I am SO excited about WOY this year!  (That’s the Washington Women in Public Relations’ PR Woman of the Year Award.)  I always love this event, but it is even more wonderful when someone I have nominated makes it to the Big Three — the three finalists honored at the luncheon. 

I’ve gotten three previous nominees into the winners’ circle, but only one — Denise Graveline — made it to the finish line.  This year I’m on pins and needles waiting to see if Pam Jenkins joins the ranks of PR Women of the Year.

The Woman of the Year luncheon, established in 1990, is WWPR’s signature event.  It honors the achievements of those who have reached a pinnacle in the profession.  Three finalists are honored, but at the luncheon one is named as THE PR woman of the year. 

This year’s finalists are three terrific, smart and accomplished women:

Allyson Burns, SVP of Communications and Marketing at the Case Foundation,

Hilary Beth Rosen, lobbyist and former CEO for the Recording Industry Association of America, now at SKDKnickerbocker, and

Pam Jenkins, president of Powell Tate. 

I’ve known Pam for many years — we served together on the WWPR Board more than 20 years ago.  Pam led the team that developed the award-winning Heart Truth/Red Dress Campaign that so effectively built awareness of heart disease among women.  She was awarded the first Red Dress Award by Woman’s Day magazine for contributing to women’s heart health.  And her personal service to the community has been no less impressive; she served six years on the Board of the DC Rape Crisis Center from whom she received the Visionary Award for Service.

It promises to be a great event and includes a terrific raffle to support WWPR’s pro bono client, Thrive DC. It’s Wednesday, November 13, 2013, and it will be filled with winners.