Committees are integral to the success of our chapter. Following are the committee opportunities available through the Akron Area Chapter of PRSA. If you would like to volunteer to serve on a committee, please contact Dr. Jeanette Drake, APR, President, or any committee chair.

Even if you are not a member of our chapter, volunteering on a committee is a great way to learn about our chapter and network with other PR professionals.

Membership
Chair: Gretchen Fri
The membership committee works to attract and retain Akron Area Chapter members from a diversity of backgrounds, focusing especially on welcoming new members into the chapter and helping transition them into active status. The committee works to retain current members by emphasizing benefits of membership and encouraging full participation in the chapter. Committee member functions include:

• Welcome
  Members who volunteer for this role help welcome new members to the chapter.  Responsibilities may include sending welcome cards to new members, introducing them to others at meetings and contacting new members by phone or e-mail to welcome them and encourage involvement in chapter activities.
  
• Recruitment
  Members who volunteer for this role recruit new members from area public relations firms, corporations and nonprofit organizations and seeks to ensure their needs are met through chapter offerings. Responsibilities may include making initial contacts with individuals in the PR field, making follow-up contacts with individuals who have requested membership information and contacting current and lapsed members to encourage membership renewal.
  
• Diversity
  Members who volunteer for this role focus on building commitment to diversity and attracting members with diverse backgrounds. Responsibilities may include making personal contacts with potential members, encouraging members to become active in the chapter and helping to assess and special needs to help ensure that the chapter recruits and retains a diverse membership.

Programming
Chair: Lyndsie Ihrig
Members of the programming committee assist in identifying luncheon topics and assist in organizing monthly luncheon meetings. Members work with the director of programming to secure speaker and organizational information for event publicity and work with the speaker to craft his/her presentation. The programming committee notifies the chapter administrator of the need for special meeting arrangements, orders equipment for meetings and provides speaker introductions.  Members of this committee may also work to develop networking programs. Those in this role identify locations for networking programs and organize these semi-annual events for professionals.  Areas of focus for the 2004 calendar year include Canton and Youngstown.

Nominating Committee
Chair: Rob Jewell, APR
The nominating committee is mandated by the chapter’s bylaws. The committee consists of the chapter president, president-elect and a minimum of one senior member of the chapter who is in good standing and is appointed by the president with the approval of the board of directors at least 60 days prior to the annual meeting of the chapter. The committee nominates candidates for all offices and expiring directorships and ensures that each candidate is contacted and agrees to serve if elected. The committee must submit a slate of board members to the chapter secretary no later than 30 days prior to the annual meeting.  Elections are held by secret ballot via the U.S. Postal Service. 

Student Chapters 
Chair: Dr. Jeff Tyus
The student chapters committee serves as the primary liaison between the professional chapter and the PRSSA chapters and other applicable organizations at Kent State University, The University of Akron, Walsh and Malone. The committee should ideally consist of at least three members, with one member responsible for KSU and one member responsible for U of A and a third responsible for chapters at Walsh and Malone. The committee is also responsible for managing and awarding the annual David A. Meeker Scholarship, beginning in 2005.

Publicity
Chair: Casey Barto
The publicity committee is responsible for the content, layout and distribution of the chapter’s monthly newsletter. The committee also maintains publicity for chapter activities. The Website subcommittee manages Web content.

Website: subcommittee of publicity
Chair: Michael Schwabe
The Website committee manages the content, navigation and design of the chapter’s Website. The committee is responsible for updating the online directory and posting listings to the job bank section of the site.

Professional Development
Chair: Open
The professional development committee plans the Akron Area Chapter’s annual writing seminar, “Write to the Point,” and any additional professional development programs that offer in-depth education through half- and full-day class sessions.

Accreditation
Chair: Jan Gusich, APR
The accreditation committee is currently seeking a co-chair. The committee assists in preparing candidates to take the exam for accreditation sponsored by the National Public Relations Society of America. The co-chair works with the chair to present study materials to APR candidates during four to six evening classes twice per year (spring and fall). The co-chair also assists in recruitment of judges twice per year for the readiness review. The co-chair must be accredited in public relations.