MULLIN/ASHLEY CAPTURES THREE COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES ADVERTISING AWARDS 2006 NATIONAL COMPETITION

Chestertown, Md., March 13, 2006 – Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc., an integrated communications firm serving the mid-Atlantic region, has won three awards in the Service Industry Advertising Awards 2006 national competition.  The awards were won for communications programs created for the National Volunteer Fire Council (Washington, DC) and Anne Arundel Medical Center (Annapolis, MD). 

A Bronze Award was garnered for Vision 2010, a multi-page communications piece that outlines the current five-year development and expansion program of Anne Arundel Medical Center.  In addition to presenting AAMC’s vision, mission and values, Vision 2010 includes a description of AAMC’s three-phase expansion of facilities.  The objective of the brochure was to communicate Vision 2010 details to AAMC employees, as well as to important constituencies in the community. The communications piece is also used for new employee orientation.

Distributed to more than 4,000 people inside and outside of AAMC, the Vision 2010 brochure has received extensive positive feedback, including praise for featuring employees and their photos. 

An Award of Merit was won for another brochure designed and produced by Mullin/Ashley for Anne Arundel Medical Center – its annual community benefits report.  Using the visual symbolism of a quilt with distinct yet interconnecting patterns with the theme “For a community’s healthcare needs, a comforting presence,” this report outlines the varied programs provided by the hospital to the community.  Highlighted are such programs as the AAMC Annapolis Outreach Center clinic, free health screenings and other community health and wellness activities, plus AAMC’s Pathways drug and alcohol treatment center.  The many hours of volunteer service provided by AAMC doctors, nurses and other employees, as well as members of AAMC’s Auxiliary, are also covered.

For the National Volunteer Fire Council, Mullin/Ashley Associates won an Award of Merit for the launch of its Fired Up for Fitness campaign.  The NVFC is the nation’s premier not-for-profit membership association representing the interests of volunteer fire, EMS and rescue services. 

To support the NVFC’s health initiatives, Mullin/Ashley designed a comprehensive program including an interactive web site, magazine advertising and collateral material, along with public relations support – all centered on the theme “Fired Up for Fitness.”  Firefighters plan and record their own personalized fitness program on the web (www.healthy-firefighter.org), measuring their progress by recording many different types of physical activity and results such as weight loss.  Sign-ups and participation are being marketed through national industry meetings and events, state volunteer fire councils, along with industry publications through public relations and advertising.

This is the third annual competition of the Service Industry Advertising Awards program.  It is billed as the only awards competition that focuses exclusively on communication achievements in the service industry.  More than 1,000 entries were submitted in 21 communications categories, covering a variety of service industries including healthcare, associations, utilities, financial services, educational institutions, hospitality and entertainment.  A national panel of judges rated all entries. 

MULLIN/ASHLEY WINS TWO MARCOM CREATIVE AWARDS

Chestertown , Md. January 5, 2006 – Mullin/Ashley Associates , Inc., an integrated marketing communications firm serving the Mid-Atlantic region, has been recognized in the 2005 MarCom Creative Awards competition with two award-winning entries. 

A Platinum Award was won by Mullin/Ashley in the competition’s Marketing/Promotion category for its launch of the National Volunteer Fire Council’s Fired Up For Fitness Program.  Based in Washington , DC , the NVFC is the nation’s premier not-for-profit membership association representing the interests of volunteer fire, EMS and rescue services. 

To support the NVFC’s health initiatives, Mullin/Ashley designed a comprehensive program including an interactive web site, magazine advertising and collateral material centered on the theme “Fired Up for Fitness.”  Firefighters plan and record their own personalized fitness program right on the web, and measure their progress by recording many different types of physical activity and results such as weight loss.  Sign-ups and participation are being marketed through national industry meetings and events, state volunteer fire councils, as well as in industry publications through public relations and advertising.

