Record Nominations for Irish Internet Association Net Visionary Awards 2009

The Irish Internet Association are delighted to have received 351 nominations for the 2009 Net Visionary Awards. Online nominations closed on Friday 27th March at 6pm. This is the most nominations received for the long running online business awards ever so nominees should expect some stiff competition.

Established in 1997, this year’s Net Visionary Awardswill take place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry on Thursday May 21st 2009. In the interim a panel of judges will review all of the nominations and create shortlists of five in all 15 categories. On Tuesday 14th April 2009 the shortlists will be announced and voting will open to the public. Voting will close on the Friday 1st May and then a nail-biting 3 weeks will ensue for those shortlisted until the big night on May 21st!

This year’s judges are Keith Bohanna, internet consultant and trainer who is also an IIA Board Member; Irene Dehaene, IIA Events Manager;  Brendan Hughes, e-Commerce Manager with FBD Insurance and chair of the IIA Social Media Working Group;  Shenda Loughnane, Managing Director of ICAN and IIA Board Member; and finally Pat Phelan, CEO of MAXroam and 2008 Overall Net Visionary Award Winner.

The 15 categories cover all aspects of online business and include business blogger, online entrepreneur, best use of social media, web development and design among others. A new category in the awards this year is the Online Tourism Award sponsored by Fáilte Ireland. This award celebrates and acknowledges the work that small to medium tourism enterprises throughout Ireland have been doing, with assistance from the IIA and Fáilte Ireland, getting online and making the most of the internet as a marketing and communications tool for indigenous and overseas customers.

The IIA National Congress 2009, entitled Better Business Online in a Tough Economy: Money, Marketing, Monitoring & Mobile, will also take place on May 21st 2009 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, allowing delegates to mix a productive day of business with a celebratory evening of pleasure at the 2009 Net Visionary Awards.