Gold Coast PR Council Board members. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
South Florida’s largest independent association of public relations, communications and marketing professionals announced the winners of its 20th Annual Bernays Awards.
The Gold Coast PR Council welcomed communications professionals, community leaders and guests to their milestone luncheon, where awards were presented to the best of the best in PR.
“Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Bernays Awards gave us an opportunity to recognize not only the creativity and strategic excellence of this year’s winners, but also the individuals whose leadership has strengthened South Florida’s communications community,” said co-presidents of the Gold Coast PR Council, Sandy Collier and Melissa Perlman.
2026 Special Award Recipients
The prestigious President’s Award was presented to Gary Schweikhart, who co-founded the Gold Coast PR Council. Schweikhart has spent more than 55 years in communications and has led Boca Raton-based Public Relations By Schweikhart since 2001.
The prestigious President’s Award was presented to Gary Schweikhart, who co-founded the Gold Coast PR Council. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Special honors included:
Founders Award: Angela Cruz Ledford, Discover the Palm Beaches
Tim Byrd Award: Kelly Henry, Florida Weekly
PR Star Award: Scott Simmons, Norton Museum of Art
Judges Award: City of Boca Raton for “Centennial Celebration: Cheers to 100 Years”
Florida Weekly’s Kelly Henry receives the Tim Byrd Award and Scott Simmons receives the PR Star Award for his work at The Norton Museum of Art. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Branielle Edmonds, TJ Tracey, Ann Marie Sorrell and Duval Hendricks were among the almost 100 guest at the Bernays Awards. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Cory Reed and Jennifer Sardone Shiner of JSS Marketing and PR. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Ethan Dangerwing, Amanda MacMaster and Claudia Andriasova. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Elizabeth Dashiell, Adriana Bockman-Pedersen and Charlotte Vermaak enjoy the 20th annual celebration. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Scott Simmons received the PR Star Award, Kelly Henry received the Tim Byrd Award and Gary Schweikhart was honored with the President’s Award. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
Alec Lefeld, Melissa Perlman, Samantha Stepper and Mark Burns. -PREMIER PHOTO / COURTESY PHOTO
2026 Bernays Award Winners:
Best Nonprofit Project or Campaign — Large
BlueIvy Communications
“Arts Garage: Sustaining a Cultural Anchor Amid Arts Funding Cuts”
Best Nonprofit Project or Campaign — Small
The Buzz Agency
“Promise Fund: Expanding Access to Life-Saving Cancer Screenings”
Best Marketing Material — Print
Palm Beach County Library System
The Bookmobile Rebrand
Best Marketing Material — Digital/Video
Hey, Sandy! PR & Communications
Renewed Wellness Medical Center Commercials
Best Special Event
Discover The Palm Beaches
“Spill the Tea: Bringing The Palm Beaches to New York City Through Immersive Storytelling”
Best Social Media Campaign — For Profit
Boardroom PR
Banking for the Next Generation
Best Social Media Campaign — Nonprofit
Kaliah Communications and MasterWing Creative Agency
Dine Local. Savor Greenacres
Best Crisis Management
Food For The Poor
Food For The Poor Responds to Hurricane Melissa
Best PR Campaign by a Small Company or Firm
Hey, Sandy! PR & Communications
T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society: “Opioid Prevention Education Series, Season 5”
Best PR Campaign by a Large Company or Firm
BlueIvy Communications
“A Legacy Through Local Art” Initiative”
For more, visit GoldCoastPRCouncil.com.