TPRA recognizes members and other PR professionals for their hard work and contributions to the public relations field with various Special Awards. The Special Awards is presented at the Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards Banquet during the TPRA Annual Conference.
To submit a nomination, please review the criteria and eligibility requirements and complete the Special Award Nomination Form or send your nomination along with supporting information to Scott White at scottwhite@bizcompr.com.
Categories
Golden Spur Award
Outstanding PR Practioner Award
Alan Scott Rising Star Award
New Member Achievement
Lone Star Award
Silver Spur Media Award
PRFT Educator of the Year
Golden Spur Award
The Golden Spur is TPRA's highest recognition for member service. The recipient must make significant and long-lasting contributions to TPRA and to the public relations profession during at least 10 years of membership. The award is presented only in years when outstanding candidates are nominated and approved by the TPRA Board of Directors.
2010 Recipient
Danny Ingram, American Cancer Society
This year’s recipient of that award has met all of those requirements and more, starting with the fact that he is a past president of TPRA. Danny Ingram began working for the American Cancer Society's Texas Division in 1980. He moved into the vice president for Communications position in 1988, managing public relations, advertising and marketing programs over the next 14 years that were instrumental in increasing awareness levels among Texans about the prevention and early detection of cancers. In addition, he helped develop programs designed to help cancer patients and their caregivers navigate through the cancer experience.
From 1992 through 1995, Danny served as chief mission officer for Texas and Hawaii, leading strategic planning for mission delivery, including public relations, advertising, marketing, governmental relations, health initiatives, patient services and cancer research promotion. In his current position as chief staff officer for Strategic Initiatives, he manages the Communications, Corporate Relations and Constituent Relationship Management departments of the High Plains Division (Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Hawaii).
His work with the national American Cancer Society includes serving on many different workgroups, including co-chairing the Society’s futuring initiative in 2007 and chairing the core team for the Society’s strategic-planning-for-operations initiative in 2009.
Danny and his wife Melissa reside in Austin. Their 22-year-old daughter Stacey lives in New York City, and their 19-year-old son Drew attends his dad’s alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin. I could go on all night, talking about his accomplishments, but anyone who has had the opportunity to work with Danny knows his passion and dedication to the PR profession. Without a doubt he is most deserving of this very special honor.
Outstanding Texas PR Practitioner Award
This award winner must have made noteworthy career contributions to the public relations profession. Individual achievement and recognition, commitment to excellence and mentoring are also considered. The award is granted only in years when an outstanding nominee is confirmed by the board of directors. Recipients do not have to be TPRA members.
2010 Recipient
Kevin Tuerff, EnviroMedia Social Marketing
The Outstanding Texas PR Practitioner recognizes an individual whose contributions have made a significant impact on the public relations profession. And anyone who knows this year’s recipient will tell you that he has an impact on the PR profession on a daily basis. But his impact extends well beyond the PR profession. Kevin Tuerff and his agency, EnviroMedia are leading the charge for ethical green marketing worldwide.
Among his accomplishments are:
- The founding and launching of America Recycles Day in 1997;
- Leading several tobacco prevention campaigns, contributing to a 40 percent drop in teen smoking;
- Developing strategy for Dell on electronics recycling;
- And developing direct advertising campaigns for Green Mountain Energy Company, leading to a 70 percent sales jump in 2006.
During the 2009 recession, EnviroMedia enjoyed a record year, with a 47 percent increase in staff, and the opening of a West-coast office in Portland. Also last year, historical gross revenue since inception surpassed $100 million. Kevin and his agency’s work has been highlighted in news media ranging from Brandweek to TIME, and he is a frequent speaker for national groups like the Retail Industry Leaders’ Association and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. He also guest lectures on social marketing for higher educational institutions such as Hofstra Law School, the University of Oregon and his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin.
