Central Iowa Chapter of Public Relations Society of America, Inc., was chartered April 5, 1968, as the 66^th chapter in the society. The charter was presented on June 14, 1968, in Des Moines, by that year’s PRSA president, Edward P. VonderHoar, under the name Iowa Chapter.

 

The organization had begun in the fall of 1967, and the petition for a charter, dated March 15, 1968, was signed by these 10 prospective members: Gerald Bogan, Robert Bonomi, Robert Clark, Donald Dooley, Jean Dyar, Robert Eide, Robert Hoover, Kenneth McDougall, Walter Walsh and Thomas Wolff.

 

Four more signatures appended to the petition a bit later where those of David Chase, William Longman, Jean Jones and Norman Seligman. And three others – Deane Haerer, Douglas Johnson and Harold Rowe – were soon added. All those named, except Seligman, made up the chapter’s charter membership of 16.

 

The first officers were Walsh, president; Dooley, vice-president; and Dyar, secretary-treasurer. They carried over through 1969. Walsh also served as assembly delegate from the beginning through 1971. In 1988, the name was officially changed to Central Iowa Chapter.

 

Steady growth in membership and in activities has marked Central Iowa Chapter’s subsequent history, and a rather high percentage of the membership has achieved accreditation.

 

Chapter meetings usually take the form of luncheon sessions held monthly except during July and August. Occasionally workshops focus on topics of nuts-and-bolts interest. For its public service in serving as advisor and coordinator of public relations for “Iowa: 2000” in 1974, the chapter received a national award. In 1976, about half the membership was involved in a variety of Bicentennial activities. In 1988, many members participated in the Iowa Caucus Project for the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation.

 

Central Iowa Chapter has taken a particular interest in public relations education, working with PRSSA chapters at Drake University, Iowa State University (James F. Fox Chapter) and Simpson College.

 

 

Before the chapter was one year old, it began sponsorship of an annual institute – an all-day event devoted to addresses, panels, etc., on public relations topics and open to members of other organizations and to students.

 

The chapter celebrated its 40^th anniversary during the April 8, 2008 Annual Institute meeting with the theme “40 Years of Forward Thinking.” Special invitations were extended to all former chapter presidents we were able to locate.

 

During the meeting Ferne Bonomi, chapter president 1980 and 1981, gave a short presentation on chapter highlights. A special video message from Bill Murray, National PRSA’s Chief Executive Officer, was also played during the meeting, and all former chapter presidents were recognized.

 

1969 – May 2, at the University of Iowa, in cooperation with the School of Journalism and College of Business Administration.

 

1970 – May 8, at the University of Iowa, as above. Theme: “Reality and Response”

 

1971 – May 7, at the University of Iowa.

 

1972 – April 21, at the University of Iowa. Theme: “Practical Public Relations”

 

1973 – May 1, at the Holiday Inn Downtown, Des Moines. Iowa Chapter was host to the spring meeting of the PRSA Delegate Assembly, help May 3 – 4 in tandem with the Institute. Theme (again): “Practical Public Relations”

 

1974 – April 19, at the Holiday Inn Downtown, Des Moines.

 

1975 – May 2, at the Sheraton Inn, Des Moines. Theme: “Public Relations in a Skeptical Society”

 

1976 – April 2, at the University of Iowa, in cooperation with the U of I School of Journalism. Theme: “Communications ’76 – Tackling Tomorrow’s Issues Today”

 

1977 – April 15, at the Ramada Inn West, Des Moines. Theme: “Ethics - An American Confidence Crisis”

 

1978 – October 6, at the Gateway Center Hotel, Ames. Theme: “Practical Solutions to Public Relations Problems”

 

1979 – October 24, Drake University, Des Moines, one of five co-sponsors. Theme: “Business/Media – Breaking Down the Barriers”

 

1980 – October 23, at Scheman Center, Iowa State University, Ames in cooperation with six other organizations and ISU. Theme: “Basic Principles and Processes”

 

1981 – October 14, University of Iowa, co-sponsored by Iowa Chapter, Quad-Cities Chapter and Iowa Manufacturers Association. Theme: What do They Really Want? The role of Internal Communications and Perception, Productivity, Profitability”

 

1983 – October 6, at Drake University, co-sponsored by Iowa Chapter, Quad-Cities Chapter. Topics: “Issues Management; Financial Communication; Public Interest Groups; Public Attitude Research”

 

1984 – October 18, Drake University. Topics: Ford Motor “Quality is Job One” Campaign; Propaganda in USA & USSR; Crisis Communication; Telling the AT&T Divestiture Story

 

1985 – October 23, Drake University. Topics: Phillips 66 Takeover Attempt by T. Boon Pickens; Cola Wars – Pepsi; Humana Hospital Heart Transplant

