Mark LaVigne
President | President at Hunter LaVigne Communications Inc.
Toronto, ON, CANADA
Develop your PR and media relations strategies with a creative communications specialist who understands both sides of the “media fence”
Media
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Biography
Mark H. LaVigne established Hunter LaVigne Communications Inc. in 1997, an Aurora-based creative communications consultancy with proven associates across the country.Hunter LaVigne Communications Inc. (HLC) specializes in the organizational/news interface, including: media relations; media training; media events planning and management.
For five years, Mark was a national on-air radio journalist and for the last 21 years, he has worked in public relations agencies. While with "downtown" public relations agencies from 1990 to 1997, and in his own firm since then, Mark has worked with a variety of clients in both proactive and reactive media relations campaigns. Public Affairs experience includes work with the Canadian Publishers’ Council, the Environment and Plastics Institute of Canada (EPIC) and the Ontario Funeral Service Association.
After completing a Master of Arts in Journalism at the University of Western Ontario's Graduate School of Journalism, Mark worked as a radio journalist in Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto. Prior to UWO, he completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and English at York University.
He is a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) College of Fellows (appointed 2010), an accredited member (APR) of CPRS, is a Past-President of CPRS (Toronto) and served on the national CPRS board for six years, including as an elected Vice-President/Secretary. He is currently chair of the national organization’s PR and Communications committee. He has won a CPRS Toronto Bronze ACE (Achieving Communications Excellence) Award in the Special Events category for CrosSled (2002), in the New Product or Service Launch category for Sunrise Soya Foods (2003), CPRS Toronto Mentor of the Year (2007), Award of Merit, special events, national CPRS awards (2007), Certificate of Recognition from CPRS National (2008) and Volunteer Service Award from CPRS Toronto (2008).
He regularly conducts media relations workshops, moderates or participates in industry panels and delivers guest lectures at colleges and universities including McGill, McMaster University and the University of Western Ontario.
Mark sits on the Advisory Council to the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of Western Ontario and has taught part-time in the Corporate Communications Program at Seneca College, a graduate level PR program.
Industry Expertise (10)
Business Services
Events Services
Advertising/Marketing
Management Consulting
Writing and Editing
Direct Marketing
Public Relations and Communications
Professional Training and Coaching
Media - Broadcast
Corporate Training
Areas of Expertise (3)
Strategic Media Relations
Media Event Planning and Management
Media Training
Accomplishments (5)
Recipient - CPRS Toronto ACE Award (professional)
The purpose of the Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards is to recognize communications excellence in the practice of public relations. Winning an ACE Award will earn you industry recognition, strengthen your strategic communication skills and get you and your work known in Toronto’s public relations community.
Recipient - CPRS Toronto Volunteer Service Award (professional)
Fellow - Canadian Public Relations Society (professional)
In 2010, Mark was appointed as a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society College of Fellows. The College of Fellows was established in 1998 to recognize those CPRS members who are proven leaders in public relations and communications and who have made exceptional contributions to the profession and their communities.
Chair - CPRS Public Relations and Communications Committee (professional)
Mark is currently Chair of the Canadian Public Relations Society PR and Communications Committee.
President - Canadian Public Relations Society Toronto (professional)
Mark had previously served as President of the Canadian Public Relations Society Toronto.
Education (2)
University of Western Ontario: Master of Arts, Journalism 1986
York University : Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Mass Communications and English 1984
Links (4)
Event Appearances (4)
Media Meltdown: How to Generate News Coverage in Both Traditional and Online Media
State of the Art Regina 2010 Regina, Saskatchewan
2010-06-14
The Art of Media: Generating News Coverage
Currents 2012, Canadian Public Relations Society National Conference Victoria, British Columbia
2012-06-10
Building Media Relationships
Canadian Public Relations Society Toronto Event Series Toronto, Ontario
2012-02-15
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Marketwire Morning Mingle Belleville, Ontario
Sample Talks (1)
Making Ink and Airtime
This media relations presentation supports Mark's recent book and can be tailored to 60 minutes or 30 minutes with the possibility of expanding the presentation to on-camera media training.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Host/MC
- Author Appearance
- Corporate Training
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