Waialae Country Club was awash with Hawaii’s pre-eminent publicists last night as the International Association of Business Communicators-Hawaii Chapter heralded award-winning work from 2009.

Of 91 entries, 42 awards were presented – 18 for excellence, 24 for merit – and because of a tie by the highest-scoring entries, two best-in-show, Kau i ka Hano Awards were bestowed.

The full winners list will soon be posted online.

Ann Botticelli, Kamehameha Schools vice president for community relations and communications, was honored as IABC Communicator of the Year. The award is presented to a professional who has demonstrated outstanding successful use of communications strategies, skills, tools and methods to achieve business goals or who has achieved noteworthy excellence in communication for a recent major campaign or event.

Meanwhile, in Orlando, Fla., Ad 2 Honolulu once again did Hawaii’s ad industry proud by winning first place in the National Ad 2 pro bono campaign competition.

Its client this year was Community Helping Schools, a small grass-roots nonprofit just a few years old.

It is the seventh top win for the chapter since its 2000-2001 Hale Kipa campaign started a four-win streak, which it is again on its way to achieving – not to bachi anything.

Three traveling members from Ad 2 Honolulu chapter – Tai Leong, a producer at Anthology Marketing Group; Maile Takashima, marketing coordinator for Aloha United Way; and Nez Calaro, an account executive with Sharon Serene Creative – were to discuss the behind-the-scenes aspects of the campaign at a breakfast today with a few hundred of their colleagues.

IABC Awards of Excellence

Becker Communications Inc.

Hawaii’s Seed Crop Industry Economic Report 2009*; East-West Center 50th Anniversary Video; 12 Days of Kraft Foods

Punahou School

David Cox*, Punahou Bulletin; Diane Pizarro, Punahou Bulletin; Kathleen Connelly, PUEO Program Puts College Within Reach

Hastings & Pleadwell

CPB’s Alex the Loyalty Officer Retires; National Cyber Security Awareness Higher Education Campaign; Opalavision Display

Pang Communications

Alakona Corp./Green Mix Hawaii; Hawaii P-20’s Step Up! Launch; RevoluSun Co. Launch

Castle Medical Center

Helene Waihee, Women’s Health & Beauty Fair; Jasmin Rodriquez, the Joint Care Center

Bennet Group Strategic Communications

Crystal Yamasaki, Special Olympics Hawaii Fundraiser Takes Participants Over the Edge

Charlisse Chang, Kick Butts Day, Tobacco Prevention & Control Trust Fund

Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau

"A Thousand Reasons to Smile" San Francisco Campaign

Hawaii Pacific Health

Keala Peters, Centennial Celebration Campaign

*Awardees with the highest-scoring entries, who were also singled out for second-annual Kau i ka Hano Awards.

Source: IABC-Hawaii Chapter; www.iabchawaii.com

Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Advertiser. Reach her by e-mail at erika@staradvertiser.com.