2006 Marketing Achievement Award Recipient: Mitchel Levitt, FSMPS

By Randle Pollock, FSMPS, Chair, 2006 Marketing Achievement Award Committee

Beginning in 1987, SMPS established the Marketing Achievement Award to recognize significant contributions to marketing professional services in our industry. This prestigious award—the pre-eminent SMPS individual honor—salutes professionals whose achievements and lasting contributions to the field are truly exemplary. To earn this honor, a recipient must show significant achievement in at least three of the following five areas: education, professional leadership, innovative programs, marketing communications, and research.

The 2006 Marketing Achievement Award Committee convened, deliberated thoughtfully, and concluded that Mitchel R. Levitt, FSMPS, exemplifies this award like no one else. His achievements and passion as a strong leader, as an insightful educator and mentor, as an engaging communicator and successful innovator--Levitt’s many demonstrable accomplishments dazzled the committee, especially in four key areas.

Professional leadership
Speaking volumes about his ability to lead and deliver outstanding results is the impact Levitt has achieved at Karlsberger—his firm, at SMPS, and in other organizations. Beginning as a project planner and now as a principal and executive vice president of Karlsberger, he has been instrumental in propelling his firm from a small, one-office shop to a multi-office company with national prominence in healthcare facilities design.

SMPS has benefited greatly as well from Levitt’s exceptional management skill and expertise. He has been a pillar of SMPS Columbus and a champion of many national programs. He strengthened and improved the national conference and Senior Marketers’ Retreat. During his 2002 SMPS National presidency, he set records—increasing membership, profits, and senior-level involvement as well as hosting one of the most successful conferences ever.

Education
Levitt has consistently guided and supported other marketing professionals to achieve their education goals. He has made countless contributions to SMPS, presenting to nearly half of the chapters, being a tireless force behind SMPS Columbus and the national conference. He has also reached out to peer organizations, students, and other design professionals to help them realize the importance of their role in marketing. Ever the confidant and cheerleader for his staff, Levitt has helped mentor many professionals.

Marketing communications
Karlsberger’s success and recognition as a leader in the planning and design of healthcare facilities, particularly children’s hospitals, has been born out of the strategic business development and communications programs Levitt develops. Client perception surveys guided the direction of his marketing efforts, which have yielded many honors, including four SMPS National Marketing Communications Awards. Further substantiating Karlsberger’s marketplace status was being included in the landmark publication Designing the World’s Best Children’s Hospitals, a book—now in its second edition—which highlights the best, most innovative projects in the industry.

Innovative programs
Levitt has spurred the development of new programs and numerous initiatives for the advancement of his firm and fellow professionals. A 25-year supporter of the National Association for Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions,  Levitt developed its first facilities design and construction survey and helped plan its inaugural 2003 Facilities Design Conference. Levitt also created two major groundbreaking programs at Karlsberger: an in-house continuing education program long before it was “all the rage” and a research division to attack and solve some of the tough issues faced by his healthcare clients.

Mitch Levitt was honored by SMPS at its annual Awards Gala, held this year on August 17, during Build Business: Setting the Stage in Hollywood, CA. The jury was led by Randy Pollock, FSMPS, 2005 Marketing Achievement Award recipient and principal and chief marketing officer, Walter P Moore, Houston, TX. Serving with Randy were Daria Burke of Red Carpet Creations, Alexandria, VA; Nancy Egan, FSMPS, 1996 Marketing Achievement Award recipient and principal, New Voodou, Santa Monica, CA; Linda Hollingsworth, CPSM, vice president and business development director, Bovis Lend Lease, Orlando, FL; Liz Quebe, FSMPS, 1995 Marketing Achievement Award recipient, Soldiers Grove, WI; Randy Tucker, P.E., FSMPS, 2000 Marketing Achievement Award recipient and chief strategy officer, RJA Group, Houston, TX; and Howard Wolff, FSMPS, 1999 Marketing Achievement Award recipient and senior vice president and worldwide director of marketing, Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Honolulu, HI.