Over 100 people participated in Region IV’s Best of NAMA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, January 20, in Hoffman Estates (a Chicago suburb).  All Region IV chapters were represented – Badger, Chicago, Heartland, and Mid-America.  Attendees from many other chapters were there, too, along with NAMA’s Executive Committee, who had just finished their winter meeting.

To kick off the ceremony, Orion Samuelson was recognized for his 50^th anniversary in broadcasting.  One of Orion’s many activities is serving on the Board of Directors for the Foods Resource Bank.  A contribution was made to the Foods Resource Bank in his and his wife’s (Gloria) names.

Max Armstrong, one of the most widely recognized and highly regarded journalists in agriculture and Director of Broadcasting for Farm Progress Companies, emceed the event.

Merit and First Place winners in each category were recognized, with awards given to First Place winners.  The evening wrapped up with awards being presented to Best of Show winners in both Advertising and Public Relations.  The Best of Show winner for Advertising was for the producer or company-funded advertising campaigns or campaign elements directed to consumers category and went to Badgerland Financial, ACA and Stephan & Brady Communications for their “Rural Dreams Realized Testimonial Campaign.”  The Best of Show winner for Public Relations was in the category of producer-funded public relations program directed to ag audiences.  The winning team included Dairy Management, Inc. and The Integer Group for their “Telling Your Story Program.”

All first and merit winners are eligible to advance to the national judging. You will receive an email from the national NAMA office on January 28 with instructions on how to advance your entries. Those entries that win at the national judging will be announced at the Best of NAMA Ceremony that kicks off the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Congratulations to all of the Region IV winners! To see all the winners of the Region IV Best of NAMA, visit http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/reg4win.htm.

To view photo’s from the Region IV Best of NAMA, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/namaflickr.