February 17, 2006 (Atlanta, GA) - Organizers of the Marketing Award for Excellence (MAX) today announced Jameson Inns and Hauser Group as the Grand Winners of this year's 14th Annual MAX Award.  Jameson Inns impressed this year's panel of judges with the Jameson Stock Awards while Hauser Group won for their Wild American Shrimp branding program.  Both innovations strengthened their brands, produced strong customer loyalty, and created positive bottom-line results.

The MAX Awards also named a Winner at the breakfast: Trusted Network Technologies for TNT Identity.
 
 Winners were chosen from a group of finalists selected by the Georgia State University Marketing RoundTable, which is comprised of senior marketing executives from many of Atlanta's top companies. The other finalists were:

• Matria Healthcare/Design Coup for Matria Health Enhancement Solution
• Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta for PHIL, a web-based philanthropic fund management service
• PolyVision for Thunder Enterprise Collaboration System
• Turner South for My South branding campaign
• UPS for Quantum View for Importers/Inbound

"In MAX Awards tradition, the Grand Winners are selected by the GSU Marketing RoundTable for exemplary marketing innovation," said Dr. Ken Bernhardt, Regents Professor of Marketing at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.  "This year we have two outstanding grand winners.  Both companies used out of the box thinking to develop programs that create an emotional connection between their brand and their customers, and gain significant competitive advantage for their companies."

The winners were presented MAX Awards at the annual awards breakfast held today at TWELVE Hotel in Atlantic Station.  This year's keynote speaker was Mackey McDonald, chairman, president and CEO of VF Corporation (Nautica, Wrangler, Lee, The North Face, Vanity Fair).  Also announced during the breakfast ceremony were this year's recipients of the 2006 GSU Marketing RoundTable Outstanding Minority Marketing Student Scholarship:

• Debbie Morris, MBA student, B.S. in Business from Florida A&M University;
• Willie Maul, MBA student, B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University; and
• Alonzo Portwine, undergraduate, full time student.

About the MAX Awards

The annual Marketing Award for Excellence (MAX) recognizes the creative genius of marketers and marketing in Georgia.  Sponsored by Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business Department of Marketing and Atlanta Business Chronicle, the MAX Awards program is considered the most prestigious marketing awards event in Georgia. The award salutes the best in new products, services and marketing innovations. Nominations are open to Georgia-based companies or company divisions for products, services or marketing innovations developed in a designated calendar year.  For information on how to participate in the 2007 MAX Awards program, call 404-413-7650, or visit www.robinson.gsu.edu/marketing.