GIA representatives Marketing and Public Relations Vice President Kathryn Kimmel, Senior Public Relations Manager Alex Angelle, Public Relations Coordinator Amy Toosley, Communications Manager Amanda Luke, Managing Editor Mauricio Minotta, Marketing Manager Dana Meyer, and Public Relations Associate Amber Bowmer attended the Public Relations Society of America�s (PRSA) San Diego Chapter during its annual dinner in downtown San Diego on October 26. The Institute took home three Edward L. Bernays �Mark of Excellence� awards. This marks the fourth consecutive year that GIA has been recognized in the contest named for Bernays, �the father of public relations.� More than 250 members of San Diego�s public relations agencies and corporate PR teams attended the event.

GIA�s two news publications, the GIA Insider and The Loupe, each won an award in the Interactive Communications and Magasine categories, respectively. The GIA Insider, which won for the third consecutive year. Both publish news about the Institutes groundbreaking gemological research, education programs, and services to professionalize the industry and ensure the public confidence in gem and jewelry products.The article �High-Tech GIA Gemologists Help Snag Diamond Thieves Worldwide,� which was inspired by a Loupe article, received a Feature Story award.

�GIA strives to communicate news about its vital research and other programs as widely as possible through its online and print publications. To have the quality and creativity of GIA�s communications work honored by industry peers in this competition is something we can all be proud of. I commend the many skilled and dedicated people throughout GIA for their role in achieving these honors.� said Kathryn Kimmel, the Institute�s vice president of Marketing and Public Relations.

According to PRSA, winning an Edward L. Bernays Mark of Excellence Award is the highest and most comprehensive form of recognition in the public relations industry. �This year�s winning entries capture some of the finest work in our profession,� said Derek Danziger, the San Diego chapter president.