The SMPS Marketing Communications Awards program is the longest-standing, most prestigious awards competition that recognizes excellence in marketing communications by professional services firms in the design and building industry, according to the organization’s website.

Winning entries were judged relative to the project’s marketing objectives, content, measurable results and overall budget. RATIOarchitects.com beat out more than 35 national and international entries.

“RATIO collaborated with Miles Design to develop a website that showcases our expertise in the higher education, community, life sciences, workplace, lifestyle and cultural marketplaces,” said Tony Steinhardt, FSMPS, CPSM, principal, RATIO Architects. “The end result is a website that has proven results, with visitors spending an average time of three minutes and 24 seconds on the site – two times the industry average.”

Josh Miles, founder of Miles Design shared, “Our goal for RATIOarchitects.com was to raise the bar for how an architecture website should perform. RATIO designs such gorgeous work. We wanted to be sure to keep the design very crisp and clean so their project photography could take center stage. Our challenge was to incorporate all of RATIO’s areas of expertise into one easy-to-update website. In the end, it’s great to see two Indianapolis firms collaborate to bring home the top prize in such a prestigious competition.”

About Miles Design
Miles Design (http://www.milesdesign.com) is an award-winning design firm specializing in branding and interactive design for high-end professional services firms. Miles Design helps clients achieve niche positioning through Bold Brand™—a multi-step branding process that uncovers the most compelling elements of an organization, and leverages them for the greatest possible impact.

About RATIO Architects

RATIO Architects (www.RATIOarchitects.com) is an award-winning design and planning firm with studios in Indianapolis and Champaign, IL offering services in architecture, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture and urban planning. Founded in 1982, its collaborative studios combine professionals from all disciplines to work on higher education, community, life science, workplace, lifestyle and cultural projects.

About The Society for Marketing Professional Services

The Society for Marketing Professional Services (www.SMPS.org) represents a dynamic network of more than 6,000 marketing and business development professionals from architectural, engineering, planning, interior design, construction, and specialty construction firms located throughout the United States and Canada. The Society and its 50+ chapters benefit from the support of 3,700 design and building firms, encompassing 80 percent of the Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms and Top 400 Contractors. SMPS’ mission is to advocate for, educate, and connect leaders in the building industry.

Fabric Care Center will be continuing its anniversary celebration throughout 2010 with special deals and discounts. For more information, please visit www.fabriccarecenter.com.

Barrett is traveling with the Indiana Businesses for a Clean Energy Economy.  The IBCEE will be focused on building support for comprehensive climate and energy legislation on the federal level during their time in Washington D.C.

“I am honored the IBCEE has invited me to meet with Indiana’s Congressional leaders,” says Barrett.  “Environmental issues are an important topic in Washington D.C. right now and I am looking forward to working with everyone.”

About Green Water Infrastructure:

Green Water Infrastructure is a consulting company, which integrates water resources for sustainable site development. Green Water strives to utilize one hundred percent of the water resources on a site at the site. The company saves communities money by combining green infrastructure with gray infrastructure, new technology with existing technology, creating sustainable growth – sustainable growth environmentally and socially.  For more information, please visit http://thinkgwi.com/.

Lorraine Ball
317-569-1396
Lorraine@roundpeg.biz

The program features high energy networking, a brief activity, a presentation and a chance to connect with local community leaders, entrepreneurs and financers all committed to building a healthy local economy.

“As a small business owner myself, I know how hard it is to start your own business,” says Lorraine Ball, “with Starting Point, we make it easier for you to connect with other people interested in new businesses and give you the tools you need to successfully launch your company.”

Registration is not required, and the event is free to attend. For more information , please visit www.bizstartingpoint.com.

About Rainmakers: Founded in 2002, Rainmakers is a business-to-business professional networking organization which is committed to helping individuals meet, learn and grow.  Today, Rainmakers has more than 1,400 members and is the fastest growing organization of its kind in the state.  For more information please visit www.gorainmakers.com.

Lorraine Ball
317-569-1396
Lorraine@roundpeg.biz
www.roundpeg.biz

Visitors who log onto the site can receive no-strings-attached coupons offering everything from discounted legal services to free dogwashes. Or, visitors can sign up to receive a free bi-weekly email with select offers, trivia and light-hearted stories.

“SavingsEclub is different from other online coupons sites,” said Richmund. “It’s easy to navigate, spam-free and the bi-weekly emails help you use the site to its best advantage.”

Indy SavingsEclub offers coupons and discounts for businesses in the greater Indianapolis metro area. Visit www.indy.savingseclub.com to download coupons or sign up for the free newsletter.

