About PPRS
What We Do
The Pennsylvania Public Relations Society is a professional society dedicated to enhancing professional growth within the public relations field. No matter what industry or type of organization you serve as a public relations professional — corporation, non-profit, association, government, agency or sole practitioner — being a PPRS member can benefit you!
Membership
PPRS membership boasts more than 115 active public relations professionals throughout Central Pennsylvania. Our members represent a broad variety businesses and organizations with expertise in all facets of public relations.
PPRS has been providing professional development to members since its inception in 1950.
Society Meetings
PPRS meetings are typically held on the last Thursday of each month, with the exception of July, August, October, November and December. Meetings typically include networking opportunities and heavy hors d’oeuvres or a meal, followed by a professional development program featuring guest speakers who are leaders in public relations or a related field.
We also work with other local organizations to offer members more robust networking through our Joint Summer and Winter Socials. Occasionally, PPRS offers other programming that provides hands-on experiences.
The Society’s annual Evening of Honors is held in November, during which new officers are installed and our most prestigious awards are presented, the Ernest R. McDowell Award for Excellence in Public Relations and the Robert M. Fisher Membership Recruitment Award.
Relevant Public Relations and Marketing
Apollo Communications LLC
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC
Ernest R. McDowell Award for Excellence in Public Relations
The Ernest R. McDowell Award was established by PPRS in 1991 to recognize an individual for sustained excellence in the field of public relations, in both the profession itself and the community.
The award is presented in memory of the late Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Relations with Capital Health System – today’s PinnacleHealth System. Ernie set the standard for professionalism and community service with his good works and lifetime example.
The McDowell Award is presented at the society’s Annual Meeting and Evening of Honors.
Past Award Recipients
- 1991 – Ernest R. McDowell
- 1992 – Robert M. Fisher
- 1993 – Frederick E. Leuschner
- 1994 – Nicholas J. Goble
- 1995 – Kenneth L. Bowers
- 1996 – Robert E. Hetherington
- 1997 – Betty C. Hungerford
- 1998 – George H. Geise
- 1999 – William T. Lunsford, Jr.
- 2000 – David E. Sill (posthumously)
- 2001 – Elizabeth Van Wye
- 2002 – Kathy A. Silks
- 2003 – Susan L. Anthony
- 2004 – Deborah Saline, APR, Fellow PRSA
- 2005 – Robert S. Saline, APR, Fellow PRSA
- 2006 – Tony May
- 2007 – Albert Mason, APR
- 2008 – Kenneth G. Robinson
- 2009 – Rob Rutz
- 2010 – Denise Calabrese
- 2011 – John Maietta
- 2012 – Crystal Hull, ABC
- 2013 – Mark Shull
- 2014 – Tamara L. Gillis, Ed.D, ABC, IABC Fellow
- 2015 – Kathy Burrows
- 2016 – Nance McCown, PhD
- 2017 – Lori Baker Pizzarro
- 2018 – Cheryl Slavinsky
- 2019 – Jason Kirsch, APR
- 2020 – Roger Baumgarten
- 2021 – Sean Connolly, APR
- 2022 – Suzanne Graney, CFRE
- 2023 – Amy Hill, APR
- 2024 – Joelle Shea
- 2025 – Leslie L. Gervasio
Robert M. Fisher Membership Recruitment Award
Membership is the lifeblood of any successful organization. Without a continual flow of new members, PPRS will not achieve its purpose, as outlined in the constitution and bylaws when the society was founded in 1950.
PPRS has been fortunate in regularly attracting public relations professionals who wish to improve their skills, help elevate the standards of the profession, stay current on trends in the field and engage other colleagues in the field.
The most important source of new members is the membership itself – current members are all recruiters for the society. Consequently, in 2003, PPRS instituted the Robert M. Fisher Membership Recruitment Award in recognition of the acknowledged leader in recommending new members over many years.
The award is presented at the society’s Annual Meeting and Evening of Honors in November.
