As many of you know, 2017 has been an incredibly busy, but also very successful year. CommCon 2017 was very well received, we piloted several new programs to serve our members, membership is up Year Over Year and we have successfully completed our merger to be one, statewide chapter.
All of that being said, we do have one more significant transition to come: President-Elect Julie Williams has decided to step down from the 2018 presidency at the conclusion of her 2017 president-elect term, so we will be voting in a new nominee as President during the Nov. 8 elections. Julie provides some context around this decision below and announced this news recently live on Facebook. Watch the post from Oct. 13 on our Facebook page.
I want to personally thank you for your continued support of PRSA Oregon. If I can answer any questions or provide any additional clarity, please do not hesitate to reach out.
– Colby Reade, APR, 2017 President, president@prsaoregon.org
Note from Julie Williams, APR
As Colby notes, I will transition out of my role once the new board of directors is officially elected by the Annual Meeting & Elections on Nov. 8. This summer, I joined a small business accelerator program and started launching a new strategy retreat, amongst other products now in the works. As the business expands, I need to focus my passions there. Having to step back is a sad reality for me, though I am extremely confident about where our community is at and where it’s going. This year’s board and Transition Steering Committee has engaged members across the region and we have worked hard to set a strong foundation for the new, merged chapter. It was very clear during Leadership Rally in Boston last week that our chapter (and our district) continues to be a leader amongst our peer chapters with innovative models for engagement, service, and leadership. PRSA Oregon will continue to flourish next year – moving from transition to transformation – especially with our talented and well-trained volunteers who are coming on to lead in 2018. As an engaged member since 2010 and APR since 2014, I will continue to be one of our biggest fans! I hope you will join me in continuing to champion PRSA Oregon and support our new incoming president.
– Julie Williams, APR, 2017 President-Elect, president-elect@prsaoregon.org
Note from Brian Terrett, APR
When I arrived in Portland from Eugene in 2009, I was excited to get to know the members of the PRSA Portland Metro chapter. I joined the PRSA Greater Oregon chapter in 1997 and achieved my APR in 2001. I served in many roles on the chapter leadership team, which culminated with me having the honor of serving as chapter president. PRSA has been an important part of my professional life, providing me with an opportunity to grow my knowledge and skills and develop relationships with professionals around the country. I have been looking for a way to serve again, so when I was asked if I would serve as president of the newly formed statewide chapter, I quickly said yes. I am honored to help carry on the work of consolidation that began under the leadership of Mark, Colby and Julie. For those of you who don’t know me, I am currently the Director of Public & Community Relations for Legacy Health. Prior to this, I worked for PeaceHealth’s Oregon Region, US West and the City of Eugene. I have an MBA and a BA in Journalism. Again, I am honored to serve and look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the common year.
– Brian S. Terrett, APR, 2018 President Nominee
Please Save-the-Date and join us online for our 2017 Virtual Annual Meeting & Elections on Nov. 8, 2017 at 6 p.m. PST via webinar. More information on registration and webinar access will be provided soon.