Companies and individuals from 26 countries, including first-time winners Bulgaria, Mexico, Panama, Romania and Sudan, have been announced as Stevie® Award winners in the 2008 International Business Awards, the world's only international, all-encompassing business awards program.

Nicknamed the Stevie from the Greek word "crowned," the awards will be presented at a gala banquet ceremony on Monday, September 8 at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Tickets for the banquet are now on sale at www.stevieawards.com/iba.

The big story of this year's results are the 39 International Stevie® Awards won by South Korean companies. While IBA entries increased 65% this year to a record 1,711, Korean entries were up more than threefold over 2007, when Korean entries took home 13 Stevies.

The United Kingdom boasts 13 International Stevie Award winners. Other multiple award winners include Canada (9), Germany (5), Australia (3), India (3), Ireland (3), Turkey (3) Bulgaria (2), China (2), Mexico (2), Romania (2), and Sweden (2).
Recipients of International Stevie Award trophies were selected from entries received from companies and individuals in more than 30 countries. Other countries with at least one International Stevie winner include Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Pakistan, Panama, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, Ukraine, and the U.S.A.

Companies that won multiple Stevies are lead by Samsung Electronics of South Korea with four. Winners of three Stevies include SK Telecom (South Korea) and Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (Turkey). Winners of two include Globoforce (Ireland and U.S.A.), the City of Goyang (South Korea), Hong Communications (South Korea), McCann PR (Romania), Metadesign AG (Germany), Sangmyung University (South Korea), SK Networks (South Korea), Sungwoo Adcom (South Korea), and TELUS Communications (Canada).

A complete list of 2008 International Business Awards honorees is available at
www.stevieawards.com/iba.

Entries for the 2009 IBAs will open in January. Join the mailing list today to ensure that you receive an entry kit by email as soon as it's available.

		Learn More About The International Business Awards...

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business feature 50 categories including Best Entrepreneur, Best Executive, Mentor of the Year, Fastest Growing Company of the Year, and Best New Product of the Year. All women entrepreneurs, executives, and the organizations they run – worldwide – are eligible to be nominated. Entry kits and complete details on the competition are available at www.stevieawards.com/women. Late entries will be accepted through September 30.

In a nod to a greater awareness of the benefits of "green business," a new category for the 2008 competition is the Best Environmental Stewardship Program of the Year, which will honor organizations taking action to protect the environment and promote environmental stewardship in their day-to-day operations.

Winners of the 5th annual competition will be announced at a gala awards dinner in New York in November.

		Learn More About the Stevie Awards for Women in Business...

Wingstop Restaurants was one of just a handful of companies to win multiple Stevie Awards in The 2008 (6th annual) American Business Awards last month, taking home Stevies for Best Overall Company (More Than 2,500 Employees) and Best TV Ad Campaign.

Wingstop has more than 600 restaurants open or in development across the U.S.A., and focuses on just one signature dish - chicken wings.

We recently spoke with Andy Howard, Executive VP of Marketing, Purchasing & R&D for Wingstop, about the company's origins, about what sets it apart from competitors, and what winning two Stevies has meant to Wingstop employees and franchisees.

		Learn to the Podcast Interview ...

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service (formerly the Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards) are now accepting entries for their 3rd annual competition. The entry deadline is October 15, and late entries will be accepted through November 14. Awards will be announced in Las Vegas early next year. Get the online entry kit here.

We invite you to apply to be a preliminary judge for the 2008 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. As a judge you'll get to see how women around the world are creating success for themselves and their organizations. Judging will be done online, at your convenience, in September-October. The two preliminary judges who score the most entries will be offered two free tickets to the November awards dinner in New York.

August 1: Entry deadline for 2008 Stevie Awards for Women in Business

September: Entries open for 2009 American Business Awards

September 8: Awards gala for 2008 International Business Awards in Dublin, Ireland

September 30: Final entry deadline for 2008 Stevie Awards for Women in Business

October 15: Entry deadline for 2008 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service