Gold Coast PR Council Announces Bernays Award Winners 2015

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Feb. 2, 2015 - PRLog -- Gold Coast PR Council Announces

Winners of 11th Annual Bernays Awards

(Boca Raton, FL – February 2, 2015) The Gold Coast PR Council (GCPRC) announced the winners of the 2015 Bernays Awards honoring local excellence in PR & marketing. More than 80 public relations and media professionals attended the luncheon, which was held on January 30 at Boca Dunes Golf & Country Club, with Andy Preston, the Music Director/Assistant Program Director for 98.7 The Gater, and Amy Woods, columnist for The Coastal Star serving as Co-Emcees.

Following is a list of this year’s Bernays Award winners in eight competitive categories and four additional recipients selected by GCPRC’s Board of Directors and the seven judges:

+ Best Nonprofit/Charity Project or Campaign - Large

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR PALM BEACH AND MARTIN COUNTIES & UNITED WAY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

"Great Give"

The award was presented by Marilyn Bauer, Director of Marketing & Government Affairs for the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and accepted by Alexia Savage, Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy at the United Way.

+ Best PR Campaign By a Small Company or Firm

DURÉE & COMPANY

Patricia & Phillip Frost Museum of Science

Dan Shube, Chief Marketing Officer for Labor Finders International, presented the award to Durée Ross, President of Durée & Company.

+ Best Crisis Management

THE PALM BEACH POPS

"After the Maestro"

Lisa DeLaRionda from Palm Beach County Public Affairs presented the award to Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane, Executive Director of The Palm Beach Pops.

+ Best PR Campaign By a Large Company or Firm

THE COLONY HOTEL, PALM BEACH

"The Re-Imagining & Re-Opening"

Marta Weinstein, The Colony’s Director of Sales & Marketing, accepted the Bernays Award from Elizabeth Kelley Grace, Partner/Co-Founder of The Buzz Agency.

+ Judges Award

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR PALM BEACH AND MARTIN COUNTIES & UNITED WAY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

"Great Give"

The award was presented by Mary Kate Leming, Executive Editor of The Coastal Star, and Michelle Noga, Publisher of Florida Weekly, and accepted by Alexia Savage, Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy at the United Way.

+ Best Nonprofit/Charity Project or Campaign - Small

3E CONNECTIONS

"#FlockTheBlock"

Alexya Williams from 3E Connections accepted the award from Margie Yansura, President of Wordsmith Communications.

+ Best Internal Communications

JM FAMILY ENTERPRISES

"We're Off on a Hubcation"

GCPRC Board Member Pilar Portella from Business Wire, presented the Bernays Award to Kimberly Agnello from JM Family Enterprises.

+ Founders Award

JULIE MULLEN

Jeanne Epstein, a former President of GCPRC, presented the award to the organization’s outgoing president, a Partner/Co-Founder of The Buzz Agency.

+ Best Marketing Materials

CONSTITUTIONAL TAX COLLECTOR, PALM BEACH COUNTY

"Photo Frames"

The award was presented to Andrea DiFonte from the office of the Constitutional Tax Collector, by graphic designer Deborah Bottorff and PR guru Jay Van Vechten

+ Best Social Media Campaign

THE BUZZ AGENCY

"SunFest 2014"

Durée Ross, President of Durée & Company, presented the award to Alex Bimonte, Director of Social Media at The Buzz Agency.

+ PR Star Award

DELRAY BEACH MARKETING COOPERATIVE

Melissa Carter from Delray Center of the Arts accepted the award on behalf of the DBMC.

+ Best Special Event

CULTURAL COUNCIL OF PALM BEACH COUNTY

"The Governor's Conference 2014"

Kathi Kretzer, President of Kretzer Piano Music Foundation, presented the award to Marilyn Bauer from the Cultural Council.

+ President's Award

JOHN & MARGARET MARY SHUFF

GCPRC's outgoing President Julie Mullen presented the prestigious President’s Award to Margaret Mary Shuff, Co-Founder of JES Publishing, which launched Boca Magazine in 1981 and also publishes Delray Magazine, Worth Avenue, the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce Annual and Mizner’s Dream for the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

The next monthly lunch meeting of the Gold Coast PR Council will be Tuesday, February 17, at 11:30 am. The topic is "Reporters/Editors You Need to Know" and the scheduled speakers are Heather Carney, Manging Editor of Gulfstream Media Group, and Arlene Satchell, Business/Hospitality/Tourism Reporter for the Sun-Sentinel. Please RSVP by February 13 to: gcprc@aol.com. The cost to attend is $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers.

About the Gold Coast PR Council:

GCPRC is South Florida’s largest independent organization of public relations, marketing and communications professionals in Palm Beach, Broward and Martin Counties. For more information about the organization and upcoming lunch meetings, please visit GoldCoastPRCouncil.com.

Media Contact:

Gary Schweikhart

PR-BS, Inc.

561.756.4298

gary@pr-bs.net