Toshiba Communications Leader Rick Havacko Wins Merit Award
LAKE FOREST, Calif. & AUSTIN, Texas, April 28, 2026 — Toshiba America Business Solutions Corporate Communications Lead Rick Havacko wins the prestigious 2026 Merit Award for Public Relations excellence.
Merit Awards recognize the achievements of professionals in global industries and the markets they serve. The 2026 Merit Awards winners in the public relations category celebrate the most exceptional minds in that profession.
“Rick is making an indelible mark within the public relations profession while establishing a corporate communications standard for his organization,” states Merit Awards Executive Director Marie Zander. “By consistently demonstrating creativity, ingenuity and definitive results, we are delighted to celebrate Rick’s success while selecting him as our 2026 Merit Award Winner for Public Relations.”
Establishing Communications Standard
Havacko helps Toshiba remain at the forefront of the business-to-business technology space by consistently delivering quality and timely news to local, national, and trade media, as well as key market analysts. His efforts result in Toshiba besting its competition in nearly every key media relations measurable, including appearing in more favorable editorial coverage, along with the highest readership across the United States and Latin America (per Cision).
Havacko’s story placements for Toshiba, its products and people appear in such prominent outlets as CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, Fox Business Network, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Morning Brew, CIO, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Business Journal and Washington Post.
He is a recipient of the 2025 PRNEWS People of the Year Award, Gold Stevie® Award in The 2024 International Business Awards® for Communications Professional of the Year and a Ragan Communications and PR Daily 2025 Media Relations Professional of the Year honoree.
“Rick’s leadership has helped establish a clear, consistent, and credible voice for Toshiba,” says Toshiba America Business Solutions Chief Solutions and Marketing Executive Kerstin Woods. “His strategic approach to media relations delivers meaningful impact for our brand, and this recognition reflects the disciplined, high‑quality work he brings to the organization every day.”
Havacko enjoys volunteering for worthy causes, particularly Breakthrough T1D, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research. An admirer of the great outdoors, he also enjoys competing in Austin, Texas sand volleyball, soccer and softball leagues.
Click-to-Tweet: Toshiba Communications Leader Rick Havacko Wins Merit Award
About Merit Awards
Created in 2022, the Merit Awards are designed to recognize the efforts put forth by global industries and the markets they serve. The Merit Awards will acknowledge companies that have contributed to the continued growth of the market worldwide. Currently, there are seven award programs that are open to all organizations operating within each of the categories. The Merit Awards’ judges include respected journalists, executives, consultants, entrepreneurs, educators and the Merit Awards staff. Each submission is carefully read, reviewed, and judged based on the content and/or materials provided. Each category will have a gold, silver, and bronze level recipient.