Minnesota PRSA Honors Leila Erlandson With Donald G. Padilla Community Classic Award.

Business Editors

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 2001

Leila Erlandson, manager - public affairs at American Express is the recipient of the 2000 Donald G. Padilla Community Classic Award. The award, presented by the Minnesota chapter, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), honors one Minnesotan every year who has volunteered time and talent toward improving the community through communications.

Erlandson has given selflessly of her time and skills for nearly 10 years. Each year, she volunteers hundreds of hours for local and international organizations. Her strong communications skills are tailored to the needs of each organization she serves - organizations that could not otherwise afford these services.

She currently serves as board vice president and chair of the marketing/development committee for the Minneapolis Youth Diversion Program (MYDP), where she donates more than 100 hours of her time. The program helps empower vulnerable youth to become contributing members of the community.

Erlandson's work for MYDP combines public relations and hands-on outreach. "The most important part of this work for me has been the relationships I've developed with young people," she said. "For example, through street outreach we're able to really connect with young people and get a sense of where they're at and what their needs are." Additionally, by sharing their stories she helps the public understand MYDP and the vulnerable young people that it supports.

"She's quite phenomenal," said Mary Weeks, executive director of Minneapolis Youth Diversion Program. "She's a long-term volunteer and works directly with clients. Her involvement has ranged from street outreach for at-risk youth to facilitating a support group with young women who have been involved in prostitution. She adds a lot more than her public relations expertise. This award is very well deserved."

Other organizations she has assisted include the Bull Moose Charitable Foundation's Bull Moose Party, the Guatemalan Benefit Dance, The GodChild Project (Antigua, Guatemala/Minneapolis chapter), the United Way of Minneapolis, Little Brother's Friends of the Elderly, Crisis Connection and the President's Summit.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Erlandson received the CityBusiness Unsung Hero Volunteer Award, the WCCO Radio "Good Neighbor" Volunteer Award, the KARE 11 "Eleven Who Care" Volunteer Recognition Award and the National Jefferson Award for community service. In 1996 she was chosen to be a Community Hero Torchbearer for the Olympic Torch Relay.

Erlandson has been a member of PRSA since 1991.

Along with this year's award, Minnesota PRSA contributes $500 to the charitable organization of Erlandson's choice with a matching donation from Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc. Erlandson will divide the contributions between MYDP, the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund for the earthquake victims in India and a mission she volunteered at in Guatemala. American Express will match her American Red Cross donation.

Created in 1995 as the Community Classic Award, it was renamed in 1996 to honor the late public relations pioneer Donald Padilla and his legacy of volunteer service. During his long career, Padilla devoted himself to helping civic, educational, human service and arts organizations communicate more effectively with their publics. He was a co-founder of what is now Padilla Speer Beardsley, a public relations consulting firm.

In 1986, Padilla received the national PRSA organization's highest honor for public service, the Paul M. Lund Award. It is given each year to a public relations professional for contributions made to the common good through public service activities. He is the only Minnesota PRSA member to receive a Lund award.

Minnesota PRSA is among the largest chapters of the Public Relations Society of America. The chapter is comprised of more than 500 corporate, agency, non-profit and government public relations professionals who are among 20,000 PRSA members nationwide.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Erlandson is a resident of Minneapolis, Minn. She grew up in Fridley, Minn., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. Her photo is available for download at www.mnprsa.com/whatsnew.cfm)