Kevin is passionate about public service for public health and environmental causes. In December, he was a business delegate to the United Nations’ Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. He serves as an elected director of his county's water utility district, and we are proud to claim him as a former member of the TPRA board of directors. In addition, his experience of kindness from strangers on September 11, 2001, led him to create Pay It Forward 9/11. Each year on September 11, EnviroMedians in Texas and Oregon set out in teams of two, armed with a $100 bill, on a journey of goodwill. Just a few examples of the many good deeds performed include:
• Purchasing groceries for people at supermarkets,
• Funding the adoption of a homeless cat from an animal shelter,
• Providing supplies for an elementary schoolchildren’s vegetable garden,
• Presenting more than 100 red roses to residents of a senior center,
• Buying baby supplies for residents of a homeless shelter,
• Providing flu shots for people without health insurance,
• And many, many more actions of good will.
• In fact, other companies have picked up the idea, originally based on the Pay It Forward book and movie.
In 2006, Kevin and EnviroMedia cofounder Valerie Davis received the TPRA Lone Star Award. He also has been honored by the Austin Advertising Federation as "Ad Man of the Year." As you can see, this year’s winner of the Outstanding Texas Public Relations Practitioner Award represents the highest ideals of the practice of our profession.
Alan Scott Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award recipient must be a member of TPRA for at least three years and have provided dedicated service to the organization during this time. In addition, the recipient must exhibit outstanding potential for achievement in the public relations profession and TPRA leadership.
2010 Recipient
Dr. Jacque Lambiase, Texas Christian University.
The Alan Scott Rising Star Award is named for one of TPRA’s founding members and is awarded to a PR professional who has been a TPRA member for at least three years, shows potential for outstanding accomplishments in public relations and demonstrates leadership potential for TPRA and the public relations profession.
That criterion perfectly describes this year’s recipient. Dr. Jacque Lambiase began her career teaching research and public relations for TCU's Schieffer School of Journalism as an associate professor of strategic communication. For 13 years, she taught public relations in UNT's journalism program, serving as chair of the strategic communications program in 2008-2009. Her professional background includes stints as a news editor and business reporter and as a spokeswoman for a large East Coast electric utility serving Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. She has co-edited and co-written two books on advertising's use of sexually oriented appeals. She also has written extensively on ethics, social media and gendered images in mass media. In 2008, she won a TPRA Best of Texas Award for opinion writing. For a community needs assessment on women's health issues, Dr. Lambiase served in 2008-2009 as a qualitative researcher and auditor for the Tarrant County affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She also organizes an annual non-profit communicators’ conference with two other PR professionals. This year, the conference will be at UT-Dallas on May 21. Dr. Lambiase is indeed a rising star in our profession.
New Member Achievement
The New Member Achievement Award recognizes service to TPRA and the Public Relations Foundation of Texas.
2010 Recipient
Keri Moe, El Paso Community College
TPRA’s New Member Achievement Award recognizes a TPRA professional who has been a member for at least one but not more than three years and has made significant contributions to TPRA during that time. This year’s recipient has made an impact on our organization in a short amount of time, in addition to her outstanding record of professional accomplishments and service to fellow public relations practitioners.
This year’s award goes to Keri Moe! A graduate of the University of Texas El Paso, Keri Moe is an associate professor of Communication at El Paso Community College, where she teaches public relations and communication courses. She also has taught public relations at UTEP and she serves as a co-advisor for the student organization Future Leaders in Public Relations. In 2007 she was a Fulbright Scholar and completed research in Morocco on the use of public relations in non-governmental organizations in North Africa.
Prior to her career in academia, Keri practiced public relations in the non-profit sector for more than six years, and she still provides full-service public relations consulting. Keri is a past-president of the Public Relations Association-Rio Grande Chapter and a founding member and immediate-past president of the Public Relations Association of the Southwest (PRSW) in El Paso, Texas. In addition to her professional work, Keri is involved in the community serving, on the board of directors for the El Paso Commission for Women and as vice president of Public Relations for the UTEP Alumni Association. She is a proud member of the Texas Public Relations Association and has been very involved in helping TPRA build a base of support in the El Paso area. TPRA is indeed fortunate to have such a dedicated professional as a part of our organization.
Lone Star Award
The Lone Star Award recognizes a company that places a high priority on its public relations and values both the function as a key management strategy and the public relations practitioners it employs as major contributors to the success of the organization. The company must exemplify outstanding ethics and operations in its dealing with all its constituencies. Creativity in how these relationships are developed can be a plus in consideration for this award. A Lone Star Award winner should also be a supporter of the profession of public relations in Texas and development of its public relations professionals, as well as others in the state.
2010 Recipient
Texas Hospital Association
This year’s recipient of the Lone Star Award is an organization that for decades has served as a model of how a company can blend traditional PR and communication values with new technology to build strong bonds with its various constituents. The Texas Hospital Association may be more than 75 years old, but its public relations program is anything but old-fashioned.
The team of seven professionals manages a cutting-edge corporate communications program that effectively integrates traditional and not-so-traditional channels to build support for advocacy positions and market the association’s products and services to THA members and others. THA was formed in 1930, and has since evolved to become one of the most powerful voices in Texas impacting healthcare policy. Its communications program has grown from a simple member newsletter and magazine to comprehensive public relations campaigns supporting hospitals’ public policy agendas.
Most recently, THA’s communications campaigns have raised awareness and influenced legislative outcomes on issues such as:
• Texas’ unacceptable rate of uninsured residents, the highest in the nation;
• The need for health care reform, and a new health care reality; and
• The state’s critical shortage of nurses, which led to a record investment in nursing education by the 2009 Texas Legislature.
Brand awareness is stronger than ever, with the launch of a branding initiative in 2009. In the past year, social media has become fully integrated into the team’s strategies to communicate on issues, build grassroots alliances and market services. Members of the communications team also give back to the public relations profession by staying actively involved with professional groups and mentoring others through the accreditation process. The Texas Hospital Association also enjoys strong support from its board and executive leadership.
Silver Spur Media Award
The Silver Spur Media Award recognizes contributions by a print or broadcast reporter/photographer/editor/producer or a print or broadcast outlet to a public affairs, public education or community relations program that benefitted the community and was also supported by professional public relations efforts. This award was given first in 1999.
2010 Recipient
Community Impact Newspaper
The winner of this year’s Silver Spur Media Award has had a tremendous impact on our community since 2005, when owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the first edition of Community Impact Newspaper in Pflugerville and Round Rock. At that time, there were three full-time employees and the company operated out of the game room in John’s house.
But their vision to build a company that would provide local news didn’t stop in Pflugerville and Round Rock. In the next three years, the company launched five new editions in Williamson and Travis counties – including the edition I receive, the Southwest Austin edition. Next, they launched the Northwest Houston edition in September 2009, reaching more than 105,000 homes and businesses in the fast-growing Cy-Fair area. And the growth continues. With last month’s launch of the Lake Travis/Westlake edition, readers in more than 442,000 homes and businesses in Central Texas now receive local news from Community Impact Newspaper. Who says print is dead!?!
In an era when daily newspapers are struggling for survival, Community Impact Newspaper is thriving. Its unique twist on providing useful, informative news that matters to its readers has made Community Impact Newspaper one of Texas’ fastest-growing news organizations. This continued growth is backed up by John and Jennifer’s commitment to building a company culture that strongly identifies with integrity and passion, and they are dedicated to cultivating strong employee relationships.
View past recipients
PRFT Educator of the Year
The Silver Spur Media Award recognizes contributions by a print or broadcast reporter/photographer/editor/producer or a print or broadcast outlet to a public affairs, public education or community relations program that benefitted the community and was also supported by professional public relations efforts. This award was given first in 1999.
2010 Recipient
Not Awarded
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