WASHINGTON, D.C. — Güd Marketing received national recognition at the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator’s 34th Annual Small Business Programs Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 2.
The award for Outstanding Accomplishments by a Woman-Owned Small Business Contractor was presented to Güd Marketing Principal and President Debbie Horak for the firm’s instrumental work on the development of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s Action Plan IV.
“Güd Marketing is honored to be recognized by the EPA,” Horak said. “This work exemplifies our team’s commitment to supporting the environment and lifting up diverse voices, and we’re thrilled to have been a part of it.”
The awards, celebrated in conjunction with National Small Business Week (April 28-May 4), are presented by the EPA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. National Small Business Week pays tribute to the 33.1 million American small businesses that employ almost half of the private-sector workforce.
“I applaud the accomplishments of this year’s honorees,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Celebrating EPA’s small business championship as a part of National Small Business Week appropriately spotlights the exceptional contributions of the agency and its partners to the historic small business boom the country has witnessed over the last three years.”
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was launched in 2010 as a nonregulatory program to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world by providing additional resources to help achieve the most critical long-term goals for this important ecosystem. Through fiscal year 2022, GLRI federal agencies have invested over $3.7 billion in more than 7,500 projects to improve water quality, protect and restore native habitat and species, prevent and control invasive species and address other Great Lakes environmental problems.
The award was based on Güd Marketing’s planning and execution of public events to gather feedback and share GLRI accomplishments. Together with the U.S. EPA, in-person and virtual meetings were planned to maximize accessibility for residents across the watershed.
In total, the seven scheduled engagement sessions drew more than 650 attendees, a 10% increase compared with the 2019 engagement sessions. The virtual sessions were a significant success, with attendees from across the Great Lakes basin joining, submitting comments and questions and engaging for a two-hour Zoom meeting.
Approximately 3,500 people provided input through the engagement sessions and via email, far exceeding the 1,300 individuals who engaged in 2019’s process.
About Güd Marketing
Güd Marketing is a woman-owned small business dedicated to strengthening communities for the greater good. Experts in social marketing, GUD partners exclusively with governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to address complex issues with public audiences through awareness, education and opportunity. Founded in 1978, GUD is a comprehensive marketing and communications firm with a dedicated staff of 45 communications professionals.
