Stop the Presses: SBJ plans 2001 Economic Impact Awards event

In conjunction with its 21st anniversary celebration as southwest Missouri's primary business information source, the Springfield Business Journal will present its second annual Economic Impact Awards publication, special reception and banquet July 26 at The Tower Club.

There are so many businesses in the southwest Missouri region that have contributed to the well-being and prosperity of all of us. These awards are the Business Journal's way of distinguishing these companies for their growth, employment, honorable conduct of everyday commerce and overall positive economic impact.

Now the search for the 2001 recipients is under way, and on behalf of the Business Journal staff, I urge you to submit a nomination for these awards.

There will be five recipients, nominated by SBJ readers and selected by a panel of five judges who are themselves community leaders. Also, an individual will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement in Business Award. Eligible businesses are those located within SBJ's coverage area, which encompasses a 50-mile radius of Springfield.

When our office receives your nominations, we will immediately send a congratulatory letter and application packet to your nominee. Nominees must complete the application before the judges can consider their candidacy.

Award winners and finalists in each of this year's five categories will be profiled in a glossy, magazine-style publication which will debut at the awards event and then be distributed to the entire SBJ readership. This is a fantastic opportunity to honor outstanding companies, and the finalists, as well as recipients, will be able to tell their unique success stories to the top professionals and decision makers in the region.

Winners in all categories, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, are not announced until the night of the Economic Impact Awards banquet at The Tower Club, making the evening dramatic and unforgettable for all who attend.

Springfield legend John Q. Hammons was nominated by a reader for the 2001 Lifetime Achievement in Business Award. The reader wrote a letter detailing Hammons' many contributions to this community and why he should receive the award. Hammons Industries staff members then invited him out to dinner (at his own club) on banquet night.

Last year's categories and winners were Retail, Nixa Hardware & Seed; Real Estate, Murney Associates, Realtors; Financial Services, Liberty Bank; Telecommunications, ProTel Communication Systems; and Information Technology, Jack Henry & Associates.

Award categories for 2001 are Health Care (nominee must be a direct provider of care), Construction (must be directly involved in building), Manufacturing (must actually make a product), Automotive (must be involved in direct sales of vehicles), and Advertising and Media (must be a producer of either print or broadcast materials).

Please call special projects coordinator Debra Fickbohm for a nomination form and more information. Her telephone number is 417-831-3238 and her e-mail address is dfickbohm@sbj.net.

Applications must be turned in no later than noon May 9.