Professional Achievement Award

Each year, SPRF member organizations (ECPRO, PRAL, PRAM, and PRCA) are invited to nominate one outstanding public relations professional for the SPRF Professional Achievement Award, formerly known as the Practitioner of the Year.  The recipient of this award is announced at the SPRF annual conference. SPRF established this award to recognize an individual that has continually demonstrated the highest ideals of the profession as well as a commitment to advance the profession of public relations.

The award was established to recognize someone who has continually demonstrated the highest ideals of the profession as well as commitment to the professional development of public relations.

2011 PAA recipient Jennifer Jenkins, APR

The 2011 Professional Achievement Award recipient Jennifer Jenkins, APR, of Mobile, Ala., is congratulated by Ardelle Bush and Glen Duncan.

2011 Recipient
Jennifer Jenkins, APR, was honored as SPRF’s 2011 Professional Achievement Award recipient. Jenkins was nominated by the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA). The selection is based on professional activities, community service, career achievement and examples of the nominee’s work. Susan Christensen, APR, of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) and Holly Houk Cullen, APR, of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana were also nominated for the honor.

Jenkins is president of JJPR LLC, an independent, boutique public relations and marketing firm in Daphne, Ala. She earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2007. She has more than 15 years of experience in public relations and advertising, and her work has been recognized in top industry publications. Jenkins has consistently earned recognition and leadership roles in her field and the community. She is the past president of PRCA and serves on the board of directors for the Southern Public Relations Federation. Jenkins has also been a member of the American Advertising Federation Mobile Bay chapter where she has served on the board of directors. She currently serves as president of the Junior League of Mobile (JLM), the 13th largest Junior League in the world. Jenkins is a member of the PRCA Mobile Chapter.

Past Professional Achievement Award Recipients:

  • 2010: Susan Broussard, APR, PRAL-Alexandria
  • 2009: Kristie Aylett, APR, PRAM
  • 2008: Glen Duncan, APR, PRAL-Baton Rouge
  • 2007: Denise D’Oliveira, APR, PRCA
  • 2006: Suzanne Fornaro, APR, PRCA
  • 2005: Michael Tullier, APR, PRCA
  • 2004: Carol Mann, APR, PRCA
  • 2003: Missy LaBorde, APR, PRAL-Alexandria
  • 2002: Delia Adams Taylor, APR, PRAL-Baton Rouge
  • 2001: Deirdre McGowan, Ph.D., APR, CAE, PRAM
  • 2000: Sherry Harlow, APR, ECPRO
  • 1999: John Forde, Ph.D., APR, PRAM
  • 1998: Bill Todd, APR, PRCA
  • 1997: Dave Rickey, APR, PRCA
  • 1996: Karla Shackleford Conway, APR, PRCA
  • 1995: Jamie Palmer, APR, PRCA
  • 1994: Rosemary W. Blackmon, APR, PRCA
  • 1993: Bill Michelet, Fellow, PRSA, PRAL-Baton Rouge
  • 1992: Philip Shirley, APR, PRAM
  • 1991: Peri Widener, APR, PRCA