Vanguarde Communications Top PR Firm Of The Year.

Vanguard Communications, winning PR Week’s prestigious Mid-Size Agency of the Year Award was just the beginning. The Hispanic woman-owned public relations firm then went on to win the coveted title of Agency of the Year at the PR Week Awards 2003 Ceremony, held in New York last night.

In winning the award, Vanguard bested Large PR Agency of the Year, Burson-Marsteller, and Boutique PR Agency of the Year, David Grossman & Associates.

According to PR Week, “Vanguard Communications nosed ahead due to an admirable performance-in terms of both measurable growth and undeniable integrity.”

Sponsored by PR Week magazine, the award represents significant recognition from top PR professionals from all sectors of the industry. It acknowledges Vanguard’s innovative business strategy, excellent growth-22 percent revenue growth over the last two years-superior client relations and retention, PR innovations and creativity, and staff initiatives.

“Not only does this award represent a lifetime of work, it affirms Vanguard’s unwavering dedication to our mission: Communications can, in fact, make the world a better place,” said Maria Rodriguez, president and founder of the 16-year-old firm.

Vanguard’s entry, “Philanthropy, Food and Fun: A Year of Growth and Achievement,” described an unprecedented year of growth and innovation for the firm. It also featured Vanguard’s 2002 “Buy Local Challenge,” a unique, hands-on, company-wide social marketing effort that helped the firm, its clients and the community better understand the barriers to identifying and choosing locally and sustainably produced food. For one month, staff challenged themselves to buy and eat only foods grown locally and/or in socially and environmentally responsible ways. Vanguard staff invited friends and clients to participate in the challenge, and the company devoted a special section on its Web site to recording daily impressions, successes and barriers.