FPRA Gainesville Chapter Historical Timeline 


1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s

Historical Account of the FPRA Gainesville Chapter by Founding Member Bob Lynch

Highlights of the ‘60s

1968
• Chapter established as Osceola Chapter (Ocala & Gainesville)
• First president: Rae Weimer (Dean Emeritus, UF College of Journalism); lifetime member

1969
• Robert Lynch, president

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Highlights of the ‘70s

1971
• Ed Whittlesy, president (first UF public relations officer)

1973
• Charlie Wellborn, president (Dillin Award winner; lifetime member)

1976
• Earl White, president
• Summary

1978
• Patsy Trubow, president (state president, 1984)
• Started a monthly newsletter, Osceola Update
• Held first Image Awards competition of any chapter (called Imie awards)
• Summary

1979
• Patsy Trubow, president (second term)
• Name changed to Gainesville/Ocala Chapter
• Held first PR Seminar entitled: "How to Let People Know You Are a Good Guy"
• Summary

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Highlights of the ‘80s

1980
• Andy Williams, president
• Held Shoestring Seminar
• Silver Springs Sociable
• Imie Contest
• Summary

1981
• Sandi Chance, president
• Separate Ocala Chapter created

1982
• Brent Williams, president
• Won state award for Outstanding Chapter President

1984
• Ruth Smith, president
• State award for Outstanding Chapter President of the year
• First Roast & Toast: Phil Emmer
• Summary

1985
• Jim Terhune, president

1986
• Bill McIntosh, president
• Newsletter won state award for newsletter of the year (Susan Williams, editor)

1987
• Quenta Vettel, APR, president
• Student chapter established
• State award for most members accredited

1988
• Donna Davis, APR, CPRC, president (state president)
• Roast & Toast: Alan Squiteri. Drew Bob Graham & 250 people
• Summary

1988-89
• Larry Lansford, APR, president
• Established board job descriptions
• Led state in accreditation
• Instituted Member of the Year (Susan Williams - 1st winner)
• Summary

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Highlights of the ‘90s

1989-90
• Patty Morris, president
• Seminar on video and desktop publishing
• Summary

1990-91
• Carole Oglesby, president
• Monthly meetings relocated to Heritage Club
• Seminar for non-profits entitled: "Champagne Publications on a Beer Budget"
• Summary

1991-92
• Linda Mealiea, president
• Established TIPS sessions
• First chapter directory created to supplement and update state directory
• Summary

1992-93
• Priscilla Bennett, APR, president (state VP, Golden Image)
• Training: Total Quality Management
• Summary

1993-94
• Sherry Gause, president
• Summary

1994-95
• Debbie Amirin, APR, president
• Won state Chapter of the Year and award for Finances/Management
• FPRA online statewide
• Successful fund raiser, seminar

1995-96
• Mindy Underberger, APR, president
• Newsletter redesigned
• Summary

1996-97
• Peggy Prichard, APR, president (state treasurer)
• Started Member Spotlight
• Image Awards moved to lunch
• John Bacon named Member of the Year
• Summary

1997-98
• Nancy Walsh, APR, president
• Chapter web site created
• Held focus group
• Newsletter faxed monthly, printed quarterly
• Won state award for Communications
• Mindy Underberger, APR, named Professional of the Year
• Wendy Crites Wacker, APR, named Member of the Year
• Summary

1998-99
• Rod Hemphill, APR, CPRC, president
• Won the president's award for Accreditation and Finances/Administration
• Sponsored a community forum on Y-2K issue. More than 150 community members attended
• Hosted a successful Professional Development seminar
• Gail Baker named Professional of the Year
• Valerie Incantalupo-Riley, APR, named Member of the Year
• Summary

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Highlights of the New Millennium

1999-2000
• Leah Lytle, president
• Community Relations Committee re-established
• Nancy Dohn, APR, named Professional of the Year
• Jennifer Porter, APR, named Member of the Year
• Summary

2000-01
• Denise Feiber, APR, president
• Chapter member Kathy Giery, APR, CPRC, is state president
• Received Chapter of the Year Award
• Received Chapter President of the Year Award
• Professional of the Year award re-named to honor John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC
• Image Awards competition held as North Central Florida event including Ocala and Volusia chapters
• Rod Hemphill, APR, CPRC, named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• Patti Darrigan named Member of the Year

2001-02
• Nancy Dohn, APR, president
• Denise Feiber, APR, member of state association Executive Committee
• Chapter received The President's Award for Leadership Development & The President's Award for Professional Recognition
• Kathy Giery, APR, CPRC, state Member of the Year (only member in history to have won award twice in a lifetime)
• Suzanne Bachus, APR, named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• Kaye Trammell named Member of the Year
• Summary

2002-03
• Valerie Incantalupo-Riley, APR, president
• Denise Feiber, APR, and Nancy Dohn, APR, serve as members of the state association Executive Committee
• Chapter receives the President's Award for Membership Development, the President's Award for Chapter Administration and Best Web Site
• Lorraine McGill named as state association member of the year
• Boss Appreciation Day program launched
• Membership Scholarship created to honor James L. Terhune
• Membership Grant and annual conference scholarship re-established
• Moved annual membership survey to web-based format
• Arline Philips-Han, APR, CPRC, named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• Paul E. Ramey, APR, named Member of the Year
• Summary

2003-04
• Karen Smittle, APR, president
• Valerie Incantalupo-Riley, APR, and Kathleen Giery, APR, CPRC, served on the FPRA Executive Committee
• Chapter received 2004 President’s/Executive Awards for Senior Member Development and Leadership Development; received second place award for chapter eNews in the FPRA Communications Award Competition
• 35-year anniversary celebrated with Historical Highlights presented at each meeting
• 2003-04 Gainesville Chapter annual report produced and distributed to chapter members
• “Techno Tools” workshop conducted for non-profit organizations
• “First Tuesday” held quarterly for members with 10 or more years of experience
• Dan Jesse named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• Dr. Peg Hall named Member of the Year
• Summary 

2004-05
• Wendy Crites-Wacker, APR, president
• Karen Smittle, APR, and Kathleen Giery, APR, CPRC, served on the FPRA Executive Committee
• Received Chapter of Year Award
• Received President's Award for Senior Member Development and Third Place in the FPRA Communications Award Competition, Web Site Division
• Image Awards Gala (World Series of PR) moved back to evening event and presented with Ocala Chapter
• "Building Leadership" theme included board "Train Your Replacement" initiative
• Dr. Peg Hall named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• Julie Frey named Member of the Year
• Summary

2005-06

• Paul E. Ramey, APR, president
• Received Chapter of Year Award
• Wendy Crites-Wacker, APR served on the FPRA Executive Committee
• Karen Smittle, APR, named John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC, Professional of the Year
• David Greenberg named Member of the Year

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Historical Account of the FPRA Gainesville Chapter
by Founding Member Bob Lynch
This year marks the 40th birthday of the Florida Public Relations Association Gainesville Chapter.  To celebrate the occasion, Bob Lynch, founding Gainesville Chapter member and past president, prepared personal account of this chapter's historic past with a focus on charter president Rae O. Weimer, who died in 1997.  View Pdf>