Humble beginnings, staunch discrimination and a massively successful career—that’s the story of Jenny Q. Ta, cofounder of VCNetwork.co. It’s a startup funding network that has been described as a virtual Shark Tank meets eHarmony.

Its database of independent international venture capitalists (VCs) finds startups who have what it takes to succeed. Facilitating such connections, both large and small, entrepreneurs are given the opportunity to submit their business plan through VCNetwork.co for the chance to be considered by one of more than 1,000 VCs. They won the Silver Stevie Award in the 2017American Business Awards for helping deserved entrepreneurs achieve their goals.

Matchmaking Heaven

So how does VCNetwork.co work? Entrepreneurs create a profile on VCNetwork.co, which includes the founder's and team's information, as well as how much funding the startup is seeking. Once they submit a business plan and select the industry they're most closely related to, VCNetwork.co's intelligent system pairs them with the best business match for their funding needs.

Jenny Q. Ta is the cofounder of VCNetwork.co and former founder of two Wall Street broker-dealers and investment banks. She says VCNetwork essentially plays “the role of matchmaker, bringing together aspiring entrepreneurs who need funding and venture capitalists with the means to provide that funding.” Jenny took everything she learned from her experiences and teamed up with Shinta W. Dhanuwardoyo (founder/CEO of Bubu.com) to create VCNetwork.co.

The Price of Progress

As both tech and finances continue to grow dependent on each other, Jenny and Shinta are seeing huge returns and industry transformations as new companies grow and continue to be profitable. Jenny feels she has had to grow a lot in terms of overcoming unfortunate challenges that many women in her industry experience. She recounts the little to no support received whenever she came across repeated discrimination.

“I was told that as a woman it would take me years to advance and become a broker."

She decided to open her own firm, and promised colleagues better pay if they worked for her instead. It worked—Jenny launched Vantage Investments in 1998 at age 27 with 30 brokers.

Recognition

Both Jenny and Shinta have been recognized for their work in huge ways. Jenny mentions their 2016 win for the Women In Business Award from the Los Angeles Business Journal, and this year they're expected to win in a similar category from the OC Business Journal. She comments on why it’s important to be recognized for their hard work:

“Recognition demonstrates our dedication to quality and innovation in the internet, new media and financial services industries.”

When you’re trying to bridge a gap to dissolve barriers traditional funding models place between VCs and entrepreneurs, if done right, chances are entrepreneurs and companies can avoid common pitfalls of venture funding. Investment banks are always looking for ways to venture into the investment arena due to lucrative fees they stand to collect from investors. These difficult bargaining tactics used by today's investment banks are what VC Network is looking to change, and they’re making a name for themselves wherever missed opportunities need better solutions.

Today’s enterprises are more spread out than ever, often consisting of multiple office buildings spread across the United States—and even the globe.

The challenge: finding a way to make those facilities and the people who work there more efficient. That’s exactly what iOFFICE Corporation, a fast-growing software-as-a-service provider, is doing for some 1,400 corporate clients.

The iOFFICE platform allows facility managers and executives to, for example, visualize floor plans and analyze space usage across all their properties. They can use available data to plan for future usage of those spaces in the most cost-effective way possible.

With a separate module, users can pull data from a building’s HVAC, lighting and refrigeration systems to monitor and curb energy use at the site.

But it’s not just the building that iOFFICE is trying to make more efficient. The firm also offers applications designed to streamline the work that employees perform. One of those offerings is a project management tool that enables improved collaboration throughout the enterprise.

Growing client list

The Houston-based firm has been able to expand its offerings through a series of partnerships with other specialized SaaS (Software as a Service) providers. This “Marketplace,” as iOFFICE refers to this network, includes technology companies that offer expertise in areas like space utilization, energy management and occupancy planning.

iOFFICE provides the user-friendly, mobile-ready backbone that helps users seamlessly search workspace and project data, as well as plan for future needs. The company calls their network “the first app ecosystem for the 21^st-century workplace.”

Corporations in a variety of industries are latching onto the idea. The company’s clients now include the likes of Adobe, Sephora and Under Armour—all trying to build efficiencies into their work environment.

“iOFFICE works hard to ensure that its clients have the technology to support their employees,” the company’s outside spokeswoman, Bethany Morris, says.

