FPRA Ocala News Releases

FPRA Ocala Chapter Awards Communicator of the Year, PACEsetter, and More

Media Contact:
Danielle Veenstra
VP of Communications
M: 352.817.4327
[email protected]

 

Ocala, FL (SEPT. 9, 2024) – The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Ocala Chapter held its Annual Awards Banquet and Gala on Friday, August 30, at the Appleton Museum of Art. The elegant event celebrated the achievements of communication professionals and recognized the contributions of chapter members and community leaders.

Set against the backdrop of the museum’s renowned collections, guests enjoyed a sophisticated evening featuring fine dining and desserts amid twinkling lights and exquisite art. Attendees donned glamorous attire, from glittering gowns to velvet tuxedos, enhancing the night’s ambiance.

The second half of the evening saw the installation of the 2024-2025 board of directors by former FPRA State President Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC. A significant moment was the unveiling of the Beverly Brown, APR Legacy Scholarship fund, which honors the memory of a beloved chapter member and supports future public relations professionals in the Ocala area.

Awards Recognitions:

  • FPRA Ocala Individual Communicator of the Year Award: Tammy Gantt from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owner’s Association was recognized for the work she completed for the protection and advocacy of horse farms in Marion County. Her work advanced the field of public relations and upheld ethical standards critical to the communications industry.
  • FPRA Ocala Institutional Communicator of the Year Award: 352Today received the COTY award for its ability to provide timely, accurate, and critical information to the community, while demonstrating a mastery of communication skills and strategies.
  • FPRA Ocala Chapter Outstanding Member Award: Wendy Williams from the Early Learning Coalition of Marion County, Inc., was honored for her exceptional support, mentorship, and advancement of the chapter’s goals.
  • FPRA Ocala Chapter Toni James, APR, CPRC PACEsetter of the Year Award:
    • Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC: Recognized for his dedication to lifelong learning and leadership over two decades. As a mentor and strategist, Christian’s contributions to the public relations field have earned national recognition.
    • Greg Davis: Celebrated for his transformative leadership, commitment to excellence, and ability to balance visionary leadership with genuine care for colleagues and the community.
    • Following his installation as Chapter President, Davis honored Immediate Past-President Lindsay Tozer with the PACEsetter of the Year Award, acknowledging her deep love for FPRA and her involvement at both the chapter and state levels.
  • FPRA Ocala Chapter Lifetime Achievement in Communications Award: Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC, received this prestigious award, marking only the fourth time it has been presented. Christian’s unwavering dedication and exemplary service to Marion County Public Schools, as well as his leadership roles in FPRA and other organizations, set a high standard for the profession.

Additional Honors:

  • Joe Curley APR, CPRC Rising Leader Award: Greg Davis was named the statewide 2024 recipient at the FPRA 85th PR & Comms Summit. The award recognizes emerging leaders showing dedication, innovation, and active involvement in organizational activities.
  • FPRA State President’s Awards: Lindsay Tozer was honored with the President’s Award for Furthering the Profession and the President’s Award for Leadership Development, reflecting her significant contributions to advancing public relations and developing leadership within the chapter.
  • FPRA 65th Golden Image Awards:
    • Awards of Distinction: Kristina Donohue, APR (Kimberly’s Cottage) and Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC (COX Communications) received recognition for their outstanding submissions.
    • Pinnacle Award: Tom Hyle and his team at the Southwest Water Management District were honored as the inaugural winners for a government agency.

The FPRA Ocala Chapter extends its heartfelt gratitude to all members, honorees, and nominees who made the event memorable. Special thanks go to our generous Gala sponsors, including Tall Tail Communications LLC, whose support made the evening possible.

###

 

FPRA Ocala Chapter to Host Annual Banquet and Communicator of the Year Awards

Media Contact:
Danielle Veenstra
VP of Communications
M: 352.817.4327
[email protected]

 

Ocala, FL (AUG. 13, 2024) – The Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) is set to host its Annual Banquet on Friday, Aug. 30, at the Appleton Museum of Art (4333 E. Silver Springs Blvd.).

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the event commencing at 7 p.m. and concluding at 9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress in formal attire for this elegant evening.

The banquet will feature a keynote address by incoming FPRA State President Julie Frey, APR, CPRC. The evening’s program includes the presentation of several distinguished awards, including the prestigious Communicator of the Year award, recognition of state-level award winners from the PR & Comms Summit, and the induction of the 2024-2025 officers for the Ocala Chapter. The event will also see the ceremonial passing of the gavel from past presidents to the incoming president, Gregory Davis.