 

1986 – October 16, Drake University. Topics: Promotion of Austin Tex.; Miller Lite Product Publicity; Goodwill Games

 

1987 – October 22, Drake University. Topics: National Chiropractic Association National Campaign; Special Events/New York Marathon; Women’s Media Project

 

1989 – April 6, Iowa State Historical Museum. Topics: Apple Computer New Product Promotions; Union Carbide and Crisis Management; Geraldo Rivera and the Media

 

1990 – April 12, Iowa state Historical Museum. Topics: Business and Politics – Hill & Knowlton; Crisis Preparation – United Airlines; Marketing Public Relations – Burson-Marsteller

 

1991 – April 11, Iowa State Historical Museum. Topics: Green Marketing – Advertising Age; Philanthropy – US West Foundation; White House Communications Challenges; Communications Barriers – Coalition on AIDS

 

1992 – April 9, Mercy Education Center. Topics: Media Placements – The Indianapolis Project, Public Relations Law – Faegre & Benson; Caring Management – James Autry; Integrated Communications – CMF&Z; Getting on 60 Minutes CBS News

 

1993 – April 15, Mercy Education Center. Topics: Measuring Public Relations Results – Ketchum PR; Children’s Charities/Cause-Related Marketing – Ronald McDonald; Analyzing and Tracking Issues – L.C. Williams; Communication Diversity Panel Discussion – US West; Clinton Administration Review – Time magazine

 

1994 – April 27, Iowa State Historical Building. Theme: “The Art of Public Relations.” Topics: The Art of Public Affairs – Health Insurance Association of America; The Art of Environmental Communication – E. Bruce Harrison Company; The Art of Media Relations – The Des Moines Register

 

1996 – April 16, Marriott Hotel. Speakers: Daniel J. Edelman, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide; Peter Himler, Burson-Marsteller; Dominic Delpapa, CARMA International; Bernadette McCormic, Business Wire; Mike Wadum, American Lung Association of Nebraska; Pamela Adams Johnson, Iowa Public Television; Mary Ann Rood, Ocean Spray Cranberries

 

1997 – April 17, Hy-Vee Conference Center. Theme: “Public Relations University.” Speakers: Owana McLester-Greenfield, Mastery Company; James Bell, Lippercott & Marguiles; Ron Solberg, EasyCom, Inc.; Anita Walker, Civic Center of Greater Des Moines; Kyn Hougham, Quad Cities Classic Golf Tournament; Margi Nelson, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation: David Oman, TCI; Arda Nazierian, American Stock Exchange

 

1998 – April 22, Hy-Vee Conference Center. Theme: “Making Your Mark – Managing and Measuring The Message.” Speakers: Marlys Popma, Iowa Family Policy Center; Kim Waltman, Iowa Methodist Medical Center; Lynn Yanta, Blank Children’s Hospital; Mike Schreurs, Schreurs & Associates; Allison Gregory Pope, Wixted, Pope, Nora & Associates; Anne Curley, S.C. Johnson Was; Craig Jolly, Online and Strategic Information Systems; Nancy Robinson, Project Research

 

1999 – April 22, Hy-Vee Conference Center. Theme: “Great Expectations: The Role of Public Relations in the 21^st Century Organization” Topics: Legal Crisis Management; Balancing Public Relations and Legal Interests, Southern Methodist University and Center for Strategic Communication; Y2K; A Communications Case Study, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; What Executives Expect from Public Relations, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa, The Weitz Company, Governor’s Office; Working with the Media in the Electronic Age, Better Homes and Gardens magazine, The Des Moines Register, WHO-TV 13

 

2000 – April 20, Hy-Vee Conference Center. Theme “Bridging the Gap.” Topics: Year 2000 Public Opinion Research…New Implications for Public Relations, Roper Starch Worldwide; Safeguarding Your Brand During Times of Crisis, GE capital Rail Services; Energizing and Engaging a Multi-Site Workforce, Best Communications; Media/Public Relations Practices in a Wired World; Utilizing The Internet to Tell Your Story, PR Newswire

 

 

 

 

2004 – April 1, Hy-Vee Conference Center. Theme “PR is Leading the Charge.” Speakers and Topics: “Successfully Managing Integrated Communications When it Matters Most,” Lauren Pagenkopf, Manager of Organizational Communications and Integration, Harley-Davidson; “The Anatomy of a Great Product Launch,” Carla Vallone, Communications Manager, Segway Human Transporter; “Building World Class Brands,” Wendy Love, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, Porter Novelli; “Crisis Communications Getting Heard When No One Wants to Listen,” Kent James, Managing Director of Media Practice, Burson-Marsteller.

