TACTICS March 2006 15

STATE OF THE SOCIETY

Dear Colleagues,

It has been a remarkable year for our Society — one ofexciting beginnings and continuing advances,as well asunprecedented challenges,both natural and man-made.Ithas also been a year of great success achieved because ofthe dedication,resilience and talent of the individuals whoare PRSA,the world’s largest organization of publicrelations professionals.

The year 2005 marked the inauguration of our newthree-year Strategic Plan,building upon the achievementsof the past and looking to the demands of a rapidlychanging global community and marketplace.The planfocuses on advancing the profession, the professional andthe Society. It puts forth this vision:“PRSA is the leaderand pre-eminent advocate for advancing the publicrelations profession and the public relations professionalfor the benefit of our members and society.”

We are proud to report that we have already made rapidstrides towards achieving this vision in 2005.We pledgedto grow membership,enhance public relations educationat all levels,deepen our commitment to diversity andbuild stronger global connections — and we have.

At the same time,our Society has emerged as anincreasingly vocal and respected leader. We have all seenthe headlines of the past year chronicling numerousunethical and even illegal public relations practices, fromdeliberate attempts to mislead the public about newssources to overbilling by agencies.

These incidents have damaged our credibility and posedserious challenges to our profession,but they have alsooffered opportunities to educate and inform about theethical and credible practice of public relations.We havebeen open and transparent, speaking out against badpractices and calling attention to the good,honest workdone by our members and the great majority of those inthe field.Our Advocacy Committee and our Board ofEthics and Professional Standards have led the way,providing guidelines and facilitating dialogue among allsectors of the profession and with media.We know there ismore to do,and we are doing it.

Nature posed challenges that tested us too — and oncemore, the spirit of PRSA shone through.The devastationof Hurricane Katrina late last summer imperiled thehomes, livelihoods,and even the lives of many of ourmembers.The response from our colleagues on a local andnational level was rapid and heartfelt.PRSA quickly

organized a task force and Web site to facilitate aid efforts — from office space to college admission for publicrelations students whose campuses were closed.

In October,Hurricane Wilma caused the first cancellationin the history of the PRSA International Conference andthe postponement of the Assembly and PRSSAConference,all scheduled in Miami Beach,FL.Throughstrong leadership and hard work,we were able to refundInternational Conference attendees and preserve theConference’s financial stability.Both the Assembly andPRSSA Conference were successfully rescheduled inDecember.

Our greatest loss was what would have been one ofPRSA’s best International Conferences ever.We can’trecreate that space in time,but we hope to offer many ofthe outstanding professional development sessionsplanned for the Conference in other formats and venuesin the months to come. And,of course,we all lookforward to the 2006 International Conference in SaltLake City,UT.

The story of PRSA in 2005 is one of creativity andflexibility, strength and stability,progress and endurance.Our Strategic Plan has provided the framework for settingpriorities and acting both strategically and decisively.Butit is our staff,board,Chapters,Districts and Sections allworking together that have truly made 2005 a success.Thecore values of this Society and the strength of itsmembers,here and abroad,serve as beacons of light.Theywill guide our industry and our profession to ever greaterheights on a solid foundation of ethics and professionalstandards.

It has been my great privilege to be a part of the team thatis moving the profession, the professional and the Societyforward.I thank you for giving me this amazingopportunity to serve in a time of special challenge andopportunity.We still have, in the words of Robert Frost,“miles to go,”and I look forward to walking them withyou as we seek to realize our dreams.

Best regards,

Judith T.Phair,APR,Fellow PRSAPresident and CEO 2005

2005 President and CEOJudith T.Phair,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentPhairAdvantage CommunicationsLaurel,MD

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16 March 2006 TACTICS

2005 MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

The record of accomplishment for the Public Relations Society ofAmerica (PRSA) in 2005 is an impressive one.It reflects thepriorities established in the 2005-07 Strategic Plan,which seeksto help PRSA effectively meet the demands created by a rapidly

changing national and global culture and marketplace,and by a professionthat is continually expanding in scope and complexity.

