GP's PerformTech Division Receives Prestigious MarCom Award

ELKRIDGE, Md., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global performance improvement solutions provider General Physics Corporation (GP), the operating subsidiary of GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX), today announced that its PerformTech Division has been honored with a Platinum MarCom Award for Excellence in Marketing and Communications in the category of Web Animation.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110404/MM77341LOGO-b )

The MarCom Awards is a creative competition open to individuals and companies that design print, visual, audio, and web materials. Entrants include national public relations organizations, media conglomerates, local businesses, and Fortune 50 companies. This year, over 6,000 entries were reviewed by select members from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Of all the entries, approximately 18% percent received the highest honor, a Platinum Award; 18% received Gold Awards and 10% received Honorable Mentions. 

The PerformTech Division won the Platinum Award for its work on the 2010 electronic holiday card that it sent to clients, consultants, and friends. For the 2010 holiday card, graphic artist Charles Monroe wanted to follow up holiday cards from years past with a magical and personal story. The concept he came up with―a little girl who dreams of being a figure skater accomplishes her dream with help from a magical snowflake―was inspired by an original piece of orchestral music that instructional designer Martin Spitznagel composed for a documentary film called Victory Waltz.

Spitznagel, an award-winning composer of music for solo piano, found the challenge of trying to musically enhance Monroe's vision exhilarating. "The story represented a considerable compositional challenge," he said. "It required a variety of moods from forlorn to triumphant and everything in between to be compellingly addressed in under three minutes." Industry-standard tools were used to create the complex animation and music, and the effort was immense. It took Monroe over 700 hours to hand-draw and color over 3,000 frames of Disney-style animation. All of this was completed in one month and, more impressively, done in addition to other project work for clients. Throughout the process, Monroe and Spitznagel communicated often, primarily through AIM and audio chat.

"It's very nice to have won the MarCom Platinum Award," Spitznagel said. "To have our peers in the industry recognize our hard work and judge it as outstanding is a tremendous honor." For Monroe, however, it was the feedback he received from individuals who enjoyed the card and watched it with their children that was the most gratifying. "As wonderful as it is to win this award, I believe I found a greater joy in the letters and e-mails we received telling us how much our clients and their families enjoyed the e-card," he said. "To know that it meant something to them and brightened their holiday was the best possible reward."

To view the card, visit, http://performtech.com/holidaycard2010/.

About GP
GP is the principal operating subsidiary of GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX). GP is a global performance improvement solutions provider of sales and technical training, e-Learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services. GP's solutions improve the effectiveness of organizations by delivering innovative and superior training, consulting and business improvement services, customized to meet the specific needs of its clients. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing, process and energy industries, and other commercial and government customers. Additional information may be found at http://www.gpworldwide.com.

SOURCE GP