Public relations companies, professionals win honors

Mike Houghton, president and chief executive officer of the Reno Air Racing Association, has been awarded the Mark Twain Community Service Award by Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The award is given to a newsmaker who has demonstrated integrity, honesty and sincere concern about the community.

Phil Ulibarri, public information officer for the Washoe County Health District, received the group's Gold Spike Community Excellence Award, which recognizes a communications professional who has positively impacted the community.

Marcus Liem, communications director for Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center, was presented with the Outstanding New Practitioner Award, and Bethany Drysdale, media relations specialist for the Nevada Commission on Tourism, earned the Mark Curtis, Sr., Professional of the Year Award.

Winners in the Silver Spike Awards competition included:

Special Events & Observances, Budget less than $10,000

Award of Excellence: Switchback Public Relations & Marketing for "Truckee RibFest."

Special Events & Observances, Budget $10,000 to $25,000

Silver Spike: Switchback Public Relations & Marketing for the "6th Annual Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk and Shop."

Award of Excellence: Renown Health for "Renown Radiation Therapy."

Special Events & Observances, Budget more than $25,000

Award of Excellence: Weidinger Public Relations for "Golf the High Sierra Media Tour."

Ongoing Programs with a Budget under $25,000

Award of Excellence: Weidinger Public Relations for "V&T Railroad."

Ongoing Programs with a Budget more than $25,000

Awards of Excellence: GoodStanding, a division of Olsen & Associates, for "Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition" and Weidinger Public Relations for "American Century Championship - Tahoe Celebrity Golf Tournament."

Community Relations

Silver Spike: RKPR Inc. for "Give $3 to Keep Artown Free."

Marketing Communications

Award of Excellence: Washoe County School District Communications Department for "Envision WCSD 2015 - Investing in Our Future."

Overall Campaign, Budget more than $25,000

Award of Excellence: The Ferraro Group for "Nevada Census 2010 Campaign."

Special Purpose Video

Silver Spike: Washoe County School District Communications Department for "Envision."

Publications - Annual Reports

Award of Excellence: Desert Research Institute for "Tahoe Summit 2010 Publication."

Publications Additional Collateral

Award of Excellence: Desert Research Institute for "Lake Tahoe Educational Outreach Poster" and Washoe County School District Communications Department for "Envision WCSD 2015 - Investing in Our Future."

Publications-Magazine

Silver Spike: University of Nevada School of Medicine for "Synapse."

Internet-based Communications

Silver Spike: RKPR Inc. for "Artown Goes Mobile" and This is Reno for "ThisIsReno.com."

Award of Excellence: RKPR Inc. for "Artown Social Networking" and Weidinger Public Relations for "Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority."

Media Relations

Silver Spike: R&R Partners for "47th Annual National Championship Air Races."

Award of Excellence: The Glenn Group for "The Summit Holiday 2009."

Judge's Choice Award

Switchback Public Relations & Marketing for the "6th Annual Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk and Shop" and This Is Reno for "ThisIsReno.com."

Student's Choice Award ( determined by the University of Nevada, Reno's Public Relations Student Society of America)

RKPR Inc. for "Give $3 to Keep Artown Free."