It is a great honor for us to bring you to our Best practice Award Winners for 2011.

Since the founding of Best Practice Management Magazine and its awards program in 1996, the magazine has prospered every year along with the victorious companies. Throughout these years, we have received over 600 applicatons and given out over 140 Awards in categories that matter to the organization's sustainability, may they be for profit companies or non-government agencies. Although most of these organizations are Hong Kong based, some of the entries were from Thailand, Malaysia and China. We have been committed to continuously promoting and advocating best practice knowledge by running the award programs and by interviewing best practice companies that have a good story to tell.

I was browsing some old articles and this one caught my eye because it articulates the spirit of our Award Program.

"I was at the check out counter and noticed a large bin with umbrellas. Exactly the kind of umbrella you want to have when it is raining. A sign said, "Sunny day - $50, raining day - $10. Raining day is when you really need umbrella. Most such stores would raise the price. But this one lowers it as they want you to remember and tell others about this low price on such a day. They want you to use it so that their logo is seen, and help promote their store. The bottom line is - they listen and care for you, and by doing this, you will come back."

Now is the time for you to give your employees and customers tender loving care. Your revenue may be down at the moment. In longer term, it will be up and most important of all, you will keep your customers, and your employees for life.

On this very special occasion, I would like to congratulate our winning organizations in HK and Asia Pacific. They have demonstrated a high level of professionalism. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, our guest of honor this year, Mr. Irving Koo, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education and our colleagues for devoting time, effort, and ideas to support this Award Program. With our collective effort, we can make Hong Kong move towards a knowledge based economy and an ideal location in which to do business, to live and play.