IABC Canada Honours 2012 Master Communicator John Larsen, ABC

CALGARY, Oct. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - The International Association of Business Communicators Canada (IABC Canada) has announced that John Larsen, ABC, of Calgary is the 2012 recipient of its prestigious Master Communicator Award. This is IABC Canada's highest honour, and recognizes lifetime achievement in the communications field.

The award will be presented at the IABC Canada conference in Ottawa on Nov. 1.

"John Larsen exemplifies the term Master Communicator through his career achievements and his contributions to the profession, to IABC, and to his community," said Janet Wile, Chair of the Master Communicator Selection Committee.

Larsen is an executive-level public affairs professional with more than 22 years of communications experience in consulting, corporate, government and the military.

Since 2006, he has been President of Corpen Group, a communications consulting firm that handles crisis and corporate communications for a variety of government and industry clients. He was previously the Manager of Executive Communications and Issues Management for the City of Calgary. He is a former Associate Vice-President of an international public affairs and government relations consulting agency, where he led high-profile crisis and reputation management accounts. He also held senior communications positions in government, including Regional Director of the National Defence Public Affairs office in Calgary, and is currently in charge of the Canadian Forces Public Affairs Branch Primary Reserve.

He has developed issues management programs and plans for high-profile events, including security communications for the 2008 Beijing and 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Larsen has lectured at four Canadian colleges and universities. He developed and taught an issues management and crisis communications course at the University of Calgary, and is currently on the part-time faculty of Mount Royal University. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, has published articles on crisis communications, and was a weekly guest on the CBC radio program "Corporate Reputations." He earned a Master's degree in Communications from the University of Calgary, with a thesis focused on crisis communications and media relations.

He is an IABC-accredited communicator and an active member of the association at both the local and international levels. He has served on various IABC committees and currently sits on the Ethics Committee for IABC International. He has been published in the IABC International Handbook.

Larsen is a certified member of the American Institute for Crisis Management, a member of the International Issues Management Council, and is formally accredited by the United Nations as a Permanent Observatory Expert in Large Event Security Communications. He is an active community volunteer and currently sits on the Board of the Two Wheel View kids-at-risk charity foundation.

"Receiving the distinction of Master Communicators in an unparalleled honour, and I am indebted to the long line of brilliant communicators, professional mentors and personal friends who have supported my career efforts," said Larsen. "I am deeply grateful to IABC for their sponsorship of this recognition and for their deep commitment to our rewarding profession."

The IABC Master Communicator designation is the association's highest honour in Canada. It recognizes outstanding career achievements; contributions to the communications profession; thought leadership, teaching and writing in communications; service and leadership in IABC; and overall contributions to the community. IABC Canada has honoured only 43 individuals with this designation since it was established in 1980. Master Communicators are nominated and selected by their peers.

For information about the IABC Canada Master Communicator designation, including a list of past recipients, go to the IABC Canada web site at www.canada.iabc.com.

SOURCE: International Association of Business Communicators

Olivia Pavel
President, IABC/Calgary
[email protected]