The Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony took place on Thursday, January 13, at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City, Missouri.

There was a record attendance of nearly 140 attendees for this event! The ceremony honored the best work of the Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Missouri-Kansas, Great Plains, Gateway and Midlands chapters.

Taking home Best of Show awards were:

Best of Show Public Relations
Category: Public Affairs/Issues Management program
Company: RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment®)
Agency: Fleishman-Hillard
Campaign: Debug the Myths

Best of Show Advertising
Category: Television – Single or Series
Company: POET
Agency: 3 Advertising
Campaign: POET Television Ad Series

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 II winners! For a complete list of winners visit http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/reg2win.htm.

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

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.

Region’s II and IV have already had their ceremonies, but there’s still more to go. Mark your calendars for the events below!

Region III ~ January 27, 2011
The Region III Best of NAMA Ceremony will take place on January 27, 2011, at the State Historical Society of Iowa. Cost for the event is $70.

The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

Register on-line for the Region III Ceremony at http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=30.

Please note: Region III will also be hosting a Tour of Iowa Agribusinesses prior to the Best of NAMA event. Cost for the tour is $30 and requires separate registration.

To register for the Iowa Tour visit http://www.nama.org/store/index.php and click Region 3 Tour on the left menu and proceed with checking out.

For more information on Tour locations, visit http://www.nama.org/amc/bon/region3.htm.

Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA ~ January 27, 2011
The Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA ceremony will take place at the Junior League of Raleigh Center for Community Leadership.

The schedule for the event is as follows: 5:30 p.m. Registration and Cocktail Hour; 6:15 p.m. Dinner; and 7:00 p.m. Award Ceremony.

Cost for the event is $25 for students, $50 for members paying in advance, $60 for non-members/guests, and $65 if you’ll be paying at the door.

To register for this event, please visit http://www.nama.org/store/index.php.

Midsouth Best of NAMA ~ January 27, 2011

Join Midsouth NAMA as they celebrate the winners from the Midsouth Chapter and cheer on those who will be competing at the national level in the coming weeks.  Who will be on top this year?  Enjoy an evening of great food and great company with your Midsouth friends. The event will take place at the The Grove Grill in Memphis, TN. Cost is $25 and includes dinner and water, tea, soft drinks, and wine.

RSVP at http://survey.archermalmo.com/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=8lK3nml.

Region I ~ February 8, 2011
Region I will host a Best of NAMA event on February 8 at the 2011 World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. The event will take place at the John Deere arena at the corner of North Green Belt and “O”/”P” Streets from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. All NAMA members are invited to attend!

Start making your plans now to attend the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

We’ve included the schedule at-a-glance for professionals and students below so you can easily plan your trip.

PROFESSIONAL SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 12

12:00 Noon – 5:00 p.m. – Executive Committee Meeting
11:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – ABEF Golf Outing
6:00-8:00 p.m. – ABEF Golf Outing Awards Reception

Wednesday, April 13

8:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Chapter Leader Workshop
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Board of Directors’ Meeting
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshop – Becoming an 800-Pound Gorilla: How to Dominate Your Market with Bill Guertin
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – First-Timer/Leader Reception
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Best of NAMA Finalists’ Reception
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Best of NAMA Ceremony
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception in the Connection Point

Thursday, April 14

7:30 – 8:45 a.m. – Omelette Feast
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Opening General Session – Fascinate: How to Persuade & Influence with Sally Hogshead; Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Second General Session – How to Sell to Gen Y So We Love to Buy with Jason Dorsey; NAMA Marketer of the Year Award & NAMA Leadership Awards
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. – Connection Point Luncheon
1:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Student Marketing Competition Finals
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Senior Management Workshop – Crossing the Generational Divide with Jason Dorsey
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Breakout Sessions – Economic Predictions in an Era of Unpredictability
Black Swans-The Risk of Humanizing Animals in Advertising
Ag’s Place in the Sustainability Conversation
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Connection Point Break
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Breakout Sessions – What Exactly Makes Your Company Fascinating?
Economic Predictions in an Era of Unpredictability (Encore Presentation)
Bringing Social Pillars to Life to Drive Communications
Measuring Social Media: Where’s the ROI?
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Connection Point Closing Reception/ABEF Silent Auction
Midnight – 2:00 a.m. – Last Call Pancake Breakfast

