PRSA RICHMOND ANNOUNCES 2009 VIRGINIA 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               

Contact:           Andrew Ryan

                        (804) 273-9477

                        akryan@hellermanbaretz.com  

PRSA RICHMOND ANNOUNCES 2009 VIRGINIA

PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARD WINNERS

A. Prescott Rowe, APR, presented with the 2009 Thomas Jefferson Award

RICHMOND, VA (June 4, 2009) -- Last night, the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) honored statewide organizations and companies for excellence in public relations. The 62nd annual awards ceremony was held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond.

“The Virginia Public Relations Awards highlight the best and most exciting PR campaigns and initiatives from across the state,” said Alissa M. Poole, APR, president of PRSA Richmond. “We celebrated the work of talented PR professionals and recognized the importance of public relations as a tool across disciplines.”

Awards are separated into two divisions: Public Relations Programs and Public Relations Tactics. The Programs division judges comprehensive campaigns while the Tactics division judges specific components. Programs entries can receive either Silver Medallion or Silver Certificate of Merit awards, while Tactics entries can receive either Bronze Medallion or Bronze Certificate of Merit awards. Finally, a Best in Show award is earned in both divisions. The Best in Show winners are chosen from those entries earning Medallion awards.

PR Programs entries were judged for research, planning, execution and evaluation. PR Tactics entries were judged for planning and content, creativity and quality, technical excellence and results. All entries were judged by the New Orleans chapter of PRSA.

In addition to the PR awards, PRSA Richmond presented A. Prescott Rowe, APR, with the 2009 Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Relations. He is the retired vice president of external affairs for Ethyl Corporation, the former president of the Old Dominion PRSA Chapter and an inductee in the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame.

About PRSA Richmond

PRSA Richmond is a professional association serving Central Virginia public relations practitioners. The chapter and the national organization, PRSA, share the vision of bringing professionals together to enhance the practice, to provide an exchange of experiences and ideals, and to promote professional development. For more information visit: www.prsarichmond.org.

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LIST OF WINNERS:

Bronze Medallion: Best-in-Show

Name of Project: Utility Talk

Company Name: Department of Public Utilities

Category: Newsletter

Bronze Medallion Winners

Name of Project: Abraham Lincoln’s Legacy of Leadership

Company Name: The Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond

Category: Brochures

Name of Project: “Try this on for size” Priestly Vocations Recruitment Poster

Company Name: Catholic Diocese of Richmond/ Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett

Category: Creative Tactics

Name of Project: Gas Savings Tips Demonstration Media Event

Company Name: AAA Mid Atlantic

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: “Life…Supplemented”

Company Name: Council for Responsible Nutrition/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: Da Capo Institute Launches Vivo for Children with Autism

Company Name: Da Capo Institute/ TouchPoints Public Relations

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: Dominion Donates $1 million to Food Banks

Company Name: Dominion

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: Uncovering George Washington’s Boyhood Home

Company Name: The George Washington Foundation/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: Dimensions 2008

Company Name: Dominion

Category: Annual Reports

Name of Project: Blogging to Engage Associates: Capital One Card President Ryan Schneider Blog

Company Name: Capital One

Category: Blogs

Name of Project: Letters to the Editor

Company Name: Virginians for Better Transportation/Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

Name of Project: Environmental History Video 2008

Company Name: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality/ Video Atlantic Digital

Category: External Video Programs

Name of Project: Connections- American Red Cross Newsletter

Company Name: American Red Cross Greater Richmond Chapter

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Utility Talk

Company Name: Department of Public Utilities

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Longwood Center for the Visual Arts “Arts”

Company Name: Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, Longwood University

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Email Newsletter

Company Name: St. Joseph’s Villa

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Arts Liberales: The Newsletter of the Liberal Arts

Company Name: University of Richmond-School of the Arts & Sciences/Design Visions

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Dean’s Discovery Report

Company Name: VCU School of Medicine on the MCV Campus

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Environmental History Booklet 2008

Company Name: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality/ Flourish Creative LLC

Category: Publications

Name of Project: War Stories

Company Name: Westminster Canterbury Richmond

Category: Publications

Name of Project: This is the Future Micro-Site

Company Name: Virginia Tech/ Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett

Category: Website

Bronze Certificate of Merit Winners

Name of Project: 2008 Annual Report

Company Name: American Red Cross Greater Richmond Chapter

Category: Annual Reports

Name of Project: Annual Report

Company Name: St. Joseph's Villa/ RunningFire Design

Category: Annual Reports

Name of Project: Undergraduate Research Report

Company Name: University of Richmond – School of the Arts and Sciences/ Design Visions

