The Annual Distinguished Lecture & Awards Dinner is an unbroken tradition dating back to 1961. Each year, a major figure in PR practice or education, or a related field, addresses a topic of vital importance to our profession. In addition, the Institute bestows a variety of major awards, including the Northwestern Mutual Best Master's Thesis Award, the Ketchum Excellence in PR Research Award, the Pathfinder Award for a program of original scholarly research, and the Alexander Hamilton Medal for lifetime contributions to the public relations profession.

In some years, the Institute also presents an International Distinguished Lecture in Europe.

Nov. 4, 2009 • Yale Club • 50 Vanderbilt Ave. New York City

Jon Iwata, Senior Vice President at IBM, delivered the Institute for Public Relations 2009 Distinguished Lecture to an audience of 300 leaders in public relations and corporate communications gathered in New York City.  Institute Co-chair Mike Fernandez introduced Iwata, calling him "an innovator, a thought leader, and very humble and stand up guy. In today's world, Jon is the standard; and we are very proud and pleased to have Jon deliver this year's lecture, and to hear his vision of how we might all not only sustain, but advance our profession while messages and markets are moving at warp speed."

Jon Iwata Senior VP, IBM

Al Golin Chairman, GolinHarris

The Institute presented its Alexander Hamilton Medal for lifetime achievement in public relations to Al Golin, Chairman of Chicago-based GolinHarris. The medal is named in recognition of the strategies that Alexander Hamilton used to gain the acceptance and adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars have called Hamilton's techniques "the finest use of public relations in history."

"In this spirit, the Alexander Hamilton Medal honors our colleague, Al Golin, whose lifetime achievements demonstrate the power of the effective use of public relations," said Institute Co-chair Matt Gonring. "Al has been a friend and mentor - and importantly - he has set a standard of excellence in our business that many of us live by."

Keith Burton, an Institute Trustee and President of Insidedge, introduced Golin.

Click here to read Keith's remarks.

Contact jmoyer@jou.ufl.edu, +1.352.392.0280