John J. Molloy Crystal Bell
Lifetime Achievement Award

For more than 30 years, the PR Club’s John J. Molloy Crystal Bell Lifetime Achievement Award has celebrated the achievements of New England communications veterans.

The prestigious John J. Molloy Crystal Bell Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes and honors professionals with lengthy careers in communications and / or public relations, including agency principals, senior executives and others who possess extensive track records and distinguished credentials.

Eligibility

To be eligible, nominees must hail from New England and have demonstrated exemplary professional competency and conduct throughout their careers, including advancing the field of public relations. The winner must be present at the June Bell Ringers ceremony.

Nomination deadline: April 15, 2023, by 6 p.m. ET

  • Submit nominations via our online entry system here.

Judging

Judging the Crystal Bell is an esteemed panel of four professionals, including accomplished PR practitioners, a past president of the PR Club, and a luminary from outside the PR industry (e.g., a distinguished journalist). In the event there is a conflict of interest for any judge, he or she will exclude himself or herself from the panel and an alternative judge sourced from the Super Bell Award Judge panel will serve as a replacement.

Judging Criteria

To nominate a candidate for the Crystal Bell Award, please submit a 4-page overview of the nominee’s achievements, explaining why he or she warrants consideration for the Crystal Bell. Please focus on the attributes that distinguish the nominee from other candidates, highlighting the following areas:

Background(15 points):
Please detail the nominee’s background in the PR industry. A supplemental resume (or CV) is welcome, but not necessary. This information can be provided in bulleted format. 

Organizational Leadership / Mentoring (20 points):
Describe how the nominee provides leadership within his or her organization and how the nominee serves as an influential mentor to others within the industry. This may include published writing, speaking engagements and courses taught, for example.

Professional Leadership(15 points):
Describe how the nominee provides leadership to the New England PR community and / or service to the profession. This may include professional offices held, committees served and value delivered to the profession, among other examples.

Standout Achievement(15 points):
Please provide one example of a standout achievement from the nominee’s career to highlight, offering context and background around why this event served as a significant achievement, and highlighting the impact/outcome of the achievement (e.g., increased revenue, etc.).

Education Credentials and Professional Certifications(15 points):
Please provide a list of professional certifications, credentials, awards won, etc. This section can be provided in bulleted format.

References(10 points):
Provide two supplemental letters of reference or testimonials from colleagues and/or peers.

Supporting Materials(10 points):
Supporting materials are welcome, but not required.

NOTE:
Additional information about the nominee, including credentials/certifications, references and supporting materials will not count toward the overview page limit. 

Notification:
The winner of the Crystal Bell Award will be presented at the Bell Ringer Awards Gala in June.

Past Recipients

John J. Molloy Crystal Bell Lifetime Achievement Award

  • 2023 – Darlene Hollywood of Hollywood Agency 
  • 2022 – Kelley Chunn of Kelley Chunn & Associates
  • 2021 – Sharon F. Merrill of Sharon Merrill Associates
  • 2020 – Ashley McCown of Solomon, McCown & Cence
  • 2019 – Maura Fitzgerald of Version 2.0 Communications
  • 2018 – Robert E. Brown, Ph.D., Professor, Salem State University
  • 2017 – Laura Tomasetti of 360PR+
  • 2016 – Philip A. Nardone Jr. of PAN Communications
  • 2015 – Pamela A. Wickham of Raytheon
  • 2013 – Michal Regunberg of Solomon McCown
  • 2012 – Joan Schneider of Schneider Associates
  • 2011 – Janey Bishoff of Bishoff Communications
  • 2010 – Larry Weber, Racepoint
  • 2009 – Kirk Hazlett, APR of Curry College
  • 2008 – Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz of Schwartz Communications (now Schwartz MSL)
  • 2007 – Michael Doyle of RDW Group
  • 2006 – Stephen Quigley, APR of Boston University

How to Apply

To be considered, submit your nomination here no later than 6 p.m. ET, April 16, 2021. There is no fee to nominate a PR practitioner for the John J. Molloy Crystal Bell award. The deadline and judges’ decision are both final.

All applicants will be acknowledged during the annual Bell Ringer Awards ceremony. The winner will remain confidential until the ceremony. Any typographical errors, poor writing or incomplete sections may result in disqualification. All submissions become the property of the PR Club and may be used for publicity. Every applicant must accept these terms for the submission to be marked complete.

Thank You

We appreciate the time required to complete this application and we look forward to seeing both the nominees and nominators at future programs and events.

If you have any questions regarding the Crystal Bell Award, please direct all inquiries to admin@prclub.org.