SBJ calls for Economic Impact Award nominations

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Dianne Elizabeth is president and publisher of Springfield Business Journal.|ret||ret||tab|

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Each year, the Springfield Business Journal staff recognizes business from five different industries that have made a significant and positive economic impact in the southwest Missouri community.|ret||ret||tab|

SBJ began presenting this event and special publication in July 2000 to celebrate its 20th year in the newspaper business by applauding the accomplishments of the companies and individuals that give us something to write about every week.|ret||ret||tab|

Now, as the Business Journal staff prepares to publish Volume XXV, No. 1 in July 2004, we are asking you to come forward with names candidate organizations for honor this year. Companies considered must be involved in the following five economic sectors: banking, retirement communities (independent living), physicians and clinics, commercial lines insurance, and engineering.|ret||ret||tab|

Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. May 13. The formal recognition ceremony is set for July 22 at The Tower Club, and the glossy, full-color publication honoring the top nominees will debut at that event, then be distributed with the July 26 edition. Please refer to the nomination form on page 20 of this issue. Business Journal staff will contact the organizations which you name for further, more specific information.|ret||ret||tab|

All nominated companies, regardless of category, must have a location within a 50-mile radius of Springfield, specifically Greene, Christian, Webster, Lawrence, Polk, Stone and Taney counties.|ret||ret||tab|

Because SBJ concentrates almost exclusively on local business, we will ask that nominated companies be prepared to report only area revenue growth and employment totals. National companies may participate, but they must break out local figures. Companies that have their headquarters in SBJ's coverage area may report total revenue, but employment figures must be for the seven-county area only.|ret||ret||tab|

After nominations are gathered, staff members will seek application materials from candidates, and those must be completed by 5 p.m. May 27. In total confidentiality, materials are copied for packages to each of the panel of five independent judges whose names will be announced in a few days. The judges, all local professionals, are sworn to absolute confidentiality. They have one week to register their decisions.|ret||ret||tab|

Managing Editor Clarissa French has long been known for her demanding and discerning work in the newsroom. The criteria that she has composed meet the same strict standards. The entries and judging rationale in the Economic Impact Awards competition are no less thorough. Readers can be confident that the companies which become finalists are truly deserving of accolades for their achievements.|ret||ret||tab|

Companies entered into the banking category may be state or nationally chartered full-service banks. For banks based outside the seven-county coverage area, employment, asset and deposit figures must be for the designated region only. Banks chartered in Greene, Christian, Webster, Lawrence, Polk, Stone and Taney counties may report total bank assets and deposits, but employment figures must only be for the seven-county area.|ret||ret||tab|

Qualifying retirement communities must be independent living facilities/developments or have an independent living component. RCF I- and RCF II-licensed assisted living, nursing homes and skilled care facilities are excluded. Companies that offer independent living in concert with assisted or skilled care may participate, but they must break out staff and revenues related to the independent living portion of the business.|ret||ret||tab|

The physicians and clinics category is open to all professionals and groups in this sector, from sole practitioners up to multispecialty groups. A physician group or clinic is defined as having a shared name, office space, billing, and administrative and support staff.|ret||ret||tab|

Commercial lines includes all insurance sold to businesses from work comp, building insurance and malpractice coverage to group life and health, commercial auto policies and general liability. Company revenues and employment reported may not include figures from personal lines business. Again, entered companies may be national organizations; if headquartered here, they may report total company revenues, but employment figures must be for the coverage area only.|ret||ret||tab|

The engineering category is open to professional engineering firms offering civil, mechanical and structural, electrical, environmental, systems/process or transportation engineering. Companies that offer other services in addition to engineering, such as architecture and interior design, must break out employment and revenue figures specific to engineering operations. Numbers from architecture and interior design services may not be included.|ret||ret||tab|

In addition to the honors in these five categories, an individual will be singled out in recognition of a lifetime a significant number of years of service in local business and the community. A letter from the nominator describing why this person should be honored will be welcomed by the judges. This award is more subjective for the judges, but the decision is usually unanimous. Previous recipients are John Q. Hammons, Jack Stack, Ralph Manley and Charlie O'Reilly.|ret||ret||tab|

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