View Past Award Winners

2011 Innovator Awards

Each year, Southern Growth Policies Board honors innovative Southern initiatives that are improving economic opportunities and quality of life in the region. The 2011 Innovator Awards recognized private sector businesses in the South that achieved success through the adoption of innovative manufacturing practices. Through this year’s awards program, Southern Growth showcased manufacturers who have redefined their businesses and adopted new technologies and/or processes in order to compete effectively in a rapidly globalizing world. These processes or practices included innovative export activities, automation, new product innovation, worker training programs, or anything that has strengthened their ability to compete.

View this year's Innovator Award Winners here.

As Southern Growth noted in a recent Commentary, according to a 2009 national survey, Americans believe that manufacturing is the most important industry for a strong national economy, yet there are disconnects between this view and support for manufacturers and manufacturing careers. The South needs to maintain and expand its strong manufacturing base by expanding exports, boosting domestic and foreign investment in research and development, and increasing talent-driven innovation—the number one driver of global manufacturing competitiveness.

For information, please contact Linda Hoke at lhoke@southern.org or 919-941-5145.