2003 Striving for Excellence Award Winners

The SMPS Striving for Excellence Program recognizes excellence in chapter service to members. The following chapters won Striving for Excellence awards for the 2002-03 programming year:

Grand-Prize Winner: Oregon Chapter
President: Kasey Rothenfluch, CPSM, Marketing Manager, PAE Consulting Engineers Inc, Portland, OR
Service Accomplishments:

· Well-organized speakers bureau
· New-member orientation program
· Scholarship program
· Paperless-chapter effort

First-Prize Winner, Large Chapter: Central Florida Chapter
President: Kimberly W. Mitrook, Vice President Sales Support, AmSouth Bank, Orlando, FL
Service Accomplishments:

· Student chapter at the University of Central Florida
· Membership increase of 40%

First-Prize Winner, Medium Chapter: Virginia Chapter
President: Christa A. Peachy, CPSM, Director of Marketing, Speight Marshall & Francis PC, Virginia Beach, VA
Service Accomplishments:

· A record six (6) programs held this year
· Newly developed collateral material

Outstanding Certificate Winner: San Francisco Chapter
President: Patricia R. Cantley, CPSM, Marketing Manager, Carter & Burgess Inc., Oakland, CA
Service Accomplishments:

· Sponsorship program resulted in $25,000 in cash donations

Outstanding Certificate Winner: Arizona Chapter
President: Barbara DeVoe, CPSM, Marketing Manager, Wilson & Company, Phoenix, AZ
Service Accomplishments:

· Strategic plan to "educate, differentiate, and communicate"
· Enthusiasm and support of national conference

These award-winning chapters were recognized during the Awards Gala on August 14 in Phoenix.

The 2003 Striving for Excellence Awards were chaired by Cynthia A. Jackson, FSMPS, marketing manager for BHDP Architecture in Cincinnati, OH. Also serving on the task force were Gina A. Bedoya, director of marketing, Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP, Scotch Plains, NJ; Carolyn Ferguson, CPSM, vice president, The Lentz Group Inc., Houston, TX; Jeanne M. LeBron, CPSM, client development manager, Lamp Rynearson & Associates Inc., Omaha, NE; and Paula D. Stamp, business development manager, PCL Construction Services Inc., Glendale, CA.