While its true that successful PR is often discussed in the context of campaigns, the ultimate drivers of any initiative are the individuals behind it whose creativity and ingenuity bring communications efforts from mere ideas to actual fruition. It’s these individuals—the heart and soul of the PR profession—that PR News honors each year with its PR People Awards and luncheon celebration. This year’s finalists, along with six Hall of Fame inductees and two separate 15-to-Watch selections (one from the agency side and the other from corporate and nonprofit), represent the PR profession’s best and brightest. All of them are risk takers and deal makers in their own right, propelling their organizations, clients and entire industries to achieve new standards of success. The winners, honorable mentions, Hall of Famers and 15-to-Watch will be profiled in the Dec. 7 All-Stars issue of PR News, and honored at an awards luncheon on Dec. 1 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. For more info and to register, visit www.prnewsonline.com/awards.
Account Director/Supervisor of Year
• Julie Batliner, Carmichael Lynch Spong
• Marie Cacciato, JB Cumberland
• Nora Sarrawi, Weber Shandwick
• Robyn Fink, MWW Group Inc.
Agency Executive of the Year
• Robert Chandler, Chandler Chicco Agency
• Leslie Gaines-Ross, Weber Shandwick
• Ed James, Cornerstone
• Douglas Spong, Carmichael, Lynch & Spong
PR Blogger of Year
• Tim Haran, USANA Health Sciences Inc.
• Brian Solis, FutureWorks Inc.
• David Westcott, APCO Worldwide
Corporate Social Responsibility Leader
• Tara Greco, APCO Worldwide
• Matthew Rose, Emanate
Brand Marketer of Year
• Stacey Havel, Bernard Hodes Group
• Jeff Tammes, Cornerstone
Community Relations Professional of Year
• Beth Courtier, BT plc
• Tricia Link, Mission FCU
Crisis Manager of the Year
• Howard Bragman, FIFTEEN MINUTES
• Eliot Hoff, APCO Worldwide
• Tim McIntyre, Domino’s Pizza
Digital Communications Leader of the Year
• John Bell, Ogilvy PR
• Anne Carelli, Coca-Cola Company
• Jennifer Houston, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
• Chris Perry, Weber Shandwick
Investor Relations/Financial Communications Professional of the Year
• Stan Collender, Qorvis Communications
• Barb Iverson, Weber Shanwick
• Keith Mabee, Dix & Eaton
Measurement/Research Expert of Year
• David Michaelson, Echo Research
• Ashley Pettit, Southwest Airlines Company
Media Relations Professional of the Year
• Matt Clark, Lotus Public Relations
• Anthony Sanzio, Campbell Soup Company
• Colleen Wilber, America’s Promise Alliance
PR Professional of Year: Academic Institution
• Melissa Connolly, Hofstra University
• Tomika DePriest, Spelman College
• John Walls, UT Southwestern Medical Center
PR Professional of the Year: Corporate
• Allison Falkenberry, Men’s Health
• Chris Fuller, Pizza Hut
• Drew McGowan, Brita, The Clorox Company
• Sal Petruzzi, Turner Broadcasting Systems
• David Shane, Hewlett Packard Co.
PR Professional of the Year: Nonprofit/Association
• Leslie Aun, World Wildlife Fund
• Diane Gage Lofgren, Kaiser Permanente
• Ken Johnson, PHRMA
• Megan Lozito, American Heart Association
• Ellen Murphy, YMCA of Greater NY
PR Team Leader
• Tim Fry, Weber Shandwick
• Jan Hausrath, APCO Worldwide
• Gloria Janata, Chandler Chico Agency
• Richard Licata, Showtime Networks Inc.
• Laura Monica, American Water
• Susan Peters, Edelman Chicago
• Holly Potter, Kaiser Permanente Corporate
PR Trainer of Year
• Sally Falkow, Expansion Plus
• Jean Gonsoulin, GolinHarris
Public Affairs Exec of Year
• Jonathan Collegio, National Association of Broadcasters
• John Davies, Davies
• Richard Ramlall, RCN
Spokesperson of the Year
• Chris Mainz, Southwest Airlines Company
• Stacy DeBroff, Mom Central Consulting
Tweeter of the Year
• Christi Day, Southwest Airlines Company
• Morgan Johnston, JetBlue
• John Ratcliffe-Lee, MS&L Worldwide (formerly with MWW Group)
• Charlie Witkowski, Weber Shandwick
Hall of Fame Inductees
• Don Bulmer, SAP
• Peter Debrecney, Gagen MacDonald LLC
• Donna Imperato, Cohn & Wolfe
• Michael Kempner, MWW Group Inc.
• Marcia Silverman, Ogilvy PR
• Larry Parnell, The George Washington University
15-to-Watch: Agency (30 and under)
• Joey-lyn Addesa, Kaplow Communications
• Kipp Bodnar, Howard, Merrell & Partners
• John Cangany, APCO
• Laney Cohen, Makovsky & Company
• Kristin Dwyer, Euro RSCG
• Paul Dyer, Weisscomm Group
• Amanda Kaufman, Edelman
• Francisca Llamas, Weber Shandwick
• Rachel Lenore, Marina Maher Comms
• Nichole Mrasek,MS&L
• Anne Marie Murphy, Porter Novelli
• Lavanya DJ, Gutenberg Communications
• Suzanne Rosnowski, Partner, Quinn & Co. Public Relations
• Kate Rickard, MS&L
• Andrew Ryan, Hellerman Baretz Comms
15-to-Watch: Corporate & Nonprofit (30 and under)
• Krista Canfield, LinkedIn
• Jaclyn Darrohn, Allstate
• Aerial Ellis, Tennessee State University
• Steve Field, BAE Systems
• Tonia Hammer, Molson Coors Canada
• Elizabeth Halter, Cox Enterprises
• Jessica Hanson, Property Casualty Insurers Assn of America
• Tiane Harrison, USO
• Lisa Jaycox, The McGraw-Hill Companies
• Kimberly Kanary, Associated Estates Realty Corp
• Serena Levy, Coca-Cola Company
• Michael Odle, Oregon National Guard
• Steve Radick, Booz Allen Hamilton
• Darryl Ryan, Time Warner Cable
• Bryson Thornton, Del Monte Foods
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