Vegas Buzz

Public Relations Society of America - Las Vegas Valley Chapter Recognizes the
        Best and Brightest in Public Relations Strategies and Tactics

    LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Las Vegas Valley Chapter of the
Public Relations Society of America honored the best and brightest in public
relations strategies and tactics on Thursday, Nov. 3.  Showcasing an
outstanding field of entries for the ninth annual awards ceremony were ties
for the Best of Tools and Techniques and the Best of Show.  Vanguard Media
Group for "Go Figure," the Utah Arts Festival media kit, and The Stratosphere
Casino and Preferred Public Relations for "The Insanity Scream Box" shared
honors for the Best of Tools and Techniques.
    In another tie for Best of Show for Public Relations Program was the
Southern Nevada Water Authority's Public Information and Conservation
Divisions for "Water Smart: Drought Communications Campaign" and Purdue Marion
and Associates for the Donna Pal Explorer Post.
    A special award, the Roger Buehrer Lifetime Achievement Award, was
presented to Vicki Taylor, APR who recently retired from the City of
Henderson.  Ms. Taylor was presented the award in recognition for her more
than 30 years in the profession shaping the field of business communications
and government public information, not only in Las Vegas, but nationally as
well.  The award is named after Las Vegas' only PRSA member who is both
accredited in public relations and a member of the PRSA College of Fellows,
Roger Buehrer, who currently works for the Las Vegas Valley Water District.
    Pinnacle entries are accepted in two categories: public relations programs
and tools and techniques.  Three award levels are presented, Award of Merit,
Award of Excellence, and Pinnacle Award.  Best of Show awards are given to the
top entries in each category.  The chapter has also implemented individual
awards recognizing outstanding practitioners for Newcomer of the Year (been in
full-time practice for less than five years) and Principal of the Year (an
established practitioner who is recognized for exceptional leadership and
professional accomplishments during the previous year).
    Shannon Hiller of the Vanguard Media Group was honored as the Newcomer of
the Year and Paula Yakubik of MassMedia Public Relations was recognized as the
Principal of the Year.
    "The purpose of the Pinnacle Awards is to recognize the best and brightest
in public relations strategies and tactics in our local community," said
Paulette Mudrak, 2005 Director-At-Large for the Pinnacle Awards.  "This is the
third year we have welcomed public relations practitioners from southern Utah
and northern Arizona to compete with southern Nevada practitioners for top
honors in the area's only annual awards program exclusively recognizing
excellence in public relations."
    The 2005 Pinnacle Awards winners for Public Relations Programs are as
follows:

    Community Relations Programs
    * Purdue Marion and Associates for the Donna Pal Explorer Post

    Marketing Communications
    * MassMedia for the One Queensridge Place Launch
    * Stratosphere Casino and Preferred Public Relations and Marketing team
      for the Stratosphere Casino Insanity Thrill Ride Launch

    Public Service
    * The Southern Nevada Water Authority's Public Information and
      Conservation Divisions for "Water Smart:  Drought Communications
      Campaign"

    Quick Turnaround Programs
    * GES Exposition Services and the Rose/Glenn Group for the "2004 Teamsters
      Strike"
    * The Bureau of Land Management for the "Goodsprings Fire Initial
      Outreach"

    Special Events, $25,000 and above
    * Reach Communications Group for BankWest of Nevada and Las Vegas Monorail
      Banking on Billboard and ATM Campaign

    For entries in the Public Relations Tools and Techniques categories:

    Annual Reports
    * Cox Communications and Faiss Foley Warren Public Relations for Cox
      Communications' 2003 Annual Report
    * Boyd Gaming for the "Experience Boyd Gaming Annual Report 2004," Jessica
      McCann, Rob Stillwell and Rain Visual and Strategy

    Brochures
    * The Las Vegas Springs Preserve for its Cultural History Fair brochure

    Direct Mail
    * The Southern Nevada Authority for its Water Smart Calendar

    Feature Articles
    * Betsy Ward of R&R Partners for the article "Pied Piper of Las Vegas
      Seems to Have Perfect Pitch"

    Internet Sites
    * PBS&J Public Outreach and the Nevada Department of Transportation for
      the I-515 Corridor Study website
    * The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and R&R Partners for
      visitlasvegas.com

    Intranet Sites
    * Sierra Health Services and Jeanine Colini Design Associates for the
      redesign of Sierra's InSite

    Magazines
    * Southwest Gas Corporation and Third Degree Burns Advertising and Design
      for "Gaslight" Magazine

    Media Kits
    * R&R Partners for the Bathhouse Spa Media Kit
    * Vanguard Media Group for "Go Figure" -- the Utah Arts Festival media kit

    News Article
    * The Schadler Kramer Group for "L'Auberge du Lac Hotel and Casino,"
      published in the Houston Chronicle

    Newsletters, Three colors or more
    * The Southern Nevada Water Authority, for "Water Smart by Design"
      newsletter

    News magazine, video or show
    * The Southern Nevada Water Authority for "Water Ways"

    Pitch Materials
    * The Stratosphere Casino and Preferred Public Relations for "The Insanity
      Scream Box"

    Public Relations Campaign Advertising
    * The Clark County Regional Flood Control District and RW Advertising for
      its "Flood Safety Advertising Campaign 2004"

    Videos for External Audiences
    * The Clark County Department of Aviation for its Traveler Information
      Prescreening Series

    The Pinnacle Awards are judged by out-of-state, accredited PRSA members
with previous judging experience and exceptional personal public relations
practitioner accomplishments.  This year the four judges, all accredited and
one a member of the PRSA College of Fellows, came from California, Wisconsin,
Illinois and Louisiana to review nearly 100 Pinnacle Award entries on Oct. 1.

    About the Public Relations Society of America -- Las Vegas Valley Chapter
(PRSA-LVVC)
    The Las Vegas Valley Chapter of PRSA (http://www.prsalasvegas.com) was formed
with six members in 1975 when it was called the Nevada Chapter of PRSA.  The
chapter has grown to include 147 members and is operated by a 17-member
volunteer board governed by local and national bylaws.  PRSA-LVVC provides a
variety of benefits including monthly luncheon seminars with guest speakers,
professional development workshops, continuing education certification in
partnership with UNLV, the Pinnacle Awards, scholarships for local college and
university public relations students, a job bank, membership directory and
mixers.

    About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
    The Public Relations Society of America (http://www.prsa.org), based in New York
City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals.
The Society has more than 28,000 professional and student members.  PRSA is
organized into 114 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections
along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling
firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations,
hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 266 Chapters at
colleges and universities throughout the United States.

    Media Contact
    Melody Cannon, PRSA-LVVC VP of Administration, at 702-822-8648 or
    admin@prsalasvegas.com