AXIEM AWARDS ANNOUNCES 2004 WINNERS

Local Motivational Speaker Vilis Ozols Honored

Rapid City, SD – September 1, 2004 – The Sixth Annual 2004 AXIEM AWARDS winners have been announced. Motivational speaker and consultant, Vilis Ozols, of the Ozols Business Group in Golden, Colorado was named a recipient of the 2004 AXIEM AWARD. His work was recognized for achieving the AXIEM AWARDS standard of excellence in the audio category for the National Speakers Association’s monthly audio magazine “Voices of Experience.”

The AXIEM AWARDS is an international competition that recognizes Absolute eXcellence In Electronic Media. Brian Busch, Executive Director of the AXIEM AWARDS said, "The caliber of work entered in the 6th Annual 2004 AXIEM AWARDS was possibly the best work we’ve ever received as a whole. Over 1,100 entries were received from all 50 states, Australia, Canada, Denmark and the United Kingdom.”

The award winning monthly audio magazine featured interviews with professional speakers and authors such as Denver’s Mark Sanborn, author of The Fred Factor, Harvey Mackay, author of Swim with the Sharks and Not Get Eaten Alive, and Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager. Ozols said “The caliber of content of ‘Voices of Experience’ all year was very high. We had great interviewers and interesting and accomplished interviewees, which really made for entertaining, but also very informative, listening.”

AXIEM AWARD judges are nominated by a distinguished panel of industry leaders. Judging is based on a point system in four areas: innovation, creativity, technical merit and overall experience of the piece.  www.axiemawards.com.

Vilis Ozols, MBA, CSP is the founder and president of the Ozols Business Group providing motivational speaking, leadership training and management consulting to organizations locally, nationally and internationally. Ozols is the author of two books, a Hall of Fame athlete, a University of Colorado at Denver MBA graduate, and the past President of the Colorado National Speakers Association chapter.

The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the leading organization for professional speakers. NSA's 3,500 members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors and more. Voices of Experience is a monthly member benefit audio magazine on CD sent to every member of NSA worldwide.  www.nsaspeaker.org

###