New CPRS President's goal: Higher professional profile for Public Relations Practitioners

TORONTO, ON-June 19, 2007 -- The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) today announced the election of its Executive Officers for the 2007-2008 term following the annual general meeting of the Society held in Edmonton, Alberta last week. The Society also elected two new Directors and two Directors were re-elected to serve three-year terms. Newly elected President Derrick Pieters APR, Fellow CPRS said, "I am pleased to have been elected to this position at a time when the CPRS is exploring initiatives to raise the professional profile of Public Relations Practitioners in this growth industry through increasing the value and recognition of the professional accreditation credential offered, and by strengthening the link between the experiential and educational components of professional development."

Dr. Terry Flynn, APR was re-elected by the membership for a three-year term and was elected to the position of Vice President/Treasurer by the Board. Anita Wasiuta, APR was elected Vice President/Secretary. Joining the Board this year, are Pierrette Leonard APR, Fellow CPRS and Christina Marshall, APR who were elected by the membership. Adele Stevens as also re-elected to serve a three-year term.

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

President
Derrick Pieters APR, Fellow CPRS (Edmonton, Alberta)
Mr. Pieters, APR, Fellow CPRS is Acting Regional Director of Communications, Department of Justice Canada, based in Edmonton, Alberta. He has held several positions of increasing responsibility within the CPRS. He was elected to the National Board of Directors in 2005 to serve a three-year term and has served as President of the Edmonton Society and in that capacity was an appointed National Board member for many years. He received his APR 25 years ago in 1982. He is the former vice-president of the National Education Committee. He is Past Presiding Officer of the National Council on Accreditation on which he served for approximately 15 years. Under his leadership, the Council, in cooperation with the Accreditation Task Force, successfully implemented several important improvements to the accreditation process. Mr. Pieters has considerable training in business and association management.

Vice President/Secretary
Anita Wasiuta, APR (Victoria, British Columbia)
Ms. Wasiuta, APR is Manager of Marketing and Communications for BC Transit based in Victoria, British Columbia. She was elected to the Board in 2005 and is completing her third year of the three year term. She received her APR in 1994. She has served on the Vancouver Island Society board for more than 10 years in various portfolios including communications, President and sponsorship chair. She was a member of the organizing committee of the 2001 Whistler national conference. Anita has served on the National Board for two years and acted as facilitator for the 2006-2009 National Strategic Plan. Ms. Wasiuta's areas of expertise include facilitation, marketing and sponsorships.

Vice President / Treasurer
Dr. Terry Flynn, APR (Hamilton, Ontario)
Terry Flynn, APR is Professor and Director of the MCM Degree Program, DeGroote School of Business - McMaster University and has been a member of CPRS since 1986 and received his accreditation in 1993. A 21-year member of the CPRS Toronto Society, Terry also became a member of the Hamilton Society in 2004. In early 2005, Terry was appointed as the Chair of the Task Force on Public Relations Education and at the 2007 national conference in Edmonton he was re-elected to the board for a three-year term. Since his first election to the Board in 2005, Terry has helped guide the development of the new National Council on Public Relations Education, has been active in helping to design a national market study on the scope and value of the practice of public relations in Canada, and helped to secure sponsorship for the national membership satisfaction survey. Terry has also been a strong supporter of educational awards programs at the national level, with the creation of the Frontline Crisis/Risk Student Award program.

Other directors include Lucie-Anne Fabien, APR (Montreal, QC), Mark LaVigne, APR (Toronto, ON), Pierrette Leonard, APR, Fellow CPRS (Ottawa, ON), Colleen Killingsworth, APR (Calgary, AB), Christina Marshall, APR (Toronto, ON), Blair Peberdy, APR (Toronto, ON), Béatrice Pepper, APR (Montreal, QC), Roderick Stanley, APR (Charlottetown, PEI) 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.

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For interviews or photographs please contact:
Karen Dalton, APR, Executive Director
Canadian Public Relations Society
4195 Dundas St. West, Suite 346
Toronto, ON M8X 1Y4
416-239-7034 or kdalton@cprs.ca