Threads of Triumph: PRSA Nebraska Recognizes Excellence in Communications with 2025 Paper Anvils

By Emma Izzo

PRSA Nebraska celebrated emerging and established talent in public relations, marketing and communications at its annual PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards Gala on December 17.

 Six chapter service awards and 85 Paper Anvils across 32 categories were announced by emcee Leia Baez at Champions Run to an audience of more than 100.

 The highest-scoring entries across professional and student categories are recognized as Best of Show. Omaha Public Schools won Best of Show in the professional division for its All-City Music Festival 75th Anniversary campaign. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bateman Team won Best of Show in the student division for its EveryLibrary Campaign.

 Judges praised Best of Show winners for their extensive research, strong strategic planning and ability to adapt in real time, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, noting the strength of results clearly demonstrated why the work stood out.

 Each year, an individual who represents the best of public relations in Nebraska over the past year is awarded Professional of the Year. This year’s award went to LeAnne Morman, who serves as PRSA Nebraska’s 2025 president and operates an independent PR and communications consultancy. Morman said she was “honestly beside myself” to be recognized with PRSA’s highest individual honor.

 “I’m deeply grateful to my fellow PRSA Nebraska members who have supported and inspired me throughout my career,” she said. “Our chapter has always been a community of people who lift each other up while delivering outstanding work for our clients and organizations, and I’m privileged to be part of it.”

 Other individuals recognized by PRSA Nebraska at the event were:

• Jim Janicki, APR, Fellow PRSA, Special Achievement in Public Relations
• Jermaine Lockett, Newcomer of the Year
• Jayme Sandberg, APR, PRSA Nebraska Chapter Service Award
• Jara Sturdivant-Wilson, APR, Community Service Award
• Matt Wynn, Media Partner of the Year

 

The Paper Anvil Awards are Nebraska’s premier program recognizing excellence in public relations. The awards honor strategic programs, standout projects, and individual leadership that advance the profession in both professional and university student divisions. 

PR professionals from the Central Ohio PRSA Chapter served as volunteer judges to ensure an objective, peer-reviewed evaluation process. Entries were assessed based on research, planning, execution and evaluation, with judges abstaining where conflicts of interest may exist. Entries are judged against professional standards and total points determine whether work receives an award and what kind.

The 2025 Paper Anvil Awards Gala was made possible through generous support from Blue Diamond Sponsor: Lukas Partners; Gold Sponsors: Emspace + Lovgren and Envoy Inc.; Emcee Sponsor: Status; and Design Sponsor: University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Jacht Agency.

The complete list of Paper Anvil Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit follows. Bold indicates the top-scoring entry in the category.

Program Awards

 Community Relations

• Award of Excellence: Avant Solutions, Stronger Together: Five Years of Music at Miller Park
• Awards of Merit:
• Emspace + Lovgren, Project Game ON
• Empsace + Lovgren, Building Together

 

Reputation/Brand Management

• Awards of Excellence:
• Meyocks, Farm Credit Services of America: Land Value Insights, Expertise and Education
• Omaha Public Schools, 2024-25 Strategic Communications Plan
• Clarity Channels, What’s in a Name? Giving Meaning to CRCC
• Awards of Merit:
• Lukas Partners, UScellular US Mode Experiences Help People Have Fun, Spend Less Time on Screens
• Emspace + Lovgren, Sofia’s Play Garden
• Lukas Partners, Heartwood Preserve Becomes Premier Community Destination with Free Outdoor Winterland Ice-Skating Rink
• Emspace + Lovgren, Rebrand

 

Events & Observances

• Awards of Excellence:
• Omaha Public Schools, All-City Music Festival 75th Anniversary
• Arbor Day Foundation, Arbor Day 2025 PR Campaign
• Envoy, Inc., QCS Annual Conference
• Awards of Merit:
• Avant Solutions, Encore of Impact: Celebrating Five Years at Miller Park
• Lukas Partners, From Vending to Giving: Giving Machine Omaha Events Inspire Holiday Kindness, Raise $80,860 for Local Nonprofits
• Lukas Partners, UScellular Putts to Guinness World Records Title for Longest Temporary Mini Golf Hole During Unplug & Play Day

 

Public Affairs

• Award of Merit: Emspace + Lovgren, We Make Omaha

 

Marketing Consumer Products

• Awards of Excellence:
• Meyocks, Farm Credit Services of America’s 2025 Cash-Back Dividends Campaign
• Envoy, Inc., Hiland Dairy ProPack Snack Launch
• Awards of Merit:
• Scooter’s Coffee, Bringing the Magic of Hasbro’s CANDY LAND to Scooter’s Coffee
• Buffett Early Childhood Institute, “New Report” Email Template and Targeted Distribution Lists

 

Marketing Consumer Services

• Award of Merit: Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Superintendent’s Early Childhood Plan Newsletter

 

Marketing Business to Business

• Award of Excellence: Lukas Partners, Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska: Outlook Nebraska’s Toilet Paper Made by Blind, Low-Vision Associates Recognized as Runner-Up
• Award of Merit: Envoy, Inc., QCS Cooperative Vision YouTube Series

 

Internal Communications

• Awards of Excellence:
• Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Institute Insider and Comms 101
• Envoy, Inc., Hiland Dairy Team Meeting “Lifting Together”

