Sixty-three gold, silver and bronze Excalibur Awards were awarded Thursday night honoring public relations work in the region at the 20th annual dinner of the Buffalo Niagara chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Matt Davison of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation and Kevin Manne and Rose Caldwell of Catholic Charities of Buffalo received platinum “Best of Show” and gold awards for their work.

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation’s grand opening ceremony highlighted the completion of a $53 million infrastructure improvement project and paid homage to the fanfare that marked the official opening of the original Erie Canal 173 years ago.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo, celebrating its 85th year of service to Western New York, revived its staff newsletter and improved internal communication and introduced an interactive, Web-based, bi-monthly newsletter format.

Judging were public relations professionals from PRSA Capital Region Chapter in Albany. They considered 74 entries from 22 organizations. The dinner event was at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens in Depew.

Barbara Byers, associate director of alumni relations, University at Buffalo, was presented with the chapter’s highest honor, the May C. Randazzo Outstanding Practitioner Award. John Koelmel, president and chief executive officer, First Niagara Bank, received the chapter’s Outstanding Executive Award. Susan Siwiec, chief development officer, Child & Family Services, received the chapter’s Distinguished Service Award; Kristin Van Dewater, communication specialist, Delaware North Companies, received the chapter’s Rising Star Award and Phillip Weiss, a Buffalo State College student, received the Randazzo Memorial Scholarship.

Excalibur Awards in the following categories were presented to:

Community Relations — gold: Jacqueline Ghosen and Cynthia Shore, University at Buffalo School of Management, “Free Tax Preparation Service -University at Buffalo School of Management;” gold: Kate Torok, Brittany Frey, Caldwell and Manne, Travers Collins & Co. and Catholic Charities of Buffalo, “Catholic Charities of Buffalo -Appeal 2008; bronze: Carolyn Human and Susan Asquith, Travers Collins & Co., “Northtown’s Summer Block Party Extravaganza.”

Institutional Programs — gold: Dick Shaner, Jr. and Frey, Travers Collins & Co., “Creating the Path to Regional Care;” silver: Robin Wolfgang, Time Warner Cable -Buffalo, “2008 ATM WNY Heroes Awards;” bronze: Jeff Paterson and Kate La- Brake, Health Association of Niagara County, “Refreshing an Aging Identity.”

Special Events & Observances — platinum and gold: Davison, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, “Wedding of the Waters;” gold: Wally Smith, AAA Western & Central New York, “The AAA Presidential Inauguration Tour;” gold: Jeff Bucki, Shaner and Frank Sava, Travers Collins & Co., “Building the Perfect Press Conference;” gold: Frey, Travers Collins & Co., “Fishing for a Cure; gold: Bucki, Travers Collins & Co., “Farewell, Old Friend... Buffalo Says Goodbye to the Aud;” silver: Paterson and LaBrake, Health Association of Niagara County, “Dancing Across the Generation Gap;” silver: Christopher Whitcomb, Delaware North Companies, “A New Perspective on Earth;” silver: Linus Ormsby, Niagara University, “The Gift;” silver: Kathleen Heyworth, Burchfield Penney Art Center, “Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College Grand Opening;” silver: Bucki and Shaner, Travers Collins & Co., “If At First You Don’t Succeed.”

Public Service — gold: Paterson, Health Association of Niagara County, “The Safe Choice,” and bronze: “Seniors on the Safe Side.”

Public Affairs — gold: Kathleen Rooney and Torok, Travers Collins & Co., “Unshackle Upstate Wants the Economy Moving, Not Our People.”

Marketing Consumer Services — gold: Julie Coppola Cox, National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation, “The Search for WNY’s Top “Energy Detective’ ;” bronze: Smith, AAA of Western and Central New York, “Introducing AAA Car Care Plus.”

Marketing Business to Business— silver: Human and Jeff Schoenborn, Travers Collins & Co., “How do the Chinese Enjoy an American Whipped Treat?”; silver: Jessica Mitrovits and marketing team, Curbell Plastics, “Curbell Plastics Colorado Awareness;” bronze: Joshua Gregory, Gelia, “Krylon Products Group 2008 Public Relations Campaign.”

Crisis Communications—bronze: Paula Witherell, Hilbert College, “Hilbert College -Student Killed in Hit-and- Run Accident.”

