Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price Named Communicator of the Year

The leadership and open, effective communication for which Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price was honored April 25 was evident as she accepted the Communicator of the Year award at the second annual Worthy Awards gala celebrating excellence in communications. Price shared why she is eager to talk with Fort Worth residents about the dynamic, fast-growing city.

The Greater Fort Worth Chapter of Public Relations Society of America selected Price for the honor sponsored by the Fort Worth Business Press, which recognizes an individual outside the public relations profession who demonstrates exceptional leadership and communication skills.

Whether at riding town halls or other local events, on social media or meeting with media, Price is committed to getting out in the community. Price’s “open, constant communication” and “push to make city processes and procedures more transparent” were among the reasons she was recognized as the 2013 Communicator of the Year. Since elected mayor in June 2011, Price has been actively engaging the city’s young people, working to create jobs, fighting for fiscal accountability and open government, supporting local public schools and building a citywide health and fitness initiative. She has been listening to people and putting ideas into action.

Communicator of Year was one of numerous awards presented at the second annual Worthy Awards gala. Bud Kennedy, a Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist, served as master of ceremony as about 150 people gathered at the Fort Worth Club to honor Price and leaders in strategic communications.

In just the second year of the competition, the number of entries more than doubled to 88. Senior public relations professionals from the Las Vegas Valley Chapter of PRSA judged entries and determined winners of Best of Show, 23 Worthy Awards, 20 Awards of Excellence and 18 Awards of Achievement. A separate category for academic contributions to public relations was judged by faculty of the Gaylord School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Oklahoma.

Balcom Agency earned 13 awards, the most overall, while J.O. swept the media event category and earned five other awards. For the second year Gigi Westerman of Strategic Image Inc. won the Best of Show award. Westerman and Tarrant County Public Health staff earned Best of Show for an internal relations campaign designed to train supervisors, educate expectant parents and families and garner support for a new Tarrant County Public Health worksite lactation policy. For a list of Worthy Award winners, visit http://fortworthprsa.dividesignpros.com/and-the-winner-is-worthy.

For more information about the Worthy Awards, visit www.worthyawards.com. Visit www.fortworthprsa.org to learn about the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of PRSA.

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