For the second time since 2010, a graduate of Colorado State University will lead the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals. Meanwhile, another CSU graduate will lead perhaps the most prestigious national organization for public relations leaders.
This fall Journalism and Media Communication graduate Jane Dvorak (’83) was elected national chair of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She will lead the 22,000-member organization in 2017. Dvorak owns and operates JKD and Company in Denver. She also is a professional adviser for CSU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
Dvorak’s election follows the previous service of alumnus Gary McCormick (’77) as chair of the organization. McCormick served as chair and chief executive officer of PRSA in 2010. He is director of communications at Scripps Networks Interactive in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to his past service as chair, McCormick this year received the organization’s Patrick Jackson Award for Distinguished Service.
With Dvorak and McCormick shining as leaders of PRSA, yet another CSU graduate was elected to chair the Arthur Page Society, a prestigious professional association for corporate communications executives from Fortune 500 companies. Alumnus Dave Samson (’79) will chair the organization starting Jan. 1. Samson is general manager of public affairs for the Chevron Corporation. In addition to the chairmanship, Samson earned the Milestones in Mentoring corporate award from The Plank Center.
The elections and awards for Dvorak, Samson and McCormick follow another prestigious public relations award for a Denver-based CSU graduate. Earlier this year, alumna Michelle (Sackett) Ellis (’99) was named Colorado Public Relations Person of the Year by the Colorado chapter of PRSA. Ellis is a partner of Orapin Marketing and Public Relations in Denver. Also from the Colorado Chapter of PRSA, CSU alumna Margaret Fogarty (M.S., ’04) earned the 2015 Chapter Service Award. Fogarty is national communications director for Farm Credit.
