Agency Honors Three Employees Who Exemplify whatcanbe Spirit In Creating a Brighter Future for Clients, Agency and Community

RICHMOND, Va., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- CRT/tanaka, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for creative solutions and workplace culture, has announced its 2009 whatcanbe award winners. The whatcanbe awards celebrate employees who have helped create a bigger, brighter, better future for the agency, clients and community-at-large. The 2009 award recipients are Deborah Myers, executive vice president and Health Practice leader (client category); Natalie Smith, vice president (agency category); and Jennifer Lucado, account executive (community category).

Each recipient receives a $2,500 stipend and a one-week sabbatical to create a personal, life-transforming whatcanbe experience.

Client Award Winner

For the American Physical Therapy Association, Myers helped redefine the profession's brand to accurately portray the role of physical therapists, updated the overall perception of the profession to the general public and repositioned physical therapists as professionals devoted to overall wellness, fitness and pain reduction - not just rehabilitation.

Agency Award Winner

In addition to exceptional client service, Smith was recognized for her commitment to enhancing workplace culture at CRT/tanaka by offering her expertise in internal communications and employee engagement, as well as serving as a role model and mentor to junior staffers.

Community Award Winner

Acknowledged for her community service efforts throughout the Richmond region, Lucado spends her spare time giving back to the community by mentoring young people, volunteering with several area non-profits and enhancing alumni programs at her alma mater, the College of William & Mary.

For more information about the whatcanbe award winners, visit www.crt-tanaka.com/whatcanbe09.

"CRT/tanaka is made up of some truly inspiring and exceptional individuals who use whatcanbe thinking to create a better world around them. We view the whatcanbe awards as CRT/tanaka's opportunity to recognize and celebrate those individuals who have focused their energy on creating a more exciting future for their clients, the agency and community," said Patrice Tanaka, CRT/tanaka co-chair, chief creative officer and whatcanbe ambassador. "To honor their whatcanbe spirits, we think it only fitting that they, too, should benefit from a life-transforming experience of their own."

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe(SM) workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Environmental Defense Fund, Girl Scouts of the USA, Goodwill Industries International, GlaxoSmithKline, Network Solutions, Next Wave Pharmaceuticals, Performance Food Group, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup, United Way, VHA Inc. and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

SOURCE CRT/tanaka