ATLANTA - Barbara Orr, Executive Vice President and Co-Owner of Poretta & Orr, Inc., Doylestown, Pa., was honored with HCEA's Distinguished Service Award during the 2002 Annual Meeting of the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA), held June 22-25 in Toronto, Canada.

The award, HCEA's highest form of recognition, was presented to Orr to acknowledge her almost 20 years of involvement in the healthcare convention marketing industry, as well as her active role in HCEA, specifically with regard to enhancing the sophistication of the Annual Meeting production to the level it is today. Barbara and her company have continued to provide creative and technical expertise to the overall production including the staging direction of the general sessions and thematic integration year after year. Orr has served in numerous volunteer capacities with HCEA including participating on the Board of Directors for five years. In addition, Orr has been a member of the Annual Meeting Committee, assisting in the planning of the HCEA Annual Meeting since 1988. She has also been an advocate for promoting HCEA membership. Orr graduated from Villanova University in 1982 with a degree in Education/Biology and a minor in Business.

HCEA established the Distinguished Service Award to recognize individuals who have made a major contribution to the association and/or the healthcare convention and exhibition industry throughout the years. The award is not necessarily presented every year, but only when HCEA's Nominating Committee and Board of Directors determines that there is an eligible candidate.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. HCEA represents more than 700 member organizations involved in healthcare exhibitions and conventions.

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