For Immediate Release
Contact: Leah Craig, Communications Director
(904) 419-3346; leahscraig@gmail.com
FPRA Gainesville Chapter President Devon Chestnut of Cox Communications Earns Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) Certification
Gainesville, Fla., Nov. 5, 2012—The Gainesville Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), the oldest public relations organization in the U.S., is pleased to announce that Devon Chestnut, public affairs specialist at Cox Communications, Gainesville, Fla., has successfully completed the examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use the APR professional designation. The announcement was made in October by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communication organizations that directs the certification program.
The accreditation program aims to improve the practice of public relations by assessing competence in 60 areas of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the profession. The examination is designed for public relations professionals with five to seven years of job experience and/or a bachelor’s degree in a communication field. Candidates who successfully complete the rigorous process, including presenting his/her portfolio to a readiness review panel of three peers and sitting for a computer-based examination, are granted the APR. Chestnut is one of 36 FPRA Gainesville Chapter members to hold the distinction.
“Earning the APR reflects a mastery of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to succeed in our increasingly complex profession,” said Janet Kacskos, APR, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) fellow and 2012 UAB chair. “Practitioners who achieve the designation are demonstrating their commitment not only to our profession, but also to a strong code of ethics and to the betterment of their organizations and clients.”
The computer-based portion of the examination is administered throughout the year at more than 300 Prometric Testing Centers. The readiness review is conducted prior to the computer-based portion of the examination by a panel of three accredited members of one or more of the nine organizations participating in the UAB. Professionals earning the APR distinction must maintain their credential through continuing professional development, providing leadership in the profession and serving their local communities.
The Gainesville Chapter of FPRA was established in 1968 and boasts more than 100 members. The group hosts a variety of professional development, networking and community relations activities throughout the year, including monthly luncheons, its annual Professional Development Symposium and numerous fundraisers. In August, FPRA named the chapter its 2011-2012 Chapter of the Year—the sixth time it received the distinction. To learn more about the Gainesville Chapter of FPRA, visit www.fpragainesville.com. Get the latest chapter news at www.facebook.com/fpragainesville and on Twitter at @FPRA_GNV.
About the Universal Accreditation Board
The UAB was established in 1998 by a coalition of public relations professional organizations that today includes the Agricultural Relations Council, Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public
Relations Society of America, Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation and Texas Public Relations Association. Each organization contributes resources and senior-level volunteer members who represent all segments of the public relations profession. For more information about the UAB and the APR designation, visit www.praccreditation.org.
About FPRA
Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC, established FPRA in 1938 for the purpose of helping public relations practitioners do their jobs better. As the oldest public relations organization in the country, FPRA is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners, who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida. FPRA comprises 15 professional and nine student chapters throughout the state, providing professional development, networking and professional recognition opportunities. For more additional information, visit www.fpra.org.