Communication programs, professionals honored at 2015 Silver Spike Awards ceremony

The Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America celebrated six individuals, four Silver Spike awards and a number of other awards during its 2015 Silver Spikes banquet, held Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino.

The 29th Annual Silver Spike Awards ceremony celebrated the PR and communications profession and professionals with the theme ‘Reimagine, Reinvent, Repurpose.’

“As communicators, it is our job to approach the classic craft of communications always with a modern and forward-thinking approach.” Alison Gaulden, APR, 2015 PRSA Sierra Nevada president, said. “And, I want to thank all who have done so much for the chapter and its continued success. Our community and industry are better for it."

Gaulden is also the internship coordinator and a journalism lecturer for the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism and Center for Advanced Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, and was recently recognized with the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. She was honored at the Silver Spikes banquet, and was initially presented the award at the PRSA International Conference in Atlanta, Ga., earlier this month.

The Sierra Nevada Chapter of PRSA was established in 1984 by a dozen public relations practitioners in northern Nevada. It was the second PRSA chapter in the state, complementing an older chapter based in Las Vegas and aimed at providing public relations practitioners in northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area with a closer professional connection to each other and to national public relations activities.

The Sierra Nevada Chapter is also bringing the PRSA North Pacific District Conference out of a nine-year retirement to “Reboot and Retool” in Reno, June 23-25, 2016.

Here is a complete list of awards honored at the #SilverSpikes15 event:

Individual Award Winners
Outstanding New Practitioner: Connie Anderson, account manager for The Abbi Agency
Mark Curtis Sr., Chapter Member of the Year: Natalie Savidge, senior communications specialist for the University of Nevada, Reno’s Marketing and Communications Department
Gold Spike Community Excellence: Stacy Kendall, M.A., director of communications and new media for Renown Health
Mark Twain Community Service: Mark Jensen, curator for the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden
Public Relations Hall of Fame: Anne McMillin, APR, public relations manager for the University of Nevada School of Medicine
Lifetime Achievement: Stephanie Kruse, president, chief strategist and found of KPS3

Silver Spike Awards Recipients
Programs: Special Events and Observances, 1 or 2 days
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe Opening
Bauserman Group

Programs: Community Relations
Project Medical Education Nevada
University of Nevada School of Medicine

Strategies and Tactics: Content Marketing
Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots
Renown Health

Strategies and Tactics: New/Emerging Technologies
North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail
The Abbi Agency

Bronze Spike Award Recipients
Programs: Overall Campaign
Travel Nevada Lures Millennials with Integrated Fall/Winter Campaign
TravelNevada

Programs: Special Events and Observances, 1 or 2 days
TravelNevada Hits the Big Apple: Immersive Media Reception
Travel Nevada

Programs: Special Events and Observances, 3 or more days
2015 Reno Rodeo
Bauserman Group

Programs: Special Events and Observances, 3 or more days
Tahoe Reno Golf Media Tour
Weidinger Public Relations

Strategies and Tactics: Audio, Video, Webcasts, etc.
2015 State of the County Video Release
Washoe County

Strategies and Tactics: Media Relations, Owned – Social Media
Truckee Meadows Community College Gift of Education
The Abbi Agency

Strategies and Tactics: Media Relations, Owned – Social Media
TravelNevada Harnesses the Power of User-Generated Content
TravelNevada

Strategies and Tactics: Media Relations, Paid – Online, Print, Digital
TravelNevada Paid Content Partnership Program
TravelNevada

Award of Excellence Winners
Programs: Overall Campaign
The 36th Star: Nevada’s Journey from Territory to State
Nevada Museum of Art

Programs: Overall Campaign
Server Technology’s Stay Powered Video Campaign
Server Technology

Programs: Overall Campaign
Transportation is Transformation
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Programs: Special Events and Observances, 1 or 2 days
Reno Ronald McDonald House Kitchen Opening
Ronald McDonald House

Programs: Special Events and Observances, 3 or more days
National Infant Immunization Week – Immunize Nevada
Estipona Group

Programs: Emergency or Crisis Programs
Measles Outbreak – Immunize Nevada
Estipona Group

Strategies and Tactics: Audio, Video, Webcasts, etc.
The Road Ahead with RTC Recurring News Segment
Regional Transportation Commission

Strategies and Tactics: Content Marketing
Offerpop Holiday Marketing 365 Campaign
The Abbi Agency

Strategies and Tactics: Media Relations, Owned – Social Media
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe Opening
Bauserman Group

Strategies and Tactics: Media Relations, Owned – Social Media
2015 Reno Rodeo
Bauserman Group

Best of Show
Programs
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe Opening
Bauserman Group

Strategies and Tactics
North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail
The Abbi Agency

Student Choice Award
North Lake Tahoe Ale Trail
The Abbi Agency

Connect with the Sierra Nevada PRSA chapter on Twitter @prsareno, on Facebook at PRSASierraNevada, online at prsareno.org or email info@prsasierra.org.

Photo information: Actors with Karen Burns Productions join Incoming Chapter President Amanda Horn, third from left, with Lifetime Achievement Award winner Stephanie Kruse, center, and co-emcee of the night Bob Felten, right of Kruse. Photo by Insight Studio, Inc.

— Natalie Savidge is the Vice President of Recognition, Sierra Nevada PRSA Chapter. She can be reached at nsavidge@unr.edu