General Electric Co. (GE) was the big winner in New York, taking home the Grand Prix for Best Overall Investor Relations in the mega-cap category as well as an award for Best Communications with the Retail Market. GE’s chief Jeffrey Immelt won for Best Investor Relations by a Chairman, President or CEO.           

Aflac Inc. (AFL) received the Grand Prix for Best Overall Investor Relations in the large-cap category. Other NYSE-listed winners at the U.S. awards ceremony were Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK) for Best Annual Report in the large- to mega-cap category; Duke Energy Corp. (DUK) and Washington Mutual Inc. (WM) for Best M&A Investor Relations; The E.W. Scripps Co. (SSP) for Best Senior Management Communications; The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (HIG) for Best Use of Technology; Leggett & Platt Inc. (LEG) for Best Annual Report in the small- to mid-cap category; Limited Brands Inc. (LTD) for Best Investor Relations Officer, which was shared by Tom Katzenmeyer and Amie Preston; McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) for Most Improved Investor Relations; The McGraw-Hill Cos. Inc. (MHP) for Best Corporate Governance; Nokia Corp. (NOK) for Best IR by a Continental European Company in the U.S. Market; Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSM) for Best IR by an Asia-Pacific Company in the U.S. Market; and Wachovia Corp. (WB) for Best Disclosure Policy.           

In Toronto, Canadian National Railway Co. (CNI) earned top kudos, winning the CIRI Grand Prix for Best Overall Investor Relations in the mega-cap category along with an award for Best Investment Community Meetings. In addition, the company’s Bob Noorigian was recognized as Best Investor Relations Officer in the mega-cap category.           

Five NYSE-listed companies each won two awards at the Canadian ceremony. Manulife Financial Corp. (MFC) won for Best Use of Conferencing, and its chief executive—Dominic D’Alessandro—won for Best Investor Relations by a CEO. TD Bank Financial Group (TD) won for Best Investor Relations Web Site and Best Corporate Governance; TELUS Corp. (TU) for Best Annual Report and Best Disclosure Policy; EnCana Corp. (ECA) for Best Retail Investor Communications and Best Financial Media Relations; and Inco Ltd. (N) for Best M&A Investor Relations and Best Investor Relations in the U.S. Market. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNQ) was recognized for Most Improved Investor Relations.

IR Magazine each year surveys more than 5,000 investors and analysts worldwide to nominate companies that have excelled in investor relations in all areas of the world.