PRSA-NY to Honor Carol Cone with Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award at 2023 Big Apple Awards November 15 at TAO Downtown, NYC

2023 Marks Inaugural Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award, Sponsored by HUNTER

NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-NY) will honor Carol Cone, founder of Carol Cone ON PURPOSE (CCOP), as the first-ever recipient of the first Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award, sponsored by HUNTER, at the 2023 Big Apple Awards gala at TAO Downtown in New York City on November 15.

The Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award recognizes the impact of female leadership and the individuals who have broken down barriers, earned the trust and respect of their clients, staff and peers, and helped pave the way for future generations of women to excel in their careers in the communications industry.

Cone is being recognized for her pioneering work in purpose, social impact and ESG. CCOP is the third consulting enterprise activating Carol's personal purpose: to educate, inspire and accelerate purpose strategy, programs and impacts for corporations, brands, nonprofits, and professionals around the globe.  CCOP is a leading social impact consultancy helping companies, brands, and nonprofits harness the power of purpose to advance their business and societal impact.

"For more than 35 years, Carol Cone has embraced a steadfast commitment to driving the purpose movement," said Carmella Glover, president of PRSA-NY.  "We are pleased to recognize Carol with the inaugural Barbara Way Hunter award, which has been added to our Chapter's suite of individual practitioner awards in the name of one of PRSA-NY's first women leaders and a true female pioneer in the public relations industry."

Cone 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.  Most recently PRWeek presented her with a lifetime achievement award for service to the industry.  Cone has ignited social impact movements for walking, breast cancer, heart disease, early childhood education, and legitimized purpose as business  strategy.  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,' a PRWeek Campaign of the Year winner.

ABOUT THE BARBARA WAY HUNTER TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Barbara Hunter's remarkable career in building bridges between brands/organizations and their publics spans over five decades, blazing a trail for women in the communications industry and garnering respect for the power of women as both business leaders, communications practitioners, and key consumers. 

Barbara, along with her sister Jean Schoonover, became the first women to co-own and lead a major public relations agency with the 1969 acquisition of Dudley-Anderson-Yutzy (D-A-Y), the first public relations firm established in the United States. Barbara's first leadership act was the equalization of pay among men and women working at the firm.

Ogilvy & Mather purchased the now successful D-A-Y in 1983, enlarging its public relations capability as an adjunct to its advertising expertise. In 1989, at the age of 62, Barbara blazed a new trail founding the eponymous agency now known simply as HUNTER. Ten years later, she sold the agency to a small group of partners including current CEO Grace Leong, who was among the first employees of HUNTER.

HUNTER CEO Grace Leong said, "As HUNTER heads into its 35^th year -- and our matriarch into her 97^th -- we are proud to honor her trailblazing legacy with the PRSA-NY at the Big Apple Awards program and present it to other courageous women who have created a groundbreaking pathway to follow."

Among her many leadership roles, Barbara has served as the president of the NY Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (1980); as a trustee, Cornell University (1980-85); and as the national president of the PRSA (1984). In 1993, she was recognized with a PRSA Gold Anvil Award for her lifetime of achievement. 

ABOUT THE BIG APPLE AWARDS 
https://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. The Awards program also includes recognition for individual achievement including:  the John W. Hill Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Harold Burson Award for Corporate Communications Excellence, The Daniel J. Edelman Award for Social Impact, the President's Award for Chapter Service, the PRSA-NY Excellence in Mentoring Award, and the newly created Barbara Way Hunter Trailblazer Award recognizing pioneering women.  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 one of the best-established and influential groups 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 longest-running, largest, and most prominent public relations Chapters in the country. Located in the media capital of the world, PRSA-NY 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, visit prsany.org.

ABOUT HUNTER
Founded in 1989 by Barbara W. Hunter, HUNTER is an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm with offices in New York, Los Angeles and London and a footprint across North America. Beginning with research-driven consumer insights, Hunter executes strategic, programs that build brand equity and trust, increase engagement and drive measurable business results. The 270-person firm employs a powerful blend of marketing solutions including strategic planning, social and digital media, talent and influencer engagement, media relations, experiential and multicultural marketing, and content creation and distribution for all platforms and channels to earn consumer attention and corporate reputation on behalf of some of the world's best known and most beloved companies and brands. The agency is a member of Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ:STGW).

SOURCE PRSA-NY