The marketing teams at U.S. Global Investors [profile], RidgeWorth [profile], John Hancock Funds [profile] and Franklin Templeton [profile] are popping the champagne. Those were four of the big winners last night at the 16th annual MFEA (Mutual Fund Education Alliance) STAR Awards for Excellence dinner in the Fairmont Moulin Rouge Room in downtown Chicago. The show even featured several brand new award categories for 2012.

Scout's Michael Hedstrom (center left) and other fundsters clap for STAR winners Photo courtesy of Paige Pendell, MFEA

All told, MFEA director Kimber Lintz and the MFEA team gave out 131 STAR (Shareholder Trust And Responsibility) awards in 40 different categories to 34 mutual fund shops and retirement plan providers [release]. Senior director Brian Smith told MFWire that the trade group received 325 entries for the 2012 awards.

"It's really well-represented. All the judging is done by peers within the industry," Smith said, adding that the awards recognize "the best in shareholder and marketing communications."

In light of the growing importance of smart phones and tablets, MFEA added three new STAR award categories this year: mobile apps, mobile websites and overall digital/technology.

"The whole mobile and app side is really new and also very impressive," Smith said.

U.S. Global landed 15 awards, more than any other fund shop. Its hardware included the new overall digital technology award in the retail, small company category and the overall communications awards in both the advisor and retail small company categories.

RidgeWorth president Jim Stueve accepts the new overall advisor digital/technology award for a medium company. Photo courtesy of Paige Pendell, MFEA

SunTrust subsidiary RidgeWorth brought home nine awards, including overall advisor communications in the medium company category (for the second year in a row) and the new overall digital/technology award the advisor, medium company category.

Franklin and Hancock landed eight awards each. Franklin's wins included overall retail communications in the large plus company and the new overall digital/technology awards in the advisor and retail large plus company categories. Hancock's came out on top in the overall advisor and retail communications large company categories.

Heartland distribution chief Dave Ribbens accepts the 2012 community investment award. Photo courtesy of Paige Pendell, MFEA

RidgeWorth Investments president and MFEA executive committee vice chairman Jim Stueve presented the 2012 community investment award to Heartland Advisors [profile]. Heartland's Dave Ribbens, senior vice president and head of distribution, accepted the award and told fundsters about Heartland's work with the Junior Achievement organization.

"This is where a profession really becomes a profession: when the profession starts to give back," Stueve said.

The awards dinner, sponsored by 11-year-supporter Dow Jones Content Lab, followed MFEA's day-long eCommerce Council and Intermediary Distribution Council forums, both held at the Mid America Club at the top of Aon Center, just a block away from the Fairmont in downtown Chicago. Smith said that MFEA has about 60 member firms, all "strictly mutual fund companies.

Below is a list of all the winning companies and their total award counts. Browse the full list of 2012 STAR awards on the MFEA's website, or download them here.

Aberdeen Asset Management [profile]: 3
American Century Investments [profile]: 4
Aon Hewitt: 1
Ariel Investments [profile]: 2
Calvert Investments [profile]: 6
Columbia Management [profile]: 6
Dodge & Cox [profile]: 1
DWS Investments [profile]: 4
Fidelity Investments [profile]: 4
Forward Funds [profile]: 1
Franklin Templeton: 8
Heartland Advisors: 2
Hennessy Funds [profile]: 1
Huntington Funds [profile]: 1
Ivy Funds [profile]: 1
Janus [profile]: 4
John Hancock: 8
Lincoln Financial Group: 3
Matthews Asia Funds [profile]: 7
Natixis Global Asset Management [profile]: 1
New York Life: 1
Nuveen [profile]: 1
OppenheimerFunds [profile]: 4
Principal Funds [profile]: 4
Putnam [profile]: 7
RidgeWorth: 9
Royce [profile]: 2
Saturna Capital [profile]: 3
T. Rowe Price [profile]: 5
Transamerica Retirement Services: 6
U.S. Global Investors: 15
VALIC: 1
Vanguard [profile]: 4
Waddell & Reed [profile]: 1 

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