Nomination period extended for 2018 Top Women in Store Brands

The nomination period for the 2018 Top Women in Store Brands (TWISB) has been extended through July 13. Women Impacting Storebrand Excellence (WISE), a non-profit professional development organization, and Store Brands are accepting nominations for the sixth-annual Top Women in Store Brands achievement awards

The purpose of the awards is to acknowledge contributions made by women from all areas of the North American store brands industry. WISE and Store Brands will present a total of nine awards during the WISE Annual Meeting and Luncheon at the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s Private Label Trade Show, set for Nov. 11-13 in Rosemont, Ill.

WISE and Store Brands have established award categories that provide women from all disciplines with the opportunity to be recognized for their achievements. Managers, co-workers, peers, customers and other industry professionals are encouraged to nominate women in one of the four categories:

Functional Expertise: Awarded to a woman who has made a significant professional contribution to her company and/or the store brand industry through her accomplishments in a specific function or area of expertise. Six awards from this category will be given, including 1) R&D/QA; 2) Supply Chain/Procurement; 3) Operations; 4) Sales; 5) Marketing/Merchandising; and 6) Human Resources/Information Services. Awards are based on accomplishments from May 2017 through April 2018.

Sparkplug: Awarded to a woman who is new to store brands (one to five years) and has already made a noticeable impact via professional achievements and personal influence for her company, colleagues, customers and/or the industry. Open to all functional areas and based on accomplishments from May 2017 through April 2018.

Innovation: Awarded to a woman who has brought game-changing innovation to her company and/or the store brand industry through the introduction of new products, packaging, technology, merchandising, programs, systems, processes, etc. Open to all functional areas and based on accomplishments from May 2017 through April 2018.

Lifetime Achievement: Awarded to a woman who has spent the majority of her career in store brands and has “made her mark” through professional achievements, as well as personal contributions to her employer(s), colleagues, community and the industry. Open to all functional areas and based on accomplishments throughout her career.

Before proceeding with the step-by-step nomination process, you will want to be prepared to provide the following information:

• The nominee's name, title, company, email and phone number, as well as a brief description of the company at which she works.
• Your name, title, company, email, phone number and relationship to the nominee.
• A description of the nominee's primary responsibilities/skills; a description of the nominee's achievements/projects for the timeframe of approximately May 2017-April 2018 that make her deserving of the award; and a description of how the nominee has influenced or contributed to the success of store brands in her company or the industry.
• For the Lifetime Achievement Award ONLY: a description of the nominee's experience/career in the store brands industry; a description of awards or accolades the nominee has received from her company, industry or community; and a listing of key trade organizations and external professional groups in which the nominee is involved.
  
  Click here to submit your nomination.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How will the Top Women in Store Brands award recipients be selected?

A: A joint committee made up of select members of WISE and team members from Store Brands will carefully evaluate each nomination to determine the most deserving candidates.

Q: When will the award recipients be selected and notified?

A: The award recipients will be selected on or before July 31 and notified shortly thereafter.

Q: How will the award recipients be honored?

A: The 2018 award recipients will be honored during the annual WISE luncheon held in conjunction with the PLMA’s Private Label Trade Show in November, and also will be profiled in a special report that will appear in the October 2018 issue of Store Brands. In addition, each honoree will receive a special commemorative plaque.

Q: If I nominate someone for an award, will the information/commentary I provide on the nomination form be used within the feature article honoring the award recipients?

A: Yes. By submitting a nomination, you agree to allow your commentary about the nominee to be used within the feature article, should your nominee be selected as a Top Women in Store Brands honoree.

Q: If I nominate someone for an award, will someone from Store Brands or WISE be contacting me?

A: Possibly. If we need additional information or clarification, we will contact you.

Q: Many I nominate a WISE board member or a member of the Store Brands staff?

A: No, WISE board members and Store Brands staff are not eligible for the recognition program.

Q: Do the nominees have to be members of WISE?

A: No. Any woman who is involved in the store brand industry may be nominated.

If you have any questions, please e-mail Store Brands’ Editorial Director Lawrence Aylward at [email protected] or Laura Fezouati at [email protected].

Click here to submit your nomination.