Highlights for the year encompass the three major goals of the Strategic Plan:Advance the Profession, the Professional and the Society.They include:• Financial stability and growth even with the setback of a canceled

International Conference• Record membership totals in PRSA and PRSSA• A strong and visible record of advocacy for ethical,credible public relations

including testimony before a U.S.Senate subcommittee and national mediacoverage

• The first-ever industry summit on ethical issues• Diversity initiatives and activities that weave throughout the fabric of

PRSA• An expanded corporate partnership program• A restructured Foundation — including the establishment of the first

Endowed Scholarship Fund• New Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups• Greater participation in professional development programs and

Accreditation• Increased global presence• Improved governance and organizational structures

We’ve made a good beginning,but there is much more to do as we proceedwith our three-year plan and beyond.Moving forward,we will need tocontinue to focus on the needs and concerns of our members, the reputationof the profession and the strength of the Society.

This new era offers perhaps the greatest potential ever for our profession andour Society.In order to increase understanding of the power and value ofpublic relations and its role in organizational success,we must enhance ourreputation and our brand.Interestingly,our recent joint survey with HarrisInteractive of Fortune 100 business leaders,congressional staffers and aides,aswell as consumers, shows that a majority of all three groups — including 81percent of business leaders — recognized the value that public relations canbring to the decision-making table.At the same time,the survey showedcontinued misunderstanding about what we do and how we do it.Advocating and demonstrating that PRSA and its members embody thehighest qualities of ethics and excellence in our field will be a continuingpriority.

Our commitment to delivering value to our members is paramount.PRSA’sobligation is to meet and anticipate the needs of all of our members,here andabroad, in all sectors of the profession.Important initiatives implemented in2005 in education,research and global outreach,will move forward as weempower PRSA and PRSSA members representing a broad spectrum ofdiversity to reach their full potential.A new membership survey,completedlate in the year,will be an important resource for ongoing strategic planningand execution.

The accomplishments of 2005 reflect the dedication and the talent of ourmembers and staff, joining together to build a better Society.This reportdetails some of those accomplishments. It would take many more pages todescribe the full scope of all that we have done together.Meanwhile,as wemove into the second year of our Strategic Plan,we are poised to attain evengreater heights in 2006.

A Strong Record of AdvocacyIn a year when the profession was under siegebecause of bad practices,PRSA was among thefirst to speak out against what was wrong andto advocate for ethical,credible public relations.The Advocacy Advisory Board and the Boardof Ethics and Professional Standards issuedcode advisories on several issues.In addition,the board worked with PRSA staff,Sections,Chapters and Districts to spearhead severalother initiatives. These included a new onlinemedia room with an advocacy area andRSS/podcasting capabilities,op-eds on ethicalissues for trade publications and commentaryon industry topics covered on ABC-TV and inThe New York Times,among others.

PRSA also led the way with the first publicrelations industry summit meeting on ethicalissues — bringing together top leaders inpublic relations,media and business,along withtestimony by PRSA’s 2005 President and CEOJudith T.Phair, APR,Fellow PRSA,before theU.S.Senate Committee on Commerce,Science and Transportation,regarding possibleregulation of video news releases.PRSA alsojoined with Harris Interactive for agroundbreaking survey on “Executive,Congressional,and Consumer Attitudes towardMedia,Marketing,and the Public RelationsProfession.”

A New FoundationA newly reenergized and restructured PRSAFoundation has already begun to deliver on itspromise,moving PRSA forward toward thestrategic planning objective of becoming theleader in research and education that advancesthe profession. In 2005,the Foundation:• Awarded more than $20,000 in scholarships

to undergraduate public relations students• Funded research grants on work,life and

gender issues in the profession;global publicrelations practices and structure;and thefuture of public relations education

• Supported Career Academies in 11 highschools around the country,working closelywith Chapters in those areas

By year’s end,the Foundation had successfullylaunched the $100,000 Betsy PlankScholarship Endowment Fund and adopted anew governing structure — with acommitment to openness and transparency.

A Diverse SocietyA core value and commitment of PRSA,diversity is woven throughout the StrategicPlan,as PRSA strives to encompass and

celebrate the full spectrum of diversity.With theDiversity Committee as guide and facilitator,PRSA offered the first Society-wide diversityteleconference on best practices,created newalliances with the Gay,Lesbian,Bisexual,Transgender (GLBT) Newswire and theSociety for Human Resource Management,and helped launch a new GLBT affinity group.The Diversity PROs section of the Web sitefeaturing job opportunities expanded,and theDiversity Committee and MulticulturalProfessional Section joined forces to produce anew brochure and CD on public relationscareer opportunities for distribution to careeracademies and PRSSA Chapters.

The Eye of the StormSometimes even the most dedicated staffmembers and volunteers cannot conquer theforces of nature.For the first time in PRSAhistory,the annual International Conferencewas canceled because of Hurricane Wilma.Theferocious hurricane took its time headingtoward Miami Beach,FL,but it ultimatelydecided to hit at exactly the wrong time —forcing the cancellation of the InternationalConference and postponement of theAssembly and PRSSA Conference.TheAssembly finally met in Chicago in December,conducting the important business of theSociety,including the election of new officers.The PRSSA Conference also took place inDecember,in Miami Beach,FL.The event wasa great success,the result of hard work byPRSSA and PRSA volunteers and staff.

As for the Miami Beach InternationalConference,the story had a somewhat happyending,with all Conference participants receiving full refunds,as well as conference bagswith sponsor goodies and flip-flops for anotherbeach,somewhere,sometime.By workingdiligently with insurance adjusters,PRSAincurred no financial loss.While a great programand wonderful opportunities for camaraderie (theresult of untold hours of hard work by volunteermembers and staff) were lost for 2005,the spirit ofMiami lives on and will help infuse a wonderful2006 Conference in Salt Lake City,Nov.11-14.

Education for a LifetimeAs PRSA strives to advance the professional,education is a top priority at all levels.TheFoundation is providing increased scholarshipaid for college students,and it also supports theCareer Academies,which introduce theprofession to high school students.

PRSSA,serving undergraduate students in

TACTICS March 2006 17

public relations,saw another year ofintensive growth,with a new record ofmore than 9,000 members and an increasefrom 255 to 270 Chapters.Demand forcertification of undergraduate programs,operated through the Educational AffairsCommittee,also grew.PRSSA currently has16 certified programs,and for the first timecertification was awarded to an institutionoutside North America:UniversidadArgentina de la Empresa.For a completelist of PRSA certified programs,pleasevisit www.prssa.org.

Professional development courses continuedto expand,especially in the teleseminar area,with 22 new offerings out of a total of 62.New technology now allows for the storageof teleseminars for later access via phone orMP3.

Meanwhile,Professional Interest Sectionshave continued to grow in membership andnumbers.The newest Section,Entertainment and Sports,brings thenumber of Sections to 19 and Sectionmembers to 6,600 — a 6.5 percent increasein the past year.In 2005,Sections offeredtheir greatest number of teleseminars andin-person conferences since its inception.

APR: Our Standard ofProfessional ExcellencePRSA,as a memberorganization of the UniversalAccreditation Board (UAB), maintains astrong commitment to Accreditation.The dedicated work of the UniversalAccreditation Board and the PRSAAccreditation Marketing Committeeyielded concrete results in raising theawareness of, and participation in, the APRprogram.The number of candidates whotook the exam climbed to 202,and the passrate for candidates improved to 69 percent.Other highlights include creating a tool kitthat will stand the test of time in providingAPR chairs with tools and tactics that canhelp them prepare candidates for successfulcompletion of the Examination process.Procedures were also developed to specify“APR preferred”for the online JobCenter — for both employer andcandidate listings.

Global OutlookPRSA members work in a globalmarketplace.PRSA is a founding memberof the Global Alliance for Public Relationsand Communication Management,with thegoal of creating programs,services andresearch that will help members competemost effectively in that marketplace.

