LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Finalists and special honorees for the 50th Annual PRism Awards were announced today by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA). The awards will be presented at the PRism Awards Golden Anniversary Gala on Wednesday, November 19 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
This year’s awards ceremony will be emceed by actor, television personality and author John O’Hurley, best known for playing eccentric mail-order magnate J. Peterman on “Seinfeld,” hosting “Family Feud” and Purina’s annual “National Dog Show,” and making it to the final round (and winning a special audience-judged competition) on the first season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Less well known is the fact that O’Hurley worked as a PR professional and was a member of PRSA before he began his show business career.
“The PRism Awards gala is the biggest night of the year for the PR profession in Los Angeles, and we’re beyond excited that we’ll be celebrating our golden anniversary with one of the most entertaining and experienced emcees on the planet,” said PRSA-LA President Erik Deutsch. “It will be a very special evening to honor our award winners, our organization and our industry in true Hollywood style.”
Deutsch also noted that this year’s PRism Awards will be held in the very same location (the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Blossom Ballroom) that hosted the first Oscars in 1927. “Attendees will feel a sense of history as we pay tribute to the PRism’s past, present and future,” he added.
This year’s competition drew more than 200 entries, making it one of the largest and most competitive in the PRism’s 50-year history. The complete list of competitive category finalists is available at http://prsala.org/awards-programs/prism-awards/prism-finalists/.
In addition to awarding winners in the various judged categories, PRSA-LA will also present seven PRism Special Awards to honorees selected by a committee of senior PRSA-LA board members.
This year’s Special Award Honorees are:
PR Professional of the Year
Howard Bragman
Reputation.com;
Fifteen Minutes Public Relations
PR Team of the Year
SpaceX
Outstanding Achievement in Public Affairs
Steven Nissen
NBCUniversal
Corporate Citizen of the Year
Disney
Outstanding Achievement in Publicity
CicLAvia
Joseph Roos Community Service Award
Denis Wolcott
The
Wolcott Company
Outstanding News Professional
Rich DeMuro
KTLA-TV
The PRism Awards program was established in 1964 to recognize excellence in public relations campaigns and tactics by PR pros across Greater Los Angeles. It is the PR industry’s version of the Oscars, and among the longest-running award programs hosted by any PRSA chapter. PRisms are presented in a wide range of categories, from best product launch and story placement to crisis communications and social media execution.
The PRism Awards program joins such illustrious milestones as the introduction of the Ford Mustang, the Beatles’ U.S. debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and the passage of The Civil Rights Act in marking its golden anniversary this year.
“And like all of these milestones, the PRism Awards keep getting better with age,” Deutsch said.
More details about the 50th Annual PRism Awards gala, including ticket and sponsorship information, is available at http://prsala.org/awards-programs/prism-awards/prism-awards-show/.
PRSA-LA chapter sponsors include GOLIN, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Time Warner Cable, Business Wire, UCLA Extension and Cunard.
About PRSA-LA
PRSA is the largest public relations organization in the world, with more than 21,000 members nationwide. The Los Angeles chapter (PRSA-LA) is the fifth largest in the country, with nearly 600 agency, in-house and independent PR professionals across the Greater L.A. region. Incorporated in 1948 as one of PRSA’s first five founding chapters, PRSA-LA provides members with a wide range of benefits including chapter events, educational and networking programs, advocacy and professional development resources. More information is available at prsala.org.