Friday, April 15

8:00 – 8:45 a.m. – Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. – Breakout Sessions – Measuring Social Media: Where’s the ROI? (Encore Presentation)
Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations
Field to Fork: What’s Happening in Your Company
At Home on the Platform
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 Noon – Closing Session/Brunch – Overcommitted, Overwhelmed and Over It! Success Skills for the Blisteringly Busy with Juliet Funt

STUDENT SCHEDULE

Tuesday, April 12

12:00 Noon – 5:00 p.m. – Student Practice
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. – Student Orientation
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Judges’ Reception/Orientation
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Student Practice

Wednesday, April 13

7:30 – 11:00 a.m. – Student Marketing Competition Preliminary Heats
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Student Luncheon
12:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Student Marketing Competition Semi-Finals
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Student Critiques

Thursday, April 14

7:30-8:45 a.m. – Omelette Feast
12:00 Noon – 1:30 p.m. – Student Mentoring Lunch in the Connection Point
1:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Student Marketing Competition Finals
5:45 – 6:30 p.m. – Student Awards & Viewing of the Top Annual Reports in the Connection Point
6:45 – 7:45 p.m. – Student Advisor/Student Chapter President Meeting
9:00 p.m. – 12:00 Midnight – Student Party
Midnight – 2:00 a.m. – Last Call Pancake Breakfast

To register for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, please visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=28

To make your hotel reservations, please visit:
Professionals – https://resweb.passkey.com/go/Professional

Students – https://resweb.passkey.com/go/student1

Every year at the Agri-Marketing Conference, professionals involved with selling products and services into the agricultural marketplace gather to explore the latest in techniques, trends and practices.

In 2011, the conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City. If your target audience includes agri-marketers, you can’t afford to miss the 2011 Connection Point.

Approximately 1,200 people attend the Agri-Marketing Conference each year to explore the latest ideas and insights and share what’s working for them. The Connection Point is an integral part of this event and gives you the opportunity to see—and be seen by—a high concentration of individuals who make and/or influence ag-related buying decisions.

A number of key conference activities are scheduled to take place in the Connection Point, ensuring conference attendees have ample opportunities to acquaint (or re-acquaint!) themselves with your products or services.

Receptions
On Wednesday, April 13, immediately after the Best of NAMA Ceremony, the Connection Point opens with a Celebration Reception. The Thursday evening reception offers attendees the chance to meet new people and share ideas after the first full day of conference activities.

Lunch & Refreshment Breaks
On Thursday, April 14, lunch will be served in the Connection Point as well as refreshments during the afternoon break, offering additional opportunities to network.

Drawings
Prize drawings at the end of each session (four) and a grand prize drawing at the Thursday evening reception help encourage conference attendees to leave their business cards at booths in the Connection Point. A bingo activity during Thursday’s luncheon helps generate additional booth activity.

Virtual Trade Show
As an exhibitor at the Connection Point you will also be featured as an exhibitor in the Virtual Trade Show at no additional charge. Trade show attendees can determine where you will be located and find out more about your organization before the event. Simply email a brief description, company logo and a link to your website to [email protected]. . .we take care of the rest!

Register for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference today and reserve your booth at the same time by visiting http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=28.

If you want to reserve booth space without registering for the conference visit http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/signup.htm.

Download the Trade Show brochure at http://www.nama.org/amc/ts/brochure.pdf.

