Fifth Annual Client Advisor Awards Program Showcases Outstanding Professional Advisory Firms and Best Clients to Advise

ATLANTA--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--In its fifth year the Client Advisor Awards, the country’s only Award program honoring the impact of Professional Services Firms, yesterday recognized six organizations that set the standard for Client Advisor Professionalism. Through its Community Involvement Award, the program also celebrated the client advisor pair that demonstrated the most significant community impact.

“We created the Client Advisor Awards program five years ago because we believed that Professional Services Firms are an under-recognized force that have an enormous impact on our economy and on our communities”

“We created the Client Advisor Awards program five years ago because we believed that Professional Services Firms are an under-recognized force that have an enormous impact on our economy and on our communities,” said Andrew Dietz, Managing Partner of Creative Growth Group, Inc. “At the same time, it is an often ignored reality that client professionalism is as important as advisor professionalism in realizing superior results for clients. The Client Advisor Awards not only honor exceptional professionals but also an elite group of clients who are intentionally superb at managing their professional services relationships - ‘Clients of Choice’. Every year Fortune Magazine ranks the best places to work…we identify the Best Clients to Advise.”

The Client Advisor Awards keynote speaker for 2010 was Jim Gilmore, co-author of the best-selling book, “The Experience Economy: Work is Theater & Every Business a Stage.” "Staging a compelling experience is in no way limited to coffee-drinking at Starbucks, computer repair encounters with the Geek Squad, or taking the family to Disneyland -- or any of a vast array of other places and events in which consumers today spend time and money. Business-to-business experiences abound at trade shows, in executive briefing centers, and with other marketing experiences. Professional services firms would be wise to similarly stage unique experiences for their clients lest they find themselves on the slick slope to commoditization -- purchased solely on the basis of price, price, price,” said Gilmore who spoke about staging superior Client Advisor Experiences to a capacity audience at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, GA.

2010 Client Advisor Award Winners
Large Professional Services Firm
Winner:	Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Finalists:	Arc Worldwide | Leo Burnett
	UHY Advisors
Large Client Organization
Winner:	Chick-Fil-A, Inc.
Finalists:	NASCO
	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mid-Sized Professional Services Firm
Winner:	Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Finalists:	Jabian LLC
	Project, Time & Cost, Inc.
Mid-Sized Client Organization
Winner:	Butler, Fairman & Seufert, Inc.
Finalists:	Iron Data, LLC
	Mud Pie
Small Professional Services Firm
Winner:	The Interlochen Group
Finalists:	BrightWave Marketing, Inc.
	Calysto Communications
Small Client Organization
Winner:	CMI Research
Finalists:	REACH Call, Inc.
	W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd.
Community Involvement Award
Winner:	BoardWalk Consulting – Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency (ACSS)
Finalists:	Jabian LLC – Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
	Pathbuilders, Inc. – Georgia State University (GSU)

Finalists were evaluated on their excellence in five areas: collaboration, creativity, content and value orientation, capability and credibility. 2010 Client Advisor Awards sponsors include: The Atlanta Business School Alliance, BCHORD, Business Wise, Deltek, Creative Growth Group, and Strategies Group. Creative Growth Group founded the Client Advisor Awards in 2006 and continues to serve as the program’s lead organizer. More about the Awards can be found at www.clientadvisorawards.com.

About Creative Growth Group

Creative Growth Group, Inc. is the leading consultancy that helps professional services firms achieve superior, lasting and predictable business development results. www.creativegrowthgroup.com