 

 

2006 – April 19, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Theme: “Join the Experts.” Speakers and Topics: “Lattes with the Legends ¾ A Roundtable Discussion on the PRSA Fellows Program and the Metamorphosis of Public Relations,” Ferne Bonomi and Carol Bodensteiner; “Communicator/Editor: Both Sides of the Story,” Sharon Franke, Good Housekeeping and Rachel Litner, Rachel Litner and Associates; “A Measured Approach to Communications,” Walter Lindenmann, PhD.; “The Communications Evolution,” Bill Nielsen, former VP, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, Johnson & Johnson; “Multicultural Communications ¾ Understanding the Dynamics of your Audience,” Esther Novak, VanguardComm., “Pitching in the Big Leagues,” Sara Haines, NBC’s TODAY Show.

 

2007 – April 3, Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Theme: “Booster Shots.” Speakers and Topics: “The View From here: A Creative Director’s Perspective on New Media, Empowered Consumers and Intuitive Brands,” Terry Balagia; “Brand It! How Corporate Communications Drives Samsung’s Popularity,” Bret Walrath, Executive Vice President, Edelman New York; “What’s Your Everest?” Charlie Wittmack, the first Iowan to conquer Mt. Everest; “Using Interactive to Optimize and Measure Public Relations,” Mike Corak, Director of Interactive Services, Off Madison Ave.; “Can PR Lead Word of Mouth?” Kathy Baughman, Principal, ComBlu and Steve Hershberger, Partner, ComBlu.

2008 - April 8, Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Theme: “Forty Years of Forward Thinking: Speakers and Topics: “Taming the Crisis Communications Plan Monster,” Gerard Braud, Braud Communications; “Where Has All the Creativity Gone…And How Do We Get it Back?” Judith Rich, Rich Relations; “The Blogosphere’s Impact on the October 2006 Edelman/Wal-Mart Crisis: What Data Tells Us,” Sergei Golitsinski; “The ‘Crisis’ in Crisis Communications,” Gerard Braud, Braud Communications; “Building Employee Engagement with Strategic Business Planning,” Elizabeth A. Pesci, APR, Unisys Corp.; “40^th Anniversary of the Central Iowa Chapter of PRSA,” Ferne Bonomi, APR, Fellow PRSA, Bonomi & Company.  

 

 OFFICER AND DIRECTOR RECORD

 

Note: Figures in parentheses after names indicate number of years remaining in term to which directors and delegates were elected. No record has been kept of cases in which board members did not complete a given calendar year in office and were replaced on a short-term basis.

 

President: Walter Walsh

Vice President: Donald Dooley

Secretary-Treasurer: Jean Dyar

Delegate: Walter Walsh

 

President: Walter Walsh

Vice President: Donald Dooley

Secretary-Treasurer: Jean Dyar

Delegate: Walter Walsh

 

President: Donald Dooley

Vice President: Robert Hoover

Secretary-Treasurer: Ferne Bonomi

Directors:  Gordon Strayer (1)

                         Douglas Johnson (2)

                  Thomas Wolff (3)

Delegate: Walter Walsh

 

President: Robert Hoover

Vice President: Robert Eide

Secretary-Treasurer: Ferne Bonomi

Directors:   Douglas Johnson

             Thomas Wolff

                      Gordon Strayer (3)

Delegate: Walter Walsh

 

President: Robert Eide

Vice President: Gordon Strayer

Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Clark

Directors:  Thomas Wolff

                           Ruth Prescott (2)

                    Deane Haerer (3)

Delegate: Robert Hoover (3)

 

President: Gordon Strayer

Vice President: Eugene Young

Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Clark

Directors:   Ruth Prescott

                     Deane Haerer

                             Robert Bonomi (3)

Delegate: Robert Hoover

 

President: Eugene Young

Vice President: Norman Boyle

Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Clark

Directors:  Deane Haerer

                               Richard Schallert (2)

                           Florence Stiles (3)

                  Walter Walsh

Delegate: Robert Hoover

 

President: Norman Boyle

Vice President: Deane Haerer

Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Clark

Directors:  Richard Schallert

                Florence Stiles

             Jerry Musil (3)

Delegate: Thomas Wolff (3)

 

President: Deane Haerer

Vice President: Robert Clark

Secretary-Treasurer: James Stimson

Directors:  Florence Stiles

           Jerry Musil

                             Richard Schallert (3)

Delegate: Thomas Wolff

 

President: Thomas Wolff

Vice President: Kenneth McDougall

Secretary-Treasurer: James Stimson

Directors:  Jerry Musil

                               Richard Schallert

                               Ruth Prescott (3)

Delegate: Gordon Strayer (1)

 