Currently, about 2.4 million users around the globe rely on iOFFICE software to gain visibility into their operations.

The business had much humbler roots when Don Traweek and Elizabeth Dukes, both former executives with Pitney Bowes Management Services, founded the business in 2002. But over the past several years, the company has gone through a period of remarkable growth, emerging as one of the leaders in the integrated workplace management system, or IWMS, sector. 

What was once a staff of just two employees has exploded to 49 and counting. Traweek continues to serve as the company’s president and CEO while Dukes holds the title of executive vice president, helping to drive the firm’s sales and marketing strategies.

An evolving workplace

iOFFICE’s solutions are particularly suited for today’s changing corporate environment, where so-called “activity-based working” is becoming more the norm. More and more, employees have the freedom to perform tasks in the type of space that best suits their needs— that could be at their desk, in a meeting room or even in a designated quiet space.

Enterprises see this as a way to increase collaboration and innovation within the organization. By moving away from a static, closed-in environment, they believe it also increases employee satisfaction and helps with retention.

The organization recently released Hummingbird, a software solution that according to a company statement, offers employees “an elegant and user-friendly way to add critical activity-based work functions to find, request, use and reserve the spaces, information, people and events they need every day.”

In The 2017American Business Awards, the company was rewarded for its innovative approach to workspace needs by securing a Bronze Stevie Award for “Most Innovative Tech Company of the Year” in the under-100-employees segment.

For a company that’s followed the Stevie Awards for several years, Morris says the designation was a major shot in the arm for the entire staff. “Since winning the Stevie Award, iOFFICE and its employees have enjoyed a boost in morale,” she says.

We all benefit when a child succeeds in school, when someone finds a job that will help them provide for their family or when more people are able to access quality, affordable healthcare. United Way Worldwide fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.

United Way is the world’s largest privately-funded nonprofit, supported by 2.8 million volunteers, 9.8 million donors worldwide and more than $4.7 billion raised every year. So it’s no surprise they received the Gold Stevie Award for Best Annual Report and for “New Product of the Year, Education, K-12 Course or Learning Management Solution” in The 2017 American Business Awards.

Anyone Can Help Everyone

Providing a platform to make a bigger, deeper difference is what Southerlyn Worsham, Director of Public Relations at United Way Worldwide, says is a top priority when getting involved with United Way Worldwide.

“We’re engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities.”

United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more.

The Importance of Celebrating Lasting Change

It’s hard to quantify the value of helping people around the world, especially at United Way’s scale. But lives being changed for the better can be acknowledged and celebrated with awards that represent the hard work people do day in and day out. Southerlyn enjoys sharing these stories as testaments to the difference that communities can make when we come together to create lasting change.

“Our team is awed by the awards and the double victory. Our entire office is so proud of the two awards and have been congratulating each other. It has been amazing for morale and pride. These victories have reignited our passion to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.”

The Gold Stevie Award in The 2017 American Business Awards for Best Annual Report was given to United Way Worldwide for their multi-media annual report about their efforts and results, including 1,800 locations, 40 countries, six continents, served by 2.8 million volunteers and 9.8 million donors. The annual report details individual efforts, collective results and large-scale impact in childhood success, youth success, financial stability and access to healthcare.

The Versatility of Giving

Giving money to fuel community solutions, volunteering your time or lending your voice to a cause that matters to you are just some of the ways people can get involved. United Way also allows people to gift stock with stock transfer instructions provided.

In keeping with the times of constant innovations for sending money, you can now even donate using Bitcoin, by giving to the United Way Worldwide’s Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund drives the development of new technology and new strategies to expand their reach and impact in communities around the world. Also, every year, millions of employees around the world launch campaigns to support local United Way solutions that improve education, financial stability and healthcare.

A meat lovers pizza with absolutely no calories? If it sounds just a little too good to be true, it is.

But that’s how the Stevie-winning nationwide chain Villa Restaurant Group playfully marketed its new product topped with pepperoni, sausage, ham and bacon, labeling it the “#AlternateFacts” pizza.

The name, of course, is a direct reference to the phrase famously dropped by Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. At the time, Conway was defending suggestions about the size of President Trump’s inauguration crowd.

Villa’s humorous take on the episode became a runaway success, garnering 85 news stories and raking in more than 230 million media impressions.

Offbeat Ideas that Work

Behind the restaurant’s cheeky campaign was BML Public Relations, a young New Jersey firm known for pulling out-of-the-box ideas to garner attention for clients.

It’s a company that once concocted the “The World’s Largest Mug of Hot Chocolate” in New York to draw awareness for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council.

And when a competing fast food chain grabbed headlines by telling social media that a “hamburglar” was on the loose, it helped Wayback Burgers steal headlines by offering the villain a reward for giving himself up.

What made the #AlternateFacts campaign particularly novel was the client’s willingness to plug into one of the most highly-charged political climates in decades. That’s something a lot of companies have been hesitant to do, fearing blowback from their ideologically-diverse customers.

There are exceptions, but they’re relatively few and far between. For example, when ice cream maker Dippin’ Dots drew a number of slights from Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s on Twitter, the company offered to host an ice cream social at the White House.

BML’s CEO, Brian Lowe, believes the current environment provides a great publicity opportunity for corporate America, as long as they take a thoughtful approach.

“I think it is important for brands to be involved in conversations related to social and political issues, even if they are not taking a hard stance,” Lowe told NJBIZ, a New Jersey business publication. “There are a lot of eyeballs on the issues and, as marketers, our job is to put the brand in front of as many eyeballs as possible while being as careful as possible not to polarize our customer base.”

The marketing effort resulted in BML earning a Silver Stevie® Award for Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Social Media Focused, which they received at the June 20 American Business Awards ceremony in New York City.

Plugging Into the Headlines

It’s no accident that one of the company’s most successful ideas came from the world of politics. Each day, Lowe and his mostly female team meet to talk about the stories that are grabbing headlines locally and around the country.

Then, they brainstorm how their clients can leverage those stories to grab some of the media spotlight for themselves. The firm tries to generate input from as many staffers as possible until they land on the most promising concept.

“The idea must be able to go around the room without making anyone feel like they are not on the same page,” Lowe told NJBIZ. “Then, when we have an idea that is strong, that we know will generate brand awareness and help our client develop core connections with its consumer, sometimes we have to go in and fight for the idea.”

The strategy is one that worked especially well for Villa Restaurant Group, which was able to ride a tidal wave of publicity because of its tongue-in-cheek product offering.

It was just as big a win for BML, which got plenty of attention of its own out of the campaign, not to mention the Stevie Award, its first major accolade as a company.

The 2018 American Business Awards will open for entries in October. Request the entry kit now and it will be emailed to you when it's availble. 

Bon Choix Couture is one of the leading costume shops in the United States, and increasingly, the world. So impressive is its roster of clients that many who see the list online stop short: Michael Jackson (including the iconic sequined military-style jacket and white glove); Tom Cruise; Rod Stewart; Kenny Rogers; Prince; Robert Downey, Jr.; Sheena Easton; Siegfried and Roy. Their client list is a who’s who of music, film, TV and show business in general.

In the 2017 awards year for which the Los Angeles-based company won The Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year – Apparel, Beauty & Fashion (small) in The American Business Awards and The International Business Awards, along came Disney Theme Parks with an invitation to become the official licensed costume house for Walt Disney World Wide. Dubai World Parks followed— then the cruise industry: Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines.

But here’s where the real story begins: You’d never know from the superstar clients and fancy Bon Choix dressing rooms that until CEO and Creative Director Tagui Veronica Manoyan took over in the year 2000, the company was about to go under. 

Controlled at the time by Manoyan’s mother-in-law and husband, Bon Choix was stuck in the wrong field at the wrong time: producing fancy clothing when the world was moving to blue jeans and sweats. Manoyan, then a stay-at-home mom, took instant and full control of the company. “What else was I supposed to do?” she asks matter-of-factly.

Call it “being hungry,” but within 24 hours, Manoyan was training under her mother-in-law and was quickly labeled a “natural.” Manoyan excelled at deadlines (all are a.s.a.p. in performing); at overseeing details (“I saw the costumes in my sleep”); at budgeting and finance (notably choosing to cut back and bank cash to reinvest); at technology (Manoyan was considered brilliant at mathematics and cybernetics); at managing others; hiring; and at doing what many consider the key to employee loyalty—doing anything that needs to be done, including driving the trucks each time the company moved locations— numerous times in a decade.