Davis, who serves as the Public Information Officer for the City of Ocala and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, has been an active FPRA member since 2021. With over 11 years of experience in communications, Davis is well-poised to lead the Ocala Chapter in the coming year.

Dinner will be served to all guests. Tickets are available for $35 and can be purchased online at https://www.fpraocala.org/event/annual-awards-banquet-gala-and-pass-the-gavel/.

FPRA is committed to fostering the development of public relations professionals across Florida through ethical and standardized practices. Founded in 1980, the Ocala Chapter has a long-standing tradition of excellence within the association, which today boasts over 1,000 professional and student members statewide and nationally.

For more information about the event, please contact Danielle Veenstra, VP of Communications, at
352-817-4327 or [email protected].

###

FPRA Ocala Chapter Calls for Entries for Communicator of the Year Award

Media Contact:
Danielle Veenstra
VP of Communications
M: 352.817.4327
[email protected]

 

Ocala, FL (JULY 2, 2024) – Celebrate excellence in communications with the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). The chapter announced a call for entries for the Wilton F. Martin Communicator of the Year Awards on Monday, July 1. This prestigious award will be presented at the Annual Pass the Gavel Gala on August 30 at the Appleton Museum of Art.

Since 2005, the Communicator of the Year Awards have recognized individuals and institutions that have demonstrated excellence in strategic communications, contributing to the quality of life in Marion or Citrus counties. The awards are open to businesses, nonprofits, journalists, educators, community leaders, and professionals from allied fields such as advertising and marketing. Nominees do not have to be FPRA members but must exemplify the highest professional standards in the communications field.

Award Categories:

  • Individual Communicator of the Year: Recognizes a person who has used their position to enhance Marion or Citrus County’s community causes, advance the field of public relations, and uphold ethical standards.
  • Institutional Communicator of the Year: Honors an institution or media outlet that has gone above and beyond to provide timely, accurate, and critical information to the community, demonstrating mastery of communication skills and strategies.

Criteria for Nomination:

  • Represent the field of communications.
  • Be active in the Citrus or Marion County community and show how they use their position to make a difference.
  • Contribute to the public relations profession.
  • Uphold the ethics and values of FPRA.
  • Be nominated by a member of FPRA or the community (self-nominations are not accepted).

During the Pass the Gavel Gala, the chapter’s president, Lindsay Tozer, will also be awarding President’s Awards to outstanding chapter members and the Joe Curley Rising Leader Award.

Nominations for Communicator of the Year are now open. The deadline for entries is Friday, July 26. For more information and to submit a nomination, please visit our website: https://www.fpraocala.org/accreditation/communicator-of-the-year-awards/.

###

Local PR professionals selected for prestigious leadership program

Ocala’s Allison B. Campbell and Gregory Davis have been selected for LeadershipFPRA, an intensive Florida Public Relations Association leadership program featuring seminar-style training classes from a faculty of some of the most accomplished professionals in the state. The program is designed to further strengthen public relations roles and the communities and industries where public relations practitioners live.

Launched in 2016, the yearlong program includes an orientation session, five seminars and graduation ceremony. Class VI seminars cover topics including leading and managing; economic development and higher education; cross functional business strategies; government, law and ethics; and leadership development. Selection to the class is competitive, and only 12 public relations professionals are accepted into each cohort. Campbell and Davis each received a scholarship from the FPRA Ocala Chapter to attend the program.

Campbell was elected to the Marion County School Board in November 2020. An Ocala resident for nearly 20 years, she earned and maintains her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) credentials. She is a former FPRA Ocala Chapter president and also served on the state FPRA board of directors, the Public Education Foundation of Marion County and the NonProfit Business Council. 

Campbell has professional experience in public relations for both corporate and nonprofit entities. Currently, she is the director of strategic communications at the Community Foundation for Ocala/Marion County. She and her husband also own A&A Campbell Group.

Campbell is a doctoral student at Regent University studying strategic communications. Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in telecommunications and political communications come from Lee University and Regent University, respectively. She’s also an adjunct professor at the College of Central Florida and Southeastern University (Ocala campus).

“Though I am a seasoned public relations professional, I also consider myself a lifelong learner,” she said. “After just one LeadershipFPRA session, I’ve already learned more about myself, leading in a team and my role in the class. This program isn’t just for those who are new in their careers, and I’m excited to learn from all of my classmates from around the state.”

Campbell has three sons, all students in Marion County Public Schools. 

Gregory Davis is a public relations practitioner with more than seven years of experience. Working as the public relations officer for Marion County Public Schools, Davis is responsible for the district’s communications plans and the 52 schools that encompass it. He also works as a freelance multimedia specialist and serves in the Florida Army National Guard.

