First Annual Sterling Awards Call for Entries Now Open; Best Products and Services for Americans Over Age 50 will be announced at Fourth Annual Silvers Summit at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Silvers Summit, to be held for its fourth year at the Consumer Electronics Show here in January 2012, has announced its call for entries for the first annual Sterling Awards, sponsored by AARP.  Designed to acknowledge the best products and services for today's Baby Boomers and seniors, the deadline for submissions is October 21, 2011 with winners announced January 10, 2012 during the Silvers Summit conference.

"There are more than 100 million Americans, including 78 million Baby Boomers, that comprise the silvers market -- an influential consumer group wielding more than $2.3 trillion in purchasing power," said Sherri Snelling, co-director, Silvers Summit. "Every day 10,000 Americans turn 50 and just as our aging society continues to grow so does the amount of products and services being created to meet the changing needs of boomers and beyond.  The opportunities to help this audience stay connected, healthy and in their homes as long and as independently as possible is limitless."

As opposed to other awards programs that honor different product categories, the Sterling Awards will honor products and services based on the needs and benefits to the age 50+ way of life.  Awards will be given in the following categories:  Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Relationships and Family Caregiving, Education and Continued Learning, Cause-worthy Product or Service (Corporate Social Responsibility).  

The Sterling Awards will review nominations from all categories of consumer electronics and technology products that address the Silvers audience, including:

·    

MoMobile Apps and hardware—whatever turns the Boomers and beyond "on": sports, dating & relationships, hobbies, travel, smart phones and tablets, functionality and features.

·         Home safety, remote monitoring, etc.

·         Driving software, automotive features

·         Products that address limited mobility, hearing or eyesight

·         Interactive games and web sites that enhance inter-generational communication and learning

·         Health and wellness tools

·         Products with a social responsibility element (boomers love a worthy cause)

As Jody Holtzman, senior vice president of Thought Leadership at AARP recently told USA Today when asked about the importance of boomers and technology, "Why would you turn your back on the only growth market that exists?"

The star power on the expert judging panel for the Sterling Awards includes: Dan Siewiorek, Ph.D. of Carnegie Mellon Quality of Life Technology Foundry; Chuck Parker, executive director of Continuua Health Alliance; Jim Barry, Consumer Electronics Association;Kate Bitter, EONS.com; Mary Furlong, Ed.D.,  boomer expert and author of Turning Silver Into Gold; Randy Paynter, founder and CEO of Care2; Gail Hunt, president/CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving; Stephen Reily, founder and CEO of VibrantWomen.com; Laurie Orlov, founder of Aging in Place Technology Watch; Susan Ayres Walker, co-founder and managing director of SmartSilvers Alliance and emeritus founder of the Silvers Summit; Gary Kaye, award-winning TV journalist for Fox, ABC, CNN; Mike Lee, senior strategy advisor, Digital Strategy & Operations, AARP; and Mike Starling executive director, NPR Labs.

To nominate a product or service that engages, empowers and enhances the lives of Boomers and Silvers visit www.silverssummit.com/sterling-awards and to complete and submit the entry form. There is no cost to enter.

The 4th Annual Silvers Summit at the 2012 International CES (Tuesday, January 10, 2012 – Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC, HALL, ROOM) is where the thought leaders on aging and technology come together.  The one-day conference will address trends, innovations and strategies in the areas of social media, gaming, driving safety, mobile technology, universal design, smart homes and communities, and customer service addressing the largest and most influential demographic in our society today – Americans age 50+.  

Follow Silvers Summit on Twitter for news and updates: twitter.com/silverssummit.

About Silvers Summit:

The Silvers Summit at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is where the thought leaders on an aging society and technology come together.  The conference and exhibit assembles companies, distributors, journalists, research firms, and think tanks, to demonstrate the products and services that will help consumers age 50+ stay engaged, empowered and help enhance their lives. The Silvers Summit and Exhibition is presented by Living in Digital Times, producer of the following summits and exhibitions at the2011 Consumer Electronics Show: Digital Health, Fitness Tech Summit, HigherEd Tech Summit, Kids@Play Summit, MommyTech Summit, Mobile Apps Showdown, and Last Gadget Standing.  For more information about The Silvers Summit, visit:http://silverssummit.com/.