Best of Show for Sandy Hillman Communications as PRSA Maryland Bestows 47 Awards at Virtual ‘Best in Maryland’

The Public Relations Society of America Maryland Chapter bestowed 47 Best in Maryland awards in 26 categories, including a new Covid-19 category, as well as five professional awards during a virtual gala and awards show held on December 10, 2020.

For the second year in a row, the Best in Show award was presented to Sandy Hillman Communications, this year for “Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.”

Crosby Marketing Communications, a Capitol Communicator sponsor, and Maryland Auto Insurance tied for the most awards, with seven each.

The awards program was emceed by Tia Malloy, following an introduction by outgoing chapter President Lisa Brusio Coster, in photo, who kicked off the event in a video from Mad Chef Kitchen and Bar in Ellicott City, Md, demonstrating how to make a Rudolph the Margarita.

Professional Awards

Lifetime Achievement (20+ years) – Kenneth R. Smith, APR (in photo with Lisa Coster)

Paul E. Welsh (10+ years) – Courtney Benhoff

Partner of Distinction – Beyond Definition

Educator of the Year – Melanie Formentin, Towson University

PR Team of the Year – Abel Communications

 Best in Maryland Award Winners

Programs

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Best in Maryland: HASA Partners with BOPA as “Access and Inclusion Partner” – Abel Communications

Award of Excellence: Community Comes First in West Baltimore Hospital Acquisition – LifeBridge Health

COVID-19 COMMUNICATIONS

Best in Maryland: Promoting COVID-19 Relief Fund to Support America’s Veterans – DAV and Crosby Marketing

Award of Excellence: Helping the Military Community Navigate the Impacts of COVID-19 – Military OneSource and Crosby Marketing

Award of Excellence: United Way of Central Maryland’s COVID-19 Communications – Sandy Hillman Communications

EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES < 7 DAYS

Best in Maryland / Best in Show: Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – Sandy Hillman Communications

Award of Excellence: Project Sanctuary Comes to Maryland – Devaney & Associates, Inc.

Award of Excellence: St. John Properties $10M Bonus Announcement – Planit

EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES > 7 DAYS

Best in Maryland: Made Possible By Viewers Like You: Celebrating 50 Years of MPT – Maryland Public Television

Award of Excellence: Work Zone Safety – Maryland State Highway Administration

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS

Best in Maryland: DAV Victories for Veterans PSA Campaign – Crosby Marketing and DAV

Award of Excellence: “Designed by Moms” Family Birthplace Campaign – Devaney & Associates, Inc.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Best in Maryland: I’m Dedicated to my C.R.A.F.T. – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company

MARKETING

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

Award of Excellence: BGE Fairy Tale Campaign – Baltimore Gas & Electric

Award of Excellence: Maryland 529 Marketing Campaign – The Hatcher Group

MULTICULTURAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

PUBLIC SERVICE

Best in Maryland: #StopScammersSunday – BGE

Award of Excellence: Active Shooter Preparedness Seminars – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company

Award of Excellence: MD Move Over Campaign – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company

Components

ADVERTORIALS

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

ANNUAL REPORTS

Best in Maryland: Tuerk House 2018-2019 Annual Report – Devaney & Associates, Inc.

BEST USE OF INFLUENCER COMMUNICATION

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

BROCHURES – Print

Best in Maryland: E-ZPass Maryland: The Broulder – Van Eperen

Award of Excellence: MD Move Over Pamphlet – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company

CREATIVE TACTICS – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt

Best in Maryland: E-ZPass Maryland on Wheels – Van Eperen

Award of Excellence: Washington Dulles International Airport Takeover – Kaiser Permanente and Crosby Marketing

CREATIVE TACTICS – For Profit

Best in Maryland: Conrad Siegel’s “Investment Committee Meeting in a Box” – Abel Communications

EDITORIALS/OP-ED COLUMNS

Award of Excellence: State Highway Administrator Appeals to Drivers Approaching Work Zones – Maryland State Highway Administration

FEATURE STORIES

Best in Maryland: United Way of Central Maryland’s FISH Project – Sandy Hillman Communications

MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS – Digital

Best in Maryland: Photo Solutions – Coyle Studios

MEDIA RELATIONS – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt

Best in Maryland: Reading Partners – Collins + Co.

Award of Excellence: Ingenuity Project Media Relations Campaign – Devaney & Associates, Inc.

Award of Excellence: NAA’s Rent Control & Housing Affordability Media Relations Campaign – Abel Communications

MEDIA RELATIONS – For Profit

Award of Excellence: Live! Casino & Hotel’s Chef Ed Competes on Chopped – Stanton Communications, and Live! Casino & Hotel

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSA)

Best in Maryland: DAV Victories for Veterans — Bobby & Carmen PSA – Crosby Marketing and DAV

Award of Excellence: The Good In You PSA – Crosby Marketing and HRSA

PUBLICATIONS

Best in Maryland: 2020 Scholarly Journals Catalog – Johns Hopkins University Press

RESEARCH/ EVALUATION

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

SOCIAL MEDIA – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt

Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

Award of Excellence: MilSpouse Appreciation Day – Crosby Marketing and Military OneSource

Award of Excellence: Move Over Law Safety Campaign – Maryland State Highway Administration

VIDEOS

Best in Maryland: Afya Video – The Hatcher Group

Award of Excellence: Virtual Ribbon Cutting for Watkins Mill Interchange – Maryland State Highway Administration

WEBSITES

Best in Maryland: Secom, LLC Website Redesign – IMPACT Marketing & Public Relations

Award of Excellence: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance

Award of Excellence: New Project Portal Explains Highway Construction – Maryland State Highway Administration

BIM 20 sponsors included Abel Communications, Bay Media, Inc., Hatcher, HBP, incoming president David Marshall, Ph.D, Pixilated, and Researchscape.

The Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America was established in 1961 to help public relations and communications professionals stay connected professionally and personally. As part of the nation’s largest organization of communication professionals, PRSA Maryland offers networking, training, resources and support to help members in their practice of public relations. For more information, visit www.prsamd.org.