Schedule
Product Nominations: September 1 – September 22
Popular Round: September 25 – October 6
Top Three in Each Category: October 9 – October 20
Winner Announcement: October 27
Voting
Popular Round: During the popular round, voters may submit five votes per email per day. The top 3 products with the highest total votes in each individual category will move on to the next round. Vote totals will be reset at the end of this round and will not carry over into the next round.
Top Three in Each Category: Voters may cast their vote for their favorite product in one of the fourteen industry categories. A voter may vote once per email per day.
Rules
- Any product made in Virginia may be nominated under its appropriate SIC manufacturing industry category. There is no limit on the number of products that a person may nominate (see 14 industry categories outlined below).
- The product must be made in Virginia. The manufacturer’s headquarters do not need to be in Virginia.
- The product must be made using a manufacturing process. For example, a restaurant that makes “made to order” pizzas would not qualify but a food manufacturer that mass-produces frozen pizzas would qualify.
- A company may have multiple products nominated in the competition but only one product per company will be allowed into the Top 3 Round in each category. The company will pick the product that advances.
- The Best in Show winning product may not compete again for 3 years.
- Electronic voting is open to the public. Invalid email addresses will be expunged from vote totals.
- Paid advertising to promote a product is not allowed. If a nominee is found to have used paid advertising to promote their product in the contest, they will be disqualified.
- Nominated companies are encouraged to utilize social media, press, and other channels to promote their product in the contest.
- Nominated companies are encouraged to engage their employees to promote their product and vote daily to elevate their product.
- There is no cost to participate in the contest. VMA membership is not required.
- Applicants will be encouraged to list basic elements of their manufacturing process and business (e.g., ISO certification, EMS System, SHARP Certification, etc.).
- VMA Retired Manufacturers Council will assist in the development and operation of the competition to ensure no perceived conflicts of interest with actively employed members.
- No alcohol products may compete. Competition voting must be open to all 18+ year olds.
- All products must be legal for sale at the state and federal level.
- Manufacturers must have a representative present at the Gala on October 27 to receive their physical award. Only products that are legal in all 50 states can compete.
- If your product can not be sold to someone 18 or older, you are not eligible to apply. We reserve the right to collapse categories without 3+ competitors.
Industry Categories
- Food, beverage, and tobacco
- Textiles, apparel, and leather
- Lumber, wood, and paper products (non-furniture)
- Furniture and fixtures
- Printing and publishing
- Chemicals and allied products and pharmaceuticals
- Petroleum refining and related industries
- Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products
- Stone, clay, glass, and concrete
- Primary metal industries
- Fabricated metal products (except machinery and transportation equipment)
- Industrial and commercial machinery, computer equipment, electronic and electrical equipment and components, and measuring, analyzing, and controlling instruments; photographic, medical, and optical goods; watches, clocks.
- Transportation equipment
- Miscellaneous manufacturing (industries in this group fall into the following categories: jewelry, silverware, and plated ware; musical instruments; dolls, toys, games, and sporting and athletic goods; pens, pencils, and artists’ materials; buttons, costume novelties, miscellaneous notions; brooms and brushes; caskets; and other miscellaneous manufacturing industries)