And it was Manoyan who chose to shift from fancy clothing to costumes and who manned the phones contacting representatives for the nation’s superstars. One by one, these artists sampled the costumes; and one by one they signed on and one by one they returned. The client return rate at Bon Choix was and is now 100%.   

As Manoyan also explains matter-of-factly, doing the best work is the best business ingredient. She opted to always create costumes that are unique (a must); comfortable (“they must behave”); and that “meet every challenge.” Take, for instance, the costumes that light up for Disney’s blockbuster 2016 "Paint The Night Parade" or its 2016 large-scale musical of the animated film “Frozen.”

Or Rod Stewart’s request, as Manoyan described it, for “a traditional-looking jacket that also works when he moves around and sweats a lot.” Or a similar request from rapper Chris Brown who “does cartwheels and crazy moves!” As always, Manoyan broke industry norms by removing all construction; by using multiple fabrics; by traveling the world to find the finest high-tech fabrics that mimic traditional ones; and by printing patterns on the jackets so that they look like the real thing while operating like the best of dancewear.  

Manoyan made another crucial business decision that runs counter to the industry: Do all work in-house. That meant purchasing the best technology (equipment and software) for embroidery, patterns and cutting in addition to offering hand-beading, custom stoning and hands-on 3D construction. The company is famous for its ability to reproduce costumes directly from original sketches. It is the only one in the business that, as of 2017, makes its own shoes in-house.

In 2016, Manoyan doubled the company staff and moved into a spectacular new 10,000-square-foot workspace in order to give her celebrity following what they craved: separate fitting rooms in addition to separate rooms for embroidery, fabric, sequinning and stitching.

Ask Manoyan the key to success and you’ll hear this: “I learn quickly!”

Indeed, not a day goes by even today when this powerhouse of a CEO isn’t learning something new; isn’t working past midnight to perfect it; isn’t traveling the globe for additional research; isn’t coming up with a new investment strategy for the future.

As Manoyan says, “Anything challenging and exciting I take on.”

Learn more about Bon Choix at www.bonchoixcouture.com.

Thanks to growing charter school and homeschooling movements in the U.S., parents have more options than ever when it comes to their children’s education. Selecting the right school for one’s child ‒ and helping them succeed in that environment ‒ has become more of a process than it was in the past.

Stevie Award-winning Founder / Director of New Heights Educational Group, Pamela Clark, experienced this first-hand when she was deciding where to enroll her young children. Clark home-schooled her children before finding the right charter school for them.

At the local charter school, Clark took on leadership and mentoring roles. Despite her affinity for these independently-controlled schools, she noticed that certain students were falling behind. Those with learning and emotional difficulties, like autism and ADHD, had a particularly tough time getting through the curriculum.

What those students needed, she thought, was a place they could go for additional support. And so, in 2006, New Heights Educational Group was born.

Filling in the Educational Gaps

The organization became a single destination where families could get help deciding where to educate their children, improve their literacy skills and find a library of reading materials for dealing with challenges.

At its core, New Heights Educational Group is a one-on-one tutoring program that focuses in on areas where the student needs extra attention. Teachers and students are required to meet three hours a week over a three-day period.

“We found that fill-in-the-gap type tutoring is necessary in order to reach students that have been left behind in traditional settings,” Clark says.

This focused approach has yielded dramatic results, she notes. Several students who were on the verge of dropping out of high school before they received tutoring from NHEG have now graduated. One student who suffered from seizures at a young age was able to jump three grade levels in science and four grade levels in math in a little over a year.

Parents with children facing learning disabilities found an environment where they could explore new strategies and share their experiences with others.

“In addition to successful, child-focused learning techniques, families are able to cope with their children’s struggles better because of increased social support,” she says.

If anyone could empathize with someone struggling because of a lack of outside help, it was Clark. Neither her father nor her two brothers ever graduated from high school and her mom wasn’t always there to help with her studies. She had also faced numerous health ailments throughout her life, in large part from  being malnourished as a child.