Category: Annual Reports

Name of Project: ND&P Blog

Company Name: Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett

Category: Blogs

Name of Project: 2008 Baskervill Holiday Card

Company Name: Baskervill

Category: Creative Tactics

Name of Project: “IAM1” Button

Company Name: Hampton Roads Realtors Association/ Organization Management Group

Category: Creative Tactics

Name of Project: Harvest Home

Company Name: VMD Association of Electric Cooperatives

Category: Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

Name of Project: Our Energy, Our Future

Company Name: VMD Association of Electric Cooperatives

Category: Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

Name of Project: Discover the Power in You-Cable Television Promotion

Company Name: Longwood University/ CRT/tanaka

Category: External Video Programs

Name of Project: A History of Believing

Company Name: St. Joseph’s Villa

Category: External Video Programs

Name of Project: Ukrop’s Flu Shot Program

Company Name: Ukrop’s Supermarkets Inc./ Rhudy & Co. Communications and Marketing

Category: Media Relations Tactics

Name of Project: Boers & Boys: A Morning Down at 5 Sons Farm

Company Name: VMD Association of Electric Cooperatives

Category: Feature Stories

Name of Project: Reinventing the Oyster: A Bivalve Story

Company Name: VMD Association of Electric Cooperatives

Category: Feature Stories

Name of Project: Watt, Why & How Multimedia Video

Company Name: Appalachian Power/ Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Multimedia Communications

Name of Project: School Days Newspaper

Company Name: Henrico County Public Schools

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: River Views

Company Name: St. Margaret’s School

Category: Newsletters

Name of Project: Affinion Loyalty Group Media Kit

Company Name: Affinion Loyalty Group/ Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Press Kits/Media Kits

Name of Project: A Critical Eye: A Selection of Paintings from the Robert B. and Margaret T. Mayo Collection

Company Name: Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, Longwood University

Category: Publications

Name of Project: CarMax Multi-Media News Release

Company Name: CarMax

Category: Video News Releases

Name of Project: Watt, Why & How Website

Company Name: Appalachian Power/ Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Websites

Name of Project: Good Cents/Save on Fuel Web Site

Company Name: Bon Secours Richmond Health System/ Rhudy & Co. Communications and Marketing and Free Agents Marketing

Category: Websites

Name of Project: Newsroom Website

Company Name: Henrico County Public Schools

Category: Websites

Name of Project: School Days Online

Company Name: Henrico County Public Schools

Category: Websites

Silver Medallion Winners: Best-in-Show

Name of Project: Uncovering George Washington’s Boyhood Home

Company Name: The George Washington Foundation/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Silver Medallion Winners

Name of Project: Grand Opening of Movieland at Boulevard Square

Company Name: Bow Tie Cinemas/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: Uncovering George Washington’s Boyhood Home

Company Name: The George Washington Foundation/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: Tenth Annual Fur Ball

Company Name: Richmond SPCA

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: Virginia Financial Literacy Month

Company Name: Virginia Society of CPAs

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: Behind the Collar: Priestly Vocations Campaign

Company Name: Catholic Diocese of Richmond/ Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett

Category: Integrated Communications

Name of Project: Charles Schwab Financial Literacy and Consumer Education

Company Name: Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. and Charles Schwab Foundation/ CRT/tanaka

Category: Public Service

Name of Project: Ensure the Vote

Company Name: Virginia State Board of Elections

Category: Public Service

Silver Certificate of Merit Winners

Name of Project: ALG Community Yard Sale

Company Name: Affinion Loyalty Group/ Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: CarMax Celebrates its 100th Store Opening

Company Name: CarMax

Category: Brief Events and Observances

Name of Project: Campaign to Protect Feral Cats at WRLH Fox Richmond

Company Name: Richmond SPCA

Category: Community Relations

Name of Project: Crisis Communications

Company Name: CarMax

Category: Crisis Communications

Name of Project: Watt, Why & How Campaign

Company Name: Appalachian Power/ Charles Ryan Associates

Category: Integrated Communications

Name of Project: RMA Split Plaza/ORT Integrated Communications Plan

Company Name: Richmond Metropolitan Authority

Category: Integrated Communications

Name of Project: Behind the Collar: Virginia Beach’s 2008 “Live the Life” Campaign Company Name: Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau/ BCF

Category: Integrated Communications

Name of Project: Fuel Relief Employee Communications Program

Company Name: Bon Secours Richmond Health System/ Rhudy & Co. Communications and Marketing and Free Agents Marketing

Category: Internal Communications

Name of Project: MercerTrigiani

Company Name: MercerTrigiani/ Gate House Communications

Category: Marketing Business to Business

Name of Project: Association Branding – Medical Society of Virginia

Company Name: Medical Society of Virginia/ O’Keefe Brands/ BLT Design

Category: Reputation/Brand Management

Name of Project: This is the Future Campaign

Company Name: Virginia Tech/ Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett

Category: Reputation/Brand Management