SALT LAKE CITY (October 18, 2007)—Shelli Gardner, Stampin' Up!'s CEO and Co-founder, was named a finalist in two categories in the fourth annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, an international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding women executives and entrepreneurs and the companies they run. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as "the business world's own Oscars." (New York Post, April 27, 2005).

"I am so honored to share this recognition with the Stampin' Up! family," Gardner said. "This incredible achievement is a tribute to the dedication and hard work shown by our employees and to the successes and accomplishments of our many demonstrators who have established thriving independent home-based businesses."

Gardner is a finalist for the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Best Entrepreneur (Non-Services Businesses – up to 2,500 Employees) categories. Her achievements were selected from more than 800 entries submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories.

In 1988, with little college or business experience, Gardner invested her family's nest egg (earmarked to build a new home) to begin Stampin' Up!, a leading manufacturer that offers an exclusive line of decorative stamp sets and accessories for greeting cards, scrapbook pages, home décor and other craft projects. Based on a desire to empower women with a successful and flexible home-based business model, Shelli and her sister founded a direct-sales company that began selling stamps and filling orders from Shelli's living room.

Today, Stampin' Up! is a $240-million, direct sales company that fulfills orders from a 300,000-square-foot home office in Riverton, Utah, and claims more than 550 employees in Utah and abroad, and a network of more than 50,000 independent sales consultants, called demonstrators, who teach the art of stamping via in-home workshops in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In November, Stampin' Up! will launch into European markets in France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

"Being named a finalist in The Stevie Awards for Women in Business is an important achievement," said Michael Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards. "It means that independent business executives have agreed that the nominee is worthy of recognition."

Finalists were chosen by business professionals worldwide during preliminary judging. Members of the Awards' Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors and their staffs select Stevie Award winners from among the Finalists during final judging. Winners will be announced during a gala event Monday, November 12 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

About Stampin' Up!

Stampin' Up!, a 19-year-old, $240-million, direct-sales company, designs and manufactures an exclusive line of decorative rubber stamp sets and offers accessories for home décor, greeting cards, craft projects and scrapbooking. The company's size and recent growth reflect the ongoing worldwide passion for decorative rubber stamping and crafting. Its products are not sold in retail stores, but may be purchased at home workshops or through a network of independent sales consultants called Stampin' Up! "demonstrators." Currently, more than 50,000 demonstrators from the United States, Canada, and Australia and recently New Zealand teach the art of stamping and share their enthusiasm for stamping, scrapbooking, card making, and home decor.

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.

Infiniti is the presenting sponsor of The 2007 Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Supporting sponsor is JetBlue. Media sponsor is Pink magazine. The Business TalkRadio Network will broadcast the ceremonies live nationwide.