CHICAGO (June 11, 2014) — The Public Relations Society of America Chicago Chapter (PRSA Chicago) honored the best in Chicago public relations during the annual Skyline Awards Gala at the historic Chicago Cultural Center last night. Each year, the Skyline Awards recognizes the best communications practitioners, campaigns and tactics in the Chicagoland area.
Public Communications Inc. (PCI) and the National Society of Genetic Counselors took home the night’s top award, winning the “Best of Skylines” award for their entry titled, “Genetic Counselors Share the Spotlight with Angelina Jolie,” a campaign to clarify public understanding around genetic risk for breast cancer. Leveraging Angelina Jolie’s May 2013 The New York Times op-ed, the society worked with PCI to promote understanding around genetic counseling, catapulting the organization to the cover of numerous top-tier outlets. In addition to the “Best of Skylines” award, PRSA Chicago honored three individuals whose achievements and contributions in the field of public relations stood out during the last year.
- Marc Malnati, Owner, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, was recognized as Executive of the Year.
- Kathleen Henson, Founder and CEO, Henson Consulting, Inc., was named the Public Relations Professional of the Year
- Meghan O’Kelly, Corporate Relations Division Manager — Midwest Region, Allstate Insurance Company, received the Young Professional of the Year Award.
“The Skylines Gala is a wonderful opportunity to learn from and network with Chicagoland PR industry leaders, as well as celebrate the year’s top talent,” said Mary Gura, PRSA Chicago board president and a senior vice president at Edelman. “We are pleased by the caliber of nominations we receive each year, and it was our pleasure to honor the well-deserved achievements of each honoree last night.”
For more information and a full list of 2014 award winners, visit www.prsachicago.com.
About PRSA Chicago
PRSA Chicago is the fourth largest chapter in the country. The chapter was founded in 1948 to provide professionals with programs and activities designed to meet their needs for professional development and networking. Today, it’s nearly 500 members represent a cross-section of industries, with a diverse mix of Fortune 100 corporations, public relations agencies, associations and non-profit organizations. The goal of PRSA Chicago is to advance the profession of public relations, promote high professional and ethical standards and build the reputation of the profession in the Chicago area.
As part of PRSA Chicago, members have access to the national Public Relations Society of America, the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into more than 100 chapters nationwide, and includes 19 Professional Interest Sections and 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 nearly 300 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
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