Golf Mill Shopping Center Receives National Marketing Award

Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles has won an international award described as "the industry's highest marketing honor" from the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The ICSC awarded the prize, called the U.S. Gold MAXI Award, Thursday at its national conference in Hollywood, Calif.

Golf Mill won in the Cause-Related Marketing category for its efforts to locate and expand the Niles Teen Center at the mall. 

When the Niles Teen Center first located at Golf Mill, the center was so crowded teens had to be turned away, the ICSC said in a statement. However, after vacant space became available and the Niles Teen Center was able to expand, "this collaborative effort between the teen center staff, members of the community, and Golf Mill Shopping Center, created a safe, supportive, healthy environment for the growing community of Niles and its young residents," the ICSC statement continued. 

The organization recognized Regina Verdico, the mall's director of marketing, Angelika Jurczyk, marketing assistant, and Michael D. Williams, senior general manager, in addition to Mark Williams, the Teen Center director.

Golf Mill is now eligible to win the ICSC's Best-of-the-Best VIVA (Vision, Innovation, Value, and Achievement) Award, which will be presented May 23 at a convention in Las Vegas.