November 7, 1982 –
The San Francisco Hilton Tower
San Francisco, CA
Betsy Ann Plank joined the Bell System in 1973 as director of public relations planning for AT&T. Ms. Plank came to Illinois Bell in 1974. Prior to joining the Bell System, she was executive vice president of Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., international public relations agency.
Ms. Plank was the first woman to serve as president of the Public Relations Society of America (1973). In 1977, she received PRSA’s Gold Anvil Award as the outstanding public relations professional, and in 1978 readers of Public Relations News named her Professional of the Year. She chaired the U. S. Section of the International Public Relations Association in 1980-81.
Ms. Plank is the national advisor to the Public Relations Student Society of America; the student organization’s Northern Illinois University chapter is named for her. Currently, she chairs PRSA’s national committee on educational affairs. Named in Who’s Who in America, Ms. Plank was a trustee of the Foundation for Public Relations Research and Education and chaired The Chicago Network, the city’s 100 leading women. Presently, she is a member of the board of directors of the Girl Scouts U.S.A., vice president of the Illinois Council on Economic Education, and serves on the advisory boards of three publications–Illinois Issues, Public Relations News and Public Relations Review.
PDF: The Revolution in Communications Technology-Implications for the Public Relations Profession
