In memoriam: Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSA

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1924 – 2010

Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSA,honored leader, mentor and matriarch of the PublicRelations Society of America (PRSA) and the publicrelations profession, passed away on May 23 followinga short illness. She was 86.

Often referred to as the “First Lady of PublicRelations,” Plank received international recognitionduring her distinguished career in corporate andagency public relations.

She was the first woman to head a division ofIllinois Bell (which became Ameritech), the first womanto be elected president of the Publicity Club of Chicago(1963), the first woman to be elected president of PRSA(1973) and a founding member of PRSA’s College ofFellows. Plank is the first person to receive three ofPRSA’s top individual honors for professionals: theGold Anvil (1977), the Paul M. Lund Public ServiceAward (1989) and the first Patrick Jackson Award forDistinguished Service to PRSA (2001).

“Betsy was both a mentor and role model to me,”said Gary McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA, PRSA’s2010 chair and CEO. “Over the years, she continued toamaze me with her incredible insights and professionalleadership, not to mention her endearing personaltouch in her many letters and faxes.

“She continued to encourage me and challengeme professionally and at higher levels within PRSA,”said McCormick, who serves on the Board of ThePlank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at theUniversity of Alabama.

“It’s indeed a sad hour in the life of PRSA,” saidMichael Cherenson, APR, PRSA’s immediate past chair.“Betsy inspired several generations of public relationspractitioners with her thoughtful counsel on the mostimportant issues facing the profession. She was a tireless,dedicated advocate for the profession. We wouldn’t behere today without her pioneering leadership and steadypresence.”

In 2000, Plank also received the DistinguishedLifetime Achievement Award from the Arthur W. PageSociety, an association of the nation’s top corporate PRexecutives.

Leaving a legacyShe earned

countless accolades forher outstanding serv-ice to public relationsand education, andestablished PRSA’sfirst-ever scholarshipendowment fund in2005, the Betsy PlankScholarshipEndowment Fund.

“I believe a strongfoundation in educa-tion is fundamental toa profession anddefines it,” Plank toldTactics in a November2006 interview. “Wesimply have to havestrong educationalunderpinnings and allthat infers — research,ethical disciplines andresponsibility to socie-ty at large.”

Plank was a pio-neer in PR education— she was the co-chair of the 1987national commissionto develop guidelinesfor the undergraduatePR curriculum,served on accreditingteams at many univer-sities and spoke tonumerous studentgroups and PR classes.

In the conversa-tion with Tactics, Plankcommented on whyinvesting in PR edu-cation and the futureof our profession is so important, saying: “This businesshas been very good to us — providing a challenging,exciting and rewarding career. Surely we owe some-thing to its future. We also have a vested interest in thequality professionals our schools produce. Whether wework in an agency, corporate, government or the non-profit sector, we all need a new generation capable ofperforming.”

Plank was a graduate of the University of Alabama,and The Plank Center for Leadership in PublicRelations at her alma mater is named after her. TheCollege of Communication & Information Sciences atUA also inducted Plank into its Communication Hall

of Fame and named itsDistinguishedAchievement Award inher honor.

She chaired theCenter’s advisory boardand remained activelyinvolved with PRSAand The Arthur W. PageSociety as well asnumerous other organi-zations up until the timeof her death.

“As PR profession-als, we have a responsi-bility to help our stu-dents grow, to becomePRSA colleagues, lead-ers in the profession andmentors to those whofollow them in the class-room,” Plank said.

Mentoring the nextgeneration of PR

prosPlank was also

integral in the cre-ation of the collegestudent organiza-tion, the PublicRelations StudentSociety of America(PRSSA).

One of hermost memorablemoments was whenshe served as aChicago Chapterdelegate at the 1967PRSA Assembly inPhiladelphia andseveral legendary

leaders such as J. Carroll Bateman, Jon Riffel, WaltSiefert, Chris Teahan and Edward VonderHaar proposedestablishing a student society. The vote was unanimous,she said. “It was an act of faith and — in my case — thebeginning of a lifetime love affair with students,”Plank told Tactics. “From that day, our students haveproven to be of great judgment and leadership, andthey’ve lived up to every expectation we’ve had ofthem.”

“Betsy was the ultimate ‘champion’ for public rela-tions education and students. She gave a lifetime toadvancing students, especially members of PRSSA,”said Jeneen Garcia, director of education at PRSA.“Her service to the student Society was unsurpassed,

Remembering the “First

At Betsy’s request, no memorial service or funeral washeld. Donations in Betsy’s name may be made to The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations atthe University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

The Plank Center Box 870172The College of Communication &Information Sciences The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL35487-0172

prsa

Betsy Plank, APR, FellowPRSA, attends the PRSAInternational Conference in1985 (top) and in 2007.

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from her professional and financial contributions, to arranging forlegendary professionals to speak to students, to serving as a historianand mentor to all — including me. She has left a legacy of ethicalpractice and interest in PR education for all in this profession touphold. She will be missed.”

Plank has a PRSSA Chapter at Northern Illinois Universitynamed for her. The Chapter also established an annual scholarshipin her name. And as founder and co-chair of the Champions ForPRSSA, Plank received the student organization’s 25th AnniversaryAward in 1993.

Leaving a legacyPlank was born on April 3, 1924. A native of Alabama, Plank

returned in 1965 to join the final leg of the Civil Rights Marchfrom Selma to Montgomery. She received her B.A. degree from theUniversity of Alabama in 1944, and was elected to its College ofCommunication Hall of Fame in 2000.

She was associated with radio station NQV-Pittsburgh beforeentering public relations in 1947. She retired from corporate prac-tice in 1990, but had returned to PR counseling.

Active in the community, Plank chaired the Illinois Council onEconomic Education and the Citizenship Council of MetropolitanChicago, served on the boards of the United Way, Girl Scouts USAand Girl Scouts of Chicago, and twice chaired annual LeadershipLuncheons of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. She was afounder and past chair of the Chicago Network, the area’s leadingorganization for career women, and received its First Decade Awardin 1989.

Plank was the only person to have served as president of fourChicago communications organizations: Publicity Club of Chicago(1963); Welfare Public Relations Forum (1966-67); PRSA’sChicago Chapter (1969); and the Public Relations Forum (1979).Plank was named in Who’s Who in America and was a lifetimemember of the Publicity Club of Chicago, a member of theEconomic Club and Union League Club of Chicago and theInternational Public Relations Association.

Plank was married to the late Sherman V. Rosenfield andresided in Chicago.

“In my philosophy, public relations is fundamental to a demo-cratic society where people make decisions in the workplace, mar-ketplace, the community and the voting booth,” Plank said afterreceiving the Institute for Public Relations’ Alexander HamiltonAward in 2000. “Its primary mission is to forge responsible relation-ships of understanding, trust and respect among groups and individ-uals — even when they disagree. Mr. Hamilton’s historic work con-tinues to inspire and inform that difficult challenge today.”

During its July board meeting, the Plank Center will join theChicago PR community to celebrate Plank’s contributions to theprofession. PRSA will also recognize Plank at this year’s PRSAInternational Conference in Washington, D.C., Oct. 17-19.

Lady of Public Relations”Words of wisdomBetsy Plank, APR,Fellow PRSA shared these thoughts on the profes-sion at The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations

Today’s aspiring PR students and young professionals have a running start on theircareers: formal study in the discipline and early commitment to the profession. Most havealso had internships, mentoring by educators and practitioners, leadership experience andconnections through PRSSA and multicultural and global perspectives.

Those opportunities weren’t there for most of my generation. We arrived from otherstudies, other occupations — primarily journalism. (This history/political science majorhad never heard of public relations!) Thecustomary qualification: writing. The restwe learned by the seat of our pants orskirts — growing with the field as itevolved from one-way communication,publicity and event production to amanagement function charged withbuilding reputation and relationships,dedicated to truth and listening; enlight-ened by research; disciplined by corpo-rate objectives; increasingly challengedby societal issues.

So what lessons learned would havecurrency if I were starting all over againtoday? Among the many I remember and value:

• Ethics and integrity. They are not simply a professional “code” to begin observ-ing on the job. They are one’s here-and-now character and compass — in today’s class-rooms, in daily relationships and behavior throughout a lifetime.

• Mentoring. In every corner of career and life, you’ll nurture and benefit frommentors. But also — begin now to become a mentor — upperclassmen to younger stu-dents, new alumni to classrooms and interns. From wherever you stand today, reach out acaring, responsible hand.

• Computer miracles. Their wonders and resources are tools for a professional’scommand, not captivity. They never replace face-to-face encounters fundamental to PRpractice. At least not as long as volatile, stubborn and complex human beings are around!

• Community service. Beyond the daily desk, volunteering hones leadership skills,develops new contacts and insights, helps solve community problems. It’s also good for thesoul.

• Passion for reading. Read newspapers and periodicals, of course. But alsoresearch, history, contemporary and classical literature.

• Professional organizations. They provide unique opportunities to continuelearning, develop leadership skills, forge collegial connectors and make significant contri-butions to the profession’s progress and promise.

• Public relations. Practiced at its best, it is a proud, powerful and responsible pro-fession, essential to a democratic society in which people make daily decisions in theworkplace, the marketplace, the community and the voting booth. Besides, it’s populatedby many of the brightest, most creative, caring can-do men and women of honor, heartand humor — curiously addicted to the rigors of problem solving. Traveling in that spir-ited company is a great adventure.

Amen, my young colleagues. Welcome to the journey and Godspeed. For more on the career of Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSA,including a series of video interviews please visit The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations athttp://plankcenter.ua.edu.

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Don Wright, APR, Fellow PRSAIt’s an understatement to say that BetsyPlank was one of the greatest and most loyalfriends public relations education andresearch has ever had. She will be missedvery much.

Rosanna Fiske, APRWhen friends called to tell me about Betsy’spassing, I couldn’t believe what I was hear-ing. For some reason, I always felt Betsy wasinvincible. Maybe it was the red hair and thered lipstick. Maybe it was that infalliblegood spirit that always, always saw the posi-tive. Maybe it was that incredible energy.Betsy changed many of our lives just bybeing Betsy. I am so glad we got to laughtogether.

Cheryl Procter-Rogers,APR, Fellow PRSABetsy was a dear friend who always had akind word, great words of wisdom and awarm and welcoming smile. I will miss thedays spent in her living room and on herboat debating the news of the day. I willmiss her personal handwritten or typednotes of support and encouragement. Herlove for the students was unmatched andunwavering. When Terry and I married, shenever forgot to send a small gift to us forValentine’s Day. This was her way. I will missher red jacket and heart of gold.

Kathy Hubbell, APR, Fellow PRSAIt is almost physically painful to read thisand to know of Betsy’s passing. I rememberwatching her with PRSSA students at anInternational Conference a couple of yearsago — just as I was making my own transi-tion into teaching — and being absolutelyamazed at both her energy and her compas-sion. She was vitally interested in every-thing that was going on, and in talking toevery student that she could. Even morewonderful, those students obviously lovedher. I remember thinking I hoped to havethe same ongoing passion and commitmentas I go through the next couple of decades,because she certainly set the bar for excel-lence.

Michael Cherenson, APRBetsy was a trailblazer, mentor, leader, friendand inspiration to us all. Her legacy will liveon forever. The world is a better placethanks to Betsy Plank.

Mary Deming Barber, APR, Fellow PRSABetsy is one of those people I always lookedforward to seeing at PRSA meetings. Herwonderful smile and warm embrace will beremembered for many years to come. Thevoid left is immeasurable but I hope we canall use Betsy’s life as one to which we aspire.The students and professionals with whomshe worked are changed for the better for-ever.

Sonja Popp-Stahly, APRBetsy was such a strong advocate for PReducation. I remember meeting her for thefirst time at a PRSSANational Conference nearly20 years ago when I receiveda Betsy Plank/PRSSA schol-arship. That set the stage formy understanding of her pas-sion and devotion toPRSSA. In the years that fol-lowed, I always looked for-ward to seeing her at theFriends/Champions forPRSSA receptions. She trulyunderstood the power of astrong PR education and itsimportance in creating asolid foundation for thefuture of our profession.Betsy was a true inspiration.

Mickey G. Nall, APR,Fellow PRSABetsy Plank embodied all the best attributesof what a true professional is — dedicationto the work; leadership at every phase of acareer; providing a path for tomorrow’spractitioners; moral and ethical practice inprofessional and personal pursuits; andgrace, generosity and kindness 24/7 . . . I certainly mourn her loss and celebrate theinspiration she is to me and to all of us inpublic relations.

Debbie Mason, APR, Fellow PRSABetsy was a legend, even while alive. Hersheer force of will, determination and“guts,” as she called it, were an amazing rolemodel for so many of us to have thecourage to speak out, to do the right thingalways. I feel fortunate to have been amongthose who were “adopted” by Betsy. Sheencouraged, challenged and celebrated somany growth points in my own life — anddozens more. She will be painfully missed.

Joe Trahan, APR, Fellow PRSAI will miss Betsy’s friendship, professional-ism, dedication, leadership from the front,sense of humor and smile. She will alwaysbe the heart and soul of PRSA and PRSSA!She will live forever in our hearts, mindsand the souls of all of the past, current andfuture PRSSA students.

Mary Beth West, APRI met Betsy at my first PRSSA NationalConference in 1991 in Phoenix as a studentfrom the University of Tennessee. At thetime, being so new to the organization, Ihad no idea about the depth of this lady’s

leadership background with PRSA andPRSSA . . . I just thought she was an excep-tionally sharp professional who was beinggenerous with her time. Soon after, when Ilearned more about her pivotal rolethroughout PRSA’s history and in PRSSA’sfounding, I felt all the more honored thatshe would have taken so much time to helpa single student with such a grassroots-levelrequest. But that was Betsy. If it had any-thing to do with PRSSA or any single PRstudent, she was first in line to mentor,motivate and inspire.

Michael Bardin, APRBetsy Plank will certainly be missed butshe’ll never be forgotten. There is so muchwithin PRSA and PRSSA that bears herhandprint. She will live forever in our pro-fessional and personal lives. Everyone lovedBetsy. How could you not? What a spirit.What a joy. We’ll always love you, Betsy.

Craig Miyamoto, APR, Fellow PRSABetsy lives forever in my heart. I will neverforget the first thing she always did whenshe saw me — since it was usually at aPRSA conference, she’d give me a PRSSAheart to display on my name badge. I am sofortunate to have seen her often during theyears that I served as a PRSSA nationaladviser and as a PRSA director, and willnever forget the warmth of her hugs. Godbless your beautiful heart, Betsy.

T. Michael Jackson, APR, Fellow PRSAI recall what an honor it was to present the

first Patrick Jackson award toBetsy — and how wonderfulshe was in receiving it. Her sto-ries of PRSA past events . . .were ones I will cherish forever.

Robert StackPRSA and PRSSA have suf-fered a loss that cannot beweighed. Betsy Plank, APR,Fellow PRSA was more thanthe matriarch of PRSSA, shewas a passionate and vocalchampion of PR education.Her words and deeds touchedthe lives of hundreds uponthousands of students on cam-puses all across America dur-ing an iconic career spanningdecades. As a former nationalprofessional adviser to PRSSA,

I feel a personal sense of loss for a remark-able colleague and dear friend who trulypaved the way for others in our profession.I know that she would not want us tomourn her loss, but to champion her causesand carry on her legacy of touching thehearts and minds of PRSSA students.

Cedric L. Bess (PRSSA NationalPresident 2000-2001)Our profession has lost one of its pioneerswith the passing of Betsy Plank. She was amentor and inspiration to so many of us,especially those who were fortunateenough to work with her during our timein PRSSA. I will fondly remember her pas-sion, spunk and tireless dedication to PReducation. I am forever grateful for havingknown such a giving professional and aneven better human being.

To read more tributes, please visit www.prsa.org.

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Remembering Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSAAt PRSA.org, we encouraged readers to share their favorite memories about Betsy.

Here are several of the comments that celebrate her life amd recall her kindness:

Betsy Plank, APR, Fellow PRSA, mingles with other past PRSA presidentsduring the International Conference in 1987.

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1924 – 2010