State Farm Bureau Communications Specialists Honored for Work

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 28, 2013 – Awards for the top communications specialists were presented during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2013 Communications Conference, held June 22-25 in Portland, Ore. California, Ohio and Pennsylvania took home the most awards, including awards of excellence in news, print media, social media and audio/video.

Following is a list of the winners. Winners of larger state membership competitions are listed first. When one winner is listed, that category was a combined competition.

Best News Story: Ohio – Seth Teter; New York – Steve Ammerman

Honorable Mention to California, Illinois, Michigan, Utah

Best Feature Story: California – Christine Souza; Pennsylvania – Darrin Youker

Honorable Mention to Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah

Best News or Feature Series: Ohio – Seth Teter, Joe Cornely

Honorable Mention to Virginia

Best Single Blog Item, Editorial or Column: Ohio – Jack Fisher, Joe Cornely; Pennsylvania – Sam Kieffer

Honorable Mention to Texas, Montana

Best Blog or Column Series: Ohio – Jack Fisher, Joe Cornely; Montana – Mariah Baumann Shammel

Honorable Mention to Iowa, Wisconsin

Best Newspaper or Tabloid: Michigan – Paul W. Jackson, Stephanie Lonier, Tim Rogers, Dennis Rudat, Jeremy Nagel, Nikki Baker; New York – Julie Suarez, Steve Ammerman, Tara Wiley

Honorable Mention to California, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Nebraska

Best Magazine: California – Barbara Arciero, Steve Adler, Megan Alpers, Kate Campbell, Ching Lee, Christine Souza, Rhonda Asher, Karin Bakotich, Sarah Lee, Matt Salvo; Wisconsin – Casey Langan, Sheri Sutton, Amy Manske

Honorable Mention to Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, Utah

Best Leader Newsletter: Kansas – Meagan Cramer, Leah Fliter

Honorable Mention to Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan

Best Pamphlet or Brochure: California – Karin Bakotich, Casey Gudel; Minnesota – Kristin Harner, Pan Dahlman, Katie Brenny, Madsen Ink and Corporate Graphics

Best Communications Tool: Alabama – Jeff Helms, Paula Culver, Melissa Martin, Debra Davis, Mary Johnson, Katie Wendland, Miranda Mattheis

Honorable Mention to Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio

Best Single Photo: Oklahoma – Dustin Mielke; Utah – Matt Hargreaves

Honorable Mention to Iowa

Best Use of Photos: Oklahoma – Dustin Mielke; Vermont – Beth O’Keefe

Best Graphic Design: California – Matt Salvo; Pennsylvania – Lorraine Potochney-Kobold, Chad Newton

Honorable Mention to South Carolina, Utah

Best Audio News Story: Oklahoma – Sam Knipp

Best Audio Feature Story: Oklahoma – Sam Knipp

Best Audio Commentary/Editorial: Texas – Gene Hall

Best Audio Program: Ohio – Joe Cornely, Chip Nelson, Rebecca Everman

Honorable Mention to Oklahoma

Best Video News Story: Texas – Ed Wolff, Steve Sweeney

Honorable Mention to Arkansas, Mississippi

Best Video Feature Story: California – Tracy Sellers, Kevin Burke, Scott Monaco, Elbert Mock

Honorable Mention to Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma

Best Video Program: Iowa – Laurie Johns, Aaron Siskow, Jeremy Coyle

Honorable Mention to California, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio

Best Video Newsletter: Kentucky – Bob Shrader, Matt Hilton

Honorable Mention to Arkansas

Best Promotional or Education Video or Documentary: Iowa – Jeremy Coyle, Bo Geigley

Honorable Mention to Kentucky, Texas, Virginia

Best Internet Feature: Illinois – Ted Jankowski, Kari Nieber

Best Website: Arkansas – Steve Eddington, Robert Potter, Chris Wilson

Best Use of Single Social Media Platform: California – Megan Alpers, Barbara Arciero, Matt Salvo, Dave Kranz

Honorable Mention to Alabama

Best Social Media Program: Kentucky – Carilynn Gravatte

Honorable Mention to Ohio

Best Advertising Campaign or Spot: Iowa – Sara Payne, Dana Ardary, Jeremy Coyle, Evelyn George; Nebraska – Tina Henderson

Honorable Mention to New Mexico

Best Public Relations Campaign: Virginia – Greg Hicks, Bill Altice, Chris Baxter, Kathy Dixon, Norm Hyde, Maria La Lima, Sherri McKinney, Sara Owens, Pam Wiley, Cathy Vanderhoff, Barbara Zeidman

Honorable Mention to Mississippi, Indiana

Best Media Relations Event: Indiana – Kathleen M. Dutro, Mindy Reef, Andy Dietrick; Pennsylvania – Mark O’Neill, Chad Newton

Honorable Mention to Oklahoma, New York

Dave Lane Award for Media Relations Excellence: Indiana – Kathleen M. Dutro, Andy Dietrick, Mindy Reef; Pennsylvania – Mark O’Neill  

Honorable Mention to Virginia, Utah

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Contacts:

Tracy Taylor Grondine (202) 406-3642 tracyg@fb.org

Cyndie Sirekis (202) 406-3649 cyndies@fb.org