PRSA ICON 2022

Dallas-Fort Worth Chapters Shine at PRSA ICON 2022

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By Andra Bennett House, APR, PRSA ICON Local Host Committee Co-Chair 

We did it! The Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters knocked the hospitality at Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s ICON 2022 out of the ice park at the Gaylord!

More than 1,000 PR pros, speakers, exhibitors and sponsors gathered at the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine to learn and grow Nov. 12-15, and they got an extra helping of Texas hospitality on the side. And guess who brought the most money and peeps to the party? GFW PRSA! We had 54 registrants, more than any other chapter in the U.S. Dallas was second with 51 registrants.

I want to begin by thanking those who answered the call last year to be on the DFW Host Committee, co-chaired by Thomas Bennett, III and myself: Cambria Jones; Andrea Huguely; Christy Jones; Michelle Sing; Blake Lewis, APR, Fellow PRSA; Kim Brown, APR; and Maricar Estrella Hastings. We met virtually on a monthly basis to brainstorm potential sponsors, plan the welcome reception and hospitality booth activities, and promote the conference. Most worked the hospitality booth at some points during the conference as well.

We served up a spicy hot welcome at our Hospitality booth with dozens of jars of salsa donated by Mrs. Renfro’s, client of Balcom Agency. Those were gone by the end of Day 1! We also provided raffle items with a gift basket from Visit Frisco, Starbucks gift cards, 12 tickets to Dallas Wings 2023 home games, and pins and maps from Grapevine CVB, Visit Fort Worth and Visit Dallas.

Thanks to all the hospitality booth volunteers from the Dallas and Greater Fort Worth Chapters:

Alyssa Christian
Ashley Freer
Richie Escovedo, APR
Susan Schoolfield, APR
Lesley Dupre
Carol Murray, APR
Glenda Holcomb Moreno
Isabelle Scott
John Ponzio
Joy Donovan Brandon
Kathleen Sams
Lesley Mason
Linda Goelzer
Malinda Miller
Michelle Sing
Paula Cobler
Prescotte Stokes III
Taylor Bartley
Terry Allen
Tiara Tucker
Krista Roberts

And did you know Fort Worth brought the Hypnotoad to ICON when TCU PRSSA — out of all the PRSSA Chapters in Texas — stepped up to host PRSSA students at ICON? What an exciting and unique learning experience for all students involved in coordinating this major event. Thank you, Dr. Amiso George, APR, Fellow PRSA for leading that effort.

Finally, if you haven’t seen the photos from the welcome reception, go here to see PR People. Having. Fun. The dance floor was not large enough for all the folks wanting to learn line dancing! And Prowler the mascot from Panther City Lacrosse has surprisingly deft footwork, er, paw work.

Next time you see Ken Ross, APR from Lockheed Martin Aerospace, be sure to thank him for LM’s generous donation to fund the Welcome Reception entertainment and decorations, as well as Balcom’ssupport.

PRSA National staff and board members are all still singing the praises of our chapters and are glad they chose to return to North Texas after a 30-year absence. We should all be extremely proud of the way we represented the Lone Star state and our profession. Next year, Nashville has its work cut out to top the DFW team!

Beth Lamb and Jessamy Brown

GFW PRSA Members Represent Chapter at PRSA Southwest District Conference

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Beth Lamb and Jessamy Brown

L-R: Beth Lamb, APR, and Jessamy Brown, APR

Special thanks to PRSA Southwest District Chair, Beth Lamb, APR, for all of her help in planning and leading the PRSA Southwest District Conference, and GFW PRSA President-Elect Jessamy Brown, APR, and the team from Cook Children’s for representing our chapter at the conference in Oklahoma City in June.

Cook Children’s team.

Cook Children’s team.

PRSA College of Fellows

PRSA Welcomes 17 New Members into Its College of Fellows in 2022

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NEW YORK, July 13, 2022 – PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, announced today the election of 17 new members into the College of Fellows, comprised of more than 700 leading professionals and educators, each of whom has left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.

“I thank these members for their generous contributions to the communications profession,” said Dr. Felicia Blow, APR, 2022 PRSA Chair. “The process is rigorous for College of Fellows applicants, and I commend each of them for their superior efforts in attaining this achievement. I extend a hearty congratulations to the Class of 2022 for their inspiring service, leadership and commitment to our industry and their fellow communicators.”

