Sweet Home Chicago

As a member of the national nominating committee of the Public Relations Society of America, I traveled to Chicago, Illinois (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8hqGu-leFc) and spent July 30-August 1 sequestered with others from around the country to determine the slate of candidates for 2011 national leadership.

Committee members must sign a waiver because of past issues relating to confidentiality, so I can't dish a whole lot of information on who said what. But I can say that the process was simultaneously interesting, invigorating and exhausting.

Holed up in the Chicago O'Hare Airport Hilton, a group of 17 public relations professionals from various PRSA districts and sections spent the better parts of three days interviewing 22 candidates for national office and deliberating over the results to decide the slate.

After attending a dinner meeting on Friday night, we met just after 7 a.m. the next morning and finished a day of deliberation and decision close to midnight. On Sunday, we worked from about 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. I just made it to the gate for my flight back to Eugene with only 3 minutes to spare before boarding was to begin.

It was an educational experience -- and an honor and privilege -- to work with such a dedicated and delightful group of public relations practitioners representing more than 22,000 members nationally in helping to decide the 2011 PRSA leadership slate.