Awards prism_winner_5

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2003 Public

Relations Society of America -LA'S PRisms Awards Spotlights
MAYO Communications For Media Events and Media Placement

***
MAYO Communications Wins Five Awards among stiff competition and 300+ Entries

Los Angeles, CA - MAYO Communications won five awards last night (Thursday, November 6, 2003) at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA) Los Angeles Chapter Annual Awards Gala in Beverly Hills, CA.

MAYO Communications was the only agency that earned two PRisms for the category of "Media Placement - Print," for two separate media campaigns. The first, "10-Day Walkout," which revealed a $5 billion dollar national and statewide economic impact of the Long Beach (LB) and Los Angeles (LA) Ports dockworkers labor dispute. MAYO's staff timed an 18-month study results by its client Orange North-American Trade Access Authority Rail Corridor (OnTrac) to be released during the intense labor struggle that was reported on in nearly every major newspaper in the country and other media outlets.

The Second PRism winning entry: "First Economic Warcast," which was an economic forecast study about to be released weeks before the Iraq War. MAYO Communications coined the phrase "Warcast," and pitched it as the first economic forecast with war impact scenario authored by client and Chief Economist Jack Kyser, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). MTA's CEO Roger Snoble was the host for the event held in its boardroom. MAYO also received a PRism award for media events following a May 19th campaign "Made In China #1- LAEDC Trade Trends," which revealed that China is now America's number one trading partner. The study and announcements also included economic impacts of terrorism on the nation's freight system and the economic impact of the "SARS Scare."

Additionally, MAYO Communications received two "Awards of Excellence." One, for "Media/Press Kits - Print," which were used at a news conference at railroad tracks at Union Station, during a news conference on International Trade Trends that included a bright orange, Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway and METROLINK Engines as a backdrop.

The second "Award of Excellence" was for the category of "Government-Public Affairs," the "!0-Day Lockout" of the dockworkers in the LA/LB ports labor dispute.

"MAYO Communications is no stranger to the media," said President Aida Mayo, MAYO Communications. "The national and local media rely on us for contacts, interviews and resources for high profile and breaking news. Our niche: 'We don't guarantee media, we just get it.'"

About MAYO MAYO Communications has been serving its clients' media and public relations needs with the niche knowledge of media relations, branding government and politics. We have more than 30 years of combined media, public relations and marketing communications experience. MAYO Communications is one of the leading Los Angeles-based public relations firms.

The client roster includes such high profile companies as: C I Host, one of the world's top hosting companies; Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC); World Trade Center Association -Los Angeles/Long Beach; Orange-North-American Trade Rail Access Corridor Authority (OnTrac); City of Placentia; Odwyer Publications, NY; Advantage-Security Competitive Intelligence (Counterterrorism Expert Elsa Lee); Stevie Wonder's Stitches Technology; D&L Toy Company, original Toy manufacturer of the Stomp Rocket™, BuyButtons.com and Baron's Moving & storage.

# # #

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Employee Grapevine Among Top National Winners In New York

New York- The Employee Grapevine, a nationally recognized internal communications program has received a national award from the National Assn. Of Housing Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) at its summer conference in Times Square, NY.

NAHRO has a membership of some 3,400 agency members including The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). The Employee Grapevine and two other innovative programs earned national awards of excellence in housing and community development in stiff competition.

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) will honor the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles for three of its cutting edge programs at the NAHRO national conference in San Diego this Fall. HACLA received a total of 13 merit nominations.

"These are the kind of programs that sets Los Angeles apart from the other agencies in the country," said Don Smith, HACLA executive director. "I am proud that our peers have acknowledged the value of these unusual programs by granting us this award."

The Employee Grapevine is a dial-in radio program ( 213 / TALK ) out of voice-mail that allows Employees to hear voices of news makers and employees who make a difference. The short newscast last 3 - 5 minutes and invites listeners to leave questions, suggestions and story ideas after the tone. Often employees questions and their answers are aired in the next broadcast.

"It establishes credibility overnight, and works well in rapidly changing corporate or government environments that might be experiencing downsizing or constant changes," said George McQuade, former public relations director, HACLA, and creator of the program. "We receive calls from all over the country from communicators wanting to learn more about successful program."

Mc Quade started a similar program when he was a public affairs manager at the Southern California Gas Company, Los Angeles. "Calls to the Grapevine skyrocketed from 50 per day to nearly 400 per day during the height of downsizing, and eventually 18,500 in four weeks he said. There were only 8,000 employees before downsizing began. When I started a similar program at the L.A. Housing Authority we received similar results. In fact, residents like it so well they wanted their own Resident Grapevine."

"It's so wonderful to have our programs recognized nationally," said Ozie B. Gonzaque, HACLA Board of Commissioners. "Hopefully this will increase awareness about what we've accomplished here at the Housing Authority. We're always moving forward, and it's great to be recognized for it."

The Housing Authority employs 1,000 people and has a consolidated budget of more than $470 million. The Housing Authority has been recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the industry for its administrative capability and pioneering spirit--which have lead to the NAHRO awards as well as the creation of Computer Learning Centers located throughout the developments as part of HUD's recently unveiled "Campus of Learners." In the past year, the Housing Authority earned a "high performer status" from HUD for its overall management of 21 public housing developments in Los Angeles.

Back Home Click on MAYO: