Each week this fall, PRsay will interview one of the nominees for the 2021 PRSA Board of Directors.
Name: Ray Day
Location: Detroit
Current title: Vice Chair, The Stagwell Group
Board nominee position: Director-at-Large
Alma mater: Wayne State University
Number of years as a PRSA member: 3
What do you see as PRSA’s biggest opportunities moving forward?
PRSA’s biggest opportunity going forward is to become a more common and dominant force within our profession — both in membership growth and visibility — to ensure that practitioners at every level are equipped for the future. This includes continuing PRSSA’s success on campus at the foundation level, but — even more important — making PRSA membership, Accreditation and engagement much more commonplace in every company, agency and association.
What are you looking forward to in 2021 serving as a director-at-large? Do you envision pursuing future leadership roles within PRSA?
I am known for my passion about futuring, reputation and communications development — as well as a focus on seeing and envisioning our world and our profession at least five years down the road. This future-focus is essential to PRSA and our members. I look forward to serving as a leader of PRSA in 2021, and in the future, to help realize PRSA’s vision.
What advice do you have for PR students or new practitioners entering the profession?
Communications today has a bigger seat at the table than ever before in my 30 years in the business — yet communications and PR also are changing at warp speed. The successful companies, brands and leaders will be the ones focused on the future. For students and professionals alike, that means we must constantly reinvent ourselves, continuously learn and spend time with people who challenge us intellectually and creatively, and help us see into the future.
John Elsasser is PRSA’s director of publications. He joined PRSA in 1994.