RecognizeGood Announces the 11th Annual Ethics in Business & Community Awards Finalists

Austin, TX, March 11, 2013 – RecognizeGood announces the finalists for the 11th Annual Ethics in Business & Community Awards. This prestigious award recognizes individuals and businesses in Central Texas nominated by the community as exemplary ethical leaders demonstrating outstanding ethical practices and excellent business principles including: respect, fairness, honesty, justice, and sustainability.

The Finalists for the 11th Annual Ethics in Business & Community Awards are as follows.  In the individual category Mark Curry of Wells Fargo, Matt Kouri of Greenlights for Nonprofits Success, and Adrian Mertz of Austin Area Home Health Council. In the nonprofit category the finalists are Active Life, Grid Earth Project and Impact Austin. Small business finalists include Home Therapy Austin, Square Cow Moovers and Wag-a-bag. And finally, the large business finalists are Frost Bank, IBM, and Texas Disposal Systems.

Nominations ran from May 2012 until January 2013.  College of Business students at Concordia University Texas vetted the nominees. Once the students have reviewed the initial applications they narrow the field of nominees to 3 in each category. The students begin a rigorous, in-depth review of each finalist. They present their findings to an independent selection committee to vote on the actual award recipients. The selection committee is led by Don Christian, Dean of the College of Business at Concordia University Texas.

All finalists are recognized and the recipients will be announced at the awards luncheon on May 2, 2013 at the AT&T Conference Center.

Hundreds of Texas business leaders attend the event every year, with an anticipated 500 attendees this year. This year’s Honorary Chairs are Bobby Jenkins, CEO ABC Home & Commercial Services and Earl Maxwell, CEO St. David’s Foundation.  For more information about the event please visit www.recognizegood.org.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Samaritan Counseling Center, a non-profit counseling center. The Center provides professional counseling to prevent and treat abuse, teach healthy life skills, and strengthen families. The Center serves children and adults of all ages struggling with problems such as stress, depression, abuse and addiction. The Samaritan Center’s Hope for Heroes program has received statewide recognition for helping service members and military families heal the emotional wounds of war and reintegrate back into our community. More information about the Center can be found at www.samaritan-center.org.

About RecognizeGood

RecognizeGood intends to (1) illuminate and raise awareness about the good that surrounds our communities, hoping to encourage individuals to commit additional acts of kindness. (2) RecognizeGood promotes the importance of ethical behavior and practices in business and community. (3) RecognizeGood’s long-term ambition is to connect business with community, resulting in a stronger, better partnership.

Unlike other philanthropic endeavors, we do not target just one cause.  Every month through our premier program, RecognizeGood Legends, we single out an ordinary, extraordinary individual whose selfless deeds inspire their peers and the community at large.  Each RecognizeGood Legend receives a $1000 pay-it forward donation in the name of their selected charity. By utilizing traditional and social media, we are able to shine a light, not only on these remarkable individuals, but also on their causes.

The Legends’ sister program, Say Thanks, Austin, provides the Austin Community with an opportunity to share its gratitude for these noble individuals. With $20,000 in total annual awards by RecognizeGood, the event received over 16,000 “Say Thanks” votes in 2013.

The Business iN Community program was designed to create an association of Socially Responsible Businesses. The goal is to instill within our community an attitude where ethical practices are celebrated, encouraged and embraced.

RecognizeGood is the joint, non-profit effort of respected Austin businessmen and women, John Bosch Jr. of TyRex Group, Ltd., Bobby Jenkins of ABC Home and Commercial Services, Nancy Blaich of the Samaritan Center of Austin, and Earl Maxwell of the St. David’s Foundation.

To learn more about RecognizeGood visit www.RecognizeGood.org.