PR LUMINARIES TO GATHER IN NYC WEDNESDAY NOV. 15TH AT 2023 PRSA-NY BIG APPLE AWARDS: SNEAK PEEK AT HONOREES

Influential Figures Converge at Premier PR Industry Networking Event of the Year

NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday evening, November 15, leaders of the public relations industry in New York will gather at TAO Downtown to celebrate the 2023 PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards.  This evening attracts the CEOs of public relations firms and other prominent industry leaders. The Big Apple Awards gala is the most important PR industry networking event of the year, where bold-face names in communications mingle with attendees and esteemed recipients of prestigious individual awards. In addition, the Big Apple Awards will recognize the 2023 15 Under 35 recipients and the shortlist of the Big Apple Award winners.  The evening's emcee will be Spectrum One TV's Frank DiLella.

Coveted individual awards will be presented to the following dignitaries:

The 2023 PRSA-NY President's Award goes to Emily K. Graham, Omnicom.
Emily K. Graham, Omnicom's Chief Equity & Impact Officer, is being recognized for her inspiring leadership and industry-shifting contributions. Her achievements align perfectly with this year's gala theme: A Celebration of Influence, Integrity, and Innovation. Notably, this marks the 20th year of the prestigious President's Award, which has been bestowed since 2003 upon individuals who exemplify the highest standards of ethical conduct and outstanding service within the public relations profession, particularly within the dynamic landscape of PR's epicenter – New York City.

Carol Cone will receive the Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award.
Carol Cone, pioneer of purpose communications and founder of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP), is the first-ever recipient of the Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award, sponsored by HUNTER.  Carol, who legitimized purpose as a business strategy,  has executed more than 250 purpose programs, conducted more than 30 research studies, hosted more than 150 episodes of her podcast Purpose 360,  and authored Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding.  Carol has ignited social impact movements for walking, breast cancer, heart disease, early childhood education.  Her award-winning work has included the creation of Kerry Group's purpose campaign 'Inspiring Food, Nourishing Life'; 'Connecting People through Food they love' for Campbell; PNC 'Grow Up Great;' and ConAgra 'Feeding Children Better.'

The 2023 Daniel J. Edelman Award will be given to Bret Stephens, The New York Times and Sapir.
Bret Stephens is an Opinion columnist for The New York Times and Editor-in-Chief of Sapir (sapirjurnal.org), a new quarterly dedicated to exploring issues of Jewish concern. He has previously worked as foreign-affairs columnist for The Wall Street Journal and as editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. Bret is author of "America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder" (2014). Among his many distinctions are the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary, the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and three honorary doctorates. In 2022 he was banned for life by the government of Russia from visiting that country.

Patrice Tanaka, Joyful Planet, will receive the 2023 PRSA-NY Big Apple Excellence in Mentoring Award.
Patrice Tanaka, Founder and Chief Joy Officer of Joyful Planet, will be recognized for her mentorship. Patrice is a best-selling author, public speaker on business and life purpose, co-founder of three award-winning PR & Marketing agencies, and founder of the consultancy Joyful Planet, which is focused on building purpose-driven individuals and organizations to help them unleash greater success, fulfillment and joy in their personal lives, workplaces, and communities.

Jon Iwata will be presented with the Harold Burson Award.
Jon Iwata, IBM marketing and communications veteran and founding executive director of the Yale School of Management Data & Trust Alliance, is the 2023 recipient of the Harold Burson Award, sponsored by BCW. During a distinguished 35-year career at IBM, Jon served as Senior Vice President, Chief Brand Officer, and leader of the company's global marketing, communications, and citizenship organization. He reported to three IBM CEOs across two decades of significant transformation. Jon was chairman of IBM's corporate strategy committee and established the company's values and policy committee.  Jon is Founding Executive Director of the Data & Trust Alliance, a not-for-profit organization that brings together leading businesses to develop and adopt responsible data and AI practices.

The 2023 John W. Hill Award will be presented to Tom Coyne, Coyne Public Relations.
As founder and chief executive officer of Coyne Public Relations, Tom Coyne has created a strategic communications firm offering a full range of marketing services to worldwide interests. Tom's vision and dedication have led Coyne to become a top 20 independent firm in the United States.  Under Tom's leadership, the firm has donated its time to hundreds of charities and has contributed millions of dollars to local causes in time, talent, and funds.

2023 Art Stevens PRSA-NY City College of New York Scholar is Francina Saint-Hilaire.
Scholarship winner Francina Saint-Hilaire, the 2023 Art Stevens Scholar, Is a Class of 2024 student at the City College of New York.  She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Communications - Advertising and a Public Relations specialization in CCNY's Advertising/Public Relations Program.  Art Stevens, managing partner of The Stevens Group and a CCNY alumnus, created the scholarship program in 2008 to support talented students majoring in communications who would benefit from financial assistance. This is the 16^th year that Art Stevens has funded this scholarship to support rising talent.  Art's dedication and involvement in PRSA-NY and the City College Communications Alumni Group inspired him to name the scholarship for both organizations.

PRSA-NY CHAPTER INDIVIDUAL AWARDS – FULL LIST

INAUGURAL 2023 BARBARA WAY HUNTER TRAILBLAZER AWARD, SPONSORED BY HUNTER
Carol Cone
Founder of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP)

HAROLD BURSON AWARD, SPONSORED BY BCW
Jon Iwata
Founding Executive Director of the Yale School of Management Data & Trust Alliance

JOHN W. HILL AWARD, SPONSORED BY HILL & KNOWLTON
Tom Coyne
Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Coyne Public Relations

DANIEL J. EDELMAN AWARD, SPONSORED BY EDELMAN 
Bret Stephens
Opinion Columnist for The New York Times and Editor-in-Chief of Sapir

PRSA-NY AWARD FOR MENTORING EXCELLENCE
Patrice Tanaka
Founder and Chief Joy Officer, Joyful Planet

PRSA-NY PRESIDENT'S AWARD
Emily K. Graham
Chief Equity and Impact Officer, Omnicom

CCNY – PRSA-NY ART STEVENS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Francina Saint-Hilaire
Class of 2024 student at the City College of New York

ABOUT THE BIG APPLE AWARDS 
http://bit.ly/BigApple2023
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America established the Big Apple Awards program in 1988 to encourage excellence in public relations. The program has evolved to keep pace with a rapidly changing industry and continues to celebrate the exciting and innovative successes of talented professionals working in the heart of the communications universe. Today, a Big Apple Award is known as one of the highest honors bestowed in public relations, and in recognition, submissions will be open to the work of PR practitioners across the US from this year forward.

ABOUT PRSA-NY
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is the best-established and influential group of public relations professionals in the New York area. Operating for 75 years, the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is one of the oldest, largest, and most prominent public relations Chapters in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, PRSANY offers to its members top-level career development and education, networking, mentoring, and award programs. PRSA-NY serves communications decision-makers at agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public and private institutions.  For more information about PRSA-NY's upcoming events, mentorship program, jobs boards, volunteer opportunities, and membership details, go to prsany.org.

SOURCE PRSA-NY