The Canadian Public Relations Society elects Colleen Killingsworth, APR as President for 2005-2006 term

TORONTO, ON - June 20, 2005 - The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) today announced the election of its Board of Directors for the 2005-2006 term. With more than 1,600 members in 16 member societies across Canada, CPRS is a not-for-profit professional society dedicated to the practice of public relations. It serves Canadians through the establishment and maintenance of high professional, educational and ethical standards in public relations.

The Canadian Public Relations Society's new executive officers are:

President
Colleen Killingsworth, APR (Calgary, Alberta)
Ms Killingsworth is a Senior Public Relations Consultant with NATIONAL Public Relations in Calgary. With more than 18 years' experience in communications, Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is Accredited Public Relations (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America and Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) through the International Association of Business Communicators, and the past-president of the Sierra Nevada chapter of the Public Relations Society of America as well as a past-president for CPRS Calgary. She also served as a CPRS National Board member for 2000/2005 and as President Elect of the Executive Committee last year. Colleen chaired the CPRS National Accreditation Task Force for 2000/2002 and the CPRS National Accreditation Process Improvements Implementation Team in 2003 and participated in the Governance Review Task Force in 2004. In 2002 and 2004, Colleen was honoured with a Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Major Award - the CPRS Lamp of Service - Canada's most coveted public relations honour for an individual member.

Vice President / Secretary
Rod Stanley, APR (Charlottetown, PEI)
Mr. Stanley is currently in his 13th year of practicing public relations. He has worked for a variety of federal and provincial government agencies as well as numerous non-profit organizations in both P.E.I. and Toronto. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Radio and Television from Ryerson University (Toronto) and is a graduate of the Journalism Program at Holland College (P.E.I.). He has attended numerous short term educational programs and workshops in communications management and leadership development. Mr. Stanley most recently held the positions of National Treasurer and National Secretary for CPRS, was President of the PEI Member Society and was also Entertainment and Hospital Chair for the successful National CPRS Conference held in P.E.I. in 2003. This is his 7th year as a CPRS National Board Member. In the past, he was also a member and Treasurer of the Atlantic Regional Board of the Health Care Public Relations Association. An accredited member since 2002, his work has been recognized by the CPRS Gemstone Awards in Halifax.

Vice President / Treasurer
Blair Peberdy, APR (Toronto, Ontario)
Mr. Peberdy, Vice-President, Communications & Public Affairs, Toronto Hydro Corporation, has an extensive background in the communications field, having worked in advertising, public relations and in senior administrative positions throughout his career. A graduate of Concordia University's Communications Studies program, he has continued to supplement his education by completing the Executive Development Program at Queen's University, the Advanced Program in Managing Strategic Change at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Business, and modules in the MIT/Harvard Public Disputes Program. Blair was named CPRS Toronto "Mentor of the Year" in 2002. He is Past President of the Ontario Forestry Association. Blair is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.

Other elected directors include Beatrice Pepper, ARP (Montreal, QC), Derrick Pieters, APR, Fellow CPRS, (Edmonton, AB) Anita Wasiuta, APR (Victoria, BC), Lucie-Anne Fabien, ARP (Montreal, QC), Mark Hunter Lavigne, APR, (Toronto, ON), Dr. Terence (Terry) Flynn, APR (Hamilton, ON), Kevin Boothroyd (Vancouver, BC), Peter Spurway (Halifax, NS) and Adele Stevens (Winnipeg, MB).

The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is the only Canadian professional association representing more than 1,600 public relations practitioners in 16 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.

Karen Dalton, APR
Executive Director, Canadian Public Relations Society
346 - 4195 Dundas Street West, Toronto M8X 1Y4
(416) 239-7034
kdalton@cprs.ca