The Stevie Awards has named nine executives who will chair specialized final-judging committees for its Seventh Annual American Business Awards. I am proud to say that I have been selected as the chairwoman for the Management category. The American Business Awards (www.stevieawards.com/aba) are open to all organizations operating within the U.S.A. – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Entries will be accepted through April 30 in dozens of categories from Executive of the Year, Company of the Year, and Best New Product or Service to Best Web Site and Best Annual Report.

The nine committees are based on the categories that will be judged. The appointments are as follows:

• Company Categories: Ted C. Mesa, founder, president and CEO, Pointandship Software, Inc., Walnut Creek, CA

• Corporate Communications & Public Relations – Richard Ramlall, Senior VP for Strategic External Affairs, Programming, and International Marketing, RCN Corporation, Herndon, VA

• Customer Service – Troy Carrothers, Senior VP-Credit, Kohl’s Department Stores, Menomonee Falls, WI

• Human Resources – Rosemary Haefner, VP-Human Resources, CareerBuilder.com, Chicago, IL

• Information Technology – Anyck Turgeon, Chief of Market Strategy and Security, Crossroads Systems, Austin, TX

• Management – Nina Simosko, Senior VP of the Global Ecosystem & Partner Group, SAP Americas, Palo Alto, CA

• Marketing – Mimi San Pedro, VP-Global Marketing, Acxiom Corporation, Little Rock, AR

• Product Development – Glen Tindal, Chief Technology Officer, Intelliden, Colorado Springs, CO

• Sales – Sanford Brown, Chief Sales Officer, Heartland Payment Systems, Princeton, NJ

Finalists in The 2009 American Business Awards will be determined in preliminary judging to be conducted in April and May by volunteer professionals nationwide. Final judging, led by the committee chairs, will take place May 18 – June 3. The results of the 2009 competition will be announced at an awards dinner in New York on June 22.

“The Stevie Awards have named some of America’s most respected, influential executives to chair this year’s final judging committees for The American Business Awards,” said Michael Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards. “These executives have demonstrated a profound understanding of the rapidly-changing dynamics of the marketplace, and they have a keen appreciation for the factors that contribute to success in their professions.”

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.  Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. I am proud to have been the recipient of the 2008 Best Executive – Service Business – More than 2,500 Employees category.

To enter The 2009 American Business Awards, visit http://www.stevieawards.com/aba. And to learn more about The Stevie Awards visit www.stevieawards.com.

Nina Nets It Out: The Stevie Awards are a wonderful recognition for worthy companies and executives. I encourage my readers to click on the provided links and read a bit about some of the wonderful participants, candidates and recipients. I am excited to be on the judging side of the Stevies which will afford me the opportunity to learn about so many wonderful executives..