Lloyd B. Dennis Award

Exemplary Individual

Each year, the Public Affairs and Government (PAG) Section presents the Lloyd. B. Dennis Award at the PRSA International Conference to an exemplary individual who has used his or her public affairs skills to promote truth, demonstrated high standards of integrity and honesty in business dealings, and who has helped affect positive change within an organization. The award is named in honor of one of the great leaders among public relations practitioners, a true friend to the PRSA, and former chair of the PAG Section, Lloyd B. Dennis, who died Sept. 16, 2003, following a long struggle with cancer.

A special Section nominating committee selects the recipient.

Previous Award Winners

• 2010: Robert Hastings, APR+M, senior vice president, communications, Bell Helicopter
• 2009: Joseph V. Trahan, III, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, president/CEO and media relations trainer, Trahan & Associates
• 2008: Robert E. Dittmer, APR, director, public relations graduate program, Indiana University
• 2007: Col. F. William Smullen, III, director, National Security Studies, Maxwell School of Public Affairs, Syracuse University 
• 2006: James E. Lukaszewski, APR, Fellow PRSA, ABC, chairman and president, The Lukaszewski Group 
• 2005: Dr. Larissa A. Grunig and Dr. James E. Grunig, internationally recognized educators and authors 
• 2004: William Novelli, CEO, AARP and founder and former co-president of Porter Novelli

About Lloyd B. Dennis

Lloyd B. Dennis was president and founder of Dennis & Associates, a public affairs consulting firm he established in 1993. Before launching his firm,  Dennis served as executive director of public affairs at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility. For 15 years prior to that, he served as senior vice president and director of public affairs for First Interstate Bank of California. His Washington, D.C. experience included serving as a speechwriter and public affairs officer to three secretaries of the treasury in the Johnson and Nixon administrations. Before that he worked as a journalist for nearly 10 years at The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun and Congressional Quarterly.

Dennis chaired the PAG Section in 2000 and continued to serve as a member-at-large until his death; and he served as editor of the 1995 book, “Practical Public Affairs in an Era of Change.” He served on the International Editorial Board for the Journal of Public Affairs and was a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of PRSA.

Dennis is missed by all who knew him, and remembered for the great good he did in furthering our profession.

2011 Nominations Now Being Accepted

We are currently accepting nominations for the 2011 Award. Any PRSA member may nominate a candidate for the award. The letter of nomination must contain the following information:

• Statement of the nominee's achievements.
• Contribution of the nominee to the practice and profession of public affairs and government public relations.
• The nominee's volunteer service, board offices and committee assignments with PRSA and/or other industry associations.
• Description of the way the nominee's involvement in the profession has advanced the practice of public affairs and government public relations.

Judging Criteria

Nominees will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Industry commitment. What has the nominee done to impact the profession and practice of public affairs and government public relations?
• Professional experience. How have the individual's contributions demonstrated ethical public affairs and made a positive impact on government (local, state or national)?
• Community service. Has the nominee demonstrated a commitment to serving the community? How has the individual changed the lives of those in the community?

Process for Submitting a Nomination

• Write the nomination letter and collect supporting material.
• E-mail all applications to PRSA National Sections staff no later than Sept. 6, 2011.

Judging and Announcement of Winner

• Judging will take place by a panel of Public Affairs and Government Section Executive Committee members and/or past chairs of the Section.
• Nominees will be informed of the Committee's decision before the PRSA 2011 International Conference.
• Winner will be announced at the 2011 PRSA International Conference.

For questions, please contact Sections staff.