Thanks to New Heights, she’s making sure other students don’t have to deal with those same hardships. The organization recently won the Silver Stevie in The American Business Awards for Organization of the Year in the Small Nonprofit or Government category, which was awarded during a June 20 gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.

“This is such an honor,” Clark said afterward. “Every day our team of 81 volunteers work to promote our work in bettering education for all families, regardless of school choice, background or beliefs.”

Continuing to Grow

Eleven years after starting the venture, Clark continues to grow New Heights. It currently draws students from several states, thanks in part to its flourishing online solutions.

With help from Kathryn Stout, author of Natural Speller, the organization has created a free online version of the book for students learning to read and spell. Clark and her team also developed a free financial literacy course to help youths make wiser decisions with their money.

The journey into the digital realm has proven to be a fruitful one. New Heights garnered a second Silver Stevie this year in the New Product or Service of the Year category for its PK-12 Personalized Learning Solution.

In addition to helping students advance in school, Clark has also positioned the organization as a leading voice in educational strategies. On top of the monthly educational magazine it recently launched, New Heights started an Internet radio program that now boasts more than 24,000 listeners a year.

Clark and company published a book entitled One Nonprofit’s Journey to Success in 2015 and released a second, Unraveling Reading, late last year.

Even as she faces ongoing health issues, Clark continues to serve as the engine for the program. She oversees the dozens of volunteers who provide tutoring through New Heights, offers training to teachers and continually researches new strategies for helping students reach their potential.

“Educational changes are slow moving and very little improvements are ever made,” says Clark. “So the work that nonprofits do are very important and normally don't receive the attention they deserve.”

Over a decade ago and before the explosion of mobile devices, Hilton Goldstein, an air flight enthusiast, combined his passion of flying with his systems architecture talents to build a software company focused on innovation and safety. He developed an app that quickly grew in sales and revenue, and Hilton Software was born.

Today, Hilton Software is responsible for a $17.5 million government contract enabling military pilots worldwide to fly paperless, saving money, fuel, time, and most importantly, safer missions. This has lead Hilton Software to win the Gold Stevie Award in The 2017 American Business Awards for Executive of the Year in Aerospace and Defense.

From Ground to Air

Dr. Goldstein’s humanitarian efforts when he flew as an Angel Pilot was the inspiration for his first app. Although only motivated for his eagerness to serve the people he flew, his path lead him to unexpected destinations.

“Hilton Software’s first patent enabled airport diagrams to be very accurately geo-referenced irrespective of their runway layout, making aviation safer and avoiding runway incursions.” According to Company Representative Cristina Alvarez, “Our second patent application allows pilots to simply draw their route on the map with a finger on the mobile device, possibly deviating around water, weather, or terrain.”

Today, Dr. Goldstein supports a number of worthwhile organizations, including Semper Fi Fund, Make a Wish America, and Children’s Charities.

Innovative Turns

Everything new is interesting and stimulating to Hilton Software. This dedication to continual innovation and commercialization has led to many patented and patent-pending technologies being introduced into their commercial products.

“We strive to be ahead of the curve or at the very least jump on top of emerging technologies and advances as they occur.”

Always Looking Beyond The Horizon

Team Hilton Software as a whole has shown a variety of interests. Seven of its members are currently advancing their higher education in different fields, while many are actively studying to pass the pilot ground test. The company’s Project Executive is currently training as a pilot and soon will be able to perform her first solo flight in her own Piper aircraft. Because everyone is highly motivated and very active, they all contribute to the company’s pervading and bustling winner’s culture.

“Hilton Software strives to reach a plateau where each person is vested, satisfied, motivated, and rewarded. It is no small feat to accept that a great workplace outweighs the expense and effort of maintaining a nurturing environment.” Alvarez concluded, “And that, in a nutshell, has greatly contributed to the company’s success.”

Awards to Be Presented at Gala Ceremony on June 20 in NYC

Cirkled in is the top winner in the 2017 People's Choice Stevie® Awards for Favorite New Products, a feature of The American Business Awards, the U.S.A.’s top business awards program, which are now in their 15th year.

The nationwide public vote was conducted last month, with the highest number of votes deciding the winners in a variety of product categories. More than 38,000 votes were cast.  To win, a category’s leading vote-getter had to have received at least 100 votes.

