Georgia Chapter-PRSA's Annual Awards Celebration Gala

ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America will hold its annual awards celebration gala on Thursday, November 3, 2011, at the Cobb Energy Center, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110308/CL60927LOGO )

The festive evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction of items donated by Chapter members and their companies and organizations.

At 7 p.m., the dinner begins and the program shortly thereafter.

Winners will be celebrated for some 90 public relations projects and another 65 public relations programs from the past year.

Five local Chapter award winners will be named, by level of experience in the field:

• Judy Wicks, APR, will be named the Radiant Star in memory of Dyar Massey.  This award recognizes a Chapter member with more than 20 years of experience.  Wicks is vice president of Fiserv Inc.
• Don Rountree, president of Rountree Group Integrated Communications, will be awarded the Luminary Star Award, for a member with 13 to 19 years of experience in public relations.
• Neil Hirsch, APR, will be awarded the Shining Star Award, reflecting six to 12 years of experience in public relations.  Hirsch is manager, North American Communications at Novelis, Inc.
• Morgan Sapp, an advancement associate at the Swift School, will receive the Rising Star Award, given to a member with five or fewer years of experience.
• Julie Ralston, communications director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, will be awarded the George Goodwin Award.  This award recognizes a Chapter member for significant contributions to the community through volunteer service.  The award is named for George Goodwin, a 66-year veteran of PR whose community service helped shape the city of Atlanta, who is known nationally as "the dean of PR people."

The sixth Chapter award will go to Mickey Nall, APR, Fellow PRSA, who will be honored with the Georgia Chapter's highest honor and who will become the newest member of the Order of the Phoenix and thus enters into the PRSA|GA Hall of Fame. 

Nall is managing director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in Atlanta.  He was also just elected to be PRSA's 2013 chair and CEO at the national organization's annual conference in Orlando, FL, and is a member of PRSA's board of directors.

"During this challenging time in our industry and with the global financial crisis, it's important that we identify and celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues.

"Together, more than 350 attendees will recognize their peers in public relations who went above and beyond the call for their clients and were chosen for best practices in the industry," said Karla G. Harvill, PRSA|GA Chapter president.

The Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (www.prsageorgia.org), the second-largest chapter in the national society, consists of some 850 professionals throughout Georgia.  Its mission is to enhance the profession, provide continuing education and offer networking opportunities for its members.

The Chapter has regular monthly meetings and seminars, an Annual Conference for professionals and Real World PR, an annual collegiate conference.  Nine Special Interest Groups meet at various times and the Chapter supports nine PRSSA (student society) chapters.

CONTACT:  Denise Grant at www.prsageorgia.org or 770-440-6369.

SOURCE Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America