Benchmarks.

The following honorees are Gold-level members

Novi-based International Transmission Co. celebrated its first year as an independently owned, for-profit business on March 1. The company was formed when DTE Energy divested its electric transmission assets to comply with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Michigan policy initiatives to promote an independent power transmission grid.

AAA Michigan's "Auto Home Life" poster won Best of Show honors in the print category at the Ann Arbor Addy Awards competition presented by the Ann Arbor Ad Club and the American Advertising Federation. The award went to the designer, Ann Arbor-based re:group.

J.T. Battenberg III, chairman, CEO and president of Troy-based Delphi Corp., will receive the 2004 Manufacturing Leadership Award issued by the SAE Foundation at the organization's annual banquet at Ford Field in Detroit. The award recognizes individuals who have made meaningful contributions to the development of the automobile, truck or automotive industry.

The following honorees are Silver-level members

The Michigan Minority Business Development Council presented its 2003 Corporate ONE Award to Southfield-based Barton Malow Co. for its outstanding corporate leadership and participation as a Module Leader for Project ONE, an initiative that brings corporations and minority business enterprises together monthly to network and exchange business opportunities. Barton Malow was also cited for its established, successful diversity program.

Strategic Staffing Solutions, a Detroit-based information technology provider, posted its 13th consecutive year of sales growth for 2003 with sales of more than $67 million, a 10-percent increase from 2002's revenues of $61.3 million. Cynthia Pasky, S3's president and CEO, said the growth is particularly impressive in light of the economic slowdown during the past two years. Pasky, a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber's Board of Directors, was profiled in the May 2003 issue of the Detroiter.

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Tony Avendt of the Southfield office of Grubb & Ellis Co. was awarded the 2003 Most Valuable Broker award in the Detroit market by First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. The award goes to the individual who best demonstrates how providing superior real estate solutions creates a superior working relationship. Grubb & Ellis was also recognized by CoStar as a top 10 brokerage firm based on sales transactions in the Detroit area.

Dr. Marisa Ming, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce, was featured on CNN Headline News' "Newsmaker" program. The segment was aired in 15 time slots over a three-day period in early March. Auburn Hills-based APACC is one of the Detroit Regional Chamber's diversity partners.

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The Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce honored 10 of its member companies that were are ranked among the Top 40 Asian American businesses in the United States by Asian Business News magazine. Among the honorees were Detroit Regional Chamber members Saturn Electronics & Engineering Inc. (Bronze) of Auburn Hills, Roy Smith Co. (Bronze) of Detroit and Acro Service Corp. (Business Builder) of Livonia.

The following honorees are Bronze-level members

Centerprise Technology Advisors, the IT department of Southfield-based Follmer Rudzewicz Advisors Inc., was named to the Microsoft Business Solutions Inner Circle, a designation earned by firms whose sales achievement ranks them at the top echelon of Microsoft Business Solutions' global network of reselling partners. Centerprise Technology Advisors also was recognized by Accounting Today as a 2003 Technology Pacesetter. The designation honors leaders in the IT field.

The Guidance Center of Southgate will present the 2004 Circle of Excellence Award, its highest honor, to Waltraud Prechter for her dedication to advancing medical research to find a cure for manic depression through the work of the Heinz C. Prechter Fund for Manic Depression, named in memory of her late husband.

August Mack Environmental Inc.'s eCAP[SM] (Compliance Assurance Program) received the certification of Trademark Registration from the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services. The company's local office is in Livonia.

Jeff Recor, director of the Information Assurance Center at Walsh College in Troy, was named Educator of the Year by the National Institute of Standards and Technology/Federal Information Systems Security Educators Association. The award recognizes those who have made significant contributions in education and training programs for information systems security.

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A new program in "Engineering Ventures" will be developed by the Wayne State University College of Engineering as a result of a $500,000 endowed fund established by WSU alumnus James Anderson, president and founder of Detroit-based Urban Science Application Inc.

QQuest Corp., a Dearborn-based Tier 1 supplier of information technology products and services, attained ISO 9001:2000 certification. The company passed the audit with no findings or corrective actions, confirming that QQuest has always maintained the highest standards of quality.

The following honorees are Business Builder members

Staci McEwan, an interior designer for Detroit-based Kraemer Design Group PLC, won the Grand Prize in the Sitag Design Expressions Contest. Her whimsical entry, which she called the "Mike and Sulley Chair," was inspired by the Disney Movie "Monsters, Inc."

Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) received both the 2003 Groundbreaker Award from the Southwest Housing Corporation and the 2003 Corporate Partner Award from the Jefferson East Business Association.

ideas and images, a Pontiac-based marketing and communications firm, won a Gold award for developing The Bartech Group's interactive corporate identification package and a Silver award for its work on Digital Detroit's annual conference invitation at the Detroit Business Marketing Association's 2003 Biz-Com Awards competition. The firm also won four Bronze awards.

Budco, a Highland Park marketing and distribution company, was honored by the Wayne County Sheriff's Department with a Distinguished Community Service Award for its commitment to and participation in community outreach.

Dr. Mark Greenwald, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, received two research grants from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Drug Abuse totaling nearly $1.8 million to fund studies related to the treatment and causes of heroin addiction. Dr. Mark Ireland, associate professor in the Department of Anatomy, received a three-year grant from the National Eye Institute for more than $450,000 for a study on cataract formation in the eyes. Dr. Joanne Sobeck, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, was awarded a one-year grant from the Michigan Nonprofit Research Program for approximately $50,000 to study capacity building for small, emerging nonprofits in urban areas.

PRWeek magazine selected Detroit-based Airfoil Public Relations Inc. as a finalist for the 2004 Boutique Public Relations Agency of the Year award. The annual award recognizes the most effective and creative work in agency public relations, public affairs, corporate communications, investor relations and nonprofit communications.

Raymond Chyla is celebrating his 35th anniversary with Testing Engineers and Consultants Inc. in Troy. Chyla began his career as a laboratory technician while attending college. He is now corporation radiation safety coordinator and manager of the Construction Services Department.

Cardinal Adam Maida of the Archdiocese of Detroit received the Distinguished Achievement Award at St. Joseph's Mercy of Macomb's annual Medallion Ball. He was honored for his contributions to the archdiocese and, by extension, to the mission of St. Joseph's Mercy of Macomb hospital in Clinton Township.