Piers Handling receives CEO of the Year Award for Excellence in PR

February 3, 2004

Toronto, Ontario - The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto member society presented the 2003 CEO of the Year Award of Excellence in Public Relations to Piers Handling, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival Group, at an honorary luncheon held today at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Piers Handling, CEO, Toronto International Film Festival Group (centre) was presented with 2003 CEO of the Year Award of Excellence in Public Relations by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Toronto member society, at an honorary luncheon held today at Toronto s Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Handling is flanked by Lisa Homer, CPRS National President (far left), Mike Nolan, CEO, CCNMatthews, Event Sponsor (left), Mark LaVigne, CPRS (Toronto) President (right) and Gordon McIvor, Founder of the award and CPRS member (far right).

The CEO of the Year Award was established in 1991 to demonstrate the growing role of issues management in the day-to-day responsibilities of the CEO. The award also emphasizes the fact that a successful CEO must also be an excellent communicator, as well as a strong financial and administrative manager. Handling was evaluated in the following categories: Vision, Effectiveness, Involvement, Excellence and Ethics/Integrity.

Gordon McIvor, Founder of the CEO of the Year Award, and a committee comprised of former CPRS (Toronto) presidents selected Handling, citing his effectiveness as a communicator, commitment to the arts, vision for the Festival Centre and the sustained, international publicity that the Toronto International Film Festival® continues to receive each year.

Past recipients of the CEO of the Year Award include Peter H. Ellis, President and CEO, Sunnybrook Medical Centre; David Bloom, President and CEO, Shoppers Drug Mart; John Cassidy, President and CEO, CTV; George Cohon, President and CEO, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada; Allan Stark, President and CEO, American Express Company Canada; Diane McGarry, President and CEO, Xerox Canada Inc.; Bobbie Gaunt, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada; Dominic D'Alessandro, President and CEO, Manulife Financial; Charles Baillie, Chair, TD Bank Financial Group, and Julian Fantino, Chief of the Toronto Police Force.

The CEO of the Year Award is sponsored by CCNMatthews (www.ccnmatthews.com) , one of Canada's foremost news distribution and communications services companies.

The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a national association representing the public relations profession, through the establishment and maintenance of high professional, educational and ethical standards. CPRS (Toronto), at www.cprstoronto.com, is one of the largest member societies with more than 600 members.