4 to be Inducted into Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame

STARKVILLE, Miss. (Press Release) — Four public relations professionals will be inducted into the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame at a luncheon to be held noon July 25 in the John Grisham Room at the Mississippi State University Mitchell Memorial Library. The Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Southern Public Relations Federation and the MSU Department of Communication. The new Hall of Fame inductees will be honored with the unveiling of a permanent plaque with their names engraved alongside the members inducted since the founding in 2010.

The inductees represent very distinct areas of public relations practice and decades of leadership. All of the inductees have made significant contributions to the field and have mentored many current public relations practitioners in the region. The 2014 inductees include:

• John Forde, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA of Starkville, Miss.;
• Joseph W. Purka of Niceville, Fla.;
• Philip A. Shirley, APR of Jackson, Miss.; and
• Shelia White of Gulfport, Miss.

“The Southern Public Relations Federation is proud to induct these very worthy individuals into the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame, Class of 2014,” said Kristina L. Hendrix, APR, President of the Southern Public Relations Federation. “Joe, John, Philip, and Shelia have each made an incredible mark on the lives of those around them with their exceptional leadership and devotion to the profession of public relations, their communities, and families. SPRF is proud to have a long-standing partnership with Mississippi State University. MSU is the permanent location for the hall of fame plaque, and we enjoy coming back each year to induct our newest class and for others to see their names displayed.”

SPRF is a society of about 1,500 public relations professionals from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Northwest Florida. Members of the four state chapters (Public Relations Council of Alabama, Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Public Relations Association of Louisiana, and the Emerald Coast Public Relations Organization) represent virtually all sectors of public relations practice. Members participate in various local, state, and regional awards programs recognizing campaigns, projects, or individual achievements, but the hall of fame recognizes lifetime contributions.

“To be recognized by SPRF is a special honor, because of its critical importance in my career,” said Philip A. Shirley, APR, Chairman and CEO of Godwin Group and one of the 2014 inductees in the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame. “If asked to name the reasons for my success, I would name one high school teacher, a specific college professor, a mentor who hired me into the agency business, and the industry knowledge and connections I gained from involvement with SPRF. This organization has been critical in increasing the professionalism of thousands of PR practitioners. Its value in helping prepare public relations professionals to serve the companies, governmental agencies and not-for-profits across the South cannot be overstated.”

Past inductees will also be recognized at the luncheon, including 2013 inductees Neal W. Cirlot (Mississippi), Betsie Gambel (Louisiana) Carol A. Mann, APR (Alabama), Charles (Chuck) Saucier (Louisiana) and Dr. John Wittig, APR (Alabama); 2012 inductees Ron Council, APR (Alabama) and Ken Hair (Florida); 2011 inductees Sherry Harlow, APR (Florida), William E. “Bud” Kirkpatrick (Mississippi) and Yvonne McGehee Sorge, APR (Mississippi); and the inaugural class of Phillip R. Forrest Jr. (Alabama), Rex Kelly (Mississippi), and William A. “Bill” Michelet, APR, Fellow PRSA (Louisiana).

The permanent location of the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame is located at MSU because of the central location and involvement of MSU faculty in the organization. Caron Blanton, APR served as SPRF president in 2013 and chaired the Hall of Fame Committee this year.

“We have so many outstanding leaders in the organization and the region,” said Blanton. “The Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame provides us with a way to recognize the many contributions these individuals have made to our profession as a whole and to the many individuals they have mentored along the way.”

SPRF board members are very appreciative of the library colleagues at MSU who have been very gracious in offering this beautiful location just outside the John Grisham Room. The site is very accessible to visitors throughout the year.

For more information about the event, contact Blanton at 769-257-4585 (cblanton@mississippi.edu). Additional information about the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame may be found at www.sprf.org/awards/hall-of-fame.