Port St. Lucie - Tuesday August 15, 2023: The Florida Public Relations Association Treasure Coast Chapter won six awards at the 2023 Florida Public Relations Association’s (FPRA) Annual Golden Image Awards, marking the first time in the Chapter’s 39-year history to sweep the highest honors
Most prominently, the City of Port St. Lucie earned three major awards for its Positive Solid Waste Change Campaign, including a Judges' Award, a Golden Image Award and the 2023 Dick Pope All Florida Golden Image Award, the most prestigious award of the program! The City of Port St. Lucie (PSL) is one of two cities to accept the trifecta of awards in the past 15 years. The other city is Tallahassee. PSL's 50-page entry emphasized how City staff worked on a tight six-month timeline to educate its solid waste customers on the monumental curbside pickup changes and restored residents’ confidence after its previous hauler breached its contract.
The Golden Image Awards competition is conducted annually by FPRA to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations in our state. The Awards Program has become a standard of excellence in Florida. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design.
Four additional Treasure Coast projects were recognized for their excellence:
• On behalf of St. Lucie Eye, Cindi Green, RN, APR, accepted an Award of Distinction in the Reputation Management category for its Focus on Excellence campaign.
• Jenny Tomes, APR of Port St. Lucie Utility Systems, accepted an Award of Distinction for the outreach work she is completing in local classrooms as Water Woman.
• On behalf of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Jennifer Trefelner, APR, CPRC, accepted an Award of Distinction and Judges' Award in the Promotional Marketing category for the Diocese of Palm Beach’s Successful Promotion of the 2022 DSA Campaign.
• Trefelner also accepted a Judges' Award and a Golden Image Award for the Diocese's Successful Facebook Growth campaign.
“I am elated that our talented FPRA Treasure Coast members were recognized for their hard work at the state Golden Image Awards competition,” exclaimed Chapter President Jennifer Trefelner, APR, CPRC. “These awards are reflective of the high caliber of public relations efforts being accomplished here in our area. I hope our award winners and community members know the significance of earning Image Awards at the highest level is a direct result of creative, intentional, data-driven, and results-oriented work by these professionals. Congratulations to all!”
The Treasure Coast Chapter also celebrates the following recognitions and awards presented to its members during the conference:
• After a year-long program, Incoming FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter President Jennifer Harris (Florida Department of Health - St. Lucie) graduated from Leadership FPRA Class VII.
• Incoming Chapter President-Elect Flynn Fidgeon, APR (St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners), was recognized during the annual business meeting by the State VP of Credentialing Amanda Handley, APR, CPRC, for earning his Accreditation in Public Relations this year.
• Chapter VP of Digital Media, Kyrianna Hoffses (Clear SEM Solutions) received recognition during the President's Luncheon for her nomination to and inclusion in the 2023 Joe Curley Rising Leader Class.
• State President Jay Morgan-Schleuning, APR, CPRC, awarded the Treasure Coast Chapter a President's Award in the Digital Communications category for its efforts to strengthen and increase its digital reach and engagement across its networks in the last year. Jennifer Trefelner, APR, CPRC, and Kyrianna Hoffses accepted the award on behalf of the chapter.
“This has been an amazing year for our Treasure Coast chapter,” states Trefelner. “Each one of our valued board members contributed to the success of our accomplishments. I am sincerely grateful for their support and dedication to the association. Congratulations to all our award winners and members for promoting the mission of our chapter.”