Nominees for 35th Origins Awards announced

Every year, publishers and creators submit their best products in a variety of categories to vie for the honor of an Origins Award, the hobby game industry’s premiere award for more than three decades. The massive lot of submissions is reviewed by a jury of experts drawn from the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design and the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA), and these expert juries select the top ten in each category as semi-finalists. Game store retailers attending the GAMA Trade Show (www.GAMATradeShow.com) vote upon the semi-finalists, creating the final list of nominees in each category.

Each nominee receives a silver award and a place on the final ballot, which is presented in June each year to the attendees of the Origins Game Fair (www.OriginsGameFair.com), GAMA’s consumer game convention. Attendance at Origins typically tops 14,000 thousand game fans, all of whom can cast their vote during the show. The ballots are then tallied and the winner in each category announced at a gala ceremony on the last night of the convention.

Announce your GRD board candidacy by April 3!

You have something to say — so say it! Make a difference for retailers throughout our industry by joining the GAMA Retail Division board. Announce your candidacy for a GRD Board position by posting a message on the Game Industry Network (GIN) discussion board by April 3, 2009.

Your post should include three things:

• a brief biography/resume
• your goals in serving on the Board
• your ideas for how the GRD can help its members’ businesses.

Each post will be its own thread, and other members should feel free to respond with questions to the candidates to help them with their decisions.

The deadline for declaring candidacy on the GIN will be Friday, April 3, 2009, so submit your information today!

See the complete rules and information about this year’s GRD election process here.

Get two shows for the price of one at GTS 2009

Double the value and double the profit potential of your time at the GAMA Trade Show (GTS)!  Again this year, GAMA and the National Retail Hobby Stores Association (NRHSA) team up to bring you two shows for the price of one.

The value begins with your admission to the full track of seminars and the exciting exhibit hall at GTS 2009. Then your your value doubles as you visit the NRHSA Table Top Expo. There, you get a look at the latest products in the hobby industry, including trains, R/C, models, slot cars, and more, plus access to their seminar series.

2009 GRD Board election deadlines and process

GAMA Retail Division Votes for Change in Election Rules
The GAMA Retail Division voted earlier this year to change their Election Guidelines to allow GRD members not attending the GAMA Trade Show (April 14-17, 2009, at Bally’s in Las Vegas) to participate in the election of Board Members. Part of the business of the new Board elected this year at GTS will include formalizing the system the GRD uses for that process, but we wanted to make sure that the mandate from the membership was not ignored for this year’s elections.

With the understanding that this year’s system is a temporary measure meant to address this need in short order, and will be formalized in the coming year for future elections, here’s the system we’re proposing for this year’s GRD Board Member elections.

If you have any questions, please contact Kelli Wallace, GRD Chair, at kellwallace2000@yahoo.com.

CPSIA update: Guidance for small biz, resellers

First, thank you to all of the GAMA members who sent your concerns to members of Congress and the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). Congress is starting to listen — your voices made a difference! Keep sending the message to Washington that the CPSIA needs an overhaul.

The CPSC released a Guide to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act(CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters and Charities. It’s a solid and useful read, and we urge all of our members to take a look at it.

Get educated on how this Act affects you and your business, then attend the CPSIA seminar at this year’s GAMA Trade Show.

CPSIA seminar at GTS 2009
Looking for more information on the CPSIA? Join us from Noon-1 on Tuesday, April 14th in Skyview 3 for the following seminar at GTS:

Overview of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
Speaker: Chip Bowles, Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC
Noon – 1:00pm, Tuesday (April 14)
What you don’t know can hurt you!  A basic overview of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) focusing on important issues concerning product testing, what constitutes a Children’s Product, and an overview of how retailers and manufacturers can protect themselves from liability for lead, phthalates, or lawsuits.
See you there!

More info to come!
As we get more updates about the CPSIA, we’ll pass it along. Please send your message to Washington today!

New ED hits the ground running

GAMA’s new Executive Director John Ward completed his initial orientation period with GAMA last week in Columbus, Ohio. His schedule included an overview of office practices with former ED Anthony Gallela, an introduction to GAMA’s staff, meetings with local businesses and service providers, and individual conversations with each member of the Board of Directors.

GAMA and GTS now on Facebook

Connect with even more people throughout the industry with the new GAMA and GAMA Trade Show areas on Facebook. Link with people in the group, then tell your customers that you’ll be on top of everything at this year’s GAMA Trade Show!

GAMA group on Facebook
http://tinyurl.com/gama-facebook-group

GAMA Trade Show event on Facebook
http://tinyurl.com/2009gts-facebook

We’ll see you at GTS 2009!

Facebook users — tell your world about Origins!

Join your fellow game lovers on Facebook in the Origins Game Fair group and event. Meet and greet in the group, then put the event on your calendar and tell your friends to come with you!

Origins Game Fair group on Facebook
http://tinyurl.com/origins-facebook-group

Origins Game Fair event on Facebook
http://tinyurl.com/2009origins-facebook
We’ll see you at Origins 2009!

Connect with the industry in GAMA’s LinkedIn Group

If you’re on LinkedIn, take a moment to join GAMA’s new LinkedIn group. Point your browser to: www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1555697

It gives you new connections all over the industry, plus it’s fast, easy, and free. Join today!

Extend your stay in Vegas with ConQuest Vegas

by Gabriel Vega, 1st Mondo of ConQuest! (thebard@avalongamecon.com)

Many of you who attended the GAMA Trade Show in 2008 asked about our gaming convention (ConQuest VEGAS – April 17-19, 2009) that we held on the top floor at Bally’s in cooperation and coordination with GAMA.

Well…ta-da! We have 2009 badges available now!

This year, ConQuest VEGAS will be the weekend following the trade show, which will end on Friday April 17. You can spend Friday afternoon and evening and all weekend playing games with us!