While we're reviewing 2011's accomplishments, here are some brief highlights of what we've accomplished as a company in the past year (as represented on this blog).

Awards

We were honored early this year to be named one of 2011's Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, complete with requisite celebration. We also won an EMPixx Award, a Summit Creative Award, and 4 Telly Awards—and were asked to judge a portion of the Aurora Awards.

Partnerships

Small Business Association of Michigan was kind enough to name us an “Approved Partner,” helping us to assist their goal of promoting small businesses across Michigan (and offering significant discounts to their members).

To provide a solution for web registration for volunteers and event participants we joined TRS (short for "The Registration System") as an official source and began providing web registration services to our clients.

Projects

We've worked with many fine clients, only some of whom have found mention here, including the inauguration for Michigan's new governor and others, the "Only Fair Is Fair" campaign for Michigan's Department of Civil Rights, and Harley Owners Group training events in Spain and Australia as well as across the U.S.

We produced promotional video for The Verve Pipe's A Family Album and a live version of their song "Wake Up." 3D video experimentation became The Hat Madder's "Mayflies" 3D music video.

We've made PSAs for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, New Jersey, the East Lansing Film Festival, Lansing JazzFest, Michigan Mosaic Music Festival and Old Town BluesFest, among others.

Staff

We've welcomed Pat McNerney and Matt Penniman to our staff as vital extensions to our event production and web development capabilities.

MessageMakers staff members on their own time have won the winter 48/5 and spring 48/5 video production competitions—and a former intern won in the fall. They've won the 48 Hour Film Project: Detroit and produced a new "Interactive Sketchbook" iOS app. In short, they've been remarkable, both in their work for us and in their personal projects.

Neighborhood

We were glad to see Old Town Lansing move from being a semifinalist for the 2011 Great American Main Street Awards to being named a winner of the 2011 GAMSA.

As part of our community support, we've been glad to support great events such as the Mid-Michigan Addy Awards, East Lansing Film Festival, IgniteLansing, Lansing JazzFest, Michigan Mosaic Music Festival, Old Town BluesFest, and Renegade Theatre Festival.

Our sponsorship of Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art has also led us to support other whimsical events such as "The Puppet Theatre Presents: Chalk It Up! A Chalk Sensation" for Be a Tourist in Your Own Town / Chalk of the Town.

In his position as Old Town community leader, our president, Terry Terry, has commented on Old Town Lansing's creative impact, appeared on Lansing Community College's Connections program, and provided a Lansing State Journal editorial, "Built on the arts: Old Town creates atmosphere of culture, creativity."

Thank you for reading and for being a part of our success this year. Happy new year 2012!