What you missed at the June meeting

Community honors memory of Sgt. Al Tolley
with 8th Annual Great Communicator Award

Proceeds benefit two local organizations

DAYTONA BEACH – Remembering his professionalism and sense of humor, the Volusia County Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association celebrated the life of late Daytona Beach Police public information officer Sgt. Al Tolley with the 8th Annual Great Communicator Award.

About 85 friends, family and colleagues attended the June 12 awards luncheon at LPGA, which was also the FPRA monthly meeting. Tolley’s wife, Jeanne and their daughter, Amy, accepted his award, the top honor of its kind in the area, given for a lifetime of excellence in public relations and communications. A commemorative plaque was also presented for the Daytona Beach Police Department. (See photos below).
 

Proceeds from the event were donated in Al's memory to two local organizations chosen by Jeanne Tolley:  the Children’s Advocacy Center and the Surfscape Modern Dance Company each received $100.

“You’ve made it very clear that my dad was loved by all who knew him,” Amy Tolley said in thanking the crowd. She said her father performed a “balancing act” between his life as a father and husband and his career with the City of Daytona Beach Police Department.

Sgt. Al Tolley died of cancer last August after serving for nearly 30 years on the City of Daytona Beach police force. According to the award presenter, Dave Byron, APR, Volusia County Government director of Community Information, Tolley also was instrumental in forming the Volusia-Flagler Public Information Network, which coordinates emergency communications between cities, county government, hospitals and non-profit relief agencies.

“Al was one of the early pioneers in the profession in Volusia County,” Byron said.

Since Tolley was known for his tendency to mix laughter with compassion during tense situations, speakers chose to keep the tone of the luncheon light.

“He could find the humor in about every situation in law enforcement,” said speaker Steve Beres, deputy police chief for Daytona Beach.

Beres found it amusing when he notices that Tolley’s office was filled with awards with other people’s names on them. The awards had never been picked up by the recipients, so Tolley stuck them on his wall.

Lt. John King, Daytona Beach Fire public information officer, said that Tolley provided valuable advice to him after he volunteered to be the fire PIO, not knowing the challenges of the job. During his speech, King wore a cap given to him by Tolley. (Pictured).

“Al felt sorry for me and took me under his wing,” King said. “When Al spoke, people listened. His experience and knowledge was sought after, appreciated and now greatly missed.” 

Mark O’Keefe, EVAC Ambulance public information officer, said that for laughs he and Tolley would try to sneak redundant two-word phrases into news reports such as, “emergency situation”, “shooting incident” and “rain event.”

A police officer since 1979, Tolley began his work in public information as an officer assigned to the community relations division of the Daytona Beach Police Department in 1989. He was named the department’s public information officer (PIO) in 1992. Five years later, he was promoted to sergeant and returned to the patrol division, but later returned to the PIO position until he passed away last summer.

Past Great Communicator honorees are:
• Mary Harowski, APR, Easter Seals and independent consultant;
• The staff of Black Crow Broadcasting, with special recognition to local public information officers for service during the 2004 hurricanes.
• Bob Davis, Hotel Motel Association of Volusia County.
• Mike Jiloty, Lord and Lasker.
• Jackie Kersh, APR, Linda Glover and Associates.
• Dave Byron, APR, Volusia County Government.
• John E. Evans, APR, CPRC, Halifax Community Health System.
 

FPRA is a professional organization dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who utilize ethical practices to enhance the profession.

Pictured from left, event speakers with the Tolley family:   Daytona Beach Fire PIO Lt. John King; Dave Byron, APR, Director of Community Information for Volusia County; Jeanne Tolley and daughter Amy Tolley; Daytona Beach Deputy Police Chief Steve Beres; and Mark O'Keefe, PIO for EVAC Ambulance.

Dignitaries included the FPRA State Association President and Past President, from left:  Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Past State President; Joe Radcliffe, APR, Volusia County Chapter President; and Jessica Rye, APR, State President.