Longtime PR Activists Passes Away

As a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), I was surprised to learn about the recent loss of Betsy Plank. Known as the "First Lady" of Public Relations, Plank was an extraordinary women with a countless list of accomplishments in both the political as well as the service sector.

In addition to being the first to receive three of PRSA's top honors, Plank also was awarded the Arthur W. Page Society's Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Institute for Public Relation's Alexander Hamilton Medal for major contributions to the practice of PR.

A trailblaizer, Betsy Plank also opened doors in public relations education. She helped to establish the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), founded the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama, and PRSA's premier scholarship endowment fund. Serving as co-chair of a national commission to develop guidelines for the undergraduate public relations curriculum, she demonstrated her dedication to society and to the profession.

Most importantly, Betsy Plank was a forerunner and social activist . For example, she participated in the 1965 Civil Rights March from Selma to Montogomery. Further, she was a board member of the United Way, the Girl Scouts USA, and founder of The Chicago Network, an exclusive association of Chicago professional women.

Born in 1924, Betsy Plank was a true leader and "pioneer" in the PR profession. To learn more about Betsy Plank, along with more of her many accomplishments and accolades, visit the PRSA web site at www.prsa.org.