 

Integrated Communications

• Awards of Excellence:
• Avant Solutions, Music at Miller Park’s Fifth Year Crescendo
• Meyocks, Farm Credit Services of America’s 2025 Cash-Back Dividends Campaign
• Emspace + Lovgren, Nebraska Beanstock
• Awards of Merit:
• Envoy, Inc., Hiland Dairy Golden Ticket Giveaway
• Lukas Partners, Winterland at Heartwood Preserve Skates to Successful Inaugural Season
• OBI Creative, Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors Integrated Marketing

 

Project Awards

 Media/Press Kits

• Awards of Merit:
• Emspace + Lovgren, Affordable Housing Press Conference
• Emspace + Lovgren, Omaha Mayor’s Streetcar Press Conference
• Lukas Partners, Terra Gaucha Omaha’s Grand Opening Media Strategy Sizzing Success

 

Editorials/Op-Ed Columns

• Award of Excellence: Arbor Day Foundation, Corporate Climate Action Op-Eds
• Award of Merit: Clarity Channels, NECC Head Start Op-Ed

 

Podcasts

• Award of Merit: Franchise Sidekick, Podcasting with Purpose: Launching “The Sidekick Life”

 

Blogs

• Awards of Excellence:
• Envoy, Inc.: Hiland Dairy Blog
• Arbor Day Foundation, Perspectives Stories
• Award of Merit: Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Early Years Matter Blog

 

Websites and Smartphone/Tablet Applications

• Awards of Excellence:
• Envoy, Inc., Envoy Fresh Website Redesign
• Emspace + Lovgren, Website Redesign
• Award of Merit: Emspace + Lovgren, Project Be Someone Website

 

Word of Mouth Marketing

• Award of Merit: Lukas Partners, Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska: Outlook Nebraska’s Toilet Paper Made by Blind, Low-Vision Associates Recognized as Runner-Up

 

Social Media

• Awards of Excellence:
• Arbor Day Foundation, Year in Review
• OBI Creative, Goodwill Omaha Social Media
• HDR, JXN Water Social Media
• UNMC, Nebraska Wesleyan University Engagement Campaign
• Award of Merit: Buffett Early Childhood Institute, Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska Social Media

 

Influencer Marketing

• Awards of Excellence:
• Envoy, Inc., Hiland Dairy Influencer Strategy 2024-25
• NFM, NFM + Cash Harris Influencer Campaign
• Scooter's Coffee, Scooter’s Coffee x CANDY LAND Influencers
• Award of Merit: Arbor Day Foundation, Extreme Heat Influencer Campaign

 

Video

• Awards of Excellence:
• Envoy, Inc., QCS Cooperative Vision YouTube Series
• Arbor Day Foundation, Camp & Carr Wildfire Recovery
• Arbor Day Foundation, Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary
• Awards of Merit:
• Envoy, Inc., Hiland Dairy ProPack Snack Commercial
• OBI Creative, Thanks, I Got it at Goodwill
• Project Harmony Child Advocacy Center, Missing Documentary
• Envoy, Inc. OneWorld Community Health Centers HPV Vaccination & Well-Child Visit Awareness Video(s)
• Envoy, Inc., Shred Vault Lincoln Awareness Campaign Video

 

Publications

• Awards of Merit:
• Arbor Day Foundation, Member Newsletter
• Clarity Channels, The EO Report

 

Annual Reports

• Awards of Merit:
• Emspace + Lovgren, 2024 Annual Report
• Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA): 2024 MAPA Annual Report

 

Created In-House

• Awards of Merit:
• Arbor Day Foundation, Let’s Grow! Arbor Day Campaign
• Project Harmony Child Advocacy Center, Missing Documentary

 

Special Projects

• Awards of Excellence:
• Omaha Steaks, Certified Tender Romance Book (April Fools’ Campaign)
• Arbor Day Foundation, The Canopy Report: How America Sees Trees

 

University Student Division

 Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter Project

• Awards of Merit:
• Creighton University, Soaring for Life Creighton
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln PRSSA, Heartland Cancer Foundation Gala

 

Classroom Project

• Award of Excellence: University of Nebraska-Lincoln PRSSA, Ruth Staples Child Development Lab Centennial Campaign

 

Total Marketing Campaign 

• Award of Excellence: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bateman Team, EveryLibrary Campaign

 

Events

• Award of Merit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bateman Team, EveryLibrary Campaign Events

 

Social Media

• Award of Excellence: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bateman Team, EveryLibrary Social Media
• Award of Merit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln PRSSA, Instagram Engagement Strategy

 

Digital Marketing 

• Award of Merit: Jacht Agency, Essence MedSpa

 

Video

• Awards of Merit:
• Jacht Agency, Mourning Hope
• Jacht Agency, NE Vision Foundation

 

Print Materials/Publications

• Awards of Merit:
• Jacht Agency, Engineers Without Borders
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln PRSSA, PRSSA Recruitment Flyer

 

DEI & Social Justice Projects

• Award of Merit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln PRSSA, Diversity in Public Relations: DEI Event & Engagement

 

Special Projects

• Awards of Merit:
• Jacht Agency, AppCentri
• Jacht Agency, Bee Book