Nanci Ryder, founding partner of B|W|R Public Relations, will receive the President’s Award at the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) 54th Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 24, 2017.
In announcing the award, the Guild’s national president Steven Poster, ASC said, “Nanci is my definition of a hero. In the midst of a remarkable career representing some of Hollywood’s top stars, she learns that she has ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. But instead of feeling sorry for herself she has led efforts and raised money to help others suffering from this debilitating sickness.”
For more than three decades Ryder earned a reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s most influential publicists, with an ability to recognize and cultivate emerging talent. Ryder provided public relations counsel for such clients as Renée Zellweger, Michael J. Fox, Reese Witherspoon and Leonardo DiCaprio, and during the formative years of such rising stars as Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker and scores of other top Hollywood talent. She mentored many of the mainstays in talent public relations, some of whom have since established impressive practices of their own. At the time of B|W|R’s sale to WPP in October 1999, she had helped build B|W|R into one of the largest, independently owned entertainment public relations firms.
Apart from her professional leadership, Ryder became an outspoken advocate of breast cancer support following her own diagnosis in 2000, serving as a tireless campaigner for fundraising and research. She beat cancer in a year, but would apply the same fierce determination to another life-threatening disease when she was diagnosed with bulbar onset ALS in 2014. She has thus lost the ability to talk and walk, but her fight for a cure remains unchanged. Since 2014, Ryder has led “Team Nanci,” comprised of industry peers, friends and colleagues, raising more than $433,000 for the ALS Association and its Golden West Chapter. The organization honored her efforts in 2016 by presenting her with a Heroes Award, one of many distinctions she has received throughout her career for her charitable efforts.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More