About Del Oro Awards
The Del Oro (Gold) Awards recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the PR profession. Nominations are accepted for the following four categories.

· Tex Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award (A1): Presented to an individual in recognition of achievement and outstanding leadership in the field of public relations. The honor is awarded to the chapter member who has helped develop public relations as a credible profession and has accomplished landmark professional achievements, both professionally and personally. Nominees should have worked or taught in public relations 20 or more years. Previous winners: Tex Taylor, APR (honorary); Charles Kenworthy, APR, Fellow PRSA; Kay Floyd, APR; Bob McCullough, APR; Bob Howard; John Worthington; Kelly Morris, APR; and Monica Faulkenbery, APR.

· Public Relations Professional of the Year (A2): Presented to a professional who represents the best in public relations in 2009. This award honors an outstanding individual who, in a given year, achieves tremendous success in public relations: the management function that establishes mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the public on whom its success or failure depends. Previous winners: Kathy Hill; Pascual Gonzalez; Lorraine Pulido-Ramirez; Nancy Arispe; Kami Watson Huyse, APR; and Fran Stephenson.

· Community Service (A3): Presented to a public relations professional who, as a volunteer, has given exceptional time and talents to community service activities. Previous winners: John Worthington; Palmira Arellano; Roland Ruiz; Christie Goodman, APR, and Adriana Garcia.

· Horizon (A4): Presented to a “rising star” chapter member in good standing who has demonstrated professionalism and significant accomplishment in fewer than five years in public relations. Previous winners: Francisco Castillo; April Alcoser; Melissa Vela-Williamson; Carol Schliesinger; Cassandra Miranda; Randy Escamilla and Abbey Forney.

Del Oro Nomination Guidelines
· Entrants should submit a letter of nomination. There is no formal entry form and no fee for submitting nominations. Supporting letters and material will also be accepted, up to a total of four pages per nomination. Judges will consider only the first four pages submitted.

· The nominee must have demonstrated outstanding leadership and management skills, innovation and superb use of the four components of the public relations planning process (research, planning, execution and evaluation).

· Candidates must be nominated by someone in the community who has knowledge of and involvement with the extraordinary individual’s accomplishment or contribution. Nominations for these awards are to be kept in the strictest confidence between the submitters and the Del Oro judging committee chair. The name and contact information for the submitter should be included for clarification purposes only.

· PRSA San Antonio chapter membership is required for nominees for the Tex Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award and the Horizon Award. PRSA San Antonio chapter membership is not required for nominees for the PR Professional of the Year or Community Service awards.

· Nominees must work primarily in the San Antonio market or in a nearby market if their market does not have a PRSA chapter.