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Deadline Approaches for 2003 Innovator, Educator and Global Marketer Nominations

Send in your nomination today and qualify for a free digital camera.

The July 31 deadline for nominations for WMIA's 2003 Innovator, Educator and Global Marketer of the Year Awards is quickly approaching.

Click here to download the criteria and nomination forms.

According to Heinz Schmidt, WMIA's immediate past president, ãThe WMIA continues its commitment to the woodworking industry by providing it with the latest in technological services and levels of information that make it possible to compete more successfully in todayâs challenging and evermore complex global  

markets.  For 16 years, WMIA has honored individuals and organizations that have taken advantage of the high-technology, equipment, machinery and systems provided by WMIA member companies to educate, innovate and capture new markets and customers.ä

During the existence of these awards, WMIA Innovator and Global Marketer of the Year award winners have ranged from small custom shops to large, multi-national corporations, with every industry segment represented.  Educator of the Year award winners have included companies, colleges and universities as well as community and technical schools whose innovative educational programs are tailored to offering current and future woodworking industry workers with the latest training and technological tools they need to achieve success.

Innovator of the Year

The winning organization of the Innovator of the Year Award must demonstrate industry leadership by developing creative uses of the latest wood technology available with WMIA- member imported equipment to produce new products, streamlined manufacturing methods and/or improved product quality.  It should have high industry visibility through its advocacy of American-made wood products.  An Innovator award winner also should be environmentally conscious and practice natural resources preservation.

Educator of the Year

To be named Educator of the Year, the winning institution, company or individual must be involved in a structured program of woodworking instruction that encompasses training on high-technology woodworking machinery.  The training must be used to teach and/or upgrade skills and knowledge in a manner that will insure a continuous pool of qualified people required to meet the current and future needs of the woodworking industry.

Global Marketer of the Year

The Global Marketer of the Year award is given to a firm that has demonstrated ongoing commitment to exporting North American-made wood products, and has achieved an increase in export sales, for a minimum of three years.  It also must show that expansion into overseas markets has helped to maintain or expand its domestic work force during the same period of time.

Winners will be honored at a September dinner in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Deadline for submission of candidates is July 31.  For nomination forms and complete guidelines for each of the awards, requests should be directed to Gene Quirini, WMIA Awards Program, c/o Ross Brown Integrated Marketing Communications, 300 E. Fifth Avenue, Suite 230, Naperville, IL  60563.   By fax:  630/305-0260.