What's so interesting about the PRWeek Awards is that the awards remain a conversation topic throughout the year. Just this week, an agency CEO talked to me about Coyne's Midsize Agency of the Year win in 2009.

MINNEAPOLIS: ACA International, a trade association that represents credit and collection professionals, tapped Mark Schiffman as the director of PR.

NEW YORK: Ogilvy PR Worldwide added two senior staff to the firm's healthcare practice, tapping Mary Coyle as SVP of healthcare media relations and Larissa Severenko as SVP of healthcare.

WASHINGTON: Gibraltar Associates tapped Scott Evertz as an SVP to lead the firm's health policy work, effective March 1.

NEW YORK: Feintuch Communications hired Jules Abraham as VP and MD of the firm's new healthcare and life sciences practice.

ATLANTA: The Centers for Disease Control plans to award two communications contracts in support of the "Communities Putting Prevention to Work" initiative, according to a special notice filing in a federal database.

The business community and the Obama administration launched campaigns this week to address and define the implications of healthcare reform for both sides.

WASHINGTON: The Managed Funds Association hired Steve Hinkson as its director of communications in January.

WASHINGTON: Jim Dyke & Associates tapped Kevin Madden as a partner and EVP of public affairs, effective March 8.

Ed Gillespie, chair of the Republican State Leadership Committee and former counselor to President George W. Bush, talks to PRWeek reporter Jaimy Lee about why Republicans need to focus on positive messages, such as jobs creation, to communicate on policy issues.