Mullin/Ashley also took a Gold Award in the competition’s Feature Article category for a story researched and written for Nevamar Company on the use of decorative high pressure laminate surfaces in dental office interiors.  Nevamar is a leading manufacturer of decorative surface products used in commercial and residential interiors, fixtures and furnishing.  Titled “Designing Dental Offices with Personality,” Mullin/Ashley’s article profiled three unique dental office interiors in California and Maryland , illustrated by striking photo images.  The article was accepted for publication in select trade publications such as Wood & Wood Products and Dental Practice Report.

Commenting on winning this year’s MarCom Creative Awards, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley’s president, stated, “We’re pleased to be recognized for the work we perform in a range of categories from creative design and interactive programming to public relations.  Award programs such as this one allow us to be judged according to rigorous national standards of excellence.”

The MarCom Creative Awards is an annual program that honors outstanding work in the communications field.  Entries are judged by industry professionals according to superior benchmarks of quality, across 20 major communications categories.  There were more than 4,600 U.S. and foreign entries in this year’s competition, submitted by advertising and public relations agencies, corporate communications departments, designers, writers, and broadcast producers.

ADVERTISING CREATED BY MULLIN/ASHLEY NABS TOP RANKINGS IN TRADE PUBLICATION READERSHIP SURVEYS

December 1, 2005 – Print advertising created for two clients by Mullin/Ashley Associates has scored top rankings in advertising effectiveness surveys conducted for two leading industry periodicals.  The ads were developed by Mullin/Ashley for W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Elkton, Md.) and Bettcher Industries, Inc. (Birmingham, Oh.), and appeared in Chemical Processing and PoultryUSA magazines.

The ad created by Mullin/Ashley for Gore’s Sealant Technologies business promotes GORE-TEX® Joint Sealant, a premium form-in-place gasketing product that is used to seal pipe flanges in chemical plants and other industrial processing facilities.  In an independent advertising effectiveness study performed by Signet Research, Inc. for Chemical Processing, 100 randomly selected readers of the magazine’s March 2005 issue were asked to rate the effectiveness of each ad that appeared in the magazine. 

The AdEffect™ score calculated by Signet Research reflects the percentage of respondents who consider each ad to be either “excellent” or “good.”  The Gore advertising scored 82 out of a possible 100 – the highest rating achieved by any of the 24 ads studied. 

For Bettcher Industries, advertising created by Mullin/Ashley that promotes the capability of the company’s Whizard® trimmers and Airshirz® air-powered scissors to increase productivity and meat yields in poultry processing plants also achieved highest ranking among 27 ads studied in PoultryUSA’s July 2005 issue.  The independent research study, conducted for the magazine by Readex Research, surveyed 100 randomly selected readers who were asked to indicate if each ad was visually appealing; easy to read; offered enough information, and clearly communicated product benefits.  Readers were also asked to rate the overall effectiveness of each ad.  Converting the five ratings into a consolidated index, the Bettcher ad received a score of 116 – higher than any other ad achieved.  In the all-important “overall effectiveness” rating category, Bettcher’s 113 score tied with one other ad for first place.

Commenting on the top-ranking scores achieved by these ads, Phillip Nones, president, stated, “Advertisers are always looking for evidence that promotional investments pay off.  In the commercial arena especially – where selling cycles can be lengthy and there are a variety of factors that influence sales results – it’s often difficult to isolate and measure the impact of advertising.  Ad effectiveness studies such as these are one tool to gauge the success of our efforts.  These results clearly indicate that our advertising is having a positive impact on the market audience.”

MULLIN/ASHLEY FORGES NEW ADVERTISING REATIONSHIP WITH ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL

Chestertown, Md., November 15, 2005 – Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc., a Mid-Atlantic integrated marketing communications firm, has established a new advertising account relationship with Atlantic General Hospital.  Located in Berlin, Maryland, Atlantic General Hospital is the leading healthcare institution providing services to residents of Worcester County, including Ocean City, Ocean Pines and surrounding communities.

