Spry PR Wins 2025 Keystone Award from PRSA Central PA for Corporate Communications, Employee Engagement Campaign
Richmond-based integrated communications agency with Central Pennsylvania roots teamed up with Armstrong World Industries to celebrate manufacturing careers for women
RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 8, 2026 – Spry PR (formerly LANC Marketing), an award-winning consulting firm and bespoke agency providing public relations, strategic communications and integrated marketing services, today announced it has won a Keystone Award from the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Spry was honored for its work supporting corporate communications, employee engagement and corporate brand positioning at Lancaster-based Armstrong World Industries (AWI), a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative interior and exterior architectural applications.
“These are the people who keep our plants running and allow us to continue serving our customers with the highest quality of products and innovation — they deserve recognition, and we are proud to see that PRSA Central PA agrees on the importance of this campaign.”
Held this year at Member 1st Corporate Headquarters in Enola, Pa., the 2025 Keystone Awards span more than 20 categories of public relations (PR) work, including Special Events and Observances. This category denotes a one-time program of limited duration designed to generate awareness with key audiences, including product launches, celebrations or other special observances. Spry earned recognition for its successful campaign to nominate, secure and amplify a prestigious Women MAKE Award from the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).
Spry PR founder, Stephanie Pryor (left), and PRSA chapter president Kelly Kostanesky (right), at the PRSA Central PA Keystone Awards luncheon on January 8, 2026.
“We recognize the importance of engaging with — and elevating the hard work of — our plant employees at AWI, and that is why we have partnered with Spry to help us achieve this from a Corporate Communications perspective,” said Theresa Womble, vice president of investor relations and corporate communications at AWI. “The manufacturing industry faces a significant skilled workforce shortage, and we recognize that celebrating and rewarding our employees is a critical factor in engagement and retention. These are the people who keep our plants running and allow us to continue serving our customers with the highest quality of products and innovation — they deserve recognition, and we are proud to see that PRSA Central PA agrees on the importance of this campaign.”
On April 24, 2025, associate plant manager Aubrey VanHorn was honored at the Women MAKE Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., which was attended by multiple senior leaders from AWI, including CEO Vic Grizzle. VanHorn began her AWI career as a Process Engineer and quickly advanced to leadership roles, where she led the adoption of a local recycled paper supply – saving over $2 million and diverting 3,500 tons of landfill waste annually. She is the first woman to hold her current role at the plant, where she oversees hundreds of employees.
“This is such an exciting win for our team because it truly captures the spirit of PR and the impact we can have as practitioners,” said Stephanie Pryor, founder of Spry and member of PRSA. “Not only did our work support the enterprise goals of the Corporate Communications team at AWI, but it also had a tangible impact on the plant employee who won the award. It was an honor to see her celebrated for the difference she has made in AWI’s Macon, Ga., plant, in the manufacturing industry and in her community — and it is a privilege to see this PR campaign be recognized again for its exemplary execution.”
Theresa Womble (left) of Armstrong World Industries sits down with Stephanie Pryor (right) of Spry PR to discuss the award-winning PR campaign that celebrates women in manufacturing leadership roles.
Spry’s campaign was selected from dozens of competing nominations through a rigorous scoring process, managed by an impartial panel from a PRSA chapter in Florida, and was scored on four criteria: research, planning, execution and results.
Spry initiated and managed the project and executed on all steps from start to finish, from identifying candidates to drafting submissions and handling all external communications around VanHorn’s award. The result was a coordinated communications campaign across earned, owned and shared media that had organic reach in the tens of thousands.
“This is such an exciting win for our team because it truly captures the spirit of PR and the impact we can have as practitioners.”
“We have some of the best and brightest minds in public relations in Central Pennsylvania, and the Keystone Awards have always been the PRSA Central Pennsylvania chapter's way to honor those individuals for their talent and dedication to the profession,” said Kelly Kostanesky, the 2025 PRSA Central Pennsylvania chapter president. “We take great pride in knowing that the awards are judged on the foundational principles of public relations: research, planning, implementation/execution, and evaluation/results. By representing those criteria in their award-winning entries, it shows that Keystone Award winners take a strategic approach to the work they do and that they possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise in public relations.”
To learn more about Spry, visit the firm’s website or follow the agency on LinkedIn.
About Spry PR
Spry PR (formerly LANC Marketing, LLC) is an award-winning communications agency with a focus on public relations, social media and content based in Richmond, Va., and serving clients in the U.S. and beyond. Founded in 2023 by Stephanie Pryor, a communications expert with nearly 15 years of experience, Spry PR creates forward momentum and builds brand visibility, credibility and reputation, which are key drivers of consistent growth. The Spry PR team primarily works with clients in Building & Construction, Manufacturing & Industrial, Technology & SaaS and Retail & ECommerce. To learn more, visit sprypr.co.