January President’s Message

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season and is recharged for 2016. This year will be an exciting one for PRSA Richmond, and I’m honored to serve as PRSA Richmond’s president. I’ve been a member of this chapter for eight years and learned so much. I’ve made great connections and friends and always look forward to our monthly luncheons!

The PRSA Richmond board of directors has been working hard to make 2016 a banner year for our chapter as we work to meet this year’s theme of “PR as a Resource.” Throughout the year, we’ll highlight ways in which PR can serve as a resource for our careers and communities and how PRSA is a resource for our members. Since we’re on the subject of resources, here are five PRSA resources to follow this year:

APR Boot Camp: PRSA Richmond will once again host the Mid-Atlantic APR Boot Camp. This program was a huge success last year and resulted in eight new APRs! Our chapter is the only one in the nation to host two consecutive Boot Camps, and it’s a great opportunity to get your accreditation.

Virginia Public Relations Awards: The popular and highly coveted Virginia Public Relations Awards are back! The call for nominations will be released this month – the online submission process is quick and easy. Get recognized for your stellar work!
Public Service Committee: PRSA Richmond’s Public Service Committee serves as a resource for the Richmond region’s nonprofit community. The committee is considering new formats this year to assist as many deserving organizations as possible. Stay tuned for some very cool announcements soon.
Resources for Members: As part of this year’s theme, the board will be sharing monthly tips and resources with PRSA members. These resources will be housed in the PRSA website and unveiled at monthly luncheons or in the newsletter, so make sure you’re attending the monthly programs and reading the newsletter!
2016 International Conference: It’s not too soon to start planning for the PRSA International Conference. This event is an incredible resource for PR practitioners. I’ve attended twice and found it very valuable. The 2016 International Conference is October 23 – 25 in Indianapolis.

This is just the beginning and stay tuned for lots of exciting and resourceful updates throughout the year.

As we start 2016, I also want to take a moment and thank all of the amazing and diverse individuals who are volunteering on the board of directors. Thanks to their hard work and diligence, the chapter continues to grow and thrive. If you’d like to get more involve with the chapter, feel free to reach out to a board member or me. We always welcome volunteers, and the chapter has a lot of great committees. Don’t forget to follow the chapter’s activities via our Facebook and Twitter accounts too.

Thank you for your membership in PRSA Richmond. We have a truly incredible membership and will accomplish great things this year. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about PRSA Richmond or just want to say hi. I hope to see you at our January 27 luncheon.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ryan, APR
2016 PRSA Richmond President