1. What are the Barlow Research Monarch Innovation Awards?
The Monarch Innovation Awards were developed by Barlow Research Associates, Inc. to recognize innovation in the financial services industry.

2. What are the objectives of the Barlow Research Monarch Innovation Awards?
The primary objective of the Barlow Research Monarch Innovation Awards is to recognize financial institutions and industry partners that provide the most innovative products to business customers. A secondary objective is to recognize risk takers in the financial services industry who create/promote innovation within their organizations.

3. Who can submit a nomination for consideration?
Barlow Research encourages financial institutions that offer services to business customers to enter. Vendors supplying products/services to financial institutions or directly to business customers are also eligible. The person submitting the nomination must be directly responsible for the product/service unless the PR department of the institution to which the product/service belongs is making the submission.

4. What are the nomination/award categories?
Barlow Research is accepting nominations for three categories with the following criteria:

• Products - Category Criteria
• Nominations accepted from banks
• Price (must be standalone pricing)
• Can be bundled with other products
• Free products are not counted in this category
• If product is purchased from vendor, it must be customized
• Offered to business end users
• Implemented within the last two calendar years
• Features - Category Criteria
• Nominations accepted from banks
• Not available standalone
• Part of a product or channel
• May or may not have a price
• If product is purchased from vendor, it must be customized
• Offered to business end users
• Implemented within the last two calendar years
• Industry Partner - Category Criteria
• Nominations accepted from vendors serving financial services industry
• Any product or feature available to any financial institution
• May be bundled or standalone
• May or may not have a price
• Offered to business end users
• Developed and sold within the last two calendar years

5. What is the application fee for submitting a nomination?
A fee of $399 is required for each nomination. An invoice will automatically be processed once we receive a completed nomination form.

6. Are nomination forms and information kept confidential?
Yes. Information on the nomination forms is used only by Barlow Research, the sponsors and the independent panel of judges. Information will not be made public to any nominees or other sources.

7. Who are the judges?
A panel of judges will be empaneled by Barlow Research and will include experts in the financial services industry.

8. What are the key dates for the Barlow Research Monarch Awards?

• September 2010 – Invitations for submissions sent out
• September-December 2010 – Nominations accepted
• December 2010 – Judging of nominations by Jury
• March 2011 – Announcement of Award Winners

9. What are the judging criteria?
The judging of the Barlow Research Monarch Innovation Awards will consist of the following elements:

• Uniqueness (how different it is from other products or features in the market)
• Stickiness (how much loyalty it builds)
• Defendability (how difficult it would be for another institution/vendor to replicate)
• Value (how much value it bestows to the customer)
• Ease of Use (the ability to test or experience the product or feature)
• Overall (most innovative overall)

10. What is the judging process?
Judging of nominations will be completed by our jury panel in December 2010. Prior to judging, a Barlow Research staff member will audit all nominations to verify claims from each nomination before judging begins. Nominations which do not have all required forms and materials submitted will be automatically disqualified from entry.

11. What is the awards process?
There is one award for each of three categories (Products, Features, Industry Partner) and one overall award for most innovative.

Awards are to be announced at the Barlow Research 2011 Annual Client Conference.

12. Whom should I call if I have questions?
Contact the Barlow Research Monarch Innovation Awards administrator, Youa Yang, at 763-253-1825 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central.