Company: American Red Cross, Washington, DC
Company Description: The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors—across the street, the country and the world—in emergencies. Each year, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross for help. Some 4 million people give blood—the gift of life—through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Communications Executive

Nomination Title: Darren Irby, VP-Public Relations

   1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved in 2004 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

The American people believe in the Red Cross.  With that trust, however,
comes high expectations—Darren Irby, vice president of public relations is
on the communication front-line of sharing the story of the Red Cross and
protecting that trust.  2004 was not easy communication year for the
historic organization.   As a country, we have recently undergone enormous
social change, and it not surprising that the Red Cross needed to develop
an entirely new way of communicating its lifesaving messages to
Americans.  As the communication executive responsible for crisis
communication, public inquiry, market research, the enterprise website,
brand advertising and entertainment/Hollywood outreach, Darren works to
reassure Americans that the Red Cross will always be there even as
America changes. 

He’s a true leader, especially in times of crisis.  Hurricane season 2004 was
the largest natural disaster response in the history of the American Red
Cross.  Darren worked for countless days to ensure that those in need had
the critical messages to gain access to immediate safety and security
information and set expectations surrounding how the organization would
continue to help victims long-term.  For many, their lives would have been
lost without the information.  After the season of storms, Darren helped
ease fear by crafting important health and safety messages while devising
a communication plan to raise millions of dollars to respond.   More than a
thousand national interviews were conducted in three months and more
than $120 million has been raised for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
through the Red Cross visibility plan.  Then in December, one of the worst
natural disasters in history happened when an incredible tsunami hit
Southeast Asia.  As the primary spokesman, Darren formulated
communications that helped raise more than $375 million in just weeks.  His
messages helped provide badly needed relief supplies, including food and
health-care for millions. Darren completed more than 129 national media
interviews in just ten days.  In addition, Darren’s communication team
helped direct NBC’s Tsunami Aid:  A Concert of Hope with 45 of Hollywood’s
top celebrities. 

Additionally, Darren has been instrumental behind the communication
planning to address new fears and forms of Red Cross disaster response. 
As an inaugural member of the John Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense
Strategies Leaders Working Group on Biodefense and Public
Communication, Darren is working to ensure that Americans receive the
right message at the right time when our country is faced with life-altering
threats. 

During regular days, Darren provides communication technical assistance,
support and guidance to 885 Red Cross chapters nationwide and works to
ensure that the Red Cross reputation-management program and
comprehensive 12-objective PR plan align with the overall strategic
organizational strategy.  The work of Darren’s team is paying off:  trust in
the American Red Cross rose eight points to 82 percent; public service
advertising donated space peaked at $34 million; and donations online
through redcross.org reached an all time high all this past year.  

He is a frequent communication presenter, publisher and mentor through
national public relations societies and formal intern sponsorships.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]:

http://www.redcross.org
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_4043,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_4029,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_489_3468,00.html
http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Tsunami_Aid:_A_Concert_of_Hope/
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_3928,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_489_2200,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_2973,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_116_3036,00.html
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_116_3121,00.html
 http://washingtontimes.com/business/20050103-114808-3937r.htm
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F4081FFA345F0C708DDDAB0894DD404482
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4167189.stm
http://www.hiinternational.com/articles/art4_en.cfm?topicId=4&id=256
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0501060161jan06,1,6709902.story

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about this nominee:

Darren Irby, American Red Cross Vice President, public relations.  He
directs 22 employees and more than 2,000 volunteers and is responsible
for directing crisis communication, the public web site, brand advertising,
public inquiry and entertainment outreach. 

His volunteerism with the Red Cross began when his home was devastated
by floodwaters in the second grade and the organization replaced his Cub
Scout uniform. Darren has worked in the White House and reported for The
New York Times.

Darren was named one of the 2004 Ten Outstanding Young Americans by
the U.S. Junior Chamber.  He is a graduate of Harding University.