Lake Placid, NY (Sunday, July 30, 2006) - Sandy Caligiore, director of communications for the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority, is the 2006 recipient of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association's (NASJA) Bob Gillen Memorial Award. Caligiore was presented with the award by the ski writers' group at a special event in Lake Placid last week.

The Gillen Award honors the snowsports marketing or communication professional who NASJA members feel represents the highest standards of public relations in the snowsports industry. NASJA, with approximately 300 active press members throughout the US and Canada, is the largest professional organization of writers, editors, photographers and film makers who cover skiing and snowboarding.

Caligiore is the fifth recipient of this award, which was first presented in 2002.

The Gillen award is named for the late Bob Gillen, long time ski writer and editor who later served as communications manager at resorts in the Rocky Mountains and the Northeast. He was a founder of The Ski Industry Letter, a trade industry publication serving the snowsports business sector.

Caligiore has been associated with sports and Lake Placid since the mid-1970s, first as a wire service reporter and radio broadcaster and then as a public relations professional. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Potsdam, he has been the communications director for the Olympic Authority since 1999, coming to the ORDA post from USA Luge where he was in charge of public relations. Beginning with the 1980 Olympics at Lake Placid, Caligiore has been involved in four Olympics, most recently as press chief for the alpine events at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002. He was a correspondent with the US Ski Team from 1982-87; traveling with and reporting on the men’s alpine ski team.

Caligiore resides in Lake Placid with his wife and his daughter, Aimee.