Russian Business Academy Award – "Darin"^®

In 1995 with the objective of supporting Russian business, the Media-Enterprise "ASMO-Press", founded the Russian Business Academy Award DARIN^® to be presented to those individuals and companies which have made an invaluable addition to the Russian business. This was accomplished due to the assistance and active support of the Moscow Government, the Department of Small Business Development and Support, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Museum of History of National Business. The aim of creating this award is: the establishment of an effective and enlightened interaction between business and society and the promotion of advanced experience in business undertakings.

The Russian Business Academy Award - DARIN^® is one of the oldest and most famous public awards of the Russian business. The purpose of the Russian Business Academy Award - DARIN^® is to distinguish socially oriented businessmen who have made a significant contribution to the social and economic life of their country, region or town. The Russian Business Academy Award DARIN^® celebrates the contribution which has been made by the national businesspeople to the development of the private enterprise movement in the country and to the revival of the Russian economy. It also recognizes the representatives of the legislative and executive bodies of the government who have actively promoted the development of business at a regional or federal level, and the patrons of art and culture for their assistance to the enterprise movement in the country.

The creation of an attractive image of the modern entrepreneur as well as development of higher consumer loyalty, and pride in the products made in Russia, will give a renewed momentum to the development of the Russian enterprise as a whole. These matters are critical to the important challenge of social harmonization in the contemporary Russian society.

Since 2000 the award is bestowed on behalf of The Russian Academy of Business. The system of choosing candidates for the award is complex and multileveled. The candidates for the award are first of all selected by the staff of the enterprises and organizations, where they work, and then the lists are submitted to all 45 Regional Academy branches as well as directly to the head office in Moscow. The Internet is widely used for the submissions of the applications as well. The form is available on the website of the Academy. A list of the nominees for the award may also be submitted by the governors of the Regions of Russia. The analytical department of the Russian Academy checks and ensures that the candidates meet the criteria for nomination and compiles the lists of the candidates. The members of the Board of directors and members of the mass media Grand Jury, which consists of the chiefs of the largest mass media organizations of Russia, take part in the secret voting to select the winners of the award in each category. At the same time, the voting for the award winners is held on the website of one of the leading Russian news agencies. The final results of the ballot are decided by a board of the Russian Lawyers Union, which then seal the final results of the secret ballot in envelopes – to be opening only on the day of the Award Ceremony by the presenting party.

Below are some of the comments about the Russian Academy Award – "Darin"^®
Yuri Luzhkov, the Mayor of Moscow, "It is very important to find moral forms of encouragement for the businessmen, for those who produce something. Russian Business Academy Award DARIN^® is an important part in a new system of moral encouragement ". " It is an honor for me to receive such unconditional recognition ".

Arkady Volsky, the President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, "The Russian Business Academy Award DARIN^®, will, undoubtedly, allow us to come nearer to the general purpose of revival and strengthening of the national economy ". Mark Zaharov, a distinguished actor and director of the "Lencom" theatre, "We must be thankful for the «Russian Business Academy Award DARIN^® " award because it revives respect for business in the community and continues the traditions of the generations of the Russian talented and skilled people".

Since the foundation of the award its winners have included many outstanding Russian business leaders and entrepreneurs, large Russian companies and organizations as well as political figures and distinguished patrons of culture and art. Among them are: Vagit Alikperov, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Lukoil";Taimuraz Bolloev, General Director of the "Baltica" brewery; Alexander Daursky, President of "The Red October " joint-stock company; Kaha Bendukidze, Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Uralmash"joint-stock company ; Yuri Luzhkov, Mayor of Moscow; Leonid Abalkin, the academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, also- " Novolipetsky Metallurgical Plant"; the Moscow State University; Anatoli Kinah, Prime Minister of the Ukraine; Iurtaza Rahimov, President of the Republic of Bashkortostan; Oatiana Paramonova, Vice-President of Centrobank of Russia; Valentin Yudashkin, internationally renowned fashion, designer Andrew Sommers, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia; Herbert Stepic, Board Vice Chairman of Raiffeisen Central Bank, Austria; Veit Sorger, General Director of Frantschach AG and Board Chairman of Neusiedl AG, Austria; and Drahomir J. Karic, President of the University of Business and Management and many other distinguished individuals. The Russian Academy of Business constantly develops and improves its unique award system, main to encouragement of the development of Russian business in the country. In 2001 the board of directors of the Academy had established a National Award "Great Russia". The first winner of the "Great Russia" Award was the First President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin, who received it for his great contribution to the strengthening of the Russian economy and revival of the best spiritual and moral traditions of the Russian business and entrepreneurship.

