"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Gulf Shores,

Ala. -- The Louisiana Travel Promotion Association (LPTA) has

honored J. Gary Ellis and his company, Gulf Shores -based Compass

Media, with its 2012 ‘Victor Profis Memorial Travel Media

Award.’

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This award,

one of the annual "Louey Tourism Awards," is given to individuals

and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the

travel industry and have created ‘innovative, results-producing

strategies/programs for attracting visitors to

Louisiana.’

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Compass Media

President and Owner J. Gary Ellis accepted the award at the "Louey"

Tourism Awards Luncheon Jan. 26 during the 2012 Louisiana Travel

and Tourism Summit in Shreveport.

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">"Promoting

Southeast tourism is the single most important passion at Compass

Media," said Ellis when accepting the award. "It is an honor and it

is gratifying to be recognized by a highly respected organization

such as LTPA for doing something we so love."

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Now in its

third year, the "Louey Tourism Awards" recognizes individuals and

organizations in 11 categories for their outstanding contributions

to the tourism industry. The ‘Victor Profis Memorial Travel Media

Award’ was created and named in honor of Southern Living magazine’s

Travel and Tourism Director who lost his courageous battle with

cancer.

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Compass Media,

recipient of numerous rewards over its 26 years in business,

connects the unique culture and experience of Southern U.S.

destinations directly to targeted leisure travelers. Powered by

creativity, engaging content, and technology innovation, Compass

Media creates engaging marketing programs that connect places with

people.

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In a recent

rebranding, a sea turtle was chosen to represent Compass Media.

“Sea turtles are master navigators,” says J. Gary Ellis. Their

instincts allow hatchlings to navigate across the sand to the

water, and adult females to migrate across thousands of miles to

return to the exact beach they were born on to lay their

eggs.

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“It’s like a

built-in compass,” Ellis says. Likewise, Compass Media's business

is helping clients navigate their way through the currents of

challenging waters of tourism marketing. But the sea turtle

represents a much bigger picture of Compass Media's philosophy and

practices and is iconic of the company's passion for sustainable

business and tourism. Says Ellis, "Sustainability is and always

will be a work in progress, and we are proud to be a part of those

efforts here in Coastal Alabama."

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">See

"http://www.compassmedia.com/">www.compassmedia.com

for

more information.