News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Lee Marshall
             PRSA
             610-617-9560
             lee.marshall@businesswire.com

Philadelphia Regional PRSA Agency Leadership Council Formed
- Agency PR Leaders Band Together to Raise Awareness of Regional Expertise -

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – October 9, 2003—The Public Relations Society of America (Philadelphia Chapter) announces the formation of the Philadelphia Regional PRSA Agency Leadership Council. Senior management of the leading public relations agencies in the region have joined to promote a greater awareness of local PR expertise. Fifteen of the region’s top PR firms have joined as charter members.

“The Greater Philadelphia region has a rich supply of experienced public relations counselors that provide top-notch strategic programming across myriad practices, including media relations, issues and crisis counseling and branding,” said Lee Marshall, PRSA Philadelphia President.

In order to promote the region’s PR firms, the Council plans to educate business leaders locally and nationally through an ad campaign and through quotable sourcing of experts in key press outlets.

“Our aim is to educate corporate communications professionals in leading companies that there are experienced PR practitioners in the Philadelphia region who provide second-to-none PR counsel and programming,” said Nancy Bacher Long, co-chair of the Council.

According to Scott D. Tattar, PRSA Philadelphia President-elect, the cooperation between member agencies is the keystone of the Council’s foundation.

“The Council is all about collaboration between agencies,” he said. “We may be competitors on a daily basis, but when it comes to long-term success, we recognize that we are all in this together.”

Council member agencies employ hundreds of professionals and, collectively, represent nearly $30 million in net fee billings. The Council meets on a monthly basis at member agency offices. The Council is compiling a directory of member firms that will include key clients, net fee billings and areas of expertise. An advertising campaign to promote Philadelphia PR is expected to break in early 2004.

About PRSA (Philadelphia):
The Philadelphia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is a vital resource for communications professionals throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. One of the largest PRSA chapters in the country, it offers its more than 450 members a variety of services including professional development, mentoring, networking, the region’s preeminent communications job bank, and an opportunity to earn professional accreditation through the APR exam, PR’s highest professional designation. The chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2003.