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Well-known public relations and communications companies, internal communications departments and individual shining stars were honored at the 28th annual Public Relations Society of America – Hawaii Chapter’s Koa Anvil awards ceremony Thursday night at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki.
Duke Gonzales, corporate communications specialist for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii, was named the Gregg W. Perry Public Relations Professional of the Year, an award presented to an exemplary PR practitioner who has made a major contribution to the profession.
The Hokupa‘a Award, recognizing a relative newcomer to the field for demonstrating exceptional leadership potential and achievement, was presented to Huy Vo, senior account executive at Bright Light Marketing.
Ruth Limtiaco, chief executive officer and president of The Limtiaco Co., was named winner of this year’s President’s Leadership Award, honoring an individual or organization for making significant contributions to the success of the chapter and the profession.
The chapter also awarded a $1,000 scholarship to University of Hawaii at Manoa senior Chelsea Yamase.
Koa Anvil Awards are presented to the best complete public relations programs that incorporate sound research, planning, execution and evaluation, while Koa Hammer Awards are for PR tactics that are part of a communications campaign. Each category has numerous subcategories and each has a second tier of certificates of excellence.
The Best of Show award went to Jackie Jaques-Smythe of Smythe & Associates for the "Shriners Hospitals for Children" reputation and brand management project.
Among the multiple award winners, McNeil Wilson Communications Inc. won 12 including two Koa Anvils and two Koa Hammers; Bennet Group Strategic Communications won 10 awards including two Koa Hammers; Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations Inc., six awards, including two Anvils and a Hammer; Pang Communications, six, include two Hammers; Castle Medical Center, six, including a Koa Hammer; and Hawaii Pacific Health, four, including two Hammers.
Space considerations prevent reproduction of the winners list in the print edition, but the full list can be viewed here and will be posted on the PRSA website.
On the ‘Net:
Reach Erika Engle at erika@staradvertiser.com.
