Senior Leadership Council

The Senior Leadership Council is a group of founding members, past presidents, board members and other sundry Grovers* who have clearly demonstrated a career of superior performance and made a significant contribution to SPRF and the field of public relations.

The group began in 2009 as a way to keep longtime members tied to SPRF and its future, and is currently responsible for judging the Chapter of Distinction awards each year. SPRF’s Immediate Past president chairs the Council and past presidents are automatically added as SLC members each year. Membership is also granted through nomination at the local chapter at each year’s Holley Midgely, Chris Conway and othersannual conference and members are offered a discounted rate to attend the annual conference. Nominees must meet two of the three following requirements:

•    Past SPRF President
•    Three or more terms of service as SPRF Board Member
•    Significant career achievement as determined by nomination through local chapter

Should a member be lacking one of the following criteria for membership in the council, the Chair of the SLC has the right to waive the criteria.

GroverSmith.2001*The “Grovers” are named in memory of longtime SPRF member Grover Smith, who died in 2004. Smith was a legend in the field of public relations and SPRF and served as the longtime press secretary for U.S. Sen. John Sparkman of Alabama. He was a fixture at each year’s conference hospitality room and is missed by all who knew him.

    Current members of the Senior Leadership Council:

  • Bill Bagwell
  • Charles Barnette, APR
  • Rosemary Blackmon, APR
  • Bob Carroll
  • Roland Carson
  • Neal Cirlot
  • Chris Conway
  • Karla Shackleford Conway, APR
  • George Couch
  • George Elliott, APR
  • Marian Faulk, APR
  • John Forde, Ph.D., APR
  • Suzanne Fornaro, APR
  • Danny Gardner
  • Ruth Gilchrist
  • Gerry Gilmer
  • Denise Grayson
  • Sherry Harlow
  • Pat Hartman, APR
  • Tracy Heggins
  • John Hightower
  • Susan Hunt, APR
  • Bill Hunter
  • Robert Jones
  • Adam Kelley, APR
  • Rex Kelly
  • Sally Kuzenski, APR
  • Missy Laborde, APR
  • Rick Looser
  • Carol A. Mann, APR
  • Jim McIngvale
  • Sabrina McLaughlin, APR
  • Bill Michelet, APR
  • Holley Midgley, APR
  • Danny Mitchell
  • Jamie Palmer, APR
  • Susan Nelson Pickard, APR
  • Dave Rickey, APR
  • Chuck Saucier
  • Philip Shirley, APR
  • Yvonne Sorge, APR
  • Renee Smith Tadie, APR
  • Karla Swacker, APR
  • Lea Ivey Stone, APR
  • Shelia White
  • Andra Wilson
  • George Winter
  • John Wittig, APR
  • Carol Woodruff

To inquire about becoming a member of the Senior Leadership Council or if you feel your name has been omitted from this list, please contact Jarrod Ravencraft, SLC Chair at usm_jr@yahoo.com.