Past Award Recipients
- 2003 – Robert M. Fisher
- 2004 – Denise R. Calabrese
- 2005 – Stacy Zimmerman (Henninger)
- 2006 – Stephanie Weyant
- 2007 – Joan Nissley
- 2008 – Suzanne Graney
- 2009 – Joan Nissley
- 2010 – Jennifer Kocher
- 2011 – Joan Nissley
- 2012 – Maria Finn
- 2013 – Joan Nissley
- 2014 – Joan Nissley
- 2015 – Quinn Bryner
- 2016 – Christine Conkright, Eric Kiehl and Joan Nissley
- 2017 – Crystal Hull, ABC, MPA
- 2018 – Joelle Shea
- 2019 – Christine Cronkright
- 2020 – Erin Waters-Trasatt
- 2021 – Julie Bancroft, Christine Cronkright, Sean Connolly, APR
- 2022 – Katie Andreano, Sara Weiser
- 2023 – Keri Oram
- 2024 – Stacy Zimmerman
- 2025 – Ruth Miller
Past Pennsylvania Public Relations Society Presidents
- 1950 – J. Hugh McNeill
- 1951 – J. Hugh McNeill
- 1952 – Clarence W. Funk
- 1953 – Clarence W. Funk
- 1954 – Clarence C. Smith, Jr.
- 1955 – Donald W. Rich, Jr.
- 1956 – Richard V. Wall
- 1957 – James T. Spence
- 1958 – Walter D. Roose
- 1959 – Robert C. Forrey
- 1960 – George J. Keet, Jr.
- 1961 – Thomas B. Shriver, Jr.
- 1962 – Donald M. Cresswell
- 1963 – James H. Smith, Jr.
- 1964 – John F. Rineman
- 1965 – Robert B. Rosenberger
- 1966 – Jeanne R. Duffield
- 1967 – Robert E. Trea
- 1968 – Frederick E. Leuschner
- 1969 – John F. Wicks
- 1970 – John H. Baer
- 1971 – George H. Geise
- 1972 – David E. Sill
- 1973 – Nicholas L. Goble
- 1974 – George E. Reed
- 1975 – Dane S. Wert
- 1976 – John Eichorn
- 1977 – Kenneth L. Bowers
- 1978 – William T. Lunsford, Jr.
- 1979 – Robert M. Fisher
- 1980 – Robert E. Hetherington
- 1981 – Lynne Perry
- 1981 – James W. Runk, Jr.
- 1982 – James W. Runk, Jr.
- 1983 – Ernest R. McDowell
- 1984 – Thomas C. Lyon
- 1985 – Anne Polivka-Rosen
- 1986 – Richard L. Prether
- 1987 – Betty C. Hungerford
- 1988 – Susan L. Anthony
- 1989 – Wilson Smeltz
- 1990 – Mary Ellen Bellanca
- 1991 – Matthew Opilo
- 1992 – Elizabeth Van Wye
- 1993 – Janet L. Wall
- 1994 – Kathy Silks
- 1995 – David O. Hunt
- 1996 – Denise R. Calabrese
- 1997 – Robert Saline
- 1998 – Robert Rutz
- 1999 – Juli McGreevy
- 2000 – Mark D. Shull
- 2001 – Barry Ciccocioppo
- 2002 – Julie Richards
- 2003 – Eric Kiehl, APR
- 2004 – Lisa (Herron) Ruggiers
- 2005 – Lori Baker Pizzarro
- 2006 – Stacy (Henninger) Zimmerman
- 2007 – Rachel Jarabeck
- 2008 – Holly Lubart
- 2009 – Suzanne Graney
- 2010 – Jason Kirsch, APR
- 2011 – Stephanie Weyant
- 2012 – Mark O’Neill
- 2013 – Kim Barger
- 2014 – Joan Nissley
- 2015 – Quinn Bryner
- 2016 – Erin Kanter
- 2017 – Crystal L. Hull, ABC, MPA
- 2018 – Larissa Bedrick
- 2019 – Erin Waters-Trasatt
- 2020 – Carolyn Simpson
- 2021 – Christine Cronkright
- 2022 – Joelle Shea
- 2023 – Keri Oram
- 2024 – Leslie L. Gervasio
- 2025 – Rachel Edwards