A Deeper Look: the 2011 PRism Best of Show

On a steamy summer's night last month, WROC-TV anchor Kevin Doran approached the microphone at Rochester's Artisan Works, where 150 or so of the region's public relations pros had gathered for the annual industry awards reception.

"And the winner of the 2011 PRism corporate best of show is... Bausch + Lomb and Lions Clubs International Foundation for the Fighting Childhood Blindness: the Pediatric Cataract Initiative."

As one of the co-founders of the Initiative, I was thrilled... for the countless children whose sight would be saved, for their mothers and fathers whose burden may be eased ever so slightly, and for their communities that would one day see those children play a more active role as a sighted adult.

Of course, I was also thrilled for the team behind the Initiative's first 18 months, who largely remained hidden as we focused on the cause. Indulge me as I call them out for some much-deserved recognition in what became a labor of love:

• Jerry Ostrov, Paul Sartori, and Dr. Joe Barr, my co-founders who believed in the cause and had the foresight to take action;
  
  
• Curt Weeden of Business & Non-Profit Strategies, who provided a steady, guiding hand as we encountered the swells and troughs of building a global philanthropic program from the ground up;
  
  
• Sharon Sankes, Kristy Guerra and Elizabeth Murphy, members of my in-house communications and philanthropy team who dove into the weeds as needed;
  
  
• Our dedicated agency partners -- Glenn Clark, Erin DiVincenzo and Peter Germano at Clark CSM in Rochester; Penny Hemming at Penelope Hemming PR in Sydney; and Nicole Ravlin, Ken Liatsos, Alicia DeMartini, and Kristena Morse at PMG PR in Burlington.
  
  
• And of course, our indefatigable partners at Lions Clubs International Foundation, especially Katharine Keller, Nicole Brown, and Phil Albano.

[Click here to download a copy of the program's two-page synopsis. Note this version was prepared for PR News, which has named the Initiative a finalist in its 2011 Platinum Awards.]

Now, a confession... while I was thrilled, the element of surprise had evaporated about 90 minutes earlier. That's when a reporter from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle had been pointed my way, and began the conversation by stating, "So I've been told you can tell me about the program that's winning best of show."

I'd left B+L a couple months earlier, but -- as no one else from the company had arrived for the pre-awards reception and the journalist was itching to leave -- I was pressed back into service. Once a spokesperson, always a spokesperson (and, as a member of Lions Club myself, I continue to support the program).

So again, congratulations and thanks to all who had the heart, the tenacity and the passion to truly make a difference through this incredible program.

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Postscript:

Some have asked where the program stands today, given that three of the four co-founders have since left B+L. Thankfully, it continues to serve those in need, living up to the commitment we made from the start -- that our success would be measured not over years, but decades.