• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, September 13, 2011

Like most trade publishers, we produce our share of industry awards. Some, like the OMMA Awards are open competitions that any qualifying entity is invited to enter. Others, like our annual "Agency of the Year" awards are based strictly on the view of our editorial team. The "All Stars," which recognize and profile nine industry leaders each year are one of the latter.

We weigh a variety of objective industry criteria, but in the end, it's our gut impression about their influence and contribution to the industry that determines who we pick.

I've lost track of the original reason we ended up with that team-like metaphor. But if I recall correctly, it wasn't based on the notion that each year's players actually rounded out a team.

The OMMA All Stars are selected for their own individual performance, and are more like being inducted into a "hall of fame." And we might well have used the hall-of-fame metaphor, except that it typically signals people who are at the end of their careers, and OMMA's "All Stars" inductees are anything but past prime. In fact, we've had some on our list who would seem to have their best years ahead of them. That's okay, we're recognizing people for what they've contributed in recent years, and not for their lifetime achievements. It's just that the time felt ripe to recognize them in past editions of OMMA's "All Stars."

I have no idea how the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" or the "Baseball Hall of Fame" decides when the time is ripe for their recognitions. But this year felt right for our 2011 "team." So please join me in congratulating this year's "All Stars" inductees - and, like me, look forward to many more years of their star power.