The MPI Toronto Chapter Awards Nominations Process

by Brenda Carter, CMP, KPMG

1n 2007, I was advised that a fellow MPI Toronto Chapter member had nominated me for Outstanding Volunteer of the Year for 2006. I was floored. I was still relatively new to MPI, and was unfamiliar with the awards to be won. And I certainly didn’t think that someone like me had a chance to win one. I never did find out who put my name forward for that first award, however, the feeling that it generated within me was astonishing. For weeks, even months, I would remember that someone took the time to nominate me. Me! It was amazing – a gift.

Below is some information that will help you realize how easy it is to nominate someone – and of course for someone to nominate you!

Who can nominate who?
Any MPI Toronto Chapter member can nominate another member. It can be someone you’ve worked with on a committee or someone you know has benefited our community.

Then what happens?
The nominee will be notified of the nomination and will be sent the submission outline. They have the choice to send in a submission or to decline. Once the submission deadline passes, an announcement will come from the Chapter listing all the nominees who were now eligible to win.

What does the submission involve?
This depends on the award, however, many requirements are similar. Almost all the awards are based on the number of points tallied from the information submitted. This means that all submissions should be as complete as possible. Nominees should give careful thought to every line item and understand that if you don’t include the information, the Awards Submission Committee will not take it into account. For example, having an industry designation will add points, however, if you forget to include this information where indicated on the form, the Committee cannot add in the points. This also means including all relevant documentation to support the points claimed. Points cannot be awarded without the appropriate supporting documentation. Nominees will also notice that there are points for the quality of the submission. All this means is a better, more organized submission will get a few more points. The Awards Submission Committee will have many submissions to review – so be organized!

There’s an Awards Submission Committee?
Yes, it’s made up of our Executive Director and two members-at-large who are appointed by the Executive Director. Each Awards Submission Committee member independently reviews each nomination submission and awards points as permitted under the point’s guidelines. Once all reviews have been independently completed, the points from each reviewer are compared. As the points guidelines are very clear on the point allocation, points are very consistent from reviewer to reviewer. In the event that there is a discrepancy, the nomination form would be reviewed again by the reviewers to verify the scoring. If necessary, a third independent reviewer may be used.

Nothing frustrates the committee more than getting an incomplete submission from someone they know could have won the award but who didn’t take the time to include all of their information and documentation.

What kind of things could I get points from?
  1. Volunteering at the Chapter level
  2. Industry/Community service
  3. Other awards or professional recognition
  4. Writing articles
  5. Having an industry designation
  6. Attending meetings – at the Chapter and International levels
  7. References
Can I nominate myself?
Yes, you can.

When does the nomination process begin?
The MPI Toronto Chapter office will start sending calls for nominations in October and the last day is in the beginning of December. During that time, forms will be available online and at Chapter events.

Why should I bother to nominate someone? What’s in it for me?
It takes 5 minutes to nominate someone that you think is deserving of an award. Even if that person never finds out that you were the nominator, you will have made that person’s year! That member may become even more motivated – to work harder, to volunteer more. It may very well advance their career (an MPI Toronto Chapter award looks great on a CV). They are likely to want to nominate others. I believe these are the kind of people we want in our Chapter and in our Industry.

So, look around our Chapter (there’s 800 members!) and think about those who work hard. Nominate them. If you are nominated, put together the best submission you possibly can.

Congratulate all the nominees – it really is a very big deal!! Come out to Awards night and cheer for the winners. And remember – while winning the award is amazing, it really is the best feeling in the world to be nominated!