Strengthening ties between USA and New Zealand

AmCham launches ‘Eric & Kathy Hertz Award’ for strengthening ties between USA and New Zealand

Call for Entries begins for 2014 AmCham – DHL Express
Success & Innovations Awards

AUCKLAND - The American Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the launch of the 2014 AmCham – DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards, held in conjunction with Hawaiian Airlines. The Awards celebrate business achievement between New Zealand and the United States.

AmCham is also delighted to announce the launch of a new award category sponsored by 3M New Zealand which will be called the Eric & Kathy Hertz Award for Citizen Diplomacy in memory of our special friends who died so tragically a year ago. This award will be presented annually to a person, group of people or organization who have made significant contributions to strengthening the bonds between the people of New Zealand and the United States. The contributions can be made in any field that complements the deep political and economic ties between these two great nations including education, science, research, culture, arts and sports.

Two way trade between New Zealand and the USA is currently running at more than NZ$8.5 billion, which accounts for approximately 9% per cent of New Zealand’s total earnings from overseas trade.

AmCham works closely with its members and companies trading with the USA to enhance and expand business and trade relationships within the private and public sectors.

"The annual Success & Innovation Awards provide an opportunity to showcase those companies that have demonstrated imagination, innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as honour and celebrate their achievements," says AmCham Executive Director Mike Hearn.

The Award categories are:
- Exporter of the Year to the USA - with export revenues to the USA up to NZ $500,000
- Exporter of the Year to the USA - revenues from NZ $501,000 to NZ $5 million and
- Exporter of the Year to the USA - revenues over NZ $5 million
- Importer of the Year from the USA
- Investor of the Year for New Zealand companies investing in the US, as well as US companies investing in New Zealand
- The Eric & Kathy Hertz Award for Citizen Diplomacy

A Supreme Award winner is selected from winners of each of these Awards. AmCham also makes an award to the Supporter of the Year.
The winners of the importer and exporter awards receive a return economy class ticket on Hawaiian Airlines from Auckland to either Honolulu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento or New York.
Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the Pullman Hotel Auckland on 7 August.

Companies interested in entering the 2014 Awards can find further information at www.amcham.co.nz or by contacting Mike Hearn – email mike@amcham.co.nz or phone 09 309 9140. Entries close at 5.00 pm on 6 June. Finalists will be announced on 4 July and the winners announced at the black tie awards dinner on 7 August.

Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included ZESPRI International, Peace Software, Airways Corporation, HumanWare, Tenon, Orion Systems International, Zeacom, Specialist Marine Interiors, Fonterra and Christchurch Engine Centre, Buckley Systems, Vista Entertainment and Greenshell New Zealand.

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express and Hawaiian Airlines, the awards are supported by: Baldwins, Fonterra
Co-operative, Prescient Marketing & Communications, 3M New Zealand and the Pullman Hotel Auckland

ENDS

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