OWLS HEAD — The Owls Head Transportation Museum was recognized for outstanding performance in three categories at the 2015 National Association of Automobile Museums (NAAM) conference March 17 through March 20 at the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio.

Competing in NAAM's Division II, which recognizes museums with annual budgets in excess of $300,000, OHTM won first place in the Website category for its redesigned website, ohtm.org, first place in the Newsletters and Publications category for the quarterly publication Strut and Axle and second place in the Interactive Exhibits category for "Faster: the Quest for Speed."

According to the mission statement of the organization NAAM is a professional center of excellence for automobile museums and affiliated organizations that supports, educates and encourages members to operate according to professional standards of the museum industry.

"OHTM has undergone tremendous growth in the past year and I am absolutely thrilled to have the hard work and dedication of our team recognized by our esteemed peers at NAAM. The NAAM conference is a wonderful opportunity for education, growth and collaboration with other outstanding automobile museums throughout the country," said OHTM Executive Director Russ Rocknak in a news release.

Rocknak and Auction and Event Coordinator Toby Stinson also attended the 2014 NAAM conference hosted by the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, CA.

OHTM launched a fully redesigned website in April 2014. The website represents nearly a yearlong creative effort which involved staff from all departments. The website was designed with several goals including providing the public with an interactive, educational and informative experience while remaining user friendly in all of its functions. Additionally the website is designed to assist in the promotion of the Museum's myriad corporate sponsors which include businesses, organizations and attractions from all over the region.

The newest feature of owlshead.org is an online store which allows customers from around the world to browse and purchase an eclectic selection of curated items offered in OHTM's brick and mortar shop. Museum memberships at various levels are also available online.

Redesigned in 2013 the Strut and Axle is OHTM's quarterly membership magazine. The publication has historically featured original content including news, scientific and historic articles, vignettes and remembrances written by staff and assorted guest contributors. The 2013 redesign saw the transformation of Strut to a full-color, 36-page digest filled with stunning photography and images to augment its written content.

Strut has attracted advertisers and support from numerous publications and organizations throughout the collector car world.

“Faster: the Quest for Speed” opened on June 12, 2014 with a public reception featuring Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Dick Berggren.

The exhibition is the most ambitious production in the Museum's four-decade history and tells the story of mankind's quest for speed through vehicles ranging from high wheel bicycles to the Ferrari F2002 driven to numerous victories by Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher.

Audio video features — including a "racing garage" theater — allow visitors to experience the excitement of racing while viewing some of the most significant racing vehicles presently on display in the North East.

According to the NAAM website, the annual NAAMY awards competition honors the work of nonprofit automotive transportation museums. The awards recognize industry leaders for achievement, professionalism and creativity. They are designed to further promote professionalism in automotive museum managerial, curatorial, educational and promotional work.

In 2015 there were approximately 40 entries from museums throughout the U.S.

NAAM boasts more than 100 member museums — both large and small — representing nearly 40 states. Three Maine based museums are members of NAAM: The Seal Cove Auto Museum in Seal Cove, the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor and the Owls Head Transportation Museum.

Stinson and Volunteer Coordinator Niki Janczura traveled to Ohio to participate in the conference and were present to accept the awards on behalf of the Museum.

"Having the opportunity to interact and collaborate with other professionals from around the country is a wonderful experience. The ideas and information that we share benefits all organizations as we grow and develop. It's really amazing how many NAAM members from around the country are looking to organizations in Maine as examples of outstanding automobile museums," Stinson said in the news release. He added that he looks forward to hosting museum professionals from around the country that said they plan to visit Owls Head in 2015.

For a full list of NAAMY award winners visit www.naam.museum.