Message from the President
Dear colleagues and friends of CPRS,
As I write this first message as National President, I am reminded of the excitement generated at the recent national conference in Regina. It was a great conference! It had atmosphere, content, innovation and fantastic support from sponsors. I can’t say enough about the dedication of the Planning Committee headed by co-chairs Leone Bechard APR and Malcolm French APR. Good job everyone! Already, I’m looking forward to 2011 in Saint John, NB.
I’m also reminded of the effect the sound of my name had on me when I heard I was elected by the Board as your new National President. As a long-standing member of CPRS who has had the good fortune to find opportunities over the years to “come up through the ranks”, I have held the position in such high esteem it was hard to believe it was my turn to earn and hold the trust of the members for the next year. It’s an awesome feeling, and also somewhat daunting. But therein lays the excitement of the job! Thanks to all who have supported me over the years as I earned my stripes, especially recent Board members, the countless volunteers I have had the pleasure of working with, and the many I have yet to meet in the next year. Finally, thanks in advance to the staff of the National Office without whose help any President could not function as admirably as all those before me have done.
I have decided to anchor my term on the following pillars and will dedicate my mandate and each of my forthcoming messages in the Communiqué on these: Conversation, Consultation, Collaboration, Commitment and Community. To me, they represent a set of core values for any membership organization. As an organization dedicated to the betterment of public relations, communications and management of relationships, adoption of these must be Job 1 and be demonstrated as so in how we perform as an association of professionals. Further, our new strategic plan, unveiled in draft form at the annual general meeting is the perfect vehicle to describe how the five themes above can play out in real life and make us stronger as an organization. Look for the posting of the strategic plan 2020 on the CPRS web site in the coming weeks.
In my next message, I plan to start with the theme of Conversation and explain how I will be using our Strategic Plan 2020 – Advancing our Society to begin a national conversation on its goals and priorities for the next 10 years.
In closing, please feel free to contact me directly on any matter pertaining to your membership. Thank you for being a member of CPRS!
Pierrette Leonard APR, FCPRS
National President 2010-2011
pleonard@cpsi-icsp.ca