PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism opens for entries: Canadian Journalists invited to submit by March 31, 2014

TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Canadian print and online journalists are encouraged to enter the third PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism, an annual competition to promote excellence in investment writing.

Offered by the Portfolio Management Association of Canada (PMAC) since 2012, the award program was developed to foster a better understanding of the investment industry, its products and services; its ultimate goal is to help improve Canadian financial literacy. The award is also intended to support Canadian investors and the broader public by encouraging excellent coverage of the economy, the markets and other investment related topics.

The deadline for submissions for the 2014 competition is March 31^st. The winner will receive $5,000; the second, $3,000, and the third, $2,000. Journalists may submit their own work in English or French or be nominated by an editor, regulator, financial services professional or any Canadian investor. Submissions may consist of a single article or series of related articles published in print publications or on-line media available to the Canadian public between March 1, 2013 and February 28, 2014. Topics can range from investigative journalism to personal finance, business writing to investment news. Complete entry details, including eligibility requirements and exclusions, the nomination process and other related information, are available from the PMAC website.

"We invite all Canadian financial journalists to enter the PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism so they can earn due credit for their fine work," says PMAC President Katie Walmsley. "Making the significance of investing meaningful to Canadian investors is an important public service that deserves recognition. PMAC is pleased to make this valuable contribution to understanding a complex but important subject the attention it deserves."

The five judges for the 2014 competition represent a top-tier group of investment and financial experts whose accomplishments are well-established within the journalism and financial communities:

• David Baines, securities columnist for The Vancouver Sun for 25 years and winner of the first PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism himself in 2012 (for a work produced in 2011)
• Bruce Cohen, who has had a 40-year career in print and broadcast journalism in Canada and the U.S.
• René Delsanne, professor of actuarial science at the University of Quebec at Montreal, a former executive at a national investment firm and consulting actuarial firm
• Keith Sjögren, Senior Consultant and Managing Director, Consulting at Investor Economics
• Glorianne Stromberg, a securities lawyer and long-time regulatory advisor on the investment industry and financial services sectors
• Tessa Wilmott, former editor-in-chief of Investment Executive for almost two decades

Complete biographies for each judge are available at the PMAC website.

"Entrants can be assured that their work will be evaluated by an expert and highly experienced judging panel according to the most professional and fair standards possible," says Walmsley.

Winners of the 2013 PMAC Award for Excellence were: Preet Banerjee (first), Steven G. Kelman (second) and Guillaume Poulin-Goyer (third). The 2012 prize was awarded to David Baines. Topics covered by previous winners include securities regulation gaps, understanding investment performance reports, less commonly understood RESP tax rules and investor protection.

After reviewing the criteria and submission process on the PMAC website, applicants or nominees should send their submission by March 31, 2014 by either letter or email:

• PMAC, 155 University Avenue, Suite 1210, Toronto, ON M5H 3B7
• [e-mail]

Specify "PMAC Award for Excellence in Investment Journalism" in the subject line, via email or on the envelope.

About PMAC

Portfolio Management Association of Canada (PMAC) represents an influential membership of 180 investment management firms that manage more than $800 billion in assets for more than one million institutional and high-net-worth clients. Members manage portfolios for private individuals, foundations, universities and pension plans. As one of the largest investment industry associations in Canada, PMAC operates coast-to-coast in English- and French-language markets. PMAC employs a collaborative information-sharing business model and advocates on behalf of its members to securities regulators and government agencies. The Association increases the awareness of investment counselling benefits, provides a forum for member networking and keeps members up to date on regulatory and compliance issues. PMAC represents investment management firms registered to do business in Canada as portfolio managers. The Association's mission is to advocate the highest standards of unbiased portfolio management in the interest of investors served by members. For further information on PMAC, visit www.portfoliomanagement.org.

SOURCE: Portfolio Management Association of Canada

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