CPRS announces newly Accredited Public Relations Professionals

Toronto, ON - January 29, 2004 - The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is pleased to announce that 24 public relations professionals from across Canada successfully completed the requirements for becoming Accredited members of CPRS in 2003.

To become accredited and earn the Accredited Public Relations APR designation, a candidate must engage in specialized studies, pass rigorous written and oral examinations, and submit a detailed work sample demonstrating a high level of knowledge, skill and professionalism. To even qualify to take the CPRS accreditation examination, a candidate must have earned a solid reputation of integrity and high ethical standards while completing a minimum of five years of full-time employment in the field of public relations.

"An APR demonstrates proven knowledge, integrity and professionalism in public relations," said Derrick Pieters, APR, Fellow CPRS, Presiding Officer of the CPRS National Council on Accreditation. "The standards set are very high and I congratulate each of the CPRS members who have committed the time required for preparation and study to successfully complete the accreditation program," said Pieters.

Public Relations professionals who received their APR in 2003 are:

The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is Canada's only professional association representing more than 1,600 public relations practitioners in 17 Member Societies across Canada who commit to following a Code of Professional Standards. The Society offers a program of professional accreditation in public relations (APR), professional development and education programs affiliated with various colleges and universities, a job registry, networking opportunities, annual national conference, a directory of all members and a forum for information sharing.