Cirkled in, the Redmond, WA based company won the most People’s Choice Stevie Awards in two categories, Education - Classroom Mgmt and Education - Cloud-Based. 4LifeTransform Burn collected the most votes of any nominee.

The crystal People’s Choice Stevie Awards will be presented to winners at The American Business Awards’ banquet on Tuesday, June 20 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York, NY. Tickets for the event are now on sale. There, the winners of peer-adjudicated Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards will also be presented their awards. More than 550 nominees and their guests are expected to attend.

All new products and services recognized as winners in the new product awards categories of this year’s American Business Awards were eligible to be included in voting for the people’s choice awards.

The winners of the 2017 People’s Choice Stevie Awards for Favorite New Products are:

B2B Products: Qstream's Coaching Hub
B2B Services: Arise Starmatic Scheduling System
Computer Hardware: IGEL UD Pocket
Consumer Electronics: Anki's Cozmo
Consumer Products & Services: 4LifeTransform Burn
Content - Content Marketing: Thomson Reuters' Checkpoint Marketing Social Media Solutions
Content - Other: AT&T Global Video Player
Content - Reference/Legal: Enquiron
Content - Sales/Marketing Intel: Ignite Sales Customer Engagement Management Platform
Education - Classroom Mgmt: Cirkled in School Offering
Education - Cloud-Based: Cirkled in School Offering
Education - Game/Virtual/Other Curric: Advantexe Learning Solutions Drivers of Business Performance Business Simulation
Education - Other: United Way Worldwide, NFL, Verizon and Everfi: Character Playbook
Health & Pharmaceuticals: Makers Nutrition's Private Label Product Line
Industrial: Magline LiftPlus
Software - Big Data: CareerBuilder's Customer Health Score Tool
Software - Cloud App/Service: FieldEdge
Software - Cloud Backup/Storage: Quest Rapid Recovery v6.1
Software - Cloud ERP: Intacct Contract and Revenue Management
Software - Cloud Infrastructure: Wind River Titanium Control
Software - Content Mgmt: Built.io Contentstack
Software - Data Visualization: Lucky Orange Dynamic Heatmaps
Software - Ecommerce: Ve Interactive VePanel
Software - Endpoint Security Mgmt: Dell Data Guardian
Software - FinTech: Ingo Instant Payments
Software - Human Capital Mgmt: RiseSmart Insight
Software - Identity/Access Security: IdentityForce's UltraSecure+Credit (Version 5.1)
Software - Infrastructure/Platform AAS: FIS Merchant Processing System
Software - Integration Solution: West Video Meeting Gateway
Software - Learning/Workforce Dev: Articulate 360
Software - Marketing/PR: Digital Air Strike's Mission Control
Software - Mobile On-Demand App: Equo by Runzheimer
Software - Network Security: Cisco Stealthwatch 6.8
Software - Other: MindTickle
Software - Payments: BluePay?s Premier Payment Gateway
Software - Relationship Mgmt: Vlocity Communications
Software - Supply Chain Mgmt: PRO Unlimited's Wand VMS
Telecommunications - Product: Nextivity's Cel-Fi GO

Online marketing moves at the speed of light. Customers, prospects and partners can be the lifeblood of a business, which is a sentiment that TopSpot Internet Marketing has set their sights on to differentiate themselves from other search marketing firms. As they become one of the fastest growing firms in Houston, Texas, their focus on accountability, transparency, collaboration, education and delivering meaningful results helped them win the Interactive Agency of the Year Award in The 2016 American Business Awards.

Winners in The 2017 American Business Awards were recently announced. Interested in submitting nominations for 2018? Request your entry kit here.

15 Wins and Counting

TopSpot first submitted Stevie Awards nominations in 2015, winning 15 Stevie Awards including last year’s Grand Stevie Award for the 2016 Interactive Agency of the Year. The Grand Stevie Award is the highest honor.

“Winning multiple awards for our work on websites we’ve designed and developed and then going on to win the Grand Stevie Award for Interactive Agency of the Year further solidified the fact that our efforts are meeting and exceeding industry standards in addition to driving leads for our clients.”

At TopSpot, their focal point is delivering meaningful results for their clients.

“Our culture is built around a quality-focused approach, both in our work & our customer service. Our team takes tremendous pride in having a positive impact on our clients' businesses.”

Big Changes for 2017 and Beyond

TopSpot expects to see many changes in their industry. As mobile search continues to increase and with Google’s announcement of the mobile first index, more websites built and optimized for mobile devices will take precedence.

“We are also seeing a rise in voice search because of devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home. This is something we must take into consideration more and more when optimizing websites, making sure they are optimized for conversational searches.”

They also anticipate a greater importance on user experience with, “continued site speed monitoring, getting page load times down on all sites, which contributes to both user experience and organic rankings.”

It’s Not Just Digital Marketing

Director of SEO, John Varghese highlights a story about a client’s thankfulness that shouldn’t be overlooked, even when everything runs smoothly.

“He spoke to the entire company with a lot of thankfulness and communicated to us that we do more than just build websites, develop paid search campaigns or SEO, and that we helped him, his family, his employees and his employees families build their dreams. He went on to say that he was able to spend more time with his family and the charitable work he is involved in, employ more people, give raises, that his employees were able to send their kids to college, sometimes for the first time in their family history.” He said that, “Since that time we have an internal standard of asking if we are building dreams for our clients.”

Cisco Systems, FleishmanHillard and SHIFT Communications also among best-of-competition prize winners

The Stevie® Awards today announced the Grand Stevie Award winners in The 15th Annual American Business Awards, the top business awards program in the USA. Winners will be presented their Grand Stevie trophies at the ABA gala event on June 20 in New York.

The Grand Stevie Award trophies are best-of-competition prizes that are awarded to the organizations that submit the best body of nominations to the competition, in their own name or in the names of one or more clients.  

Winners are determined by a points system based on the total number of awards won in the ABAs, with a Gold Stevie win counting for three points, a Silver Stevie for two points, and a Bronze Stevie counting for one-and-a-half.  Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie winners in the 2017 ABAs were announced on May 2.

CallidusCloud, the Dublin, CA software developer has received the Grand Stevie for Organization of the Year for the second year in a row, with a record 111.5 points. Stevie-winning organizations are accorded three points for each Gold Stevie win, two points per Silver Stevie win, and one-and-a-half points for each Bronze Stevie win.

Other Grand Stevie winners include:

• Most Honored Interactive Agency: Blue Wheel Media, Troy, MI, with 19 points earned for projects for clients including Billhighway, SHEEX and WellNet, among others.

• Most Honored Marketing Agency: Momentum Worldwide, New York, NY, with 34 points earned for campaigns and projects for clients Allergan, American Express and Lockheed Martin.

• Most Honored Public Relations Agency: SHIFT Communications, with offices nationwide, with 37.5 points earned for nominations submitted on behalf of 12 client companies.

Grand Stevies will also be presented to the 10 other organizations with the most points in the 2017 competition. They are:

• #1: Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA (94 points)
• #2: Melissa Sones Consulting, a New York-based awards consultancy, with 38 points earned for Stevie-winning nominations submitted for eight clients
• #3: FleishmanHillard, the multinational communications consultancy with offices across the U.S.A., earned 35 for Stevie wins on behalf of seven clients
• #4: PAIRELATIONS LCC, an awards consultancy in Centennial, CO with 31.5 points for Stevies won for five clients
• #5 (tie): FIS, St. Petersburg, FL (25 points)
•             John Hancock Financial, Boston, MA (25)
• #7: Makovsky & Co, New York and Washington, DC (22)
• #8: Jeunesse Global, Orlando, FL (20)
• #9: Navicor, LLC, Westerville, OH (18.5)
• #10: Cirkled in, Redmond, WA (18)

All organizations operating in the U.S.A. – large and small, public and private, for-profit and non-profit - are eligible to submit nominations to the ABAs in a wide range of categories, honoring achievement in every aspect of work life, from customer service and management to public relations and product development. More than 3,600 nominations were reviewed in the judging process this year by more than 190 professionals, whose average scores determined the winners. The presentations will be broadcast live via Livestream.

For a complete list of the 2017 Stevie Award winners, visit www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

Tickets for the June 20 awards gala in New York are now on sale.

About the Stevie Awards 
Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the new Stevie Awards for Great Employers. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. 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 www.StevieAwards.com.