Internal Communications—gold: Mitrovits and marketing team, Curbell Plastics, “Curbell Plastics Tapes Transitions;” silver: Ghosen, University at Buffalo School of Management, “Internal Communications -University at Buffalo School of Management.”

Integrated Marketing Campaign — gold: Frey and Bucki, Travers Collins & Co., “Every Second Counts.”

Projects: Media Relations — silver: Torok and Rooney, Travers Collins & Co., “Seeing Green Headlines;” silver: Ed Healy, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, “Celebrating ‘Buffalo’s Untold Beauty’” in the New York Times; silver: Frey and Shaner, Travers Collins & Co., “A Home for the Holidays;” bronze: John Pitts, Travers Collins & Co., “Summer Street Capital Partners Acquires Tulsa Welding School;” bronze: Witherell, Hilbert College, “Hilbert College Media Relations Program.”

Newsletters—platinum and gold: Manne and Caldwell, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, “Efficient, Effective, Electronic: Employee E-Newsletter.”

Magazines — silver: Witherell, Hilbert College, “Hilbert Connections;” silver: Ghosen and Cathy Wilde, University at Buffalo School of Management, “Buffalo Business Magazine.”

Annual Reports — silver: Lynn Casteel, Travers Collins & Co., “Creating Industry Separation in a Toxic Asset Environment;” bronze: Don McGarvey, Travers Collins & Co., “Illuminating a Strong Foundation During a Gathering Storm;” bronze: Caldwell and Manne, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, “One Day in the Life of Catholic Charities: Moments of Hope.”

Brochures — silver: Shaner and Frey, Travers Collins&Co., “Upper Alleghany Health System: Growing Stronger Together;” silver: Kathy Swenson, Gateway-Longview, “Clarity, Cohesiveness & Consolidating: Developing Gateway-Longview’s New Line of Brochures;” bronze: Candace Reimer, Erie 1 BOCES, “Brochure for Event Management & Registration.”

Special Purpose Publications — silver: Ghosen and Meghan Wood, University at Buffalo School of Management, “MBA View Book -University at Buffalo School of Management;” silver: Rooney and Torok, Travers Collins & Co., Unshackle Upstate Report gets an A+ from Coalition Members;” bronze: Lisa McMahon, Niagara University, “The Promise of Niagara Campaign Newsletter.”

Direct Mail/Direct Response — silver: Rooney and Torok, Travers Collins & Co., “Kenan Center Direct Mail Generates Direct Results.”

Internal Video Programs — gold: Shaner, Bucki and Sava, Travers Collins & Co. and Independent Health, “Independent Health Transformation Network (IHTN) is on the Air;” gold: Robert Carr, Carr Marketing Communications, “Holy Name Province Love at Work DVD.”

External Video Programs — gold: Barbara J. Irwin, Canisius College Video Institute, “Habitat for Humanity;” silver: Irwin, Canisius College Video Institute, “Carvings for a Cause;” bronze: Irwin, Canisius College Video Institute, “Child & Family Services;” bronze: Olivia Belter, Univera Healthcare, “Univera Healthcare’s Informational DVD for Schools/Elementary.”

Speeches — silver: Bucki, Travers Collins & Co., “How Do you Script Scripture.”

Feature Stories — silver: Shaner and Frey, Travers Collins & Co., “Calspan Corporation: ‘Nostalgia Soars Along with Final Flight’ ”; silver: Lisa Anthon and Cynthia Hilliers, Cannon Design, “The Oratory at Ave Maria University;” bronze: Asquith, Travers Collins & Co., “Nuns Go Green;” bronze: Brenda Onnen and Cynthia Hilliers, Cannon Design, “Building on the Universal Grid”

Advertorial — bronze: Gregory, Gelia, “CPGS -16CM43 Engine Advertorial.”

Creative Tactics — silver: Hilliers, Joe Lombardo and Onnen, Cannon Design, “Cannon Design E-Holiday Card;” silver: Rooney and Torok, Travers Collins & Co., “College Brain Drain Rally = Media Gain;” bronze: Olivia Belter, Univera Healthcare, “The Senator and a Taco.”

Interactive Communications — silver: Seema Malyavantham, Rich Products Corporation, “Rich’s Intranet Revolution: Creating an effective communication channel.”

Presentations/Workshops on PR — silver: Shaner, Torok and Human, Travers Collins & Co., “What’s the Buzz? Know your Media.”