Agency Honored in Best Twitter Feed, Best Newsletter and Video Categories

(May 10, 2017) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) earned three American Business Awards for demonstrating excellence with its Twitter feed, online newsletter publication, e-Road Ready, and video, “A Bicyclist Might Be Someone You Know.” 

More than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes were submitted for consideration in the American Business Awards, also known as the “Stevies.”

“With communication and customer service two key priorities for MDOT SHA, we are honored our work has been recognized by the American Business Association,” said SHA Administrator Gregory Slater. “Open and active communication about our projects and safety messages is the core of our mission.”

Currently at 42,000 followers, SHA’s Twitter feed, @MDSHA, is updated frequently throughout the day to keep Marylanders informed about major traffic incidents, impactful transportation projects and proactive safety efforts.  E-Road Ready is a biennial electronic brochure that offers a summary of Maryland’s major road construction.  The video, “A Bicyclist Might Be Someone You Know,” aimed to raise awareness that bicyclists are real people and respected professionals, not “nuisances or obstructions” on the road. The 30-second public service announcement featured messages from actual Maryland professionals who bike.

SHA received a Silver Award for Best Twitter feed, while e-Road Ready and “A Bicyclist Might Be Someone You Know,” each earned a Bronze Award.

The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards program.  All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small.

Nicknamed the "Stevies" for the Greek word meaning “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on Tuesday, June 20.

“Each year the judges find the quality and variety of the nominations to be greater than the year before. The 2017 competition was intense and every organization that has won should be proud,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards.