
​
The Tulsa chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC/Tulsa) recognized top local communications professionals on April 25, at the organization’s annual Bronze Quill Awards Ceremony. The event, attended by more than 100 people, was held in the Tandy Garden at the Central Library in downtown Tulsa.
​
Teryl Rose was named the 2019 Communicator of the Year for his passion and outstanding contributions toward creating a strong safety culture at ONE Gas in his role as Vice President of Environment, Safety and Health. Previous IABC/Tulsa Communicators of the Year include ONE Gas CEO, Pierce Norton, former TU coach Bill Self, former Tulsa mayor Susan Savage, former Williams CEO Keith Bailey, and most recently CEO of Tulsa City-County Library Kimberly Johnson.
​
Becky Carver, Supervisor of Communications at ONEOK, received the John Hartman Professional of the Year award. Carver was recognized by her peers for her exceptional leadership, professionalism and all-around dedication to everything she does.
For just the second year, IABC/Tulsa presented the Rising Star award to recognize a dynamic, young communications professional. This year, Kayla Swan, Communications Specialist at Helmerich & Payne, received the honor.
​
The Leon Bolen Service Award, which honors an IABC member’s volunteerism and support of IABC’s organizational goals, was awarded to Cindy Bolen for her continued generosity and efforts to support our chapter.
​
The “Best of Show” Award, presented to the entry with the highest total score, was awarded to Beth Harris of Walmart for “The Scoop Internal Newsletter”.
​
In addition to these special awards, 43 Bronze Quill awards were given to local communications professionals for their exceptional work.
​
Awards of Excellence were presented to:
​
-
Kiley Roberson of the Tulsa City-County Library for “My Neighborhood Library”
-
Kathy Murphy and Erin Holland of ONEOK for “ONEOK FacilityConnect”
-
Kiley Roberson of the Tulsa City-County Library for “Summer Reading Program 2018”
-
Stephanie Higgins, Brittany Viuf, Becky Carver, Jason Wright and Erica May for “ONEOK’s Corporate Sustainability and ESG Report” – this entry won awards in both the Corporate Social Responsibility and Publications categories.
-
Byers Creative for “AIRIS Wellsite Services Website Development”
-
Cherokee Nation Businesses and Cherokee Nation for “Anadisgoi.com”
-
Byers Creative for “Elite Workforce Management: Website Design”
-
Helmerich & Payne Communications for “My H&P Way: Launching a modern intranet for a 100-year-old company.” This entry won three awards, including two awards of excellence in the Digital Communication and Internal Communication categories as well as an award of merit in Employee Engagement.
-
ONEOK Corporate Communications Team for “ONEOK Email Update”
-
Byers Creative for “Tulsa Centerless Website Redesign”
-
June Pennell, Nicole Nascenzi and Outreach Experts of Williams for “WILLCO PAC Recruitment Campaign” – in addition to an award of excellence in Government Relations, this entry also won an award of merit in Internal Communication.
-
Tulsa City-County Library Public Relations Department for “Be All In”
-
Kelli Gebbia, Susan Simpson, Nicole Nascenzi and Saxum for Williams’ “#BringItWilliams” – in addition to an award of excellence in Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication, this entry also won an award of merit in Social Media Programs.
-
OU-Tulsa Marketing & Communications for “OU Physicians South Opening”
-
Propeller Communications for “Flight Night Space Week”
-
Resolute PR for “Osage Casinos: Tulsa Grand Opening”
-
OU-Tulsa Marketing & Communications for “Professor Paws”
-
Walmart & Byers Creative for “Walmart’s 2018 Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report”
-
Erica May and Marquétta Thompson of ONEOK and Byers Creative for “2019 Open Enrollment Guide”
-
Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses for “Anadisgoi Magazine”
-
Propeller Communications, the City of Broken Arrow and Scrambler Creative for “City of Broken Arrow Bond Issue Voter Guide”
-
Catharine Brierre of ONEOK for “Investor Relations Monthly”
-
Jennifer Rector and Ashley Cleveland for “ONE Gas Annual Report”
-
Tulsa City-County Library Public Relations Team for “Summer Reading Event Guide”
-
Beth Harris of Walmart for “The Scoop Internal Newsletter”
-
Cherokee Nation Businesses for “Where the Casino Money Goes”
-
Resolute PR for “Community Brookside Launch”
-
Becky Carver, Noel Freeman, Leah Harper and Michelle Singer of IABC/Tulsa, PRSA and AMA, respectively, for “2018 Communicators Summit”
-
Byers Creative for “Tulsa Regional Chamber 2019 Annual Meeting Event Graphics” – in addition to an award of excellence in the Special Events category, this entry also won an award of merit in Audio/Visual.
Awards of Merit were presented to:
​
-
Keith Isbell of Williams for “Gulf Connector: Right Way, Right Results”
-
Paige Cole, Kelli Gebbia, Susan Simpson, Nicole Nascenzi, Firethief Productions and Saxum for “Williams Recruiting Videos”
-
ONE Gas Customer Communications Team for “Winter Preparation Campaign”
-
Rachel Weaver Smith of Bailey Medical Center “Bailey Bariatric Kitchen”
-
Resolute PR and Tulsa International Airport for “Fly Tulsa: What’s Non-Stopping You?”
-
Becky Carver and Megan Patterson for “2017 ONEOK Annual Report”
-
Helmerich & Payne Communications for “Social Media Program Launch”
-
Michael McCulloh of ONE Gas for “Life Lessons From Eugene Harris"
​
Sponsors of the IABC/Tulsa 2019 Bronze Quill Awards:
Helmerich & Payne, Cherokee Nation Businesses, ONEOK, Williams, Byers Creative, Miller Photography and Ridgeback Studio.
​
2019 WINNERS
Honoring our Special Award Winners
Past, Present and Future...
Communicator of the Year Award
Honors a member of the community for his or her contributions to the community through communications. This person is not a communicator by profession — but by passion.
​
2019- Teryl Rose - ONE Gas
2018- Kimberly Johnson - Tulsa City-County Library
2017- Jeff Stava - George Kaiser Family Foundation
2016- Shagah Zakerion - TYPROS
2015- Scott Shepherd - ONE Gas
2013- Bob Portiss - Tulsa Port of Catoosa
2012- Nancy Day - Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice
2011- Pierce H. Norton - ONEOK
2010- Sandra Lewis - Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless
2009- Dr. Tom McKeon - Tulsa Community College
2008- Ann Smith - Neighbor for Neighbor
2007- John Gibson - ONEOK CEO
2006- Julie Tattershall - Heller and Clark Theatres
2005- Gene Batchelder - ConocoPhillips
2004- Henry Zarrow - Tulsa philanthropist and businessman
2003- Lucky Lamons - Foundation for Tulsa Schools
2002- Keith Bailey - Williams CEO
2001- Bill Self, KU Basketball Coach (TU coach at the time)
2000- Kerry Walsh - Walsh Branding
1999- Susan Savage - Former Tulsa Mayor
​
​
John Hartman Professional of the Year Award
Recognizes the outstanding achievements of an IABC member in his or her career, profession and community.
​
2019- Becky Carver - ONEOK
2018- Megan Patterson - ONEOK
2017- Jennifer Rector, SCMP - ONE Gas
2016- Kendra Thompson - Cancer Treatment Centers of America
2015- Angela Byers - Byers Creative
2013- Shannon Frederick - Walmart
2012- Tom Droege - Rex PR
2011- Ginger D. Homan, ABC, SCMP- Zia Communications
2009- Steve Higgins - Williams
2008- Susie Wellendorf - Wellendorf Communications
2007- Megan Washbourne - ONEOK
2006- Kerry Walsh - Walsh Branding
2005- Kim MacLeod - City of Tulsa
2004- Tracy Harlow, ABC - ConocoPhillips (Now Walmart)
2003- Joe Williams
2001- Russ Florence - Schnake Turnbo Frank
2000- Kerry Malone - Williams
​
Rising Star Award
2019- Kayla Merritt - Helmerich and Payne
2018- Noël Freeman, SCMP – Byers Creative (now T.D. Williamson)
​
Leon Bolen Service Award
Formerly the President’s Award, the award is selected by the chapter president and given to the IABC Tulsa member who has contributed/volunteered the most to the chapter over the past year. The award was renamed in 2009 in honor of longtime IABC member Leon Bolen, owner of BolenInk, to recognize his many decades of service, leadership, dedication and generosity toward IABC/Tulsa in order to further the organizations’ mission.
​
2019- Cindy Bolen - BolenInk
2018- Kim Kuehler - Tulsa International Airport
2017- Leslie Agee, SCMP - Linde Engineering North America
2016- Haylee Westwood - ONE Gas
2015- Cody Bromley - Enovation Controls / Sara Pollard - Walmart
2013- Angela Byers - Byers Creative
2012 - Rachel Payne Wagner - Walmart / Phillip Harris - Williams
2011- Lucia O’Connor - O’Connor Ink
2010- Shannon Frederick - Walmart
2009- Steve Higgins - Williams
2007- Lynn Zimmerman - ConocoPhillips
2006- Leslee Stewart -ConocoPhillips
2005- Ginger D. Homan, ABC - Zia Communications
2004- Shea Daugherty - Conoco Phillips
​
IABC Fellow
The IABC Fellow designation is the highest honor we bestow on our members. Becoming a Fellow denotes a body of achievement by a communicator who has had a significant impact not only on their organization and IABC, but also on the communication profession at large.
2009 - Joe Williams
Lifetime Dedication Award
2016- John Simmons
20+ Years of IABC Membership and Service (as of 2020)
Joe Williams - 45 years
Ginger D. Homan - 37 years
Kerry Malone - 29 years
Kendra Thompson - 28 years
Steve Higgins -26 years
Susie Wellendorf - 25 years
Joe Epperley - 24 years
Barbara Hasbini - 21 years
Tracy Harlow - 21 years
Phillip Harris - 21 years
Shannon Frederick - 20 years
​
​
​
​