What Makes a WVB Award Winner?
Posted on Sep. 8, 2026 / Subscribe 0
By Jill E. Dunne, 2025 WVB Award Recipient, 2026 WVB Award Chair
Every profession has people who make it better.
They excel in their professional roles. They mentor. They volunteer. They share what they know. They make introductions, open doors and show up for their colleagues and their communities.
In the tri-state’s communications world, Cincinnati PRSA’s Werner-VonderHaar-Bogart Award gives us a chance to recognize those people.
The WVB Award is the chapter’s highest honor, recognizing a public relations professional whose service extends across four areas:
- The Cincinnati PRSA Chapter. How has the nominee contributed to the chapter? Think leadership, committees, mentoring, events, programming or simply being someone others can count on.
- The public relations profession. How have they helped strengthen the profession? Maybe they mentor emerging professionals, share their expertise, advocate for the value of communications or create opportunities for others.
- The Greater Cincinnati community. What difference have they made beyond their day job? Consider volunteer work, civic leadership, nonprofit involvement, advocacy or using their communications skills to help others.
- The Public Relations Society of America. How have they contributed to PRSA beyond Cincinnati? This could include national involvement, leadership, programs or other service to the organization.
Then, we ask the person nominating to tell us in your own words: Why should this person receive the WVB Award?
That may be the most important part of the nomination. Tell us what makes this person special. What have they done that made an impression on you? How have they helped others or made the profession better?
You don't need a 20-page application or a perfectly crafted nomination. You just need to tell their story.
I know what that recognition can mean.
As a PRSA member since 2003, I’ve spent more than two decades watching talented communications professionals give their time, energy and expertise to this profession. Being recognized alongside so many of them meant a lot.
That’s what I love about this profession. The best communicators don’t just do good work. They make space for others, give back and use what they know to make a difference.
The WVB Award gives us a chance to recognize them.
So, who comes to mind?
The mentor. The connector. The volunteer. The person who is always willing to help. The one who makes the people around them better.
Nominate them before Sept. 21. It takes a few minutes, and it could mean more than you know to the person you nominate.
Not yet a member of Cincinnati PRSA? Learn more about the benefits of joining!
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