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.

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?

Tomorrow (July 7) is absolutely the last day that entries will be accepted for The 2011 (8th Annual) International Business Awards.  Preliminary judging ends on Sunday, and final judging begins next week.  And we're pleased to announce the chairpersons of the nine specialized final judging committees that will determine the honorees in this year's IBAs.

If you're not familiar with the IBAs, they're the world's only all-encompassing business awards program.  Open to all organizations and individuals worldwide, the IBAs typically receive entries from more than 40 nations.

So here are the nine executives who will chair this year's final judging committees:

Company / Organization Categories: Shin Sung-In, CEO, KPR & Associates Inc., Seoul, South Korea
Corporate Communications, Investor Relations & Public Relations: Atul Ahluwalia, President - India, Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick, New Delhi, India
Creative: Ian Thomas, Executive Creative Director, JWT International, London, United Kingdom
Customer Service & Support: Sue Savage, General Manager, Micro Fidelios Asia Pacific, Belrose, NSW Australia
Human Resources: Sengul Demircan, Head of HR, HSBC Bank Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey
Information Technology: Eng. Natasha Gangaramani, Director of AL Faraa Group of Companies and Head of Information Technology division for all the AL Faraa Group of Companies, United Arab Emirates
Management: Yvonne Howie, CEO, NSW, The CEO Institute, Neutral Bay, NSW Australia
Marketing: Praphan Phornthanavarsit, Chief Operating Officer, Thai Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Samutprakarn, Thailand
New Products & Product Management: Rob Vandenberg, President and CEO, Lingotek, Draper, UT USA

Results in the 2011 IBAs will be announced on July 27, and the honorees will be celebrated at a gala in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 11.

What do you think of the chairs of this year's final judging committees?

We have extended the final entry deadline for The 2011 International Business Awards to 30 June, at the request of the Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, our host for this October's IBA awards event.

You'll find the 2011 English-language entry kit online at http://thestevies.com/EntryKits/IBA11EntryKit.html.

No additional late penalties or fees will be charged in association with the deadline extension.

The International Business Awards are the world's premier business awards. The competition is open to all organizations and individuals worldwide. Last year's competition attracted entries from 40 nations.

There are many awards categories to choose from in the IBAs , for

Overall Organizational Performance
Executive Management
Public Relations
Marketing
New Products & Services
Human Resources
Information Technology
Customer Service
Web Sites, Advertising, Video, Live Events, Smartphone and Tablet Apps, Annual Reports, & Other Media

When you're ready to enter, begin here.

Final results of this year's IBAs will now be announced on 27 July, and the awards presented in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 11 October. (Honorees are encouraged but not required to attend the event.)

Don't hesitate to contact us with your questions about how to choose categories, prepare and submit entries to The 2011 International Business Awards.

Robert Vandenberg is CEO of Lingotek in Draper, Utah, USA and will chair the final judging committee for the New Product Awards & Product Management categories of The 2011 International Business Awards.

Which innovations do you think will most improve businesses in the next few years?

I’m a huge believer in social media and how it is enabling a more transparent relationship between business and consumer.  The successful companies of the next few years will be those that use social media to engage with their customers, not those that resist it.

At the same time, increasing globalization will require all of us to be more aware and engaged with people of different countries, languages, and cultures. Companies will need to be able to understand those markets and communicate with them in order to grow.

What item of news recently caught your eye and why?

The phenomenal success of LinkedIn’s IPO underscores the value of permanent, transparent interconnections in professional relationships. Each of us now has the ability and tools to control our own professional brand.

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

As someone who spends too much time on planes I would pick something that involved being outdoors. Being a ski bum in the winter and a sailing bum in the summer sounds ideal right now!

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

My top four are: curiosity, work ethic, maturity, and the ability to be proactive.

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

Negativity: Everyone’s a critic, but in the workplace you shouldn’t just complain, you should make the effort to offer a solution.

As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?
I have the good fortune to engage every day with interesting people who develop creative products and solutions for real-world problems. I’m not a techie, but I learn about customers’ issues as they seek to expand into global markets, and I can discuss these with my technology experts.  It’s a great feeling when we are able to provide those customers with effective solutions.

About Rob Vandenberg

As CEO of Lingotek, Rob Vandenberg is driving the vision as the company looks to change the future of translation. He has never shied away from asking the tough questions that have led to greater understanding, insight, and a more progressive development of new products and services.

Prior to being named president of Lingotek in 2008, Vandenberg served as the company's vice president of sales and marketing, where he provided guidance and inspiration. Before joining Lingotek, Vandenberg served at the helm of several successful ventures. He cofounded and served as the CEO of LocalVoice.com, which was acquired by HarrisConnect in 2005. Afterwards, he was named as the vice president of sales and marketing for HarrisConnect. Prior to that venture, he started as one of the first 20 U.S. employees at INTERSHOP Communications. As a top-performing sales executive with national account responsibilities he helped build the company’s worldwide business: the INTERSHOP initial public offering was one of the most successful enterprise software company IPOs in US history (a $10 billion market cap).

