California Department of Fish and Game Tops State
Information Officers Council Awards Competition

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) - May 13, 2004 - The California Department of Fish and Game took top honors at today's State Information Officers Council (SIOC) 2003 awards luncheon. The department earned 14 awards overall, including Public Information Officer of the Year, which was presented to Fish and Game's Lorna Bernard. Tied for second place in the overall competition, with eight awards each, were the California Highway Patrol and the California Student Aid Commission.

The Department of Fish and Game received three grand prizes, two of which featured contributions from Lorna Bernard. Her entry entitled "Lasso From the Heavens" tied for the grand prize in the writing category with Fish and Game's Patrick Foy. Bernard also worked with Alexia Retallack on "Outdoor California," which was named grand prize winner in the external publications category. Fish and Game also received seven gold awards and three silver awards.

The CHP was awarded three grand prizes as well as four gold awards. Plus, Anne Richards Da Vigo, who recently retired from the Highway Patrol, was this year's SiOC Lifetime Achievement award winner. The California Student Aid Commission tied for second place with the CHP by taking home eight awards, including the grand prize winner in the special projects category for the "10 Most Important Things" spiral notebook.

"There were fewer entries this year, but the ongoing budget struggle seems to have inspired the state's public relations professionals to become even more creative" said SiOC president Chris Davis. "Entrants in the SiOC awards competition have once again produced truly outstanding work."

Among other top winners were the California Department of Water Resources, which received seven awards, and the Department of Food and Agriculture, which garnered five awards.

This year for the first time, the grand prize, PIO of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards winners received a letter of commendation from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The statewide competition, which recognizes excellence in state government communications, drew 85 entries in 10 categories, including audio-visual production, media relations, writing and photography. The annual competition is open to members and nonmembers alike, but the entries must have been produced for a state of California office, commission, department, or agency.

SIOC is a nonprofit, professional organization that meets monthly to educate members, discuss trends and developments in government public information. Information on SIOC meetings and membership can be found at http://www.ca-sioc.org.

CONTACT:
April Izumi, SIOC Awards Chair, 916-654-9494
Chris Davis, SIOC President, 916-654-5031