The 2022 inductees are:

Ellen Averill, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President Communications & Strategy, Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc.; Tulsa, Oklahoma
Sandra R. Brodnicki, APR, Fellow PRSA, Partner, The S & G Group; Arlington, Texas
Jeremy C. Burton, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President for Connection, The Voice of the Martyrs; Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Clark P. Dumont, M.S., APR, Fellow PRSA, Principal & Counselor, Dumont Communications; Las Vegas, Nevada
Jamie D. Floer, APR, Fellow PRSA, Communications Manager, Toho Water Authority; Kissimmee, Florida
Kelly C. Gaggin, PhD, APR, Fellow PRSA, Assistant Teaching Professor, Syracuse University; Fayetteville, New York
Lauren Green-Caldwell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President Communications, CCMO, National Jewish Health; Denver, Colorado
J. Elyse Hammett, APR, Fellow PRSA, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; Atlanta, Georgia
Wendy Shill Kurtz, APR, Fellow PRSA, Founder and President, Elizabeth Charles & Associates, LLC; Winter Garden, Florida
Kena L. Lewis, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Director, Public Affairs & Media Relations, Orlando Health; Orlando, Florida
Debra Peterson, APR, Fellow PRSA, President, Comm365; Overland Park, Kansas
Sally Ridenour, APR, Fellow PRSA, Chief Content Strategist, Oregon Department of Transportation; Salem, Oregon
Tracy Schario, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Manager and Department Head, External Communications, MITRE; White Stone, Virginia
Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Dean, College of Communications, California State University, Fullerton; Fullerton, California
Pamela Thompson, MBA, APR, Fellow PRSA, Manager of Internal Communications, AllianceRx Walgreens Prime; Wylie, Texas
Laura Moore Van Hoosier, APR, Fellow PRSA, Assistant Vice President, Public Relations & Communications, Cook Children’s Health Care System in Fort Worth, Texas; Grapevine, Texas
Rebecca M. Villarreal, APR, Fellow PRSA, Executive Director of Communications, New Braunfels Independent School District; New Braunfels, Texas
The College of Fellows Class of 2022 will be honored during a virtual celebration on Sunday, November 6, and Inducted at the College of Fellows Induction Celebration at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center on Saturday, November 12.

Members of the College of Fellows serve in PRSA Chapter, District, Professional Interest Sections and National leadership positions. To qualify for admittance, the communications professional must be a current PRSA member, have at least 20 years of PR and communications experience, hold the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential and have demonstrated superior professional performance in the practice/teaching of public relations.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of professional development, networking and leadership opportunities. Guided by its Code of Ethics, PRSA is collectively represented by 110 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, as well as on nearly 375 college and university campuses in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). PRSA’s signature events include the Anvil Awards and ICON, the premier annual gathering for communications professionals and students. For more information, visit www.prsa.org.

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Media Contact:
Rod Granger
(212) 460-0307
rod.granger@prsa.org

PRSA College of Fellows

PRSA College of Fellows

Emmitt Smith

Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back Emmitt Smith to Keynote at ICON 2022

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We’re excited to report that professional football icon Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest ever to play the game, has joined the keynote speaker lineup for , taking place Nov. 13-15 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

During his 15 seasons as a running back in the National Football League, Smith set records that still stand today. His impressive resume includes three Super Bowl championship rings with the Dallas Cowboys, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and his 2019 selection to the prestigious NFL 100 All-Time Team.

“Emmitt Smith is a proven leader, mentor and role model both on and off the football field,” noted Dr. Felicia Blow, APR, 2022 PRSA Chair. “And while he’s most widely known for setting rushing records, running successful businesses, providing educational opportunities to underserved youth and, yes, ‘dancing with the stars,’ he is also an expert communicator. The advice and counsel Emmitt will share will provide valuable insights to all strategic communications professionals, and we look forward to having him share his expertise and experience.”

In a conversation at ICON 2022 with Gary McCollum, an author, activist, mentor and former SVP and GM at Cox Communications, Smith will share winning strategies on a wide variety of topics. He will discuss how communications professionals can protect, manage and enhance brand reputation; resources and tools he uses to positively and strategically impact and develop his businesses and charities; and the DEI challenges and opportunities communicators face in today’s fraught political climate, among other subjects of importance to all practitioners.

After his playing days, Smith served as a football analyst and then took his television career a step further when he won the third season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Smith also added author to his list of accomplishments, publishing “Game On,” which outlines the principles that helped him succeed both on and off the field.

Smith now runs several companies involved in real estate, construction and technology. He is active in charitable outreach in the Dallas area and on a national level, providing educational opportunities and unique experiences for underserved youth.

Last year, Smith became a co-owner of a NASCAR team partnering with Jesse Iwuji Motorsports for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. A major theme of Smith and Iwuji’s partnership centers on STEM education for lower-income communities and diversity and inclusion initiatives within the sport of NASCAR.

At ICON 2022, Smith joins a dynamic keynote speaker lineup that also includes Academy Award-winning actress and trailblazing activist Marlee Matlin as well as award-winning journalist and bestselling author Katty Kay.

Register now to enjoy discounted saver rates.

Support our Monthly Programming

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Sponsor a Fort Worth PRSA program for $250. Our average attendance at each meeting is approximately 45 PR and marketing professionals.  

Benefits include:

  • Logo and link to your website included in the meeting invitation and Fort Worth PRSA monthly newsletter, which are distributed to approximately 500 PR/marketing professionals
  • Logo and link to your organization’s website/social media placed on Fort Worth PRSA website/social media during month of sponsorship
  • Organization introduction at luncheon by PRSA president, along with up to 2-minute time slot for organization representative to give elevator speech and/or giveaway(s)
  • Information about company placed at attendee seats
  • One complimentary guest lunch provided to the organization

For more information, contact Abbey Dudek via email here.