At the Public Relations Society of America's Silver Anvil awards at the Equitable Center, the networking and chatter never stopped. It didn't stop as guests waited in line inside the ladies' room, nor did it stop during the actual awards presentation. When people weren't whispering to one another from their seats or excitedly shouting at award winners, they were furiously text messaging on their cell phones or emailing on Blackberries. (One man startled his seatmates when he let loose a loud, ecstatic whoop as his company's name was announced. When an employee shyly reached the stage to accept the award, her voice quivered as she squeaked out: "That's my C.E.O.")Back by popular demand from his M.C. duties last year was Sopranos cast member Steve Schirippa. "Like the rest of the cast, I got arrested and this is my community service," he said as he swaggered onstage. Schirippa devoted an hour to handing out statues as his cohost, former Extreme Makeover host Sissy Biggers, announced the winners from her perch atop a milk crate behind the podium. (We were impressed by her ease with the task of announcing almost 60 awards in an hour—she was going so fast the visual cues sometimes lagged behind her. She even managed a few smart comebacks to Schirippa's wisecracking as she announced the awards at breakneck speed.) PRSA director of special events Karla Voth planned the awards event for the 12th year.
—Suzanne Ito
Posted 06.14.06
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New York's Top PR Industry Events 2006
Big PR Awards at Equitable Center
—Suzanne Ito
Posted 06.14.06
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New York's Top PR Industry Events 2006
Big PR Awards at Equitable Center
The Equitable Center's auditorium hosted the awards presentation.
Unusual flower arrangements of pink peonies and giant fiddlehead ferns decorated cocktails tables.
Cer te decorated buffet tables with tea lights suspended from candelabras.
Guests got another hour of networking time at the post-awards dessert reception.
Whole roasted salmon stuffed with spinach and basmati rice and covered with cucumbers and salmon roe; baskets of crudités and rolls, and trays of hors d'oeuvres covered the preawards dinner buffet table.