In addition to FPRA, Davis is a member of several public relations organizations, including the Sunshine State School Public Relations Association (SUNSPRA) and National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). He is currently serving as the social media chair for the FPRA Ocala Chapter.

Davis said his passion for public relations centers on his devotion to using creative and critical thinking strategies.

“It will be interesting to see how the different areas and organizations lead their communications processes,” he said. “I think this program will take me outside of my comfort zone within the school district and test my critical thinking with public relations as a whole.”

Lt. Col. John W. Dillin, APR, CPRC, established FPRA in 1938. It is the oldest organization of public relations professionals in the world with more than 1,200 members from 15 professional chapters and 13 student chapters across the state.

FPRA members come from many backgrounds, including private and public corporations, government entities, nonprofit organizations and consulting firms. Members share a common goal of enhancing the public relations profession in Florida through ethical and standardized practices.

The FPRA Ocala Chapter was established in 1980 and provides professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities for its members.

For more information, visit www.fpraocala.org.

LOCAL PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS WIN STATE AWARDS

OCALA, Fla. (Aug. 7, 2019) — The Florida Public Relations Association recognized several local professionals for excellence in public relations and communications at the state Golden Image Awards banquet in Tampa, Tuesday Aug. 6.

The Golden Image Awards have become a standard of public relations excellence in the state of Florida. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design. To qualify for judging, an entry must incorporate sound public relations research and planning. Entries also must meet the highest standards of production, execution and evaluation of results and budget.

In all, 12 Golden Image awards were given to various professionals. Listed are the winners:

Heather Danenhower, APR, CPRC and Duke Energy for their public relations program: Crisis Communications category—Golden Image Award– Hurricane Michael Response;

Allison Campbell, APR, CPRC, Lauren Delorio and the Nonprofit Business Council, Community Foundation and A&A Campbell Group for their public relations program: Internal category – Award of Distinguished and Judges’ Award – Aim: Training to Hit Your Target;

Tina Banner, APR, CPRC and Karen Donnelly for their public relations program: Promotional Marketing category- Award of Distinguished and Judges’ Award – Big Hammock Race Series Season 3;

Allison Campbell, APR, CPRC, Lauren Delorio and the Nonprofit Business Council, Community Foundation and A&A Campbell Group for their printed tools in public relations: Magazine category – Award of Distinguished and Judges’ Award – Nonprofit Business Council’s Guide to Charitable Giving;

Tina Banner APR, CPRC, and the College of Central Florida for their digital tools in public relations: Online Audience Engagement category – Grand Golden Image Award and Golden Image Award – College of Central Florida Social Media Platforms;

Tina Banner, APR, CPRC and College of Central Florida for their digital tools in public relations: Online Newsletter category – Award of Distinguished and Judges’ Award – College of Central Florida’s Insider Employee E-Newsletter;

Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC and Marion County Public Schools for their digital tools in public relations: Website category – Award of Distinguished – “Community Reads” initiative.

Other recognitions included the Ocala Chapter being awarded with the “Smart. Engaged. Fun.” President Award, FPRA Ocala Chapter member Heidi Gutierrez with Citrus County Public Schools was recogni

zed the Ocala Chapter’s Joe Curley Rising Leader award and Ocala Health’s Lauren Debick, APR and city of Inverness’, Elizabeth Fernley, APR were recognized for achieving their Accreditation in Public Relations from the Universal Accreditation Board.

FPRA is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. FPRA is comprised of 15 professional and 12 student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities.

The Ocala FPRA Chapter,www.fpraocala.org, was established in 1980.  Members and guests meet the third Friday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the College of Central Florida.

Kevin Christian Receives the Doris Fleischman Award From the Florida Public Relations Association

Ponte Vedra, Fla.,  Aug. 7, 2018— Marion County Public Schools Director of Public Relations & Multimedia Productions Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC has been awarded the prestigious Doris Fleischman Award from the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA).

The Doris Fleischman Award is intended to honor the heretofore-unrecognized contributions an individual FPRA member has made to the public relations profession and/or to FPRA. In essence, this is an “unsung” hero award intended to reward that individual who consistently provides support and assistance to the Association.

FPRA asks each of its 15 chapters to submit nominations for this honor. The Ocala Chapter submitted the following narrative to nominate Christian to receive the recognition based on the characteristics of the award’s namesake, Doris Fleischman.

On behalf of the board of directors for the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, we proudly nominate Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC for the 2018 Doris Fleischman Award.

