Maine Public Relations Council Honors Two Members At Annual Conference
The Maine Public Relations Council (MPRC) honored two individuals at its annual conference on October 18, 2006. - 11/21/2006
Bernays Award
Dan Marois received the 2006 Edward L. Bernays Award, MPRC?s highest honor.
The award is named for Edward L. Bernays, widely regarded as the father of modern public relations, and was created in 1987 to honor outstanding contributions to the public-relations profession.
Marois, a communications specialist at L.L. Bean, started his career in Maine in 1982 as executive director of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. He?s worked in public relations at several Central Maine hospitals including Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway, St. Mary?s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston and Franklin Community Health Network in Farmington.
Marois has a long history of service to his communities. He?s served as chairman of the board for the Tri-Valley United Way and the United Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. He?s also served on the board of the Good Shepherd Food Bank and Junior Achievement of Central Maine and acted as volunteer communications director for the American Heart Association Heart Walk and the Great Falls Balloon Festival.
A graduate of Boston University, Marois is a drama critic for the Lewiston Sun Journal.
President?s Award
Susan B. Tompkins received the President?s Award, given annually to an MPRC member or organization that has made great contributions to the public-relations field and MPRC.
Tompkins is the principal of Rising Tide PR, a boutique public relations firm providing strategic planning and public relations services to nonprofits and cause-based clients. In her work with MPRC, she has served as vice president and chair of the professional development committee.
A Maine native, she earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of South Florida at Tampa. Before starting her own agency, Tompkins worked in public relations at Vreeland Marketing & Design. As Maine?s ?Leaf Lady,? Tompkins served in the King Administration at the Department of Conservation promoting state parks, forestry and environmental issues. Tompkins has also
worked at WCSH-TV6 and WGME-TV 13. She and her husband Scott live in South Portland.