The North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America announced today the winners of the 2012 InSpire Awards. The fourth annual event recognized the best in regional PR and communications with awards in 45 categories, including newly added nonprofit and government subcategories. Valonda Calloway, co-host of NBC-17’s My Carolina Today show, served as emcee for the event, held at the Capital City Club in Raleigh on May 2.

Modeled after PRSA's national Bronze and Silver Anvil Awards, the InSpire Awards are open to all public relations, communications and marketing organizations and professionals in the state. Silver InSpire Awards recognize entire campaigns, while Bronze InSpire Awards honor specific tactics or components of programs.

“The InSpire Awards represent the best in North Carolina PR and communications,” said Eva Hornak, NCPRSA board president. “It was great to see so many talented professionals together celebrating their work and accomplishments.”

Largemouth Communications received the Best in Show award in the Silver division, and Clairemont Communications took the Best in Show award in the Bronze division—both representing the top-scoring entry in each division. In addition, UNC-Chapel Hill students Joseph "Fitch" Carrere, Michael Coletta, Jacquelyn Johnstone, Adam Schifter, Sarah List, T.J. Scholl and faculty advisor Scott Misner received the Student InSpire Award of Excellence for their entry "BIG:Durham." The top-scoring entry in each category is listed below. A full listing of all the Awards of Excellence and Honorable Mentions is available at http://ncprsa.org/content.php?page=Winners.

SILVER Best in Category Award Winners:

Events/Observances – Government/Associations/Nonprofits – Clairemont Communications: “Triangle Family Services 9th Annual Gingerbread Benefit”

Marketing – Consumer Products or Services, Business-to-Business – Walker Marketing: “Marketing a Leading Home Care Provider in a Competitive Landscape”

Integrated Communications – Business – Products/Services – Largemouth Communications: “Kangaroo Express Salutes Our Troops” (Silver Best in Show)

Integrated Communications – Government/Associations/Nonprofits – S&A Cherokee: “Band Together NC Promotion and Branding”

Integrated Communications – Government/Associations/Nonprofits – Capstrat: “ThisWayToCPA”

BRONZE Best in Category Award Winners:

Media Relations – Business – Products/Services – French/West/Vaughan: “Gear4’s Angry Bird Speakers Fly Off the Shelves”

Media Relations – Government/Associations/Nonprofits – Fleishman-Hillard: “St. Baldrick’s Foundation: “Conquer Kid’s Cancer”

Feature Stories – S&A Cherokee: “Netsertive Article for Dental Entrepreneur Magazine”

Web Sites – Fleishman-Hillard: “Blue Asks You NC”

Social Media – Clairemont Communications: “Thomasville Furniture” (Bronze Best in Show)

Creative Tactics – Gibbs & Soell: “CANStruction Trade Show Exhibit”

Press Conferences – S&A Cherokee: “Town of Garner/Strategic Behavioral Health Press Conference”

Press Kits – Capstrat: “National Media Press Kit”

Internal/External Video Programs – Clairemont Communications: “Thomasville Facebook”

Magazine – Gibbs & Soell: “Thrive Magazine”

Research/Evaluation – S&A Cherokee: “University Dining, Red, White and You Focus Groups”

Professional communicators are encouraged to join NCPRSA’s LinkedIn and Facebook groups and to follow @ncprsa on Twitter. Tweets with the hashtag #InSpireAwards reference the awards program.