Marketing & Sales Executives of

Detroit(MSED) is accepting nominations for top-performing marketing and sales professionals in southeastern Michiganfor the organization’s coveted Platinum Awards.

 

Two Platinum Award winners, one individual and one team, will be honored at MSED’s 19th annual Black-Tie Gala Dinner on October 18. The awards recognize work which led to the awarding or generation of new business and/or cost savings from Jan. 1, 2011 throgh June 1, 2012.  Nominees do not have to be MSED members.

 

The award nomination form can be downloaded through the MSED website at www.msedetroit.org. The completed nomination along with any additional information about the nominee should be emailed to meetings@meeting-coordinators.com. Nominations must be received by September 1.

 

According to Len Damico, chairman of the 2012 MSED Platinum Awards and executive vice president, H. C. Olsen & Associates, the Platinum Awards celebrate the area’s best marketing and sales professionals with recognition and publicity from their peers in the industry.

 

“In these very challenging economic times, this is an excellent opportunity for individuals and teams from southeast Michigan-based businesses to showcase how their sales and/or marketing initiatives made a meaningful difference to their companies’ bottom line,” Damico said.

 

Nominees will be evaluated by MSED judges based on their achievements in increasing or maintaining sales, using creative problem-solving methods, reaching or exceeding company goals, impacting a business or industry and exhibiting exemplary teamwork or leadership as an individual, including distinguishing oneself from the competition during 2011 and the first part of this year.

 

A group of finalists will be selected from the nominees and interviewed by a panel of judges, with the winning individual and team being identified at MSED’s annual Black-Tie Gala Dinner on October 18.

 

The Platinum Awards are sponsored this year by Corp! magazine.

 

For more information on the MSED Platinum Award nominations, event sponsorships or advertising opportunities, contact Meeting Coordinators at 248-643-6590 or go to 2012 Gala. 

The Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit (MSED) recently named the winners of its Platinum Awards for sales and marketing excellence at the 18^th annual MSED Black-Tie Gala Dinner held October 25 at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Mich.

 

The Platinum Recognition Award for the top individual went to Tony Lovell, vice president of sales and marketing, Grede Holdings LLC. The Platinum Recognition Award for the top team went to the Priority Health East Region Development Team.

 

“We received a record number of nominations this year, so choosing the winners was even more of a challenge,” said Dave Harries, chairman for the 2011 MSED Gala and president, Spartan Marketing Services. “However, the individual and team we selected stood out with their successful approaches and excellence in their respective fields.”

 

The Platinum Award finalists were evaluated by a panel of their peers, chaired by Len Damico, executive vice president of sales and marketing, H.C. Olsen & Associates. Factors considered included nominees’ track records in sales, utilizing new ideas or approaches, meeting challenges imaginatively, exhibiting exemplary teamwork and impacting a business or industry.

 

As vice president of sales and marketing at Grede Holdings LLC, a newly formed manufacturing company, Lovell has been responsible for putting together a sales force, directing sales and marketing efforts, creating brand awareness, diversifying its customer-base and generating new sales revenue growth. Through leadership, drive and creativity, Lovell was able to direct an extensive communications program, which included participation in industry trade shows, sponsorships and coordinating speaking engagements for the company’s CEO. He also doubled the sales team and exceeded new business goals by more than 20 percent in 2010 and 2011.

           

Being new to the southeast Michigan region, Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Priority Health East Region’s Development Team had to develop brand recognition, an agent relations program and a provider network. The team utilized a variety of marketing tools to build recognition and relationships, which helped to nearly double membership. The southeast region now accounts for approximately 25 percent of Priority Health’s statewide membership.

 

Also at the gala, the MSED Executive Leadership Award was presented to Sandy Pierce, president and CEO, Charter One, Michigan, who was introduced by Beth Chappell, president and CEO, Detroit Economic Club. Pierce was recognized for her accomplishments in the banking industry and her involvement and support in the

Detroitcommunity.

 

In addition, new to the Gala this year was the Trailblazer Award, which awards an emerging business leader who is recognized for effective implementation and use of technology-based marketing tools. The inaugural recipient of this award was Scott Monty, global digital and multimedia communications manager, Ford Motor Co.

 

In its 18^th year, the MSED Gala continues to celebrate the exceptional achievements of business executives and sales and marketing professionals in southeastern Michigan.  The proceeds from this pre-eminent event help support scholarships, educational seminars and charitable contributions.

 

“The Gala gives us an opportunity to not only recognize the great achievements of our peers in the marketing and sales industries, but also take time to celebrate the positive changes happening in

Michigan,” Harries said.