Volunteer PRSA Chapter to Honor Eddie Mannis, Two Others for 2025 Communicator of the Year
PRSA Volunteer Chapter | Published on 12/12/2024
(12/12/2024 – Knoxville, TENN.) - The Volunteer chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will recognize Eddie Mannis, the President and CEO of the Prestige companies, as the 2025 Communicator of the Year, Kristen Gallant Bailey with the 2025 Ellen Liston Rising Young Professional Award, and Kiley Fenn as the 2025 Student Communicator of the Year. The event will be held on January 14, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Knoxville. Tickets are $35 for PRSA members, $25 for PRSSA student members, and $45 for guests. A table for ten may be purchased for $400. All tickets may be purchased at volunteerprsa.org.
Eddie Mannis is a first-generation entrepreneur who founded Prestige Cleaners in 1985, growing it from 3 employees to over 100 across multiple businesses, including Prestige Tuxedo and MarKit Brand Outfitters. His companies have earned accolades such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Southeastern Region Small Business of the Year and Community Leadership Award.
In 2011, Mannis served as Knoxville’s first Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Mayor. He is also the founder of HonorAir Knoxville, a nonprofit that has provided over 4,000 WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans with trips to visit memorials in Washington, D.C. Mannis has also been widely recognized for his community service and leadership contributions and served in the Tennessee State House of Representatives during the 112th General Assembly.
Kristen Gallant Bailey is a Communications Specialist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she enhances audience engagement and stakeholder connections. Over the past year, she has led strategic social media efforts for the Tombras School of Advertising and the School of Information Sciences. With a background in multimedia journalism, she excels in crafting impactful narratives and advancing the university's communication goals.
Kiley Fenn, a junior from Annapolis, Maryland, studies public relations with a minor in business administration. She is the PRSSA Director of PR and serves on the Advisory Board for CREA, a Nicaragua-based nonprofit. With experience as an influencer intern and social media manager, she is focused on a career in account and social media management.
PRSA is the leading professional organization serving the communications community through a network of more than 400 professional and student chapters in the U.S., Argentina, Columbia, Peru, and Puerto Rico.
The Volunteer chapter of PRSA is represented by some of the most influential communicators in the greater Knoxville region. For more information, visit volunteerprsa.org.