OC/PRSA Receives National Award for Diversity Initiative

NEW YORK (Nov. 19, 2007) - The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) honored the Orange County chapter of the national organization with the 2007 PRSA Chapter Diversity Award for its outstanding efforts in support of diversity. Representatives from the Orange County chapter received the award at the PRSA Assembly Luncheon on October 20, prior to the 2007 PRSA International Conference in Philadelphia.

Nationally, PRSA continues to promote educational outreach programs for members and the public relations industry by using diversity as a smart business strategy to gain and maintain a competitive edge in today's diverse marketplace. The Chapter Diversity Award, sponsored by the PRSA Diversity Advisory Board, is given to PRSA Chapters that embody and demonstrate key values in diversity, and that have:

• Initiated and maintained a successful diversity program in 2006 and 2007;
• Recruited or mentored members with interests and expertise in diversity;
• Demonstrated a significant contribution toward diversity; and
• Showcased diversity as one of the top three strategic goals for the Chapter.

The Orange County chapter received a certificate of achievement and was honored for its diversity-focused regional conference held last March ("Race, Media and the Role of Public Relations"), enabling a full range of professional development to practitioners in the region.

"Our diversity initiatives are key to the success of PRSA and the growth of our profession," said Daniel Rhodes, president of OC/PRSA . " The chapter is very proud of our Diversity Committee for serving as a model of excellence for other PRSA chapters across the nation and continuing to educate local communications professionals about the dos and don'ts of marketing to diverse audiences."