Delegates to PRSA’s 60th Assembly, and the inaugural PRSA Leadership Assembly, turned their attention toward the Society’s strategic planning as they met prior to the start of PRSA’s 2010 International Conference, “Powering PRogress.”
Delegates were provided with a vision for PRSA’s future as part of the annual State of the Society Report, given via a joint presentation by Gary D. McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2010 PRSA chair and CEO, Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, chair-elect of PRSA and William M. Murray, CAE, PRSA president and CEO.
The primary focus of the presentation — “PRSA 2010: On Course for the Future” — was on enhancing the fundamental goals of the Society, which include: Advocacy, The Business Case, Communities, Diversity and Education.
The APR credential was a focus of the Leadership Assembly; delegates amended the agenda to emphasize a discussion regarding the future and value of the APR.
Additionally, the bylaws amendment to expand minimum requirements for board service from solely accredited APR members, to APR or leadership experience in PRSA or tenure in the profession, was defeated, 104 in favor, 172 opposed.
The APR remains a mandatory eligibility requirement for PRSA board service.
As part of the Leadership Assembly, Donald K. Wright, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, professor of public relations at Boston University and editor of Public Relations Journal, PRSA’s research journal, and Christina M. Darnowski, director of research and project management for PRSA, gave a research presentation, titled, “Defining the Role of the Public Relations Professional of the Future,” which will be available to download.
The Leadership Assembly was created in 2009, via a change to the Society’s bylaws, to engender discussion and debate among Society delegates surrounding pertinent issues and trends affecting the public relations profession.
