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| On behalf of the entire team, representatives of Sarasota County Government’s Communications Department were recognized by county leadership during the Board of County Commissioners meeting on June 13. The department recently received awards during two competitions. SARASOTA COUNTY – Sarasota County Government’s Communications Department was recognized during this week’s county commission meeting for its recent achievements at the national and international levels. The team is led by Director of Communications Jamie Carson, who was named the 2023 Communicator of the Year by the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC). Each year, NAGC’s Board of Directors presents this award to a public servant for outstanding work in the field of government communications. The award recognizes a government communicator who has fostered public trust and personifies the role by delivering timely, accurate and meaningful information to the public. Carson was selected from a field of nominees from federal, state and local government agencies. “It is an honor to accept this achievement as a representative of the Sarasota County Communications Department,” said Carson. “No one person can achieve this level of success alone. This recognition is directly attributable to the collaboration of an amazing team and the support of family and friends. It’s an honor to be a member of such a dedicated team serving our community, and I’m so grateful to my family for their support through the years.” The Communications Team also received the following recognitions from the NACG’s Blue Pencil and Gold Screen awards program: Second Place for the county’s Penny Surtax Referendum communication and education campaign; the Award of Excellence for the county’s social media outreach and virtual efforts for Hurricane Ian; and County Photographer Steve Dawson received the Award of Excellence for his photography portfolio. Additionally, the Communications Team was recognized by the Hermes Creative Awards program, one of the oldest and largest creative international competitions. Winners range in size from individuals to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies. The team received the following awards: Platinum Award for the department’s Penny Surtax Referendum communications plan; Gold Award for the Communications Team’s COVID-19 vaccine communications efforts; Gold Award in print media for the Siesta Key booklet; and honorable mentions for the county’s 2022 Year in Review and the team’s video support of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. “All of these accolades from NAGC and Hermes serve as a testament to the professionalism and creativity of the county’s incredible team. This group is by far one of the best in local government,” said Carson. |