Georgia Ports Authority Wins Coveted Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation

NEW YORK, N.Y. – June 10, 2009 — The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) was awarded a coveted 2009 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for superior performance in the design and execution of an individual public relations tactic within a broader public relations campaign. Winners of the award were recognized during the 2009 Silver Anvil Awards Evening held June 4 at the Equitable Tower in New York.

The GPA received a 2009 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation in the Annual Reports (Up to $500 Million) category for its FY2007 Annual Report: Gateway to American Commerce publication. Through copy, charts and picturesque photography, GPA’s FY2007 Annual Report: Gateway to American Commerce illustrates the ports’ importance to its stakeholders.

“We are proud of our record of excellence throughout our business sectors,” said GPA’s Executive Director Doug J. Marchand. “Recognition from PRSA for the second consecutive year signifies the outstanding work our public relations team continues to produce. The annual report plays an essential role in our marketing and communications efforts with the citizens of Georgia, our elected officials and business leaders throughout the world.”

GPA’s External Affairs department produced the annual report under the leadership of GPA’s Director of External Affairs Robert Morris. Last year, the GPA’s FY2006 publication received the 2008 Bronze Anvil Award for annual reports up to $500 million.

The Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation was created by PRSA in 1969 to recognize outstanding public relations tactics — the individual items or components that contribute to the success of an overall program.

About the Georgia Ports Authority

Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 286,476 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $14.9 billion in income, $55.8 billion in revenue and $2.8 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy. Additional information can be found at www.gaports.com.

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

The Public Relations Society of America, headquartered in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters and 10 Districts nationwide, and 20 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.