Local Public Relations Professionals Recognized with Image Awards

The Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (CWC-FPRA) recognized the area's best work in public relations achievements at its "Image Awards Luncheon: Mining for Diamonds" on April 19. The local Image Awards competition is conducted annually to recognize outstanding public relations programs in the area and to encourage and promote the development of the public relations profession. Winners are recognized for their excellence in sound public relations research and planning as well as production, execution and evaluation of results, including budget.

The winners of the 2017 Grand Image Awards are:

• Division A: Public Relations Programs: Mischa Kirby, APR, and Darren Erickson for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' "Love is in the Air" corpse plant duAl Bloom campaign.
• Division B: Printed Tools of Public Relations: Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Inc., for its annual report
• Division C: Online, Audio or Audio/Visual Presentation or Program: Coldwell Banker NRT for its #CBGETSIT campaign.

Other winners included Visit Sarasota County for its "Tourism Fights Hunger" campaign; Southwest Florida Water Management District for its Flatford Swamp Aquifer Recharge Outreach campaign; Kim Livengood of the Eclipse Agency for the International BMX SuperCross World Cup campaign and the Tervis Super Bowl Championship products campaign; Mote Marine Laboratory's Community Relations and Communications Department for "Otters & Their Waters: Exploring a Florida Ecosystem" campaign; Suzanne Dameron, APR, CPRC, Judith Bell, and Carisa Campanella for Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's "A Better Approach to Parkinson's: Transforming a Brand through Publicity" campaign; Cheray Keyes-Shima and Megan Hart of KSC Inc. for their Dealer Communications campaign; Alyssa Holcomb for Circus Arts' 20th anniversary gala program book; Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Inc., for the "House that Golf Built" campaign; and Mischa Kirby, APR and Emily Lane for the Selby Gardens visitor introduction video project.

"We're honored to recognize the best communicators in our area at this event," says Elise Ramer, director of Image Awards for the CWC-FPRA, and a multi-Image Award winner. "The Image Awards have become a standard of public relations excellence in the state. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design." Ramer adds that participation in the Image Awards is not required to enter at the statewide level, in the FPRA's Golden Image Awards. Entries due by May 30, 2017.

The Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association meets monthly for professional development luncheons and networking. Visit www.cwcfpra.com for the latest details.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The organization's 16 professional and 12 student chapters provide professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for nearly 1,500 members across the state. FPRA is the nation's oldest public relations organization, established by Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC in 1938. For more information, visit www.fpra.org.

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