Trailblazer– Doris Fleischman may have been behind the scenes, but she took risks when necessary to advance the profession. As president of the Ocala chapter in 2013-14, Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC took a significant risk. The Ocala Chapter website was very outdated and managed completely by code. This made updates challenging and the only member able to manage it was not easily accessible. This was not acceptable to Kevin. He felt as the County’s top communicators, the Ocala Chapter should have a website reflective of the caliber of its members. He led his board through the daunting task of migrating content and developing a new website. The web design fee was a significant investment for the chapter. He, no doubt, had some questioning his judgement. Somewhere amidst all the hustle and bustle–and financial stress of his presidency–Kevin managed to earn his CPRC! The new site was a hit, garnering the  FPRA President’s Award in Communication in 2014. Since that time, his dedication to our chapter has been unwavering.

Skilled– Immediate Past President is supposed to be the easy role, right?  He was an anchor and solid support for the president following in his footsteps. That could have been his time to quietly slip out and take a break. Instead, he stepped up to chair the Advanced Communicator Enrichment Series (ACES) program. During that year, the president moved, pushing the president-elect, his former treasurer, into the presidency six months early. Kevin agreed to remain in his role as immediate past president on the board for another term (2015-16), while coordinating 12 monthly, ACES programs that year. He ran ACES like a charm with engaging roundtable conversations, out-of-town guests and thought provoking current event topics of the day, Kevin was certain to include tremendous opportunities for our seasoned members in all sessions. During the fabulous 2016 Mid-Florida Local Image Awards held at the Reilly Arts Center, Kevin’s emcee skills were over-shadowed by his musical talents behind the exquisite baby grand on the stage. The prelude for guests entering was as if they were coming in to Carnegie Hall. Music during dinner was captivating. Despite performing, Kevin humbly bowed credit to the beauty of the stage and the baby grand he said he was honored to play.

Committed– During the 2016-17 year, Kevin served as our chapter’s chair of Accreditation, a role in which he currently serves and has just agreed to serve in that capacity for yet a third term for 2018-19. It was a challenging time as to serve the Ocala Chapter’s accreditation bench was pretty deep. He persisted with leadership, guidance, and study sessions, despite no APRs that year. This year one Ocala APR and a Lake County member he mentored have received their APR and he currently has several others in the process of sitting for their exams as well.

When the UAB reached out to APRs to participate in item-writing and technical reviews for the APR Examination, Kevin jumped at the chance. He wrote questions and participated in the review process, which are both critical to the integrity of the accreditation process.

Additionally, this year, Kevin served as the co-chair for the Chapter’s Wilton F. Martin Communicator of the Year awards. Now in the 13th year, Kevin was the second recipient of the honor in 2006, before he was an FPRA member.

Humble– Kevin has continued to grow his involvement and commitment to FPRA. He encourages and mentors others to do the same. The spirit of Doris Fleischman was one of being in the background, not getting much attention for the work she did to ensure her husband’s PR success. Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC is a gentleman, humbly operating behind the scenes for our chapter. Yet, when called upon, without hesitation, he will come out from behind the curtain to take the stage, not for his glory, but for the good of the chapter. We are honored to nominate Kevin for this honor he so richly deserves.

The Ocala Chapter meets the third Friday of each month at 11:45 in the teleconference room of the Ewers Century Center at the College of Central Florida. For additional information on the Ocala Chapter Name of FPRA please call Ocala Chapter Communications Director Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC at 352-861-0252.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The organization’s 15 professional and 12 student chapters provide professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for nearly 1,200 members across the state. FPRA is the nation’s oldest public relations organization, established by Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC in 1938. For more information, visit www.fpra.org.

Local Public Relations Professionals Win Golden Image Awards

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Aug. 8, 2018— Six members of the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) were presented with Golden Image Awards for excellence in public relations programming at the Association’s annual banquet and conference held recently at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort in Ponte Vedra, Fla.

 

 

 

Among the winners and awards were:

In Division A, Public Relations Programs:

Devon Chestnut, APR, CPRC, Cox Southeast Region and Cox One Team, Internal category, Golden Image Award, CoxOne Launch Campaign

 

 

 

 

 

Ginger Broslat Communications, KSC Incorporated, Digital Fury and Neptune Advertising, Promotional Marketing category, Award of Distinction,

 

 

 

 

 

In Division B, Printed Tools of Public Relations:

JJ Fields, Allison Campbell, APR, CPRC, Lauren DeIorio and Public Education Foundation of Marion County, Division B, Other category, Award of Distinction, Coupons for Education

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC,Award of Distinction for the school district’s annual calendar

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Division C, Digital Tools of Public Relations:

Marc Rice of Digital Fury and Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC, Judges’ Award and Award of Distinction, Ocala Police Department recruitment video,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC, Golden Image Award and Judges Award for the school district’s ALICE protocol video

 

 

 

 

Marc Rice of Digital Fury and Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC, Golden Image Award for the 2017 FPRA Annual Conference video.