Mullin/Ashley Associates will be providing comprehensive research, marketing and communications services to support Atlantic General Hospital’s growth and expansion plans.  Among the first initiatives undertaken by Mullin/Ashley are the development of a new “visual identity” and design platform for the hospital’s overall communications effort.  In addition, an integrated communications program has been created and implemented supporting the opening of the hospital’s new Women’s Diagnostic Center.  This initiative includes the creation of newspaper and billboard advertising, descriptive literature, plus public relations support including an evening open house celebration that was held at the new facility on November 17, 2005.

“We’re delighted to be working with Atlantic General Hospital, which has a reputation for being one of the best community hospitals in the state of Maryland,” said Phillip Nones, president.  “This new relationship reflects our focus on the healthcare industry in addition to our traditional business-to-business emphasis, and we are very pleased to add Atlantic General to our roster of healthcare clients.”  In addition to Atlantic General Hospital, Mullin/Ashley provides communications support to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, as well as to several other non-hospital accounts in the healthcare industry.

MULLIN/ASHLEY DEVELOPS NEW WEB SITE FOR NATIONAL POULTRY PROCESSING FIRM

Chestertown, Md., October 3, 2005 -- Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc., an integrated marketing communications firm, has developed a new web site for Chestertown Foods, Inc. [www.chestertownfoods.com].  

The site presents the company's comprehensive offering of cooked, diced and related chicken products used in a wide variety of menu items ranging from sandwiches and salads to soups, pot pies and Mexican foods.  

According to Brian Palmer, Mullin/Ashley's director of interactive media, the new web site is aimed at key market segments including food distributors, chain restaurant operations, and companies making products for the grocery and deli markets.   "Since the majority of Chestertown Foods' business is contract-oriented, an important goal was to portray the product line as premium, and the business as one of the most advanced in the industry," he reported.   "Nearly any combination of product specs can be accommodated, including different dice sizes, and a customized portion mix of white and dark meat."

In addition to the company's products prominently featured on the web site, the company's advanced technology is highlighted, including industry-leading BoneScan(TM) X-ray technology, which virtually assures that the products will be free of bones or bone fragments.   Nutritional information is also provided, while a special recipe section is aimed primarily at the site's restaurant and deli audience.

Originally part of Campbell's Soup Company, Chestertown Foods is one of the most significant U.S. processors devoted primarily to making products such as diced, pulled and strips from fresh, whole chickens. Due to its manufacturing processes, the company is able to deliver differentiated quality - not only in flavor, texture and moistness, but also in higher yields.   Another important offering is premium organic chicken products, made from free-range chickens that are USDA-inspected and certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farmers Association, meaning that they have been fed organically grown grains naturally high in protein and nutrients, and that do not contain antibiotics, growth stimulants or by-products.  

According to Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley's president, the Chestertown Foods web site illustrates its involvement in the food processing and foodservice segments (where the communications firm has been active for 15 years), as well as its focus on web and interactive communications techniques.  "We're always searching for practical ways to help our clients use digital technology to improve the effectiveness of their sales and marketing initiatives," he said.

NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY MULLIN/ASHLEY IS RECOGNIZED AGAIN BY THE HEALTHCARE ADVERTISING AWARDS NATIONAL COMPETITION

Chestertown, Md., May 26, 2005 – An employee periodical designed and produced by Mullin/Ashley Associates for Anne Arundel Medical Center has been recognized for the second straight year in the Healthcare Advertising Awards national competition.

A Gold Award –the competition’s highest award level – was won for a monthly periodical produced by Mullin/Ashley and distributed to Anne Arundel Medical Center’s employee base. Titled You’re Makin’ it Great!, the newsletter’s purpose is to recognize the efforts of the hospital’s medical staff, nurses, and support staff personnel.  The oversized newsletter, which is mailed to employees’ homes, showcases departments and individuals who are “making it great” for the entire hospital. Inspirational stories on patient satisfaction, hospital expansion activities, plus new medical services and technologies are also covered.