Get your company noticed by becoming a sponsor at the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 13-15, in Kansas City. Companies with marketing budgets of all sizes can participate. The higher your support, the more benefits you’ll receive….Sustaining Partner, Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze. In addition, you can get more company visibility by claiming one or more of the sponsorship opportunities. These opportunities are available on a first come, first serve basis, with first right given to last year’s sponsor. The high profile Best of NAMA Celebration Reception in the Connection Point is just one of the many opportunities available.

NAMA Sustaining Partner

The NAMA Sustaining Partner would provide maximum exposure for a company seeking to align themselves more closely throughout the year with NAMA.  The program delivers extensive overall promotional benefits and exposure at all three key NAMA events (Conference, Boot Camp and Trends in Agriculture).  The partnership provides the ability to carry marketing objectives to new levels while assuring that NAMA has a more stable means of sponsorship income throughout the year.  The baseline commitment is $10,000 over the course of one full year.

The NAMA Sustaining Partner will receive all the sponsorship benefits of a Platinum Level Sponsor, plus the following:

• Use of Strategic Partner logo in advertising and promotion
• Web banner ad on NAMA web site that rotates with other Strategic Partners on an equal basis
• One comp registration at each of the three key NAMA meetings
• One comp NAMA membership
• Ad on digital signage at annual Conference
• Logo recognition as a partner on promotional materials for all three key NAMA events
• Verbal recognition at all three key events

Who’s already a Sustaining Partner? Take a look!

Adayana
Agri Marketing magazine
Broadhead
Commodity Update
Farm Progress Companies
High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal
John Deere
Paulsen Marketing
Rhea+Kaiser Marketing Communications
Successful Farming
Syngenta
ZimmComm New Media, LLC

Please review the benefits and opportunities of sponsorship at the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference and confirm your interest by filling out the online sponsorship form at http://nama.org/amc/sponsor/form.htm or contact Jenny Pickett at (913) 491-6500 or email to [email protected].

Mark your calendars for a regional or chapter Best of NAMA event near you. The following regions and chapters will be hosting events. If you’re planning an event and it’s not listed below, please contact Debbie Brummel at [email protected] in the NAMA office about your event.

Region II ~ January 13, 2011
The Region II Best of NAMA Ceremony will take place on January 13, 2011, at Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, MO.

Cost for the event is $65. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the awards presentation at 7:00 p.m.

To register for the Region II Best of NAMA event visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=29.

For more information visit www.nama.org/amc/bon/region2.htm.

Region IV ~ January 20, 2011
The Region IV Best of NAMA Ceremony will take place on January 20, 2011, at the Chicago Marriott Northwest in Hoffman Estates, IL.

Hotel reservations can be made at the Marriott at the special NAMA rate of $132. Please visit http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chinw?groupCode=NATNATA&app=resvlink&fromDate=1/20/11&toDate=1/21/11 or call the Marriott at 800-395-5921 to make your reservations today! The hotel cut-off date is January 5.

Cost for the event is $80. You can register online at http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=32.

Region III ~ January 27, 2011
The Region III Best of NAMA Ceremony will take place on January 27, 2011, at the State Historical Society of Iowa. Cost for the event is $70.

The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

Hotel Information: A block of rooms has been made at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The room rate is $126/night and the cutoff date to make reservations is January 12, 2011. Call 515-244-1700 or 1-800-EMBASSY to make your reservations today!

Register on-line for the Region III Ceremony at http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=30.

Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA ~ January 27, 2011
The Carolinas/Virginia Best of NAMA ceremony will take place at the Junior League of Raleigh Center for Community Leadership.

The schedule for the event is as follows: 5:30 p.m. Registration and Cocktail Hour; 6:15 p.m. Dinner; and 7:00 p.m. Award Ceremony.

Cost for the event is $25 for students, $50 for members paying in advance, $60 for non-members/guests, and $65 if you’ll be paying at the door.

To register for this event, please visit http://www.nama.org/store/index.php.

Region I ~ February 8, 2011
Region I will host a Best of NAMA event on February 8 at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. More information is on the way!