In 2005,PRSA expanded its internationaloutreach to China,Italy,the United Kingdomand Croatia.In March,a PRSA delegation

visited China at the invitation of the ChineseInternational Public Relations Association,along with the Shanghai and Hong KongPublic Relations Associations.Short-termresults include increased understanding anddialogue between the two societies,alongwith advances made toward forming allianceswith at least two major Chinese universitieswith exchange and internship opportunitiesfor PRSA and PRSSA members.

PRSA presented a report on its diversityprogram that received much acclaim at theWorld Public Relations Festival in Italy.PRSA and the Chartered Institute of PublicRelations in the United Kingdom areexploring possible memberships in CIPRfor accredited PRSA members doingbusiness in the UK.The U.S.StateDepartment sponsored PRSA presentationsat the annual meeting of the Croatian PublicRelations Association.

Financial Strength and CorporatePartnershipsIn 2005,PRSA successfully overcame theloss of an expected $1.7 million in revenuesthat would have been generated by theInternational Conference in Miami Beach,FL,through a combination of higherrevenues from professional developmentprograms,corporate partnerships and theWeb-based Job Center,as well as proceedsfrom event-cancellation insurance. For thefifth consecutive year,the Society exceededits financial policy goal of growing net assetsby at least one percent of the annualoperating plan — a testimony to ourcontinued financial stability,strength andability to adapt to changing conditions.Ourmembership base grew by three percent,further contributing to the year’s healthybottom line. Overall,the ability of theSociety to withstand unexpected financialchallenges from Hurricane Wilma enabledthe continuation of important programs,activities and member benefits throughout2005,and continued growth in 2006.

Meanwhile,PRSA now has 12 corporatesponsors (up from seven in 2004).Thisincrease has contributed substantially to theSociety’s non-dues revenue.

2005 Corporate PartnershipsBacon’s Information,Inc.BurrellesLuce Business WireCustomScoopCymfonyHarris Interactive LexisNexisMarket Wire MedialinkPR Newswire TEKgroup International Thomson Business Intelligence

MembershipPRSA’s membership continued to grow in2005,with an increase of 3.5 percent (+677net growth) in members.Membershipapproached the 21,000 number just over ayear after it broke 20,000 in 2004,andremained at all-time highs throughout 2005,closing at 20,874 members.

Several new member benefits,including twoservices introduced by the ProfessionalResources Center,have helped to add valueto PRSA membership.

2005 Honors and AwardsPRSA’s prestigious awards raise the bar forthe profession, recognizing significantcontributions and achievements.

PRSA Awards:Honoring the Best of the Best

National Awards and Recognition

The Silver Anvil AwardThe Silver AnvilAwards, symbolizingthe forging of publicopinion, areannually bestowedon organizationsthat havesuccessfullyaddressed acontemporary issuewith exemplaryprofessional skill,

creativity and resourcefulness. Silver AnvilAwards recognize complete publicrelations programs and must meet thehighest standards of performance in theprofession.

The Bronze Anvil AwardThe Bronze Anvil Awards were created torecognize outstanding public relationstactics — the individual items orcomponents of programs or campaigns.Judged by professional peers, the winningentries are based on content, creativity,quality of presentation, technicalexcellence and appropriateness for thetarget audience.

2005 Annual Individual Awards

The Gold AnvilThe Society’s highest individual award ispresented to a public relations practitionerand PRSA member whoseaccomplishments have made a major

contribution to theprofession.2005 RecipientAl Golin, FellowPRSAChairman,Golin/Harris Chicago, IL

PRSA Public Relations Professional of the Year AwardRecognizes the very best public relationswork for the year by an individual.

2005 Award RecipientsAll three recipients are part of theAmerican Red Cross’PR team.They are(from left):Deborah S.Daley, vice president ofcorporate communication,Charles D.Connor, senior vice president ofcommunication and marketing, andDarren Irby, vice president of publicrelations.

