FOR GEORGIA ROEMING, WINNING WHAT is essentially a lifetime achievement award at her tender age came as quite a shock. So when she was informed that the Madison Advertising Federation had selected her as its 2002 “Silver Medal Award” winner, she was caught totally off-guard.

“I’m only 44, and I was wondering if maybe the [selection] committee knew a little something about my life span that I didn’t know,” she quipped.

Actually, it’s the life in her years that MAF is so impressed with. Roeming, a partner in the Geo Group and an ice skating fanatic who earned a U.S. Gold Medal designation in ice dancing, was recognized for her many contributions to the advertising industry and the community.

They begin with her management of the Geo Group, which as made the transition from non-broadcast corporate communications to foreign language translation and formatting. The transformation began in 1994 at the insistence of Roeming’s husband and business partner, Scott, who had just joined the company. Georgia had produced a sales video for Bou-Matic when the company asked if she could also produce it in French and Spanish.

“At that time, my husband said, 'Yes we can do that'... and I said, we don’t know anything about foreign language. Are you crazy?”

As it turned out, Scott was crazy like a fox. While it took some time to learn about the industry, revamp its staff, and prepare marketing strategies, foreign language translation now comprises 90% of the Geo Group’s business. The group’s services are especially important to multi-nationals like GE Medical Systems and Johnson Wax because they sell products around the world.

Roeming majored in radio and television film production at the University of Wisconsin, but pursued a sales career. She spent five years handling retail accounts at WISC-TV, and then took on corporate clients at R.W. Video. While there, she was instrumental in forming the Madison Chapter of the International Television Association (ITVA), which is now Media Communications Association-International. She had driven to the Milwaukee Chapter’s monthly meetings for three years, and was pleased to find strong interest in the organization in Madison.

“For me, the reason to attend the monthly meeting of a trade organization is for professional development -- that I’m going to come out with two or three things I need to know to be successful,” Roeming said. “The secondary reason is for networking, and the GE Medical account actually came from ITVA in an indirect way.”

The Chicago native may have landed GE Medical in an indirect way, but she provided some direct advice for people starting out in business: focus on what you do best and allow professional services to handle matters like accounting. “We are a sales-driven company and that’s what we do best,” she noted. “And we can prepare our own marketing tools, but for accounting, for linguistics, and computer services, hire people who can take care of you there.”

Roeming needs no assistance when it comes to her passion for ice-skating. She started lacing them up at the age of three and by age 20 had earned the Gold Medal designation in ice dancing from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. Roeming is quick to note that the medal is for the certification that qualifies skaters to compete in figure skating, but she never did find a Fred Astaire on skates. She did, however, finance her college education with the help of money earned while teaching others to skate.

And Roeming, who is a self-described “card-holding hockey coach,” is still teaching. She derives joy from her status as an “Ice Mice” hockey coach, working with 3 to 5-year-old kids each Sunday at the Madison Ice Arena. She does it for the pure entertainment value, and the kids -- pratfalls, baggy uniforms, and all -- are more delightful than the Ice Capades. “That one hour a week is probably the most enjoyable,” she stated. “I don't know how to describe it in words because I just smile and I love the kids. It is a great outlet, it's a great release, and it's great giving back.”