Brittany Dorfner
414-270-3518(direct)
Local PRSA to present 2012 Paragon Awards at May 15th Ceremony
“Communicator of the Year” and “Dorothy Thomas Black” Awards to be presented
MILWAUKEE (May 1, 2012) – The Southeastern Wisconsin chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will present its annual Paragon Awards to outstanding local companies at a luncheon ceremony on May 15, 2012. The awards ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Pfister Hotel’s Rouge Ballroom in Milwaukee.
The Paragon Awards were created in 1983 and are given annually to honor local companies and individuals that exemplify excellence in communications. The awards recognize outstanding work in the area of public relations, honor creative and strategic superiority and encourage a higher level of performance among public relations professionals. For more information about the Southeastern Wisconsin chapter of PRSA, visit www.prsawis.org or www.twitter.com/prsawis.
In addition, the chapter has selected Thomas W. Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council, and David Fantle, APR, deputy tourism secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, to receive 2012 awards for individual public relations achievements. Still will receive the Paragon Communicator of the Year Award and Fantle will receive the Dorothy Thomas Black Award. The awards recognize Still and Fantle for the tremendous skill and commitment they’ve shown as advocates for their organizations, as well as the Milwaukee region.
Earning the Paragon Communicator Award, Still uses his exceptional communications skills to promote innovation, science and technology throughout Wisconsin, including these accolades:
•Still’s leadership has led the Wisconsin Technology Council to produce the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference, the Governor’s Business Plan Contest and the Wisconsin Angel Network.
•Since joining the Technology Council, Still has spoken to a number of tech-related groups and events. He is a commentator for WisBusiness.com: “The Show,” a twice monthly online news broadcast.
•He teaches “Issues in Science and Technology Communication” for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Life Science Communication.
•As a freelance writer and author, Still writes a weekly political column, “Inside Wisconsin,” that is syndicated in 24 Wisconsin and Minnesota publications and websites.
•He is co-author of “Hands-On Environmentalism,” a book on private-sector approaches to conserving land, water and wildlife.
•Still is a member of the board of Visitors for the UW-Extension, the Industrial Advisory Board for the UW-Madison College of Engineering, the WiSys Technology Foundation Advisory Board and the Town Center Advisory Board for the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. He is Secretary of the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium and was a member of the Governor’s Economic Growth Council and the 2010 Wisconsin Economic Summits steering committee.
David Fantle, APR, has proven worthy of the Dorothy Thomas Black Award for his superior performance and commitment to public relations in his career and volunteer positions. An Accredited in Public Relations-certified (APR) professional for more than 24 years, Fantle’s accomplishments include the following:
•As vice president of public relations for VISIT Milwaukee, Fantle was the creator of the Bronze Fonz statue, which was the recipient of many honors from top tourism industry organizations, including the Society of American Travel Writers, U.S. Travel Association and the Wisconsin Association of Convention & Visitors Bureau.
•As current Deputy Tourism Secretary for the Department of Tourism, Fantle oversees the agency’s $12.5 million marketing budget
•Fantle is a founding member of Film Wisconsin, the non-profit organization charged with promoting the state for film, television and video gaming projects and helped bring “Public Enemies,” “Transformers 3” and “American Idol” to Wisconsin.
•He currently serves on the board of the Wisconsin State Fair.
•Fantle is an adjunct professor at Marquette University, where he teaches the history of television and the Hollywood musical film.
•He continues active involvement in the PRSA, including the role of past president.
“Both honorees have made significant strides in advancing the success of their organizations and in making Southeastern Wisconsin a better place to live and do business,” said Michael Pflughoeft, APR and current PRSA president.
Live updates from the Paragon Awards, including the latest news, can be found on Twitter by following #paragonawards or @prsawis.
The Public Relations Society of America Southeastern Wisconsin chapter was founded more than 50 years ago by pioneering public relations professionals. The organization today consists of more than 300 plus member organizations serving to advance networking and educational opportunities for communications professionals in the community.
For more information, contact Mary Scheibel at (414) 270-3513 or mscheibel@insidesh.com.
