Please read through the following carefully before starting your entry. These will help you to write your entry and give it the greatest chance of selection for the shortlist.

Please note the judging period is from January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016.

Ad Campaign of the Year
This is awarded to the most innovative and attention-grabbing advertising effort by an industry player.

Alternative Product of the Year
This award recognizes an alternative product that has stood out above the rest in terms of a combination of performance, flows and innovation.

Deal of the Year
This is awarded to the M&A deal of 2016 that has most changed the landscape of the fund or retirement industry.

Freshman Director of the Year
This award is meant to recognize outstanding accomplishment and potential in the enterprising incoming class of independent directors. The winner of this award has shown strong leadership and initiative in his or her first year in the boardroom, the willingness to take on responsibility and go the extra mile to represent shareholders to the best of their ability.

Fund Innovation of the Year
This award recognizes a particularly notable achievement that is a departure from the industry norm in areas that could include product development, investment strategy, distribution, marketing campaigns and educational initiatives.

Fund Leader of the Year
This is awarded to an individual who has made a key impact on their firm or the industry as a whole, through either an innovative concept, directive or product that changed the industry or helped their firm grow.

Fund Marketer of the Year Award
This goes to an individual(s) who have led innovative campaigns and/or strategies at their firm(s) that have contributed to measurable improvements in areas such as inflows, investor participation and market share.

Independent Counsel of the Year Award
This category recognizes lawyers who have delivered outstanding representation of independent directors. Accomplishments could include but are not limited to industry leadership, innovation, fund restructurings, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Progressive Fund Board Award **New category for 2017**
This inaugural award emphasizes the evolution of fund oversight by recognizing the board of directors that is never content with the status quo. The winner of this award has taken steps to prioritize issues such as diversity, director education and mentorship, outreach, community, and innovative approaches to self-assessment in its efforts to improve board composition and process.

Retirement Leader of the Year
This is awarded to a firm that has made a key impact on growing retirement assets with unique retirement solutions, marketing campaigns and significant contributions to the retirement industry at large.

Sales Success of the Year
This is awarded to an individual fund or line of funds that, whether through performance, sales strategy or a combination of both, has registered a dramatic increase or high level of flows.

Social Media Leader of the Year
This award recognizes a firm that has shown itself to be a leader in social media via observations, insights and engagement with clients and the general public.

Small Board Trustee of the Year Award

This category recognizes directors who serve on boards that oversee less than $20 billion in assets for outstanding accomplishments working with their own board or with the mutual fund industry in general. Accomplishments could include but are not limited to industry leadership, individual fund leadership and innovation.

Trustee of the Year
This is awarded to directors who serve on boards that oversee more than $20 billion in assets for outstanding accomplishments working with their own board or with the mutual fund industry in general. Accomplishments could include but are not limited to industry leadership, individual fund leadership and innovation.

Rising star

Every year, as Fund Action and Fund Directions scout the market for nominees for its mutual fund awards, it looks for up-and-comers who are making strides in the industry, based on the following criteria:

• Leadership in their profession, firm and/or industry
• Outstanding contributions to innovations, product development, client service, sales and/or growth in assets or returns
• Recognition by the firm and/or industry groups
• Active contribution to the broader mutual fund community
• Spending fewer than 15 years working in the mutual fund industry
• Other quantifiable contributions to profession, firm, clients and/or industry

Fund Directions Lifetime Achievement
Fund Action Lifetime Achievement
The Fund Action and Fund Directions Lifetime Achievement Awards are each awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to their firm or board, and industry as a while, over the course of their career.

Hall of Fame
The Mutual Fund Industry Awards have traditionally honored outstanding members of the investment management community for having won three or more awards since the inception of the accolade by welcoming them into the prestigious Hall of Fame.

Individuals, as well as firms, can be inducted, in order to recognize the achievements of past individual award winners. Individuals are eligible for the Mutual Fund Industry Hall of Fame after winning TWO Mutual Fund Industry Awards as individuals. This can include multiple wins in the same category, or winning two different awards.

Please note the Hall of Fame category is not open to entries
.