountering difficulties, I think back to the rigorous military training that I experienced in my youth and reflect that the current situation is not nearly as challenging as that in which I succeeded in the past.

About Sung-In Shin:

Sung-In joined KPR in 1996 as a partner and executive vice president, and subsequently became president & CEO in 1999. He has since led the company to record outstanding business performance and has himself gained widespread recognition as a leader of the public relations industry in Korea.

Under his guidance, KPR has won numerous international and domestic awards for excellence, starting with the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Award in 2003; Asia-Pacific awards for brand marketing effectiveness and public relations in 2004, 2005, and 2008; and a Gold Prize in the Mercury Excellence Awards in 2010/2011. KPR was named the PR Agency of the Year in Asia (Korea) at the 2010 International Business Awards and the Korean Consultancy of the Year 2011 by The Holmes Report.  Sung-In was selected as Korea’s PR Company CEO of the Year in 2009 by the Practical Science Forum of Advertising and Public Relations.

Prior to joining KPR, Sung-In was a founding member of Communications Korea and served as that company’s planning director from 1987 to 1995. Following his discharge as an officer in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in 1980, Sung-In joined the Overseas Business Development Division of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., where he also worked in Malaysia as a project coordinator until 1987.

Sung-In has served two terms (2004 and 2008) as president of the Korea PR Consultancy Association (KPRCA) and has been an adjunct professor teaching PR and advertising at Hanshin University since 2000.  He is married and has one daughter. He enjoys hiking and reading in his spare time.

About KPR & Associates:

Established in 1989, KPR & Associates is one of the most experienced public relations firms in the Korean market, and with 110 full-time professionals it is also one of the largest. It is differentiated from the majority of its local competitors (including the Korean offices of many multinational PR firms) by the full range of services it can offer, which include consumer and sports marketing, events and promotions, digital and online marketing, corporate and financial public relations, and issues and crisis management, as well as expertise in information technology, healthcare, corporate social responsibility, and the public sector.

KPR positions itself as the leading provider of comprehensive, effective, and dependable solutions for clients' communication needs. Its client list features many renowned multinational brands as well as major domestic enterprises and organizations.  KPR also gives back to the community by organizing an annual collegiate PR ideas contest to help develop the domestic PR industry, and the company provides internships for deserving university students.

For additional information, visit http://www.kpr.co.kr/eng/

What do you think of Mr. Shin's tips?  Has your organization succeeded in cracking Asian markets?