The Healthcare Advertising Awards program is sponsored and run by Healthcare Marketing Report magazine, the premier national periodical covering communications in the healthcare industry. More than 3,500 entries were submitted in the most recent competition – the 22nd year of judging. Anne Arundel Medical Center was one of 26 healthcare organizations recognized in the “in-house publications” judging category.

Commenting on the award, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley’s president and director of client services, stated, “These competitions add to the strong reputation we’re building in the healthcare field. Over the past five years, Mullin/Ashley has become increasingly active in supporting the branding, marketing and advertising programs of healthcare industry clients. Award programs such as this one enable our efforts to be judged according to the prevailing standards of excellence in the industry.”

MULLIN/ASHLEY DEVELOPS "FIRED UP FOR FITNESS™" INTERACTIVE WEB PROGRAM FOR NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL

Chestertown, Md., April 18, 2005 - Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc. has developed a web-based fitness program for the National Volunteer Fire Council. Called Fired Up for Fitness™, this interactive program enables firefighters across the country to design their own custom fitness program.

By logging on to www.healthy-firefighter.org and signing up for the program, firefighters can measure their personal progress by recording daily physical activity and results. There are nearly 100 different forms of physical activity that can be recorded and tracked - ranging from walking or yard work to swimming and kayaking - with points awarded based on the length of time spent performing each activity. Participants are eligible for prizes upon achieving certain point totals, as well as a special grand prize drawing to be held during the Fire-Rescue International Show in Denver in August.

The Fired Up for Fitness program is one of several projects Mullin/Ashley is undertaking in support of the NVFC's Heart-Healthy Firefighter initiative - a program with an aggressive goal to reduce heart-related on-duty firefighter deaths by 25% by the year 2008. "Many people are surprised to learn that more than half of all firefighter deaths on the job are from heart attacks or other heart-related conditions," says Charlotte Zang, Mullin/Ashley's manager for the NVFC account. "What's more, this percentage has risen, not declined, over the past decade. It's a serious concern that deserves attention, especially since the role of firefighters as our country's first responders has become even more critical since 9-11," she observes.

In addition to developing the Fired Up for Fitness web program, Mullin/Ashley is producing the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Resource Guide - a 28-page, full-color booklet containing educational information and health tips. It will be available to firefighters and EMS technicians across the United States. These and other materials are being developed in part under grants from the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, the National Volunteer Fire Council represents the interests of volunteer fire, emergency medical and rescue services. Its membership includes state-level organizations representing volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in 49 states. In addition to being the volunteer fire service's ally in the national policy arena, the NVFC serves on boards and committees of numerous important industry organizations, such as the Congressional Fire Services Institute's National Advisory Committee, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the National Fire Protection Association.

MULLIN/ASHLEY CAPTURES COMMUNICATIONS AWARD FOR

BENEDICTINE SCHOOL VIDEO PRODUCTION

Chestertown, Md., February 1, 2005 – Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc., an integrated communications firm serving the mid-Atlantic region, has won an award in the Service Industry Advertising Awards national competition. A Bronze Award was garnered for a video production created for The Benedictine School of Ridgely, Maryland.

Entitled “The Road to Benedictine: Bringing Dreams to Life,” the video was produced by Mullin/Ashley for parents of prospective enrollees at the school. The Benedictine School is well-known for providing individualized programs for children and adults with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. In addition to presenting updated information about the school’s programs and facilities, the video conveys the loving care and attention the staff provides the children. Moreover, by showing “success story” examples, the video gives parents of prospective students renewed hope that their children can reach their fullest potential.

“The Benedictine School has earned a distinguished reputation as a comprehensive educational facility with both day and residential programs,” says Alisa Young Greenwood, Mullin/Ashley’s video producer. “Our 14-minute video highlights new additions to the facility such as the aqua-therapy center, as well as florist, greenhouse and embroidery shops. These areas, along with the education program, help students learn, gain skills and independence, and engage in productive activities that build self-esteem,” she notes.

The video wraps up with a segment where parents of Benedictine School students share their joy at seeing their children’s progress and accomplishments, as they explain how the school has fulfilled the dreams they’ve always had for their children.

