Contact: Lona Christoffers, Executive Director
Employee Involvement Association
480-358-1791


SCOTTSDALE, September 27, 2002. The Employee Involvement Association is pleased to announce its award winners for 2001, presented during the Association's 60th Annual Training Conference in Scottsdale, AZ, September 25-27, 2002. These awards recognize programs, teams and individuals from EIA member organizations for outstanding achievement in the field of employee involvement. These competitive awards are chosen through a nomination process and are then submitted to a committee for selection based on a set of pre-determined criteria. The Association is proud to recognize [insert name of recipient] of [name of company] as a recipient of the [enter name of award] for 2001.

Sample paragraph for Advocate Award:
The Advocate Award recognizes individuals or team members who are true advocates for employee involvement in their organizations. Advocate award recipients are a walking advertisement for employee involvement. These individuals/team members foster employee involvement by promoting employee involvement through teaching and/or coaching; encouraging participation; setting standards by their own participation; and/or
A model of positive behavior and creating win/win situations.

Sample paragraph for Founders Award:
The Founders Award represents the highest honor conferred by EIA. Established by the EIA Board of Directors in 1965, this award honors an individual who has provided outstanding leadership within the field of employee involvement and demonstrated service to the association. The Award is presented only when appropriate and no more than once per year. The Founders Award nominations are made only by the Board of
Directors. The Board considers each nominee in the following areas: Leadership; Participative management; Role model; National reputation; Employee involvement industry contributions; and Integrity.

Sample paragraph for Contributor of the Year Award:
The Contributor of the Year Award recognizes the importance of team and individual contributions to the success of an organization in the area of employee involvement. The award is made to the team of contributors or individual contributor whose actions positively affected organizational key objectives.

Sample paragraph for Executive Leadership Award:
The Executive Leadership Award recognizes the importance of support by an organization's leader for the employee involvement process. Winners have demonstrated achievement in two key areas: leadership and employee involvement. By honoring the leadership role in employee involvement, EIA reinforces the significance of management-level support.

Sample paragraph for Communication Excellence in Action:
The Communication Excellence in Action award recognizes the importance of communication in creating awareness and excitement for employee involvement initiatives. Awards are made in one or more of the following categories: Communication or Marketing Plan; Audiovisual; Publications; Electronic Communication; and Promotions.

Sample paragraph for Chapter Excellence Award:
Chapter Excellence Awards recognize the important role Chapters play in the success of EIA. Chapters are evaluated, using a point system, for their work in five areas: Meetings Education/Networking/Quality Assurance; Membership; Leadership Responsibilities/ Administration; Committees or Representatives; and Quality Assurance.

Statistical Awards:
Statistical Awards are presented based on points earned in the categories of: Performance Excellence; Savings Per 100 Eligible Employees (SEER); Rookie Award; and Most Improved Program Award (SEER and Performance Excellence). Members must complete a separate Statistical Questionnaire to be eligible for this award.

Certification:
EIA provides the only national certification in employee involvement processes. Reflecting the growth and variety of work taking place in the field, EIA presents five certification categories. Individuals completing a certification process receive professional designations in the categories of Certified Employee Involvement Administrator (CEIA); Certified Employee Involvement Professional (CEIP); Student Certification in Employee
Involvement (SCEI); Certified Administration of Suggestion Systems (CASS); Certified Manager of Suggestion Systems (CMSS).

The Employee Involvement Association is a non-profit service organization composed of members from finance, commerce, industry and government, dedicated to the worth, contributions and benefits of employee suggestion systems and other employee involvement processes. It renders to all members of the Association services that cannot be accomplished by individual members or companies, but only through the collective efforts of all concerned. The Association will support all methods of communication between employees and employer for the purpose of the ideas expression and exchange. For more information please contact Lona Christoffers at 480-358-1791.