Vandenberg holds a bachelor's degree in political economics from UC Berkeley. 

About Lingotek

Lingotek | The Translation Network gives enterprise business customers new ways to engage their global communities by providing trusted, rapid translations to grow business in a cost effective way. Its exclusive web-based Collaborative Translation Platform™ represents the next step in the evolution of translation through technology and community involvement. Today global organizations, intelligence agencies, and government entities use the platform, saving time and resources on projects ranging from a few pages to several volumes. Lingotek also offers professional translation services for companies. The company is based in Draper, Utah and is funded by Canopy Ventures, In-Q-Tel, and Flywheel Ventures.

With the May 11 entry deadline for the 2011 International Business Awards now just a week away, we thought we'd look back at one of last year's International Stevie Award winners.   ITT Corporation of White Plains, New York USA received a Stevie Award for Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year in Asia in the CSR awards categories of the 2010 IBAs.  Here we look at how ITT has secured safe water and sanitation for communities in Asia.

Sustaining the supply and quality of the world’s water is one of the most critical global issues facing us today. Water can be the difference between sickness and
health, the driver of economic development, and a powerful force when it comes to global security; yet, more than 883 million people live without access to
safe drinking water, and 2.5 billion live without basic sanitation.

Launched in 2008 with an initial three-year, $4 million commitment, ITT Watermark addressed this crisis by collaborating with leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to implement high-impact, sustainable water solutions in areas of great need.

In its first 3 years, ITT Watermark brought lifesaving water to more than 500,000 people in Asia, South America, and around the world. In September 2010, ITT committed $10.5 million to reach one million more people through ITT Watermark by 2013.

Focus on China
In China, more than 300 million people—one quarter of the total population—lack access to safe drinking water. Here, ITT Watermark focuses on three key initiatives:

• Providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education to schools
  

In China, many children suffer from developmental issues and chronic stomach ailments as a result of contaminated water supplies. Recognizing this, ITT partnered with China Women’s Development Foundation (CWDF) to implement a proven best practice of providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene education in schools. Since 2009, CWDF and 100 local ITT employees have planned, designed, and installed solar-powered safe water pumps, hand washing stations, and latrines for more than 8,000 students and teachers at fifteen schools in the Hebei, Jiangsu, and Yunnan provinces.  ITT employee volunteers enhanced these efforts by teaching the students in these schools about hygiene education. Additionally, ITT employees supported the initiative by conducting local fundraising efforts.

• Proactively securing safe water supplies for people in times of emergency

Building on lessons learned during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, during which ITT deployed financial contributions, water treatment systems, and engineers with UNICEF, ITT Watermark has worked to increase the emergency-response capacity throughout China. Together with Mercy Corps, an international NGO, ITT hosted a disaster risk-reduction training course for NGO staff and ITT employees in 2009, providing education on topics including disaster risk-reduction basics, vulnerability and capacities assessments, and community emergency planning.

• Supporting innovation and action around the preservation of local water resources  

Water pollution and insufficient conservation in recent decades have intensified China's water-access issues and have left 90 percent of Chinese cities with heavily polluted water supplies. To address local water needs, ITT and China’s State Environment Protection Administration sponsor the national Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition, which encourages local Chinese students to develop water projects and advance water innovation at a local, country and international level.

ITT China employees also take action through local service projects, such as garbage-collection efforts at Dameisha Beach in Shenzhen and tree-planting days in both Shenzhen and Shanghai.

In total, ITT Watermark has improved the lives of more than 200,000 people in China and 500,000 people around the world and continues to create an enduring and positive impact in the communities it serves.

Beyond Water: Minimizing Environmental Impact Worldwide
In addition to its commitment to corporate social responsibility programs such as Watermark, ITT Corporation recently announced that it has made significant steps to minimize its global environmental footprint. By reducing its consumption of natural resources and generation of waste and emissions, ITT is advancing its long-held commitment to sustainability. The company is constantly striving to safeguard the planet's climate, communities, and resources, and has been recognized externally for its significant progress. Over the past five years alone, ITT's global operations have:

• Cut back overall energy consumption intensity by 31 percent.
• Decreased intensity of electricity consumption by 33 percent.
• Reduced generation of hazardous waste by 46 percent.
• Eased water use by more than 27 percent for production processes and employees.
• Lowered the concentration of greenhouse gas intensity by 51 percent, including a 46 percent drop from 2007 to 2009.

"The recent metrics demonstrate that at ITT, sustainable behavior is a key part of our organizational fabric," said Steve Loranger, ITT's chairman, president, and chief executive officer. "We recognize the impact our company and our products have on the environment, and we are committed to using technologies to reduce our ecological footprint and protect our planet."

About ITT
ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. With a heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver extraordinary solutions that create more livable environments, provide protection and safety, and connect our world. Headquartered in White Plains, New York, the company reported 2010 revenue of $11 billion.