FPRA Gainesville

Annual Conference

Save the date for FPRA’s 74th Annual Conference, Aug. 5-8, 2012 in St. Augustine, Fla.

More details to follow!

March Membership Luncheon

Crisis Communications

With Sheriff Sadie Darnell

From ensuring the safety of our community to rumor control, join us as we hear from one of our area’s most tested experts on crisis communication.  Sheriff Sadie Darnell is in her second term with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. She is a thirty year veteran of the Gainesville Police Department, having been promoted through the ranks to Police Captain, before retiring and ultimately returning as the agency’s Community Relations Coordinator working, with special needs citizens and victims.

Sheriff Darnell’s most notable service was as the Public Information Officer during the 1990 Gainesville Student Homicides. She has also worked on multiple investigative task forces, including the Serial Murder Task Force, two Church Arson Task Forces and a Serial Rape Task Force, which resulted in the first cross-state DNA match in the nation.

IMPORTANT: To be eligible for a refund, you must cancel your reservation by the registration deadline. The FPRA registration deadline is 12 p.m. on Tuesday the week of the luncheon. The cancellation must be submitted by e-mailing programs director Laura Aguiar.

Directions to Sweetwater Branch Inn: The inn is located six blocks east (away from the University of Florida) of the intersection of University Avenue and Main Street, on the south side of University Avenue.

Parking: Free parking is available in the Kirby Smith parking lot across University Ave. and on surrounding streets. *Do not park in areas reserved for guests of the Inn or in spaces marked as tow-away zones.*

Get Involved with FPRA!

The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) is dedicated to programs and activities that support the success of the public relations professional. To further our programs and services, the Gainesville Chapter is seeking sponsors for the 2012 year. Sponsors will receive a great amount of exposure through printed and electronic recognition, announcements, and complimentary attendance at our events. Several levels of participation are available, and we are always open to other ways that your business can support our Chapter.

Help us support our dedicated professionals! Click here for more information and to view sponsorship packages. To discuss these opportunities, please contact Kelly Donovan at kdonovan@naylor.com or (352) 333-2743.

Thank you to our current sponsors:

Congratulations Pamela Rittenhouse, APR!

Congratulations to FPRA Gainesville member Pamela Rittenhouse, APR, director of marketing at North Florida Regional Medical Center, who is our chapter’s newest Accredited in Public Relations professional.

The APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice. They are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective and sound professional judgment.

You can send Pamela a congratulatory note here. If you are interested in becoming accredited and sitting for the APR exam, please contact Erin Morton, APR at emorton@rtix.com.

Congratulations to the 2011 Chapter Award Winners

 As part of the festivities at last week’s holiday party, three individual awards were given.

The John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC Professional of the Year Award was presented to Paul Ramey, APR. This award is given to an individual who demonstrates the highest standards of ethics, performance and service to the public relations profession.

Member of the Year was Amelia Bell, APR. Member of the Year recognizes an individual whose commitment of time, energy, enthusiasm and skill contributed significantly to the success of Gainesville Chapter above and beyond typical expectations.

Lindsey Robertson, APR was named the Rising Star of the Year. This award recognizes one member with less than five years of membership who has demonstrated emerging leadership traits along with dedicated, active involvement in chapter activities throughout the year.

Congratulations to Paul, Amelia and Lindsey and thank you for your commitment to public relations.

Professional Development Symposium

Save the date for FPRA Gainesville Chapter’s 33^rd Annual Professional Development Symposium!

Congratulations 2011-12 scholarship recipients!

Congratulations to our two FPRA membership scholarship recipients! Melissa Tyrone with Girls Place was selected to receive the FPRA Membership Grant, given to a qualified professional at a local non-profit. Kelly Donovan with Naylor Publications was selected to receive the James Terhune Membership Scholarship, given to a public relations professional who graduated from the University of Florida within the last five years.

Thank you to the members of the Community Relations Committee and members of the chapter’s Board of Directors who served on the grant and scholarship selection committees.

Congrats to Melissa and Kelly!