In just 14 months since opening it's doors, Coopwood Communications, a full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations firm based in Cleveland, received numerous Addy Awards and Citations of Excellence at the Ninth Annual Mississippi Delta Advertising Federation Addy program at The Greenville Country Club on February 24. The annual award ceremony honors excellence in Delta advertising in the categories of print, radio and television. "We were very honored, especially since this was our first year in business," says Coopwood. "To be saluted for our work in such a way by a committee of our peers means a great deal to us." Charles Homan, formerly with Coopwood Communications, received Graphic Designer of the Year at this year's Addys for his work while with the agency. Coopwood Communications also received Best of Show Print for its work on Delta State University's Bologna Performing Arts Center's 2000-2001 Season Program. In all, Coopwood Communications received 12 Addy Awards and seven Citations of Excellence. The Greenwood based advertising agency, Hammons & Associates was also a big winner at the award program taking home the awards Copy Writer of the Year and Best of Show Broadcast. Spun off from the success of the three year old Delta Business Journal, Coopwood Communications has grown rapidly. Not long after starting the Delta Business Journal, the paper found itself conceptualizing and creating half of the ads that advertisers were placing in the DBJ. "That went from resizing those ads for other papers and magazines, to creating brochures and other collateral's," says Coopwood. "We were also asked by three businesses to provide a marketing or strategic plan for them since we had marketed and planned the DBJ with such success. By this time, it was clear that we either had to reallocate our resources or start another business because this outside work was beginning to take away from the paper. Around that time, a small agency here in Cleveland called Creative Visions was closing it's doors and I hired our first employee from there, Ricky Denton a graphic designer to help with all of the ad work we were beginning to do. Not long after, Creative Visions' head, Charles Homan came aboard and the agency was officially launched in November of '99." Currently, the agency provides traditional advertising agency services as well as web site design and Internet related marketing services. For Coopwood, overseeing the daily operations of the Delta Business Journal and Coopwood Communications is no small task. "Every day is an absolute full day for me and then some," he laughs. "However, we are very fortunate to have a talented group of individuals working for both companies. I also feel that it's a great blessing to have both of these opportunities." Coopwood is also quick to recognize creative director, Lana Draper, "who brings so much to our table, especially in the health care arena." Draper is the former marketing director for Northwest Regional Medical Center in Clarksdale. Another executive in Coopwood's circle who also has a lot on his plate is DBJ Executive Editor, Jack Criss. Criss is the Director for Business Development for the agency and says that he is amazed by the success and recognition the agency has already garnered. "We have positioned ourselves, in a very short time, as an agency of record for North Mississippi," Criss says of Coopwood Communications. "As an example, this past quarter we saw tremendous growth in the web site development part of our business and we also picked up two new major clients. In all, we now represent about ten of the most respected and successful businesses and organizations in this part of Mississippi." Other notable awards went to graphic designers Sandra K. Goff and Ryan Lewis of the agency. "One of the great things about the Addy Awards," says Criss, "is that all of the winners prove that corporations don't have to leave the Delta to receive incredible creative services. As the tag line to one of our clients ads, Delta Regional Medical Center, puts its 'It's All Right Here.' This sums up advertising in the Delta. DBJ