Joseph Araneta Gamboa l July 3, 2024 l Business Mirror
CHICAGO, United States–The global headquarters of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is located at the Chicago Loop, one of the largest central business districts in America. This densely populated area in downtown Chicago is home to such iconic landmarks as the 110-story Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), the Wrigley Building, the Millennium Park, the Rookery and the Tribune Tower.
Established in 1970, the IABC is a worldwide network of communication professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. It has more than a hundred chapters in 80 countries, including the IABC Philippines and is recognized as the only global communication association.
The just-concluded 2024 IABC World Conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago with the theme of “Communication Creates.” Among the featured events were master classes on AI-driven strategy and financial acumen; a fireside chat and town hall meeting on leadership as an act of extended storytelling; spotlight sessions on the communicator’s calling and sustainability efforts; and, a boot camp for counselors and advisors.
Highlighting the 4-day conference was the awarding ceremony for winners of the 2024 IABC Gold Quill Awards, which honors communications excellence in 29 categories. This year’s awardees represent the diversity of communicators in terms of personal identity, experience, perspective and geography. They were chosen by blue-ribbon panels at nine global sites from a competitive slate of 378 entries submitted by organizations of all sizes that included boutique agencies, startups, consultancies, non-profits, educational institutions, corporate businesses and government agencies.
A coffee table book from the Philippines won two Gold Quill Awards for 2024 under the categories of Creative Design and Publications. Co-published by multi-awarded Media Wise Communications Inc. and the Riviera Golf Club, the book titled “Playing the Course” is all about the first 25 years of the so-called Riviera lifestyle.
Celebrating its silver anniversary in 2022, the Cavite-based Riviera Golf Club has emerged as one of Asia’s top-tier golf destinations. Club President Alex Escalona said over the past quarter-century, the Riviera has basked in the esteem of golfers as the venue of choice for golf events.
In this 200-page book, special attention is given to avian life since birds abound in Riviera’s two courses–the Langer Course and the Couples Course designed respectively by champion golfers Bernhard Langer of Germany and Fred Couples of California.
“The diversity of birdlife in Riviera makes it fetchingly unique among golf courses in the Philippines and testifies to Riviera’s embrace of nature as part of its design philosophy,” Escalona explained.
Media Wise President and CEO Ramoncito O. Cruz disclosed that the Riviera book’s twin wins this year have boosted the boutique agency’s prize haul to a remarkable eight Gold Quill Awards in as many years. In Toronto last year, Media Wise also won two Gold Quills but in the same Publications category—one each for “Honora Medicum: 150 Years of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of University of Santo Tomas” and “Sugar & Smiles: The Negrense Legacy Beyond 2020.”
During the pandemic, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) and Media Wise jointly won the 2021 Gold Quill Award for the coffee table book titled “FINEX 50: Leading on to Wider Frontiers.” This 50th Anniversary book of FINEX was recognized during a virtual awards ceremony in 2021 and again at the 2022 IABC World Conference in New York City.
The IABC has honored communication works of strategic relevance, timeliness and innovation for more than 40 years. In 2024, its leaders were thrilled to host communicators from around the world at their own Chicago turf to celebrate excellence in the field of communications.
Joseph Gamboa is the vice-chairman of the Finex Ethics Committee and director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FINEX and BusinessMirror. #FinexPhils www.finex.org.ph.