For the better part of the last decade, Flygt, Night Vision and ITT Industries, Cannon have sponsored the Stockholm Water Prize, the International Community Policing Award and the Design News' Engineering Quality Award, respectively. They are all considered the pinnacle of prizes in their industries and have proved to be winning investments for the ITT sponsors. Can other ITT companies turn award sponsorships into prize promotions? Yes, here's how: 1. Make sure the award supports your company's core values. ITT Industries, Cannon sponsors the Engineering Education Foundation, which provides engineering scholarships to schools chosen by the winners of Design News Engineer of the Year awards. Cannon chose to underwrite the "Engineering Quality Award" because it emphasizes engineering excellence, quality, new product development. "We want to be known as a champion of these values -- and the award sends that message perfectly," says John Sutherby, director of Marketing Communications for Cannon. "And by sponsoring an educational-oriented award, we are cultivating future engineers." 2. Sign on for the long haul. Flygt has been sponsoring the Stockholm Water Prize since 1991, after deciding the prize was a good reflection of the company's business values. "Over the years, people have begun to associate us with the award. This has helped strengthen our position as a leader in the area of environmental awareness and innovative water management solutions," says Monica Spendilow, Market Communications manager for Flygt. 3. Look for a strong return-on-investment. Before Night Vision created the Community Policing Awards in 1997, the company conducted a study that indicated law enforcement officials didn't identify any company as a leader in the night vision category. The awards were developed to raise Night Vision's brand awareness and sales -- and it's worked on both counts. Brand recognition has increased to close to 95 percent within the target audience and sales to law enforcement officers have jumped 77 percent. 4. Be choosy. Companies are judged by the company they keep, so it pays to sponsor well-known, well-respected awards. Cannon aligned itself with Design News, because it's the leading industry publication and past award winners include an unimpeachable roster of talent -- including engineers involved in the development of the Palm Pilot, laser-eye surgery, artificial heart technology, the Mars Pathfinder module and an implant that eliminates Parkinson's Syndrome symptoms. "It's the award in the industry, and its high profile means we can commit most of our marketing dollars in one place, rather than scatter-shooting our resources in a hundred different directions," says Sutherby. 5. Get involved and be visible. Flygt provides judges for the Stockholm Water Prize (and the Junior Water Prize). Night Vision conducts workshops and panels during the Community Policing Award ceremonies. And Cannon wrote several articles for Design News and was a high-profile presence at the Engineer of the Year award ceremonies. "Your sponsorship should allow you to develop a dialogue with your key stakeholders and open doors for more marketing opportunities," says Rob Parrish, Night Vision marketing			What do a German professor, an audio engineer and five police forces from the U.S. and Canada have in common? This spring, they each earned prestigious prizes for their work in competitions sponsored by ITT Industries companies. Flygt: 2003 Stockholm Water Prize. Peter Wilderer, a professor at the Technical University of Munich, was awarded the 2003 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. For more information, click here. Cannon: 2003 Engineering Quality Award. Jeff Vallier, a senior audio hardware engineer with Gibson Musical Instruments (seen above right with Cannon's John Sutherby), received Design News magazine's 2003 Engineering Quality Award. For more information, click here. Night Vision: 2002 International Community Policing Awards. Five police forces -- from the small town of Silverthorne, Colorado to the large city of Burlington, Ontario -- received Community Policing Awards. For more information, click here.