According to Alisa Greenwood, in addition to being an informational resource for parents, the new video supports The Benedictine School’s fundraising program. A version of the video has also been placed on the school’s web site (www.benschool.com).

This is the second annual competition of the Service Industry Advertising Awards program. It is billed as the only awards competition that focuses exclusively on communication achievements in the service industry. More than 1,000 entries were submitted in 21 communications categories, covering a variety of service industries including healthcare, utilities, financial services, educational institutions, hospitality and entertainment. A national panel of judges rated all entries. Jan-Michael Lok, Executive Director of the SIAA Awards, expressed satisfaction on the success of the competition.“The second Annual SIAA Awards exceeded our expectations. Entries were received from all 50 states and four foreign countries,” he said.

Commenting on the award won for The Benedictine School, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley’s president and director of client services, stated, “We’re pleased to be recognized for our work in the video field. In fact, video productions have been a Mullin/Ashley specialty for many years. Award programs such as this allow our continuing efforts to be judged according to rigorous national standards of excellence.”

MULLIN/ASHLEY AND ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER COME UP WINNERS IN HEALTHCARE ANNUAL REPORT COMPETITION

Chestertown, Md., January 24, 2005 – An annual report designed and produced by Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc. for Anne Arundel Medical Center has won an award in the Annual Report of the Year Competition conducted by Profiles in Healthcare Marketing magazine. Published by Business Word, Profiles magazine charts the latest trends in marketing, promotion and public relations in the healthcare field.

Mullin/Ashley nabbed the First Place slot in the competition’s Foundations category. Titled “Real Heroes – A Portrait,” this 28-page annual report honors contributors to Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Foundation. According to Marlayn King, Mullin/Ashley’s creative director, “The annual report uses inspiring examples of people who illustrate the faces and voices among the hospital’s honor roll of donors. More than just presenting a roster of names, the piece gives life and meaning to the compassionate act of giving.” The annual report also covers how the hospital has used donor proceeds to expand and improve programs, as well as presenting statistical highlights for the year.

In all, sixteen healthcare organizations across the United States were named as winners in the Annual Report Competition, with first-place awards given to five organizations in addition to AAMC, including HealthONE (Denver) and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). “Entries in this year’s competition varied from electronic reports to newsletter-style publications,” Donald Johnson, publisher of Profiles magazine, stated. Johnson added that each of the winning entries “created a positive image for the institution it serves, while communicating the achievements of the past year.”

Commenting on the first-place award, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley’s president and director of client services, said, “This competition adds to the recognition of our work in healthcare communications. In recent years, Mullin/Ashley has undertaken a growing number of healthcare-related communications campaigns and projects. Award programs such as this one enable our efforts in healthcare to be judged according to rigorous standards of excellence in the industry.”

Business Word is a leading healthcare industry publisher. In addition to Profiles in Healthcare Marketing, the company publishes other health-related periodicals, including Health Care Strategic Management, Hospital Materials Management, and Healthcare Advertising Review.

MULLIN/ASHLEY ESTABLISHES ACCOUNT RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL

Chestertown, Md., January 6, 2005 – Mullin/Ashley Associates has established a new account relationship with the National Volunteer Fire Council. Mullin/Ashley is providing a full array of communications, PR and web services in support of the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter initiative – a program with an aggressive goal to reduce heart-related on-duty firefighter deaths by 25% by the year 2008.

An important part of Mullin/Ashley’s support to the NVFC is an online interactive program called Fired Up for Fitness. This initiative will allow firefighters nationwide to plan and record their own personal fitness program via the web. Participants can measure their progress by recording physical activity and results such as weight loss, with prizes offered.

According to Phillip Nones, president and director of client services, the new Mullin/Ashley’s core strengths. “Not only are we experienced in supporting the efforts of national trade associations, the fire service field – both equipment manufacturers and service providers – has been a particular industry focus of ours for many years. We’re delighted to be working with such a well-respected organization, and the variety of ways we’re supporting the NVFC taps into certain key areas where we have particular expertise.”