The honorable title, ”Distinguished Businessperson", which was also established by the Academy in 2001, distinguishes the citizens of Russia for their special merit and contribution to the revival of the spiritual and moral traditions of Russian business. The presentation of the certificates and the titles of the" Honorable Businessperson" takes place at the Assemblies of the Russian business people, annually organized by the Academy. Thus far, this title has been bestowed upon 77 Russian business leaders.
The “Elite of Russian Business” award ceremony also takes place at the Assemblies, and it recognizes the companies and organizations which have made a great contribution to the development of business throughout Russian Federation.

In 2002 the Academy established another award, named "Business - Olympus-Expo" to recognize the best Russian manufacturers participating in the annual exhibition, “Regions of Russia ", and other Russian national shows. One of the founders of this award is the large Russian exhibition company "VDNH-EXPI". The ceremony for the first winners of this award was held during the exhibition, " Regions of Russia. 2002". Due to their significant personal contribution to the development of business in the regions of the Russian Federation individuals such as, the Governor of the Kaluga area, Anatoly Artamonov, the Governor of the Chita Region, Ravil Geniatulin, and the representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwest Federal District, Victor Cherkesov, had received this award.

The award ceremony is organized by The Russian Academy of Business and is held on the stage of the famous Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. The award ceremonies have become a spectacular and unforgettable event. During the presentation ceremony the laureates are announced by outstanding Russian state, political and public figures, well-known actors, artists, and directors of the large enterprises. The winners and the participants in the event are greeted by the well-known performers and stars of the Bolshoi Theatre. The award "Business - Olumpus" ceremonies are magnificently theatrical and always receive an enthusiastic response from the mass media.

On the last day of May, 2002 the first National award "Olympia" ceremony took place in Moscow. The "Olympia" award recognizes the achievements of the Russian women. For the first time in the history of Russia this special award has celebrated great contributions made by 22 outstanding Russian women to various sectors of the Russian economy. Among them were: the Vice-President of the Russian Federation Government, Valentina Matveenko, General Director of Microsoft in Russia, Ilga Dergunova, Chief of the Institute of Brain of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Natalia Behtereva, Deputy Federal Minister of Transport, Anna Belova, the First Deputy Federal Minister of Social Development, Galina Karelova and many other distinguished women.

The IV Assembly and the Second Award Ceremony of the Olympia National Prize instituted in recognition of Russian women's role for 2002, had taken place in the Church Assembly Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior – a famous Russian Cathedral.
This year, the prize was awarded to V.I. Matvienko, Vice Premier of the Federal Government; G.P. Vishnevskaya, a brilliant opera singer and music teacher; popular variety singer A.B. Pugacheva; L.K. Kudelina, Deputy Federal Minister of Defense; G.B. Volchek, art director of the Sovremennik Theater; V.Y. Borovik-Khilchevskaya, President of the Top Secret Media Holding Company, Yelena Masiuk, commentator for the RTR television channel, and several other outstanding Russian women.

During intervals between plenary sessions, the Assembly participants familiarized themselves with "Russia's investment opportunities," which was actually the name of an exhibition put on in the lobby of the Grand Conference Hall of the Federal President's Administration on the first day of the Assembly.

The entrants' stands were yet another proof, particularly to the extent that it surprised the foreign investors, that the Russian manufacturers could make high quality competitively prices goods. "Russia has an enormous potential, both industrial and scientific," said Herbert Stepic, board vice chairman of Raiffeisen Central Bank, Austria, "but foreign investors are wary of investing in Russian enterprises. Russian business is not transparent and satisfactory legislation and statutes are nonexistent to regulate it." Although, there is some movement which is observed toward improvement of the investment and entrepreneurial climate in Russia; at any rate, the climate of constructive partnership that was dominant at the Assembly was further stimulated, by the creation of a Russian-Mongolian joint venture to produce cashmere items and sell them in the Russian and other foreign markets. As they signed the memorandum of association, representatives of the Buyan Holding Co., on the Mongolian side, noted that if an atmosphere similar to that which prevailed at the Assembly reigned in the Russian economy today, Russia would have had far fewer problems with foreign investments.