The Patrick Jackson Award forDistinguished Service to PRSARecognizes a member who hassignificantly contributed to advancingPRSA from the Chapter to national levels,as well as advancing the Society byinspiring fellow practitioners both

professionally andpersonally.2005 Award RecipientDwayne Summar,APR,Fellow PRSA Dwayne Summar PublicRelations Albany,GA

The Outstanding Educator AwardRecognizes a PRSA member who hasmade a significant contribution to theadvancement of public relations educationthrough college or university teaching.

2005 Award RecipientDr.Rick Fischer,APR,Fellow PRSAProfessor,Department ofJournalismUniversity of MemphisMemphis,TN

The Paul M.Lund Public ServiceAwardGiven to a PRSA member whoseparticipation as a volunteer in importantpublic activities has increased the commongood and reflected credit on the Society.

2005 Award RecipientRene A.Henry, Jr.,Fellow PRSACounselor to theChairman,President andCEOInnovativeCommunication Corp.West Palm Beach,FL

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18 March 2006 TACTICS

2005 MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

President Judith T.Phair,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentPhairAdvantage CommunicationsLaurel,MD

President-Elect Cheryl I.Procter-Rogers,APR,Fellow PRSACorporate Affairs Director-NorthCentral RegionHome Box OfficeRosemont,IL

Secretary Jeffrey P.Julin,APRPresidentMGA Communications, IncDenver,CO

Treasurer Rhoda E.Weiss,APR,FellowPRSAPresidentRhoda Weiss & AssociatesSanta Monica,CA

Immediate Past President Del Galloway,APRPartnerOn IdeasJacksonville,FL

Mary Deming Barber,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentThe Barber Group Inc.Anchorage,AK

Sue Bohle,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentThe Bohle CompanyLos Angeles,CA

Michael G.Cherenson,APRVice PresidentThe Cherenson GroupLivingston,NJ

Gerard F.Corbett,APR,Fellow PRSAVice President Branding & CorporateCommunications GroupHitachi America,Ltd.Brisbane,CA

Anthony W.D'Angelo,APRDirector Marketing Communications &TrainingCarrier Corp.,ReplacementComponents DivisionSyracuse,NY

John J.Deveney,ABC,APRPresidentDeveney CommunicationNew Orleans,LA

Rosanna M.Fiske,APRPrincipal & PartnerCommunique Group/RiseStrategiesCoral Gables,FL

Cathryn Gibbs Harris,APR,Fellow PRSAIndependent ConsultantCharleston,WV

Margaret Ann Hennen,APRSystem Director forCommunications and Public RelationsFairview Health ServicesMinneapolis,MN

Steven L.Lubetkin,APR,Fellow PRSAManaging PartnerLubetkin & Co.Communications,Public Relations and TechnologyCounselCherry Hill,NJ

Gary D.McCormick,APRDirector of Public RelationsDIY NetworkKnoxville,TN

Tom Vitelli,APR,Fellow PRSAAssistant Vice PresidentPublic Relations & AdvertisingIntermountain Health CareSalt Lake City,UT

Executive Director & COOCatherine A.BoltonPublic Relations Society ofAmericaNew York,NY

PresidentCheryl I.Procter-Rogers,APR,Fellow PRSACorporate Affairs Director-NorthCentral RegionHome Box OfficeRosemont, IL

President-Elect Rhoda Weiss,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentRhoda Weiss & AssociatesSanta Monica,CA

Secretary Tom Vitelli,APR,Fellow PRSAAssistant Vice PresidentPublic Relations & AdvertisingIntermountain Health CareSalt Lake City,UT

TreasurerJeffrey P. Julin,APRPresidentMGA Communications, IncDenver,CO

Immediate Past President Judith T.Phair,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentPhairAdvantageCommunicationsLaurel,MD

Mary Deming Barber,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentThe Barber Group Inc.Anchorage,AK

Sue Bohle,APR,Fellow PRSAPresidentThe Bohle CompanyLos Angeles,CA

Michael G.Cherenson,APRVice PresidentThe Cherenson GroupLivingston,NJ

Gerard F.Corbett,APR,Fellow PRSAVice President Branding & CorporateCommunications GroupHitachi America,Ltd.Brisbane,CA