President: Douglas Johnson

Vice President: Jerry Musil

Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Clark

Directors:  Richard Schallert

             Ruth Prescott

                           Robert Watterson (3)

Delegate: Gordon Strayer (3)

 

President: Robert Clark

Vice President: Ferne Bonomi

Secretary: Florence Stiles

Treasurer: Robert Watterson

Directors:  Ruth Prescott

                         Tim Colwell (2)*

                          F.A.D. Kelsey (3)

Delegate: Gordon Strayer

*Left – Young Succeeded

 

President: Ferne Bonomi

Vice President: Robert Watterson

Secretary: Wayne P. Davis

Treasurer: Joe M. Kelly

Directors:   Eugene Young

                  F.A.D. Kelsey

                      Leo Armatis (3)

Delegate: Gordon Strayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Delegates:   Lucinda Stephenson, APR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 AWARDS PROGRAMS

1983          Eugene Young

1984          Ken McDougall, APR

1990          Walter J. Walsh

1993          Deb Jensen

1994          John McCarroll, APR

1996          Catherine Huggins, APR

1997          John McCarroll, APR

1998          Carol Bodensteiner, APR, Fellow

1999          Susan Houser, APR

2000         

2001         

2003         

2004          Kevin Waetke, APR

2005          Mary O'Keefe, APR

2008         

1983          Ferne Bonomi, APR

1984          Walter Walsh, APR

1985          Gordon Strayer, APR

1989          Ed Mattix, APR

                   Christine Irvine

1990          Dr. Henry Milan, APR

1991          Michael Adams, APR

1993          Jackie Saunders, APR

1994          Jeffrey Huggins, APR

1996          Joseph Smith II, APR

1997          Catherine Huggins, APR

1998          Rick Phillips, APR

1999          Dan Frahm

                   Margaret Gowan Mester

2000         

2001          Sarah Buckley, APR

2002          Kelly Sankey         

2003          Emily Abbas, APR

                    Wayne Davis, APR

2004          Mike Palmer, APR

2005          Jane Keairns

2006          Sarah Rasmussen, APR

2007          David Remund, APR

1983          Paul Engle, Poet

1985          Bill Riley, Iowa State Fair Talent Show Host

1986          Peter Owenson, Farmer, Hay Lift Project

1987          Robert Helmick, U.S. Olympic Committee President

1989          Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation

                  (Iowa Caucus Project)

1990          Iowa Air National Guard, 185^th Tactical Fighter Group

                  (Sioux City plane crash response)

1991          Tom Emmerson, ISU (Saving the ISU journalism program)

1992          Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation

1993          John Ruan

1994          L.D. McMullen, Des Moines Water Works (flood of 1993)

                  F.A.D. (Bill) Kelsey, IRIS (founder)

1996          Simon Estes, international opera singer

                  Chuck Offenberger, Des Moines Register

1997          Iowa Sesquicentennial Commission

1998          Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad

1999          Roger Ferguson, AccessAir, Inc.

2000       

2001          Kurt Warner

2002          Michael Gartner

2005          Principal Riverwalk

2006          Kathie Swift, Iowa State Fair

 

 

1997          Jennifer Halupnik

1998          Jeff White, APR

1999          Melanie Finke Sanders

2003          Joanna Schroeder

2004          Antoinette Bernich

2005          Melody Brownell

2006          Katie Sonderman

2007          Emily Oliver

 

In 1989, the membership approved a proposal to fund two scholarships, one each to be presented annually to a public relations student at Drake University and at Iowa State University.

 

In 1997, the membership approved to modify the scholarship program to reflect one scholarship to grant to a public relations student at a Central Iowa College or University.

 

The membership also named the program in recognition of Ferne Bonomi, APR ASPR, Fellow and Henry Milam, PhD, ASPR, ABC for their dedication and service to the Central Iowa Chapter and PRSA.

 

Christine Isgren           Drake University

Valerie Larson              Iowa State University

 

Karen Nolan                  Drake University

Jennifer Holm               Iowa State University

 

1993         

Kim Delbridge               Drake University

Kim Morford                   Iowa State University

 

1994               

Sherrie Neuheisel        Drake University

Kim Bell                          Iowa State University

 

Julie Clausen                Drake University

Murray Williams            Iowa State University

 

Amber Schaeffer          Drake University

Erica Brizzi                     Iowa State University

 

1997         

Emily Reis                    Drake University

Joanne Roepke           Iowa State University

 

1998         

Sharon Younes           Drake University

 

Christine Fischer        Drake University                      

 

Vince Kalt                     Drake University

2003 

 

Shawn Rolland          Drake University

 

Emily Oliver                Iowa State University

 

Tiffany Sheehan        Drake University