Iowa Bankers Association takes top business communication honors
On Monday, Lori Ristau of Iowa Bankers Association won Best in Show at the annual awards ceremony for the Iowa chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
The Bronze Quill awards recognize the best in Iowa business communications, drawing entries from small nonprofits and small business owners to major corporations, advertising agencies and PR firms.
Ristau’s entry in the employee/member communication category was a redesigned member benefit statement that made a compelling and effective case for members to stay with the organization. The project was completed at a cost of $400, a 20 percent savings over the prior year.
“The judging is tough,” said IABC/Iowa board member Kevin Shoesmith, who coordinated this year’s Bronze Quill event. “The winners really are the best in the business.”
Five entries earned an Award of Excellence, the next highest level of recognition to Best in Show.
Principal Financial Group was recognized at this level in four categories:
- Audiovisual Components
- Employee/Member Communications
- Marketing
- Marketing Communications
Mercer Communication Solutions received an Award of Excellence in the Benefits Communication category. View a complete list of all the winning entrants (PDF: 153 KB).
Throughout the evening, Emcee Jill Sackett, a longtime IABC volunteer and expert communicator from Wells Fargo, shared best practices that should go into any successful communication plan, highlighting examples from Bronze Quill award winners.
The Oregon chapter of IABC judged this year’s awards for the Iowa chapter.