Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Relations
Each year, the PRSA Richmond chapter recognizes the extraordinary achievement of a seasoned public relations practitioner working in the Greater Richmond metropolitan region. Winners of the Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Relations exemplify the best in the profession.
The recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award is always announced at the Virginia Public Relations Awards.
There is NO COST to submit a nomination and it is okay to nominate yourself. However, if nominating someone else, please remember the awards are supposed to be a surprise.
What do you need in order to nominate someone?
- A 250-word statement summarizing why the nominee deserves the award.
- The nominee’s current resume (allowed file types: pdf, doc, docx, rtf).
- Headshot of the nominee (if available).
- Up to 5 letters of recommendation (allowed file types: doc, docx, pdf).
- Up to 5 supporting documents (allowed file types: jpg, gif, pdf, xls, doc, txt, ppt, zip, ps, rtf, eps, bmp, tif, png, jpeg, psd, ai, swf, pot, dot, docx, xml, mpg, mp4, avi, wmv, mov, css, html, js).
Criteria for Selection
Thomas Jefferson Award recipients are selected by a panel of their peers. Individuals may be nominated by a colleague or may choose to self-nominate, and there is no fee associated with submitting a nomination.
While it is not necessary to demonstrate excellence in every category, nominees are assessed based on the following criteria:
- Participation in PRSA
- Contributions to the profession of public relations
- Local or national recognition for professional achievements
- A commitment to public service
- Mentorship of young practitioners
- Pursuit of continuing education in the field
- Professional awards
History of the Award
The Thomas Jefferson Award was instituted as an annual peer award in 1998. It continues a tradition begun in 1962 by the former Old Dominion Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. In that program, however, the major award was presented to a community leader, and the public relations award was only occasionally presented.
Recipients of Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Relations
Past recipients of the award have included:
- 2013 - Kim Farlow, APR
- 2012 - Marjorie N. Grier, APR
- 2011 - Pam Lepley, APR
- 2010 - Tom Morris,APR
- 2009 - A. Prescott Rowe, APR
- 2008 - Judy VanSlyke Turk, PhD., APR, Fellow PRSA
- 2007 - Mark Raper
- 2006 - Lou Anne Nabhan, APR
- 2005 - Hank Amann, APR, Fellow PRSA
- 2004 - Martha W. Steger, APR, Fellow PRSA
- 2002 - D. Brickford Rider, APR*
- 2001 - Eva Teig Hardy
- 2000 - G. Richard Wainwright*
- 1999 - P. Lee Starkey, APR, Fellow APR*
- 1998 - David M. Clinger, APR
- 1995 - Joseph R. Slay, APR
- 1994 - William M. Dietrick, APR, Fellow PRSA*
- 1988 - Beverley R. Lawler*
- 1983 - Lea Booth*
- 1981 - Joseph F. Awad, APR, Fellow PRSA*
- 1980 - Donald J. Gonzales, APR*
- 1980 - Donald B. McCammond, APR*
- 1975 - Richard A. Velz, APR*
Recipients of Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Service
- 1995 - Oliver W. Hill*
- 1994 - James E. Ukrop
- 1993 - William W. Berry
- 1991-92 - Brenton S. Halsey
- 1989-90 - A. Linwood Holton, Jr.
- 1988 - John W. Hancock*
- 1987 - Frank Batten*
- 1986 - John T. Hazel, Jr.
- 1985 - T. Justin Moore, Jr.*
- 1984 - Lawrence E. Blanchard, Jr.*
- 1983 - Anne Dobie Peebles
- 1982 - William W. Harrison
- 1981 - Carlisle Humelsine*
- 1980 - Catherine Filene Shouse*
- 1979 - Carter O. Lowance*
- 1978 - Sydney* & Frances Lewis
- 1977 - Albertis S. Harrison*
- 1976 - James Jackson Kilpatrick*
- 1975 - Henry Clay Hofheimer*
- 1974 - James C. Wheat, Jr.*
- 1973 - Richard S. Reynolds, Jr.*
- 1972 - Virginius Dabney*
- 1971 - Mills E. Godwin, Jr.*
- 1970 - E. Claiborne Robins*
- 1969 - Lewis F. Powell, Jr.*
- 1968 - Herman H. Pevler*
- 1967 - Thomas C. Boushall*
- 1966 - Leslie Cheek*
- 1965 - David Tennant Bryan*
- 1964 - Colgate W. Darden, Jr.*
- 1963 - Robert Porterfield*
- 1962 - Winthrop Rockefeller*
*Deceased
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