Headquartered in Washington, DC, the National Volunteer Fire Council represents the interests of volunteer fire, emergency medical and rescue services. Its membership includes state-level organizations representing volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in 49 states. In addition to being the volunteer fire service’s ally in the national policy arena, the NVFC serves on boards and committees of numerous important industry organizations, such as the National Fire Academy, the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s National Advisory Committee, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the National Fire Protection Association.

MULLIN/ASHLEY CAPTURES GALAXY AWARD FOR INTERACTIVE TECHNICAL TRAINING CD

October 26, 2004 – Mullin/Ashley Associates has won an award in the 15th Annual International GALAXY Awards competition for excellence in product and service marketing. A Silver Award was won by Mullin/Ashley in the Technical Training Interactive Media category for a technical training CD created for Kaeser Compressors, Inc. of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Mullin/Ashley conceived, wrote, directed and produced a full-scale interactive training CD for users of Kaeser’s industrial compressed air equipment.  Designed to supplant traditional printed materials provided to end-users, this interactive CD provides maintenance information and instruction. In addition to reducing printing costs, the interactive CD adds elements of animation and video clips that had never been available. Among the new video elements are filmed maintenance procedure segments, with voiceover instructions.

According to John Greenwood, Mullin/Ashley interactive media specialist and project leader on this initiative, the CD was designed to accommodate periodic updates, as well as the addition of new material. “The Kaeser product line is continually evolving, with new models and designs being introduced,” he said. “We’ve designed the CD so that it can be updated easily and quickly. This way, the inventory of training materials will always be fresh, as opposed to printed materials which may have to be thrown away and reprinted in order to keep up to date with the material.”

In addition to the instructional and training elements, the CD also contains information on Kaeser’s North American and worldwide operations, as well as a synopsis of the company’s full line of air systems equipment.

The GALAXY Awards are sponsored by MerComm, an independent judging organization devoted to evaluating, measuring and recognizing standards of excellence in the communications field. The 2004 awards competition – the 15th annual international competition covering product and service marketing – drew entries from the throughout the United States, Canada, and 13 other countries.

Commenting on winning the Silver Award for Kaeser Compressors, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley’s president and director of client services, stated, “We’re pleased to be recognized for the work we’re undertaking in the interactive media arena. Various forms of interactive media are fast becoming driving forces in communications. Award programs such as the GALAXY competition allow our interactive media projects to be judged according to rigorous standards of excellence.”

MULLIN/ASHLEY ASSOCIATES TAKES FIVE COMMUNICATOR AWARDS

September 7, 2004 – Mullin/Ashley Associates has been recognized in The Communicator Awards 2004 Print Media competition with five award-winning entries covering work performed for three separate clients.

Three of the awards were won by Mullin/Ashley for communications pieces created for Anne Arundel Health System in Annapolis, Maryland. A Crystal Award of Excellence – the highest award level – was won for an annual report created for the Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation. Titled “Real Heroes – A Portrait,” this 28-page report honors those who have contributed to the Foundation. According to Marlayn King, Mullin/Ashley’s creative director, “The annual report uses inspiring examples of people who represent the faces and voices of the hospital’s honor roll of donors. More than just presenting a roster of names, the piece gives extra life and meaning to the compassionate act of giving.”

Also presented to Mullin/Ashley was an Award of Distinction for “The Smart Choice,” a brochure promoting the technology and services of Anne Arundel Diagnostics, an AAHS subsidiary. Mullin/Ashley also took an Honorable Mention award for a bimonthly periodical developed in conjunction with Anne Arundel Medical Center’s employee motivation initiative. Titled “You’re Makin’ It Great!”, the oversized newsletter recognizes the efforts of all employees – including medical staff, nurses, and support staff personnel – in a very personal way. Inspirational stories on patient satisfaction, hospital expansion, new medical services and technologies are also covered.

