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Minnesota PRSA Honors 2019 Local Achievements in Communications With Virtual Event
Padilla takes home Best of Show at 42nd annual Classics Awards; 32 other award winners formally recognized
MINNEAPOLIS (June 26, 2020) – For the first time ever, the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (Minnesota PRSA) celebrated the 42nd Annual PRSA Classics Awards virtually on June 25. The Classics Awards celebrates the best and brightest PR and communications efforts executed within the chapter’s territory, which includes Minnesota, the Dakotas and western Wisconsin.
“We wish we could have all come together in person but we wanted to still find a way to come together virtually and celebrate all of the great work that our colleagues have done,” said Dan Hauser, APR, and current president of the Minnesota PRSA chapter. “I’m so proud and grateful for the way that our chapter has come together to show support for one another and celebrate these incredible achievements. We are truly a community that comes together to support one another.”
During this year’s virtual ceremony, which was hosted by Kim Insley (Digital River) and Camille Hepola (City of Brooklyn Park), there were a total of 33 awards handed out, honoring professional achievements from 2019, with 29 awards recognizing outstanding communications programs and strategic communication elements and tactics, and two recognizing outstanding community work and two recognizing scholarships.
In a highlight of the ceremony, Weber Shandwick was a finalist in eight award categories with its campaign of Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights, taking home five awards. The initiative helped open the door to key sales meetings to targeted customers like Target, Walmart, Hormel and Cisco. Weber Shandwick is a New York-based communications firm with a large presence in Minneapolis that has clients such as Honeywell and Medtronic.
2019 Best of Show Award
Padilla took home this year’s Best of Show for Student’s Stories Shed Light on Health Inequities. The entry received the highest overall score. Padilla is a communications and marketing agency based in Minneapolis. The agency focuses on many different industries including, technology, food and beverage and higher education.
Donald G. Padilla Distinguished Practitioner Award
Minnesota PRSA recognized Medtronic’s Greg Zimprich, APR, PRSA Fellow, with the Donald G. Padilla Award. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession of public relations, has contributed to the mission of PRSA and has volunteered their time and talents toward making our community better. Zimprich, the 2019 Minnesota PRSA chapter president, was nominated for his leadership and outstanding PR contributions to organizations and higher education intuitions.
Rising Star Award
Katie Volney, of broadhead, received this year’s Rising Star Award. This award recognizes the passion of the next generation of PR leaders and awards a young professional with three to seven years of post-undergrad experience. Volney was nominated by colleagues for her commitment and dedicated learning of the PR profession.
Dr. Willard Thompson Scholarship
Gaokia Mindy Lee, a recent graduate of Metropolitan State University and part of the University of Minnesota Chapter, received a $2,000 scholarship through the Dr. Willard Thompson Scholarship program. Laura Kerwin, part of the University of Minnesota Chapter, was granted a $1,000 scholarship.
Student Classics Winners
News/Feature Writing
McKenna Fury, Minnesota State University, Mankato – Media day Press Kit
PR Campaigns
Augustana University – Augustana Sustainability
Personal Branding/Portfolio
Celeste Russell
Digital Projects
Augustana University – Sioux Falls Disability Awareness Commission Plan
Classics Awards Program Winners
Community Relations
Exponent PR– Hometown Pride: Powered Locally
Integrated Programs: B2B Products
Exponent PR – The Copernicus Project: the Future of Food Takes Center Stage at SXSW
Integrated Programs: Consumer Products
Exponent PR – Life is Butter in Vermont: The National Launch of Vermont Creamery
Integrated Programs: Consumer Services
Carmichael Lynch Relate – Hitched At Helzberg
Integrated Programs: Government/Non-Profit
FoodMinds, a division of Padilla – A Recipe for Success: Fruits and Veggies are Key Ingredients for Healthier, Happier Lives
Integrated Programs: Health Care
Padilla – The 16 Vaccine Educational Initiative
Internal Communications
Carmichael Lynch Relate – Hitched at Helzberg
International/Multicultural Public Relations
Padilla – Students’ Stories Shed Light on Health
Marketing Products
B2B: Weber Shandwick – Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights
Marketing Products: Consumer
Carmichael Lynch Relate – Igniting fan love for Post Hostess Twinkies Cereal
Public Services
Exponent PR – Proof Points: Affecting Change for Healthier Pregnancies
Reputation/Brand Management and Institutional Programs
broadhead – Beech-Nut Moms: Unlock the Power of Advocacy to Build Personal Brand Relationships
Special Events/Observances
Less than seven days/Budget greater than $20,000: Padilla– Timing is Everything: Making MEDA’s Million Dollar Challenge More Eventful
Less than seven days/Budget less than $20,000: Animal Humane Society – National Animal Shelter Week
More than seven days/Budget greater than $20,000: Carmichael Lynch Relate – Hitched at Helzberg
Strategic Communication Elements Awards
Annual Reports
Exponent PR – CHS Annual Report: Focused
Brand Research and Insights
Weber Shandwick – Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights
Content Marketing
Weber Shandwick – Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights
Creative PR Tactics
Carmichael Lynch Relate – Hitched at Helzberg
Digital Execution
Weber Shandwick – Creating Community through Conversations
Feature, Speech and Public Relations Writing
Weber Shandwick – Spotlighting Research with Xplore Innovation Spotlight
Influencer Outreach
Exponent PR – Harnessing the Power of Lawnfluencers
Media Relations
Budget greater than $20,000: Carmichael Lynch Relate – Igniting fan love for Post Hostess Twinkies
Budget less than $20,000: Animal Humane Society – Celebrating National Animal Shelter Week
Multimedia
Weber Shandwick– Operation: Newsletter
Newsletters
Weber Shandwick – Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights
Social Content Series
Exponent PR – Stepping Up to the Competition
Social Media Productions
Budget greater than $10,000: Exponent PR – Tag Responsibility, Keep Jackson Hole Wild
Special Purpose Publication
Weber Shandwick- Insight to Action: Driving Pork Demand with Actionable Insights
About Minnesota PRSA
Minnesota PRSA is the ninth-largest chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. A strong, active part of Minnesota’s communications community since 1953, Minnesota PRSA’s membership is comprised of nearly 300 corporate, agency, independent, non-profit and government public relations professionals from Minnesota, the Dakotas and western Wisconsin. Through its programs and services, Minnesota PRSA delivers on its mission of engaging members at every stage of their careers with the knowledge, resources and connections to achieve professional excellence, drive ethical and strategic outcomes, and advocate for the profession.