About SavingsEclub:
SavingsEclub helps to connect local businesses to their community through online coupons and informative emails. SavingsEclub currently operates in more than 20 areas, and is constantly looking to expand. Visit www.savingseclub.com for more information.

CONTACT:
Lorraine Ball
317.569.1396
lorraine@roundpeg.biz

Specials include:

• August 1-10: 50% off coat cleaning (limit 2)
• September 1-10: 50% off comforter cleaning (limit 2)
• October 1-11: 25% off drapery cleaning
• November 1-10: Business suit cleaning is buy one, get the second 50% off
• December 1-10: Holiday-themed sweaters and neckties 25% off
• January 2011: Bring $200 or more in dry cleaning at one time, get four $10 gift cards (in store only)
• January 2011: Send in $200 or more in cumulative orders throughout the month, get four $10 gift cards with your February statement (home delivery only)

Currently, Fabric Care Center is rolling back pricing in the Laundromat to 1960 pricing—each load costs just $0.25. The special will run until August 20.

Fabric Care Center will kick off their year-long celebration with an open house on July 20th at 2 pm. Participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony will be representatives of the Indy Chamber of Commerce, the mayor’s office and State Representative Phil Hinkle.
More specials will continue to be announced throughout the year. For the latest information, please visit www.fabriccarecenter.com.

About Fabric Care Center
Located at 5760 W. Morris St., near West Washington Street and I-465, Fabric Care Center is a family owned and operated professional dry cleaner and self-service Laundromat. Fabric Care Center offers home pick-up and laundry delivery to the greater Indianapolis metro area from north of Noblesville to south of Greenwood. For more information, please visit www.FabricCareCenter.com.

This interactive “Marketing by the Numbers” seminar is designed to help business owners develop a more systematic approach to their marketing.  Participants will learn how to establish the lifetime value of their customers and determine how much and where they should be investing their marketing resources.

“I have always believed great marketing is all about the ‘numbers,’” said Roundpeg founder, Lorraine Ball. “In this seminar we help business owners put these important numbers to work! “

The seminar is free of charge, but registration is required. To register or for more information about this seminar, please go to www.roundpeg.biz or contact Lorraine Ball at 317.569.1396.

About Lorraine Ball:
An award winning marketing professional, Lorraine and the team at Roundpeg help small business owners become big business owners.

Active in the local Indianapolis business community, she is the former President of the Network of Women in Business and Rainmakers and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Hamilton County Business Alliance Entrepreneurship Advancement Center.

She frequently shares her expertise in public seminars, and presentations around the country. In addition, her articles on marketing planning and business development have been featured in numerous including Contracting Business, The New York Forum, The Indianapolis Business Journal, and Carmel Business Leader.

About Howard Cox:
Before merging his own independent firm with Somerset CPAs, Howard gained years of experience working for a Big Four firm and as the Director of Operations for a large real estate developer. Currently, as the Director of Business Consulting with Somerset CPAs, Howard is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor.  He primarily focuses on business consulting engagements, corporate training sessions and public speaking. Howard prides himself on meeting the needs of each one of his clients so that their businesses can reach their full potential.

Lorraine Ball
317-569-1396
Lorraine@roundpeg.biz

ANDERSON, IN – Now here’s a dog’s life even a cat could love. Max, a German Shepherd from Indianapolis, has proven himself time and time again as a search and rescue dog with Indiana’s FEMA Task Force One.

The 15-year-old, who worked 12-hour shifts as a search and rescue dog with handler/Mom Annette Zintsmaster following the 2001 World Trade Center tragedy, is being recognized for his career of service with Scout & Zoe’s inaugural Dog Lore Exceptional Canine Award.
Max will receive his award in a special ceremony to be aired Thursday, July 8, at 5:25 p.m., on Indianapolis’ WISH-TV, Channel 8.

“We are so pleased to honor Max as our first Scout & Zoe’s Exceptional Canine recipient,” says Cindy Dunston Quirk, owner and developer of Scout & Zoe’s Natural Antler Dog Chews. “He is a true hero and exemplifies our ideal of an exceptional canine. With each Exceptional Canine Award Scout & Zoe’s bestows, we will endeavor to showcase how vital dogs are to each of us during our life time not only as companions offering unconditional love but also as guardians, life assistants, rescuers and being our eyes to the world.”

As a Scout & Zoe’s honoree, a collectible card has been created for Max that will be included in packages of Scout & Zoe’s chews. The card features his photo, statistics and a recap of his achievements at Ground Zero and other sites, including a long career with FEMA, where assignments took him to sites all over the country.

Max and Annette were on the scene within hours after the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York City. They worked 12-hour shifts for seven straight days, reverently searching smoldering stacks of twisted metal and concrete for survivors. Max drew extra duty at Ground Zero as a therapy dog, providing an invaluable source of comfort for firefighters, police officers and other first responders who needed a silent embrace.

