2008 Georgia Featured Exporter Nominations

June 27, 2008

The annual Georgia European Union Summit organization, in collaboration with The Georgia Department of Economic Development, is accepting nominations for the second annual Georgia Featured Export Product Award. The application is attached below.

This award honors the small or medium-sized company with the most potential for creating employment in Georgia through the export of a unique product produced in Georgia. You do not have to be a current exporter to be nominated, but it is important to show that you have a viable plan for exporting and show appropriate research to back up your plan to be successful.

Nominations will be accepted from those that have a first-hand experience of the company’s business operations, product development and/or international marketing plans. Completed nominations must be received no later than August 1, 2008; nominations will be limited to entries from the first 150 companies.

The winner will be selected based on the information provided on the nomination form. The finalists will be contacted directly by the Awards Selection Committee and interviewed at their company location. The Annual Georgia European Union Summit organization will recognize and introduce the winner of the Georgia Featured Product award at its annual dinner program in Macon on November 6, 2008. A representative of the winning company must attend the Annual Georgia European Union Summit program to receive the award.

AWARD CRITERIA

• Company Location – Nominee company must produce its product in Georgia, although its headquarters do not have to be in Georgia

• Company Size – Nominee must have 150 employees or less OR annual sales of $50 million or less

• Quality of Management & Business Plan – Nominee must have a stable organization and a business plan that includes an export component

• Product Acceptability – Nominee’s product must be viewed as “appropriately exportable” by the Awards Selection Committee

• International Travel – Nominee must be willing to travel abroad to meet with prospective buyers, but you will not be expected to travel as a result of winning this award.

NOMINATION PROCESS AND DEADLINES

• Applications must be received by: August 1, 2008.

• Include a copy of sales literature with this application. Samples will be accepted but are not required. No materials submitted will be returned.

• All decisions by the Award Selection Committee are final.

• All information about the nominated company will be kept confidential. Any press releases about the winner of the award and reasons why they won will be made available to the winner prior to release. Otherwise each company’s application/nomination information will be completely confidential to only the judges and the receiving organization as a matter of administration only.

Refer any additional detailed questions about the award via e-mail to Kathe Falls: kfalls@georgia.org or Bill Fickling, III: bill@fickling.com