Anthony W.D'Angelo,APRDirector Marketing,Communications &TrainingCarrier Corp.,ReplacementComponents DivisionSyracuse,NY

John J.Deveney,ABC,APRPresidentDeveney CommunicationNew Orleans,LA

Rosanna M.Fiske,APRPrincipal & PartnerCommunique Group/RiseStrategiesCoral Gables,FL

Vincent Hazleton,Ph.D.,APR,Fellow PRSAProfessorRadford UniversityRadford,VA

Margaret Ann Hennen,APRSystem Director forCommunications and Public RelationsFairview Health ServicesMinneapolis,MN

Chris R.Lynch,APRSenior Vice PresidentRobert Falls & Company PublicRelationsCleveland,OH

Gary D.McCormick,APRDirector of Public RelationsDIY NetworkKnoxville,TN

Ronald Owens,APR,Fellow PRSAManager, InternalCommunicationsKaiser Permanente SouthernCaliforniaPasadena,CA

Executive Director & COOCatherine A.BoltonPublic Relations Society ofAmericaNew York,NY

PRSA PublicationsContinueAward-WinningWaysGuided by the bestin communicationsprinciples,PRSApublicationsembrace a fullrange of electronicand print media.PRSA’s resource-rich Web site,www.prsa.org,guides membersand others interest-ed in the site through the organization and the members-only programs and products that PRSA offers.The PublicRelations Strategist is the only quarterlymagazine that addresses executive-level public relations practitioners.Public RelationsTactics is a wide-ranging tabloid deliveringnews,trends and how-to information to helpadvance the profession and the professional.

In 2005,recognition of PRSA’s publicationscontinued.Tactics and The Strategist combinedfor 10 prestigious industry awards for editorialexcellence.In the MarCom Creative Awards2005 competition,Tactics received the PlatinumAward for association newspapers/newsletters;The Strategist received the Platinum Award forassociation magazines;and The Strategistreceived a Platinum Award in thewriting/feature article category for the coverstory from Spring 2005,“High Anxiety,”written by Katie Sweeney.

In addition,managing editor Alison Statemanreceived a 2005 APEX Award for PublicationExcellence in the Feature Writing category forher article,“Being Wal-Mart,”from the fall issueof The Strategist while a 2005 APEX Award forPublications Excellence was given to Tactics inthe Magapapers & Newspapers — PrintedFour Color category.

In the Communicator Awards 2005 PrintMedia competition,both publications receivedthe highest honors,the Crystal Award ofExcellence — Strategist for associationmagazines and Tactics fornewsletters/newspapers.Strategist managing

editor Alison Stateman received an Award ofDistinction in the magazine writing categoryfor her Fall 2004 Strategist article on Wal-Mart.Art director Susan Yip received an honorablemention for design/magazine covers for herSummer 2004 Strategist cover,“Inside the Mindof the CEO.”

Finally,in the SNAP Awards,Tactics received aSilver Award in the Society of NationalAssociation Publications’2005 Excel Awardscompetition in the “Newspapers,GeneralExcellence”category.

PRC/Job CenterAccess to PRSA’s knowledge repository isjust a click away.The PRSA ProfessionalResource Center has a proprietary electronicdatabase of full-text articles from PRSA’saward-winning publications,PublicRelationsTactics and The Public RelationsStrategist, as well as more than 4,000 award-winning case studies from PR campaigns thathave won PRSA’s prestigious Silver andBronze Anvil awards.

Now members can search and retrieveanswers to their most challenging publicrelations research questions from this database — which they can access directlyfrom their computers via the PRC Searchfeature,at no cost,24 hours a day.

A New benefit for PRSA members:PR Issues & TrendsThis daily news monitoring service reports onindustry trends,advocacy and other issuesimpacting the profession and the professional.It is e-mailed to members each business day.

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2006 PresidentCheryl I.Procter-Rogers, APR,Fellow PRSACorporate Affairs Director-North CentralRegionHome Box OfficeRosemont, IL

Executive Director & COOCatherine A.BoltonPublic Relations Society of AmericaNew York,NY

2006 PRSA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2005 PRSA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS