Pitt Office of Public Affairs Wins Best in Show at ‘09 IABC Golden Triangle Awards

Issue Date: 
October 19, 2009

The University of Pittsburgh’s Free at Last? Slavery in Pittsburgh in the 18th and 19th Centuries opening reception and exhibition event won Best in Show from the Pittsburgh chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) at its 30th annual Golden Triangle Awards ceremony, held Oct. 7 in the University Club, 123 University Place, Oakland. Master of ceremonies for the IABC event was Ray Werner, a Pittsburgh communications veteran.

The Free at Last? exhibition was created by Pitt at the Senator John Heinz History Center in observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Pittsburgh and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade in the United States. It was on display from Oct. 25, 2008, through April 5, 2009, in the McGuinn Gallery of the Senator John Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St., Strip District. The by-invitation opening reception event was held at the History Center on Oct. 24, 2008.

The IABC honors presented Oct. 7 recognize excellence in communication management, communication skills, and communication creativity throughout Western Pennsylvania.

In all, 70 finalists received Awards of Excellence or Awards of Honor in 26 categories.

IABC/Pittsburgh presented Pitt Office of Public Affairs projects and/or staff members with the following eight Awards of Excellence:

Communication Management/

Special Events— Free at Last?;

Communications Management/Other—
Free at Last?;

Communication Skills/Magazines— Pitt Med;

Communication Skills/Feature Writing— Joe Miksch, Pitt Med, “The Investigator’s Path”;

Communication Creative/Publication Design: Magazines— Gary Cravener, Pitt Magazine;

Communication Creative/Other Graphic Design: Posters— Bill Ivins, Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series;

Communication Creative/Other Graphic Design: Logo or Organizational Identity— Jane Dudley, University Club identity; and

Communication Creative/Other Graphic Design: Other— Sarah Nelsen, From Doorway to Distinction event display.

Blue Gold & Black: From Doorway to Distinction was a documentary that was screened during a by-invitation-only world premiere on Feb. 4, 2008, at the Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland. The event was the University’s 2009 K. Leroy Irvis Black History Month Program.

The film tells the story of the 180-year experience of Black men and women at Pitt. On Motion Media wrote the script for the documentary, based on a treatment written by Robert Hill, Pitt’s vice chancellor for public affairs.

The following 15 Awards of Honor were presented to Pitt communicators for University projects:

Special Events— Blue Gold & Black: From Doorway to Distinction;

Speech Writing [two awards]— Presbytery Night at Heinz History Center and African American Chamber of Commerce, both speeches by Hill;

Other Writing— Laurence A. Glasco, Free at Last? catalogue essay;

Audiovisual— Blue Gold & Black: From Doorway to Distinction;

Web Sites [two awards]— Pitt Giving and School of Medicine’s Admissions and Financial Aid;

Publication Design/Magazines— Elena Gialamas Cerri, Pitt Med;

Annual Reports Design— Marci Belchick Beas and Rainey Dermond, Blue Gold & Black 2008;

Other Publication Design [two awards]— Amy Porta Kleebank, Free at Last? catalogue, and Jane Dudley, Pitt Rep: American Revelations;

Poster Design— Bill Ochsenhirt, Kuntu Baseball;

Other Graphic Design [two awards]— Sarah Nelsen, From Doorway to Distinction invitation, and Marci Belchick Beas, Free at Last? exhibition;

Print Advertising— Marci Belchick Beas, NCAA Celebration ad.

Also at the event, Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) received an Award of Excellence for the GSPIA Web site and an Award of Honor for the GSPIA 50th Anniversary celebration.

IABC is a not-for-profit international network of public relations and marketing professionals that develops educational resources, services, and activities for individuals and organizations in the field.