John D. Graham, Chairman and CEO of Fleishman-Hillard, will headline the 43rd Annual Distinguished Lecture & Awards Dinner of the Institute for Public Relations. Graham, who has led the public relations firm since 1974, will deliver an address entitled “Thirty Years in the Same Job, and What Do I Know?”
The lecture will take place Wednesday, November 10, 2004, at the historic Union League Club in New York City, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event is sponsored in part by Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. and Biz360.
Mr. Graham’s career has been extraordinary for more than his ability to hold a job in a famously fluid industry. He also has led the firm’s remarkable growth from a single office with a couple dozen employees to a worldwide powerhouse with more than 2,000 professionals in 22 countries. His remarks will reflect on the professional culture of public relations and the science beneath the art of public relations, which is the focus of the Institute.
“In addition to hearing from a noted global leader, the dinner also offers excellent opportunities for networking with top public relations professionals,” said Jack Felton, President and CEO of the Institute. In addition, the Institute will present awards and scholarships for outstanding achievements in public relations education and research, and the Alexander Hamilton medal for life-time achievement in public relations.
Graham has served as Chairman of the Council of Public Relations Firms. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and in 1990 named a Public Relations All-Star by Inside PR magazine. In 1994, he was selected as PR Professional of the Year by the readers of PR News. In 2000, Graham became only the third agency PR executive to be inducted into the Arthur W. Page Society Hall of Fame. He also received the Thomas Mosser Award from St. Bonaventure University for contributions to the public relations profession. In March 2001, he was named PR Professional of the Year by PRWeek, and in September 2002, the University of Missouri-Columbia awarded him the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. In October 2003, John received PRSA’s Gold Anvil award
Tickets and tables for the event can be purchased by calling the Institute at 352-392-0280, or by visiting the website, instituteforpr.org. Tickets are $300 each, or $3,000 for a table of 10, and include cocktail reception, dinner and lecture. A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible.
The Institute for Public Relations, located at the University of Florida, is dedicated to the science beneath the art of public relations. The organization exists to build and document the intellectual foundations of public relations, and to mainstream this knowledge by making it available and useful to practitioners, educators, researchers and client organizations.
Biz360 is the industry leader in technology-based analytic services for managing global reputations and brands. Its award-winning market intelligence application, Market360®, continuously analyzes over 50,000 sources of print, online and broadcast news content from 16 content service providers covering four major world regions. For more information, www.biz360.com.
Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc., provides a one-stop source of best practices and training products for the communication profession. Through its world-renowned newsletters, conferences, research reports and guides, Ragan Communications, Inc., delivers practical advice, real-world solutions and field-tested strategies for today’s corporate communicator. The company can be reached at www.ragan.com.
Photo of Mr. Graham available on request.