 

 

 

 

 


As former VPs of Golden Image, Tina Banner, APR, CPRC and Toni James, APR, CPRC were invited to present awards for Division B.

Ocala Chapter member Laura Byrnes, APR, CPRC served as the 2017-2018 vice president of Golden Image on the Association’s state executive committee. She led local Image chairs through the 10 local ceremonies prior to the statewide competition.

The Golden Image Awards have become a standard of public relations excellence in the State of Florida. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design. The awards competition includes four categories: Public Relations Programs, Printed Tools of Public Relations, Audio/Visual Tools of Public Relations, and Student Projects in Public Relations. More than 250 Golden Image entries were received in the statewide competition.

 

The Ocala Chapter meets the third Friday of each month at 11:45 in the teleconference room of the Ewers Century Center at the College of Central Florida. For additional information on the Ocala Chapter Name of FPRA please call Ocala Chapter Communications Director Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC at 352-861-0252.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The organization’s 15 professional and 12 student chapters provide professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for nearly 1,200 members across the state. FPRA is the nation’s oldest public relations organization, established by Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC in 1938. For more information, visit www.fpra.org.

 

FPRA Ocala Earns Statewide Recognition from FPRA for Chapter of the Year and Strengthening the FPRA Brand

Ponte Vedra, Fla., Aug. 6, 2018— The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) recently recognized the Ocala Chapter for two awards at the President’s Luncheon at the 80thFPRA Annual Conference.

FPRA State President Ryan Gerds, APR, CPRC first recognized the Ocala Chapter for strengthening the FPRA brand in the community. Gerds mentioned how the chapter further informed community members about the statewide association through the Mid-Florida Local Image Awards and Wilton F. Martin Communicator of the Year program, Monthly Mixers, regular communication as well as through the chapter’s annual Toolkit for Success seminar.

Culminating the President’s Luncheon, the Ocala Chapter was announced as Chapter of the Year among the Association’s 15 statewide chapters.

“The Ocala Chapter has a rich heritage of leadership for FPRA locally, as well as on the State Association’s executive committee,” said FPRA Ocala Chapter President Lisa Varner, APR, CPRC of Ocala Brodcasting. “It’s been my honor to serve as president this year. It’s easy to lead an organization when you have such a deep bench of seasoned professionals who remain committed on the local level. When you team that with newer members with great enthusiasm and a vision for the future, it’s a game plan for success.”

The Ocala Chapter meets the third Friday of each month at 11:45 in the teleconference room of the Ewers Century Center at the College of Central Florida. For additional information on the Ocala Chapter Name of FPRA please call Ocala Chapter Communications Director Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC at 352-861-0252.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The organization’s 15 professional and 12 student chapters provide professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for nearly 1,200 members across the state. FPRA is the nation’s oldest public relations organization, established by Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC in 1938. For more information, visit www.fpra.org.

Katie Hunicutt Inducted to 2018 Joe Curley Rising Leader Class

Ponte Vedra, Fla.,  Aug. 7, 2018— Ocala Health Marketing and Communications Manager Lauren Debick graduated from Leadership FPRA at the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Annual Conference recently.

The Joe Curley Rising Leader Award is intended to identify and honor up-and-coming individual FPRA members that demonstrate emerging leadership traits along with dedicated active involvement in FPRA Chapter activities, programs, functions and events.

The goal of the award is to help recognize personal dedication and engagement of members with two to five years of membership, and to help build a healthy leadership stream at the local chapter level.Each class member participated in LeadershipFPRA orientation the day prior to the start of the 2017 Annual Conference, followed by five seminar-styled leadership training classes from a faculty of some of the most accomplished professionals in the state. The curriculum is challenging, and participants are required to attend the orientation, graduation and four of the five independent classes of the program instruction.

The Ocala Chapter meets the third Friday of each month at 11:45 in the teleconference room of the Ewers Century Center at the College of Central Florida. For additional information on the Ocala Chapter Name of FPRA please call Ocala Chapter Communications Director Ginger Broslat, APR, CPRC at 352-861-0252.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. The organization’s 15 professional and 12 student chapters provide professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for nearly 1,200 members across the state. FPRA is the nation’s oldest public relations organization, established by Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC in 1938. For more information, visit www.fpra.org.

Website by MuniCreative