In addition to being cited for its work with AAHS, Mullin/Ashley Associates won awards for projects conducted for two other clients. An Award of Distinction was given for a capabilities brochure designed and produced for the Engineered Materials division of J. M. Huber Company. A Fortune 500 corporation, J. M. Huber is one of the world’s largest makers of silicate free-flowing and anti-caking materials used in a wide range of product applications from food processing and pharmaceuticals to rubber and plastics. Huber Engineered Materials, based in Atlanta, conducts significant R&D, product development and manufacturing activities out of its production facility in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Also winning an Award of Distinction was a feature news article presenting proper handwashing techniques for foodservice workers. Mullin/Ashley developed this article for Clayton, Delaware-based Eagle Foodservice Equipment Company, a leading manufacturer of sinks, handwashing stations and other equipment used in restaurants, institutions and fast-food establishments. The article also showcased the activities of the Handwashing Leadership Forum, an industry consortium made up of equipment manufacturers such as Eagle, which sponsors the Handwashing Olympics and other high-profile initiatives promoting safe hygiene practices among foodservice workers. Mullin/Ashley researched, wrote and successfully pitched the article to industry trade publications.

Commenting on winning this year’s Communicator Awards, Phillip Nones, president, stated, “We’re pleased to be recognized for the work we’ve performed in a wide range of categories from creative design to public relations. This series of awards is particularly gratifying, because winning five awards represents a record for us in a single competition.”

Now in its tenth year, The Communicator Awards is an annual program that honors outstanding work in the communications field. Entries are judged by industry professionals according to superior benchmarks of quality across 17 major communications categories. There were more than 3,700 U.S. and foreign entries in this year’s competition, submitted by advertising and PR agencies, corporate communications departments, designers and writers.

MULLIN/ASHLEY CAPTURES TWO COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS FOR ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER PROJECTS 

Chestertown, Md., March 15, 2004 – Mullin/Ashley Associates, Inc. has won two awards in the Service Industry Advertising Awards national competition. The awards were won for two communications projects performed for Anne Arundel Medical Center, a large regional healthcare organization based in Annapolis.

A Silver Award was won for an annual report created for the Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation. Titled "Real Heroes – A Portrait," this 28-page annual report honors contributors to the AAMC Foundation. According to Marlayn D. King, Mullin/Ashley's creative director, "The annual report uses inspiring examples of people who illustrate the faces and voices in the hospital's honor roll of donors. More than just presenting a roster of names, the piece gives life and meaning to the compassionate act of giving." The annual report also covers how the hospital has used donor proceeds to expand and improve programs, as well as presenting financial and other statistical highlights for the past year.

A Bronze Award was won for a monthly periodical developed in conjunction with Anne Arundel Medical Center's new employee motivation initiative. Titled "You're Makin' it Great!", the newsletter's purpose is to recognize the efforts of all employees, including the medical staff, nurses, and all support staff personnel. The oversized newsletter is sent to each employee's home, showcasing departments and individuals who are "making it great" for the entire hospital. Inspirational stories on patient satisfaction, hospital expansion activities, as well as new medical services and technologies are also covered.

This is the first annual competition of the Service Industry Advertising Awards program. It is billed as the only awards competition to focus exclusively on communication achievements in the service industry. Approximately 1,000 entries were submitted in 21 communications categories, covering a variety of service industries including healthcare, utilities, financial services, educational institutions, hospitality and entertainment. A national panel of judges rated all entries. Jan-Michael Lok, Executive Director of the SIAA Awards, expressed satisfaction on the success of the first-year competition.  "Next year, we expect to triple the number of entries," he predicted.

Commenting on the awards won for Anne Arundel Medical Center, Phillip Nones, Mullin/Ashley's president and director of client services, stated, "We're pleased to be recognized for the work we're undertaking in the healthcare field. Long recognized for our activities in the commercial and industrial arena, in recent years Mullin/Ashley has performed a growing number of communications projects in the healthcare field. Award programs such as this allow our efforts in healthcare to be judged according to national standards of excellence."