RALEIGH, N.C. – (June 18, 2009) – The Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) is proud to announce the winners of the 2009 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication. The award ceremony, held June 16 at the Marbles Kids Museum, commemorated the 50th anniversary of RPRS and featured entrepreneur, author and worldwide connector Peter Shankman as the keynote speaker.

The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards annual competition recognizes exemplary work by statewide public relations and communications practices that have achieved excellence in the field from small, independent organizations to full-service agencies. To ensure an independent, unbiased winner selection, entries are judged by an out-of-state association similar in size and scope to RPRS. This year’s awards were judged by members of the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a network of public relations professionals from Alabama, north Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

“As the Triangle’s public relations landscape continues to advance, RPRS is proud of its role in strengthening the market through developing a closely-knit community that works to continuously educate each other,” said Joe Mecca, president of RPRS. “This year’s ceremony celebrated a 50-year commitment to excellence in communication, and the caliber of entries were truly representative of this market’s distinction in the field of public relations.”

RPRS also presented Ray Hornak, senior vice president of The Catevo Group, with the 2009 Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award is given annually to an individual who has made meaningful contributions to the field of public relations over the course of a career. It is given in memory of the late Watt Huntley, who served as public relations chief at Carolina Power & Light in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Huntley also served as president of the Raleigh Public Relations Society.

“I’m thrilled to see Ray honored as this year’s Watt Huntley Award recipient,” said Mecca. “While the recognition is for the achievements of his own career, Ray’s impact on the industry will be seen for decades.”

“Since I first met him, every conversation we’ve had has been a learning experience for me and seeing his positive influence on the career development of so many of my peers is an assurance that Ray is a prized asset to our profession.”

This year’s event partners contributed greatly to making the RPRS 50th anniversary a big hit. The event featured services from presenting sponsor Theo Davis Printing as well as Missy McLamb Photography, Balloons & Tunes andRevolution Sports.

Sir Walter Raleigh Award winners, presented in six divisions and 24 categories, are as follows:

BEST IN DIVISION AWARDS

The best in division trophies were awarded to the single highest-scoring entry in each division, regardless of category. In the event of a tie score, a panel of judges selected which of the entries stood above the rest.

Division I – Total Communications/Community Relations Campaign

• Riders “Calls” for Editorial Attendance at “SmartClothes” Event, French West Vaughan

Division II – Publications

• Project Gecko Presented by Zilla, Howard, Merrell & Partners

Division III – Public Relations Writing

• National Humanities Center, Howard, Merrell & Partners

Division IV – Audio/Visual Communications

• Raytheon Integrated Scenarios, The Catevo Group

Division V – More Bang for the Buck

• 2008 Ridgewood Turkey Trot, Articulon

DIVISION I – TOTAL CAMPAIGN

Category 1, Promotional Campaigns

Honorable Mention: Wrangler Take Media for a Ride to Leverage Dale Earnhardt Jr. Sponsorship, French West Vaughan

Silver: Building a Green Reputation for Skanska USA, Inc., The Catevo Group

Gold: Speedo Makes a Splash for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, French West Vaughan

Category 2, Organizational Identity Campaign

Honorable Mention: Campbell Law School: On The Move, French West Vaughan

Silver: Splat! The Opening of the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham, The Catevo Group

Gold: Project Gecko Presented by Zilla, Howard, Merrell & Partners

Category 3, Political Issue/Candidate Program

Silver: PEFNC Special Needs Education Campaign, S&A Cherokee

Gold: 2nd Smallest County in North Carolina Fights the Navy, French West Vaughan

Category 5, Crisis Communications

Silver: Vote “Yes” for Pro Rodeo by Voting “No” to Cowboys, Inc., French West Vaughan

Category 6, Special Events

Honorable Mention: Butterball, LLC: Headquarters Grand Opening, Howard, Merrell & Partners

Silver: CORDURA Brand Great Winter Market Scavenger Hunt Howard, Merrell & Partners

Gold Award: Riders “Calls” for Editorial Attendance at “SmartClothes” Event, French West Vaughan

DIVISION II – PUBLICATIONS

Category 7b, Annual or Special Reports in three or more colors

Honorable Mention: City of Raleigh, Community Development Department Annual Report, Articulon

Silver: We are Campbell 2008 University Report, Campbell University

Category 8, Brochures, Handbooks or Guidebooks

Honorable Mention, Brochure, Handbook or Guidebook in three or more colors: The Right Tools for the Job: Syngenta Cotton Toolbox Direct Mail Series, Gibbs & Soell, Inc.

Gold, Best Brochure, Handbook or Guidebook is: NC State University Catering Menu, S&A Cherokee

Category 9, Newsletters

Honorable Mention: “The Grain Bin Retailer E-newsletter: The One-stop Shop for Timely Agronomic Information, Gibbs & Soell, Inc.

Category 10, Magazines

Silver: Meredith Magazine, Meredith College

Gold: Thrive Magazine, Gibbs & Soell, Inc.

Category 11, Media Kits

Honorable Mention: P.S. We’ve Got You Covered, French West Vaughan

Category 12, Open Category (Any print collateral that was of a public relations nature but did not fit neatly into one of the other categories)

Silver: In a Neat Little Package: the Reintroduction of Blue Points, The Catevo Group

Gold Award: Project Gecko Presented by Zilla, Howard, Merrell & Partners

DIVISION THREE – PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING

Category 13, Opinion or Feature Writing

Honorable Mention: Butterball, LLC: Battling for Balance in Feed and Fuel Policy, Howard, Merrell & Partners

Category 14, News Releases

Silver: National Humanities Center, Howard, Merrell & Partners

DIVISON FOUR – AUDIO/VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

Category 16, Audio/Visual Presentations

Gold: Raytheon Integrated Scenarios, The Catevo Group

DIVISION FIVE – MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK

Category 21, Special Events or Campaigns

Honorable Mention: SearStone Paint Out, S&A Cherokee

Silver: Women of Western Wake Luncheon, S&A Cherokee

Gold: 2008 Ridgewood Turkey Trot, Articulon

DIVISION SIX: STUDENT ENTRIES

Honorable Mention: Equine Extravaganza Public Relations Plan, NCSU PRSSA