I’ve been fortunate enough to work at PRWeek for well over six years now, and last evening represented my seventh PRWeek Awards. The event never ceases to impress me, but last night I had an epiphany as to why I was so impressed.

Everyone dressed to the nines to attend an event my magazine presents makes me proud to be a PRWeek staffer. All the worthy finalists, honorable mentions, and, of course, the winners make me proud to work for a title that covers the PR industry. They all deserve the praise they get and the hardware they got to take home. And, yes, they are tremendous representatives of how far this industry has come.

However, what gave me an equal - dare I say, perhaps a tiny bit greater - appreciation of the wonderful shape the PR industry is in in 2007 were some people who were “just” part of the crowd.

As I was sitting at my table talking to the likes of Dan Klores Communications’ Sean Cassidy or doing the rounds conversing with the likes of the NHL’s Bernadette Mansur and Weber Shandwick’s Andy Polansky, I was awe-struck by the brain power in the room. The innovative projects these folks are working on. The passion they have for what they do. The respect they have for one another. Sure the competition is fierce in this industry, as it is in any other, but there’s admiration for the successes other people and firms achieve.

Yes, 2006 was a great year for PR and last night’s event cemented that point. But the reason I enjoyed the PRWeek Awards 2007 so much was the insight I gleaned from the Cassidys, Mansurs, and Polanskys of the industry. Based on those informal, yet very informations dialogues, I can’t wait for the 2008 Awards. I have no doubt they’ll be better than ever.