2005 Striving for Excellence Award Winners

Chapters Recognized for Outstanding Service
Chapters around the nation are finding value in and elevating the level of the SMPS Striving for Excellence (SFE) Program. This program provides an opportunity for Rewarding the Past and
Building the Future in chapter service to members. In 2005 the program was expanded to recognize excellence in chapter newsletters and web sites. The following chapters won Striving for Excellence awards for the 2004-05 programming year:

Grand-Prize Winner: Arizona Chapter
President: Ann Seibert, CPSM, Marketing Coordinator, Wespac Construction, Inc., Phoenix, AZ
Chapter Highlights:

• Conducted an Annual Programming and Strategic Planning Session attended by 40 members to brainstorm and generate ideas for the upcoming calendar year.
  
• Increased sponsor revenue by 56%.
  
• To achieve its "Christmas in July" donation goal, the chapter donated $15 from every registered attendee of its July program, raising $800 to benefit Maggie's Place.
  
• Recruited 15 new committee members.
  
• Posted an organized Speakers' Bureau list online in a searchable directory updated monthly.
  
• Conducted quarterly mixers with other organizations.
  
• Increased program attendance by 10%.
  
• Increased membership annually since 2000, growing from 76 members in 2000 to 140 members in 2005.
  
• Conducted a mentoring program with, at present, 30 participants.

First-Prize Winner, Medium Chapter: Greater Cincinnati Chapter
President: Russell Sanford, CPSM, Business Development Manager, Equity, Cincinnati, OH
Chapter Highlights:

• Created vice chair positions for each committee.
  
• Bestowed annual marketing achievement awards for chapter members including Marketer of the Year and the newly-created "Flying Pig" award for a newer member going above and beyond the call of duty for the chapter.
  
• Teamed with the Cincinnati Business Incubator to help create and grow MBE/WBE A/E/C firms.
  
• Displays a looping PowerPoint presentation at each monthly meeting proving information concerning future meetings, new and renewed members, corporate and program sponsors, and upcoming special events.

First-Prize Winner, Small Chapter: Oklahoma Chapter
President: Brad Thurman, P.E., CPSM, Principal, Marketing, Wallace Engineering, Tulsa, OK
Chapter Highlights:

• Served as host chapter for Build Business 2005 in New Orleans.
  
• Provides an outstanding chapter newsletter distributed quarterly to nearly 1000 people across Oklahoma including the A/E/C community and people associated with universities, school systems, hospitals, lawyers, and graphic designers.
  
• In its first three years of existence, Oklahoma has already met its goal of establishing a savings of $3,500 ($100 per member) invested in a CD.

Outstanding Certificate Winner: Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter
President: Tanya Corbin, Director of Business Development, MEDCO Construction, Dallas, TX
Chapter Highlights:

• Held a charity banquet for the National Organization for Critically Ill Kids, raising $25,000.
  
• Utilized the book Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, PH.D.; an online personality profile based on the book; and an expert facilitator to capitalize on the individual strengths of chapter board members in developing and completing their annual initiatives.

Outstanding Certificate Winner: Georgia Chapter
President: Amy Armstrong, CPSM, Marketing Director, Choate Construction Co., Atlanta, GA
Chapter Highlights:

• Created a Chapter Development Committee to provide outreach to universities through speaking opportunities, mentoring, and scholarship programs.
  
• Conducted SMPS University series with the University of Phoenix, drawing record attendance in conducting basic industry skills training including a session on branding and graphics.

Outstanding Certificate Winner: Oregon Chapter
President: Paige Viehouser, CPSM, Marketing Manager, Degenkolb Engineers, Portland, OR
Chapter Highlights:

• Provided a presentation skills training class for students at Oregon State University to assist them in preparing for a regional competition in which five out of the six OSU teams participating placed in the regional and national competition.
  
• Maintain an organized Speakers' Bureau in which chapter members provide industry outreach as presenters for the A/E/C industry.

Outstanding Certificate Winner: Sacramento Chapter
President: Dawn Greco, Marketing Manager, MWH,
Sacramento, CA
Chapter Highlights:

• Developed an annual plan linked to a five-year strategic plan that identified specific board and committee goals.
  
• Created a book club for seasoned marketers with 10+ years' industry experience.

Outstanding Certificate Winner: San Francisco Chapter
President: Marion Thatch, CPSM, Marketing Director, Geomatrix Consultants, Inc., Oakland, CA
Chapter Highlights:

• Accepted a role in marketing and public relations promoting the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake - 3000 attendees are expected to attend this conference in 2006.
  
• Has created a climate to support and promote the CPSM program and currently maintains the highest number of CPSM's at 10% of their membership.

Newsletter First-Prize Winner: Oklahoma Chapter
President: Brad Thurman, P.E., CPSM, Principal, Marketing, Wallace Engineering, Tulsa, OK
Newsletter Highlights:

• Very informative and professional-looking newsletter distributed to 1,000+ readers in the industry, creating a positive image for SMPS Oklahoma and assisting in chapter recognition and growth.

Newsletter Outstanding Certificate Winner: Georgia Chapter
President: Amy Armstrong, CPSM, Marketing Director, Choate Construction Co., Atlanta, GA
Newsletter Highlights:

• Includes corporate spotlight on gold-level sponsors that drew such a positive response one sponsor requested reprints of their article.
  
• Established an editorial review board consisting of three professional writers to ensure that all articles published are relevant and of the highest quality.
  

Web Site First-Prize Winner: Houston Chapter
President: Karen Kershner, CPSM, President, Communications Plus, Houston, TX
Web Site Highlights:

• Created a Photography Chair to assure the site reflected current membership and chapter events.
  
• Displayed its SFE submittal from 2004 to share information with membership and prospective members.
  
• www.smpshouston.com

Newsletter Outstanding Certificate Winner: Michigan Chapter
President: Donna Jakubowicz, CPSM, Corporate Marketing Director, Barton Malow Company, Southfield, MI
Web Site Highlights:

• Established this new site as part of the chapter reorganization and used this milestone to drive the transition of the chapter.
  
• www.smps-mi.org

Newsletter Outstanding Certificate Winner: New York Chapter
President: Meredith Berman, Associate Partner/Director of Business Development, Gruzen Samton Architects, New York, NY
Web Site Highlights:

• Provides information on upcoming board nominees.
  
• Offers links page to related sites.
  
• www.smpsny.org

These award-winning chapters were recognized during the annual Awards Gala on August 12 during Build Business: Beyond Boundaries, at the SMPS/PSMA National Conference, in New Orleans.

The 2005 Striving for Excellence Awards Committee was chaired by David Werking, CPSM, FA Wilhelm Construction Co. Inc., Indianapolis, IN. Committee members include Kristy Kevitt, Associate/Business Development, Smith Group, Phoenix, AZ; Melissa Lutz, CPSM, Principal/Marketing Director, Champlin/Haupt Architects Inc., Cincinnati, OH; Christa Peachy, CPSM, Director of Marketing, Speight Marshall & Francis, Virginia Beach, VA; Bill Vicary, Vice President, Vicary Management Group, Inc., Oldsmar, FL; Christine L. King, CPSM, Associate, Gordon Gumeson & Associates, Inc., Denver, CO; and Paula Stamp, CPSM, Business Development Manager, PCL Construction Services, Inc., Glendale, CA.