BOSTON, MA — On June 3, 2025 the PR Club welcomed more than 200 public relations and communications professionals to the Museum of Science for the 57th Annual Bell Ringer Awards, marking its return to pre-pandemic attendance levels and debut at the iconic Boston venue. The celebration—”A Night at the Bell Ringers”—was hosted by Emily Schario, an Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist and Head of Content for The B-Side, a Boston Globe Media newsletter. The event spotlighted the region’s most impactful PR campaigns as well as the professionals and teams behind them. The Bell Ringer Awards honor excellence across the full spectrum of communications, from single-tactic executions to comprehensive, multi-channel campaigns.
“Bringing the Bell Ringers to the Museum of Science for the first time felt like a milestone—and the energy in the room reflected that,” said Kaitlynn Cooney, PR Club President. “It was incredible to gather with our community, recognize truly outstanding work, and celebrate how far the industry has come. From students and rising stars to veterans and visionaries, the Bell Ringers showcased the best of New England’s communications talent.”
Agencies across New England were recognized for their outstanding work, with several firms standing out for both the volume and quality of their winning entries. Duffy & Shanley led the evening with 12 awards, including four Gold Bells. Their campaign, “Dunkin’ Launches the Dunkalatte,” submitted in the Single-Item – Events category, was the only entry of the night to receive a perfect score. RDW Group followed with 10 wins, showcasing consistent strength in campaign execution. 360PR+ earned nine awards, including four Gold Bells, all of which qualified for the prestigious Platinum Super Bell, demonstrating consistent excellence across some of the year’s most competitive categories. A full list of all winners is available here.
Top Honors at the 57th Annual Bell Ringer Awards
The evening’s top honor, the Platinum Super Bell Award, went to 360PR+ for “Steering CarGurus Thought Leadership,” an executive thought leadership campaign that elevated CarGurus’ media presence. By positioning Director of Industry Analytics Kevin Roberts as a go-to expert, the agency secured over 600 media placements, more than 6 billion impressions, and coverage in top outlets including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and the Associated Press.
The John J. Molloy Crystal Bell Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Amy Shanler, associate professor at Boston University’s College of Communication and a past PR Club president. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Shanler has been a cornerstone of New England’s PR community—serving the Club in virtually every role, from president to executive director to behind-the-scenes anchor of the Bell Ringer Awards. Known as the “heart and soul” of the Club, she has contributed over 25 years of tireless volunteer service, mentoring rising professionals, managing rebrands and budgets, and ensuring the Club’s programs and events thrived—even during the Club’s most challenging moments.
The Striker Award, recognizing early-career achievement, was presented to Erin Fennell of V2 Communications. Since joining the firm in 2023, Fennell has played a critical role across multiple high-impact client accounts, led award-winning media campaigns and helped mentor the next generation of V2 talent.
Julianna Sheridan, Vice President at Matter Communications, received the Ringer Award, which celebrates a mid-career professional who is not only excelling in client service and leadership, but also shaping agency strategy and culture. Sheridan was honored for spearheading Matter’s growing crisis communications practice while mentoring rising talent and driving business growth.
New this year, the Carillonneur Professional Award celebrates outstanding workplace culture in PR and communications. The inaugural honor went to V2 Communications for its people-first approach to leadership, growth, and development. Inspired by the carillonneur—a symbol of unity and collaboration—the award recognizes organizations where employees thrive, and V2’s intentional investment in mentorship, mobility, and culture made it a standout.
Giving Back: Supporting CommonWealth Kitchen
The PR Club once again used its platform to give back, raising funds through a 50/50 raffle to support CommonWealth Kitchen, a Dorchester-based nonprofit selected by Schario. Dedicated to building a more equitable and inclusive food economy, CommonWealth Kitchen empowers women, immigrants, and people of color by providing access to commercial kitchen space, business training, and wraparound support for food entrepreneurs. Thanks to the generosity of attendees, and a match from the PR Club, the event raised over $1,000 for CommonWealth Kitchen.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
The PR Club extends its sincere thanks to the sponsors who made this year’s event possible: Agorapulse, David Fox Photography. ezCater, Inspiria Outdoor Advertising, JTC Printing, and Reportable. We are grateful for their continued support in celebrating the region’s top communicators.
About PR Club
Founded in 1948, PR Club (formerly the Publicity Club of New England) strives to promote and encourage involvement in the communications industry and specifically the professions of public relations, promotions, and marketing. Get additional information about monthly PR Club programs, social and networking events, the Club blog, and the Bell Ringer Awards at www.PRClub.org. Follow the Club on Twitter @PRClubofNE.
About the Bell Ringer Awards
The Bell Ringer Awards recognize public relations and communications work that demonstrates excellence in creative planning and superior execution to achieve a high degree of success in reaching predetermined objectives. Open to all New England practitioners, the program, now in its 57th year, celebrates the extraordinary work of the region’s communications professionals.
