Russian Business Academy Award Darin^®

In 1995 with the objective of supporting national business, the Media-Holding "ASMO-Press", founded the Russian Business Academy Award DARIN® in the field of business. This feat 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 main achievements through this award are: 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 the oldest and most famous andprestigious public award of the Russian businessmen and entrepreneurs. 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 individuals of art and culture for their assistance to the enterprise movement in the country.

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

 Since 2000 the award is bestowed on behalf of The Russian Academy of Business. Impartiality and honesty in the nominations for the Russian Business Academy Award DARIN® winners is guaranteed by the system of nominations and the selection of the winners. The system is complex and multileveled and has a distinctly Russian character. The candidates for the award are selected by the personnel of the enterprises and organizations, where they work, and then the lists are submitted to all 45 Regional Academy branches and directly to the Head office. The Internet is widely used for the submission 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 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 in Russia. The final results of the ballot are decided by a board of the Russian Lawyers Union, which the results of the secret ballot in sealed envelopes. The board of the Russian Lawyers Union then publicly announces the results of the secret ballot on the day of the Award Ceremony when the winners receive the awards.

This is what some well known people of the country say about the Russian Business 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 honour 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 businesspeople and entrepreneurs, large Russian companies and organizations, well known political figures and distinguished individuals of culture and art. Among them: 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; Ìurtaza Rahimov, President of the Republic of Bashkortostan; Òatiana Paramonovà, 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 other distinguished personalities. Starting this year, the Russian Business Academy Award DARIN®, will also include notable foreigners.

The Russian Academy of Business constantly develops and improves its unique award system for encouragement of the development of Russian business in the country. In 2001 the board of directors of the Academy instituted its supreme 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.

The honorable title, " Distinguished Businessperson ", also founded by the Academy in 2001, distinguishes the citizens of Russia and other countries for the special merit in the revival of the spiritual and moral traditions of Russian business, and also for special deeds for the sake of the Russian State and community. The certificates and titles of the" Honourable Businessperson " takes place at the Assemblies of the Russian business people, annually organized by the Academy. Thus far, this title has been received by 77 Russian businesspeople.

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 instituted another award, called "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-EXPÎ". The award ceremony for the first winners of this award was held during the exhibition, " Regions of Russia. 2002". Due to their significant personal contribution to development of business in the regions of the Russian Federation such people as the Governor of the Kaluga area, Ànatoly 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, received this award.

The award ceremony is usually 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. The awards 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 the stars of the Bolshoi Theatre. The award "Business - Olumpus" ceremonies are magnificently staged and always enjoy 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, Îlga Dergunova, Chief of the Institute of Brain of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Natalia Behtereva, Deputy Federal Minister of Transport, Ànnà Belovà, the First Deputy Federal Minister of Social Development, Galina Karelovà and many other distinguished women.

The IV Assembly ended in the Second Award Ceremony of the Olympia National Prize instituted in recognition of Russian women's role for 2002 in the Church Assembly Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
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 more 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 an extent that it brought home to foreign investors, that Russian manufacturers can make quality competitive goods, whatever views may be held to the contrary. "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." Some movement is, though, observed toward improvement of the investment and entrepreneurial climate in Russia. At any rate, the climate of really constructive partnership that was dominant at the Assembly stimulated, among other things, by 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, Russia would have had far fewer problems with foreign investments.

For the celebration of the best women of Russia the Academy has chosen the most beautiful place in Moscow, the Church Hall at the Christ, the Savior Cathedral.