About the Award

The Werner-VonderHaar-Bogart (WVB) Award is the highest honor that the Cincinnati PRSA Chapter can bestow upon a member. It is given to a member to recognize service to the Chapter, the community, the  profession and the Society.

The award is named after William Werner, Edward VonderHaar and Judith Bogart, three public relations leaders who served as presidents of the Cincinnati chapter and later served as PRSA national presidents.

Judges look for candidates who have demonstrated service to the chapter, the community, the society and the profession. Award recipients have demonstrated achievement in at least three of the four service areas.

Cincinnati PRSA is excited to announce that Nick Vehr has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Werner-VonderHaar-Bogart (WVB) Award. The WVB Award is the highest honor that our chapter can bestow upon a member.

With more than four decades in public relations and civic leadership, Nick Vehr has built a career rooted in a deep commitment to Greater Cincinnati. As founder of Vehr Communications, and now as an Executive Vice President of The Motion Agency which recently acquired his company, Nick has counseled businesses, nonprofits and community organizations while mentoring generations of communications professionals and creating opportunities for others to grow.

Nick has also been a longtime champion of PRSA, encouraging his team to get involved and take on leadership roles within the Chapter. Vehr has sponsored PRSA programs and events, opened its office for Chapter gatherings, and Nick and his team have regularly shared their expertise through panels, programs and professional development opportunities. 

His commitment to Cincinnati extends beyond public relations. Nick has served in elected office and held leadership roles in economic development, marketing and regional promotion. He helped lead Cincinnati’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, served as Managing Director of the 2012 World Choir Games and has contributed his leadership to numerous civic, arts, tourism, education and nonprofit organizations, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau and Cincinnati Southern Railway. He has also served on the board of St. Xavier High School for the past eight years, including as its Chair. 

Throughout his career, Nick has brought his communications expertise, relationships and leadership to work that makes Cincinnati stronger. 

The 2026 WVB Award comes at a meaningful moment in Nick’s career as Vehr Communications joins The Motion Agency. After decades of building a respected Cincinnati agency and investing in its people, profession and community, the award recognizes not just what Nick has accomplished, but the lasting impact he has made on the Cincinnati communications community.

Nick’s career and commitment to service embody the spirit of the WVB Award: using your skills, relationships and influence to make the profession, the community and the people around you stronger.

Please join us in honoring Nick at the Cincinnati PRSA Chapter Banquet 2026 presented by The Motion Agency on Thursday, November 19, at The Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine.