Barbados Today

For the first time in the 40-year history of the Gold Quill Awards programme of the International Association of Business Communicators, Barbados was among those countries represented in winners row at the Awards Gala held in New York City recently.

Outgoing President of the Barbados Chapter, Dr. Sharon Marshall, earned the first Gold Quill won by a member of the local chapter since it was established in June 2008. She was presented with a Gold Quill Award of Excellence by chair of the 2013 Gold Quill Awards Committee, Tim Buckley, and chairman of the IABC International Executive Board, Kerby Myers. The Gold Quill was awarded in the Communications Skills Division in the category of Special Events — External.

Buckley said: “The Gold Quill Awards Gala celebrates the best and brightest in global business communication.”

The prestigious award is given in two classes — Award of Merit and Award of Excellence.

The entries were judged by international Blue Ribbon panels. Canada and the United States dominated the awards. However, also among the winners were communicators from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Mexico, New Zealand, the Phillippines, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela.

IABC described the Gold Quill as “an international symbol of excellence in strategic communication that recognises smart thinking, flawless execution and proven results”.

Marshall said: “This is a great honour for the chapter. I hope that more members will be inspired to enter their work in the Gold Quill competition.”

Based in San Francisco, IABC is a global network of communication professionals committed to improving organisational effectiveness through strategic communication, 14,000 communication professionals in 70 countries.