Annette’s husband, Tony, recalls the somber scene at Ground Zero. “There were fires burning all around us,” he says. “We were in ankle deep gray dust, there was twisted metal and glass everywhere; smoke from the fires and continuous secondary explosions made it difficult to see, and the noises and the smells were overwhelming. People had a rough time, so did some of the dogs, but most of the dogs remained focused. It’s amazing how they were able to work. No training could prepare any person or any dog for what we witnessed.”

Max retired from the search and rescue business at age 7 but remains active, enjoying daily romps in the yard with doggie buddies Kaiser and Jago.

Know about an exceptional canine in your area? Submit your DOG LORE story at www.ScoutandZoes.com.

About Scout & Zoe’s: Scout & Zoe’s Natural Antler Dog Chews are 100 percent natural deer and elk antlers, harvested through either natural shedding or cutting from farm-raised animals. Losing antlers each year is part of the natural life cycle, and cutting helps prevent the farm-raised animals from harming one another.

Antler chews are the right choice for the 15 to 20 percent of dogs, who suffer from allergies to beef, chicken or have other digestive issues. They’re a safer choice for any dog, because antler chews don’t splinter like bones. Owners like them because they don’t wind up in a gooey mess like rawhide, and best of all they take away the need for pets to chew on furniture, shoes and other things around the house.

Scout & Zoe’s are superior to other chews in helping dogs maintain clean, healthy teeth and contain trace minerals such as calcium and phosphorous which add to the pet’s overall health.

Typically last four to six weeks, Scout & Zoe’s chews are available in a variety of sizes to suit every breed. No animals are harmed and no violence is imposed during the gathering of the antlers.

To order Scout & Zoe’s chews for your pet, go to www.scoutandzoes.com or call (317) 457-7222 to find a retail outlet near you.

Contact: Lance McKerley
(615) 472-8974
contact@mckerleycom.com

Heather is a junior at Indianapolis University Purdue University Indianapolis. She brings with her a strong design aesthetic and a firm grounding in computer-based design.

Dan, a sophomore at North Central High School, is the youngest intern to ever join the Roundpeg team. He brings with him a solid base in video production and hopes to learn to apply those skills in two-dimensional media.

“We are thrilled to have Heather and Dan join our team,” said Lorraine Ball. “We hope we can enhance their design skills and knowledge in order to provide them with a strong platform to aide in their future endeavors.”

The interns will also have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with
various other aspects of design as well as give back to the community. Heather

and Dan, in combination with the other Roundpeg interns, will do marketing workfor local not-for-profits, including the Entrepreneurship Advancement Center and the Blind Children Alliance.

“We strongly believe in giving back to the community and helping not-for-profits.” said Ball. “It is important for us to provide our interns with a well rounded experience while both improving their skills and benefiting the community.”

About Roundpeg: A full service marketing firm, Roundpeg works exclusively with small business owners to find a starting point for growth and change. Offering business and marketing planning, branding, publicity and development of marketing collateral, Roundpeg is dedicated to expanding the entrepreneurial community in Indiana.

About Heather Ousley: Originally from Peru, Heather is pursuing her undergraduate degree in informatics from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. During her tenure at IUPUI, Heather also plans to receive a certificate in applied computer science. Currently, she is an active member of SIGGRAPH and is the Webmaster for Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma at IUPUI. Heather also works at the IUPUI Housing and Residence Life, Contracts and Assignments Office.

About Dan Lipson: Dan is a sophomore at North Central High School in Indianapolis. There, he serves as a committee chair for the student council, assisting with advertising and sponsorship activities. He has a strong background in video production, and hopes one day to attend Indiana University.

To learn more about the features of the new website visit http://www.chefjjs.com/ or subscribe to his newsletter with grilling tips and delicious recipe ideas.

About Chef JJ’s Back Yard:
At Chef JJ’s Back Yard we make things personal. From custom designing outdoor kitchens, to interacting with our clients during grilling classes and private events, we’re all about making you feel at home. We are very much a part of the local food movement, so we feature local products in our store and in our cooking. Take home a piece of Chef JJ’s Back Yard by purchasing a Big Green Egg, or if you already own one, have us design an outdoor kitchen like ours for you to enjoy it on. Spend some time in our Back Yard, you will not want to leave.

About Chef JJ Boston:
Hailing from the gorgeous Pacific Northwest JJ Boston grew up appreciating the beauty of his environment and the simplicity of fresh, local food. He stayed true to his roots through more than 17 years in fine restaurants across the country.  And today, he brings the best of all these experiences together to create a deceptively simple yet innovative dining experience.