LAS VEGAS – Portland Trail Blazers Vice President of Team Relations Cheri Hanson has been named the recipient of the Brian McIntyre Trophy as the 2015 Splaver/McHugh “Tribute to Excellence” Award winner.

The award, presented during the league’s PR Meetings, is given by the NBA Public Relations Directors’ Association to a current or former member of the NBA public relations family who has demonstrated an outstanding level of performance and service during his or her NBA career.   Hanson is the first woman to collect the honor since its inception in 1995.

The Portland native began her NBA career in 1974 as an assistant to her father, John White, the Trail Blazers’ original Publicity Director and the 1998 winner of the Splaver/McHugh Award. After a decade under her father’s tutelage, Hanson directed public relations efforts for the Golden State Warriors (1985-90), the Seattle SuperSonics (1992-99), the Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2007) and the Portland Trail Blazers (2007-2010). She also served as the NBA’s Assistant Director of Media Relations (1990-92).

In 2010, Hanson moved to a different side of the NBA business when she became the Trail Blazers’ Vice President of Team Relations.   In that role, Hanson facilitates cooperation and communication among players, coaches, business staff, agents, player families and the NBA to help all parties achieve business and community objectives. Hanson collaborates with athletes and their agents to further brand management initiatives, including communications strategy, public appearances and player programs.

The Splaver/McHugh Award is named in memory of two of the most highly respected public relations executives in NBA history, Marc Splaver and Howie McHugh. Splaver was the Public Relations Director of the Washington Bullets for five seasons in the 1970s. McHugh served for more than 40 years as the original Public Relations Director of the Boston Celtics.

The award’s trophy was named in honor of longtime NBA executive Brian McIntyre earlier this year during NBA All-Star.   McIntyre, the 2012 winner of the award, directed the NBA Communications Department and later the Basketball Communications Department from 1981-2010. McIntyre was hired by the NBA in 1981 after three and a half seasons as Director of Marketing and Media Information for the Chicago Bulls.

Previous winners of the Splaver/McHugh Award are:

2012     Brian McIntyre: Chicago Bulls Director of Marketing and Media Information from 1978-81; directed NBA Communications Department and later Basketball Communications Department from 1981-2010; named 2011 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

2010     Matt Dobek: Former Detroit Pistons Public Relations Director and Vice President who worked with the team from 1981-2010

2009     Tommy Sheppard: Former Denver Nuggets Public Relations Director; current Washington Wizards Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations

 2008     Terry Lyons: Former NBA Vice President of International Communications; current Sports Marketing and Communications Consultant

2007     Dave Coskey: Former Philadelphia 76ers Executive Vice President and Vice President of Marketing and Communications; current President of Longport Media

2006     Rick Welts: Current Golden State Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer; former Seattle SuperSonics Public Relations Director, Phoenix Suns President and Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and President of NBA Properties

2005     Jeff Twiss: Current Boston Celtics Vice President of Media Services/Alumni Relations

2004     Kevin Sullivan: Former Dallas Mavericks Public Relations Director, NBC Sports Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications and Media Relations, and White House Communications Director; founder of Kevin Sullivan Communications

2003     Mark Pray: Former Washington Bullets and Miami Heat Public Relations Director and Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at the University of Miami.

2002     Matt Winick: Former NBA Director of Media Information and Senior Vice President of Scheduling and Game Operations; current Senior Advisor to President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn

2001     Josh Rosenfeld: Former Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks Public Relations Director and the NBA’s first Director of International Public Relations; former longtime sportswriter with the Newark Star-Ledger; current Listener Services Associate at public radio station WBGO in Newark

2000     Dennis D’Agostino: Current New York Knicks Team Historian and Writer

1998     John White: Original Portland Trail Blazers Publicity Director

1997     Harvey Pollack: Hall of Fame publicist; named 2002 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

1996     Tom Ambrose: Founder and first President of the NBA Public Relations Directors Association; former Phoenix Suns Public Relations Director and Sr. Vice President, Executive Director of Phoenix Suns Charities.

1995     Jim Foley: Former Houston Rockets Public Relations Director and Radio Analyst who worked for the team for 36 seasons