And the 2012 MCOY winner is…


Scott Brown, True North Sports & Entertainment
selected as CPRS Manitoba’s Communicator of the Year

The Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is pleased to announce that Scott Brown, Senior Director, Corporate Communications for True North Sports & Entertainment Limited, is the recipient of the 2012 Manitoba Communicator of the Year Award, which will be presented in Winnipeg at a special luncheon event on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at the Hotel Fort Garry.

In a year with a new airport and spring flooding, arguably the biggest news story of 2011 in Manitoba was the return of the National Hockey League to Winnipeg. The media buzz and Winnipeg Jets fans’ appetite for information (and tickets) were at extremely high levels. From a media relations standpoint, the announcement of the return of the Winnipeg Jets, and the strategic rollout that followed—from the logo to the uniforms, the team name and tickets purchases—took place seamlessly.

“There’s no question that a great deal of rehearsal, planning, strategizing and thought had to happen behind the scenes,” said Siobhan Kari, president of CPRS Manitoba. “The media attention on the return of the Jets was enormous locally, nationally and internationally and the pressures to meet all requests must have daunting. Yet it was all handled professionally.”

“We thank the Canadian Public Relations Society for the recognition as the Communicator of the Year,” said Brown. “It was indeed a tremendous challenge to bring the National Hockey League back to Manitoba’s passionate hockey fans, not only on the communications front, but in all areas. We have been overwhelmed by the public’s support of the team and the organization, from the Drive to 13,000 to the unveiling of the logo and jersey to the vocal presence at not only every home game, but games away from MTS Centre as well. The return of the NHL has truly been a community success.”

CPRS Manitoba received two separate nominations to acknowledge Scott Brown with this award for work providing strategic communications while True North Chairman and Winnipeg Jets Governor, Mark Chipman, was the public face of the return of the Winnipeg Jets.

CPRS Manitoba established the Manitoba Communicator of the Year Award to honour individuals or organizations that have demonstrated excellence in public communications in business, politics, entertainment, non-profits, or the community at large. The Communicator of the Year was selected by a panel of senior CPRS Manitoba members and public relations professionals. Previous award recipients are Kevin Walters and Manitoba Homecoming 2010 (2011), Clare MacKay of The Forks North Portage Partnership (2010), Heather Plett of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (2009) and inaugural winners Gail Asper and Kim Jasper for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (2008).

Both the award recipient and all the highly qualified nominees demonstrated creativity and solid communications strategies. CPRS Manitoba is proud to be able to recognize the best in the profession.

The event is made possible through the generosity of principal sponsor, Marketwire.

Luncheon tickets can be purchased online at http://www.cvent.com/d/xcqlqn.

-30-

CPRS Manitoba

As the leading professional association for communicators in the province, CPRS Manitoba includes members from corporations, public relations agencies, government departments and non-profits. Members represent a wide variety of fields, ranging from agriculture and health care, to financial services and manufacturing. On Twitter: @cprsmb, Online: cprs.mb.ca

For more information on the award, see cprs.mb.ca or contact Jason Permanand at jpermanand@gmail.com or 990-4310

The event is made possible through the generosity of principal sponsor, Marketwire.

Marketwire+Sysomos_GIF