Northern California Business Marketing Association to Recognize Marketing Excellence at Beacon Awards and Showcase Event.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Award winners to be announced Oct. 13, 2004, in Palo Alto

The Northern California Business Marketing Association (NorCal BMA) will present awards for the best in business-to-business marketing at its Beacon Awards and Showcase event on Oct. 13, 2004, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All B-to-B marketing professionals are invited to attend the third annual gala luncheon to be held at the Crowne Plaza Cabana in Palo Alto.

The winners of the 2004 Beacon awards will be announced during the luncheon by master of ceremonies Scott McGrew, business-technology reporter for NBC11 News. The awards event will culminate with the presentation of the award for Best in Show, a new addition to the program this year.

NorCal BMA's Beacon Awards is the only awards program in the Bay Area that recognizes B-to-B marketing excellence. The upcoming event will honor marketing professionals with gold, silver, and bronze-level awards for work that demonstrates superior strategy and execution in 25 categories ranging from corporate identity to interactive marketing. The competition was open to any Northern California client, agency, or supplier that created and/or produced B-to-B marketing communications in the last year.

The award-winning entries will be on display in a gallery-style exhibition offering guests a chance to view the best creative work in the region, as well as to stimulate their own ideas, find new marketing suppliers, and network with each other.

The Beacon Awards luncheon will also feature wine tasting and live music. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in a raffle for software packages donated by Adobe Systems.

For more details and to RSVP for the Beacon Awards and Showcase, call 650-631-4BMA (4262) or visit www.norcalbma.org. Cost for BMA members is $45, non-members $58. An additional charge of $10 will be added to the registration fee for all walk-ins.

The 2004 Beacon Awards and Showcase is being sponsored by (platinum level) Focus Design, Sabertooth Productions, Cenveo Anderson Litho, CRE - Computer and Audio-visual Solutions, Professional Exhibits & Graphics; (gold level) Hillis Printing Company, National Mailing Services, Inc., CDU Corporation; (silver level) Alex Johnson Photography, friendlyway, Inc., TransTechnology Group/Exhibit Oasis, Infinity Press; (bronze level) Cadence Design Systems, Business Builders, Direct Media, Inc., LeadGenaires, and Excel Meetings and Events.

About NorCal BMA

Northern California Business Marketing Association (NorCal BMA) is the only professional association in Northern California dedicated to serving the educational and career development needs of business-to-business marketers and their partner suppliers. NorCal BMA is a not-for-profit organization. For more information about NorCal BMA, please visit http://www.norcalbma.org/.