New Board Officers Named to Region's PR Association.

Business Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2003

Eight of this region's public relations professionals have been named to new leadership positions for 2004 in the Puget Sound chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The appointments were made during the organization's Oct. 16 annual meeting at Seattle's Harborside Restaurant.

"We are thrilled to have energetic leaders who bring a wide range of skills and backgrounds, and who can represent our members throughout the Puget Sound region," said Walt Greenwood, current president of the PRSA chapter.

The 2004 officers and their positions in PRSA are:

Candy Young, APR - President - is president of Young Communications, a public relations agency in Bellevue. She was formerly a manager in public relations and marketing at AT&T and US West, and was a news producer and writer at KIRO-TV. A graduate of the University of Washington's School of Communications and the Fairleigh Dickinson University MBA program in New Jersey, she has received numerous communications awards and has served on boards including the MIT Enterprise Forum, the Northwest Venture Group and the Kirkland/Redmond Boys and Girls Club.

Caroline Bombar-Kaplan, APR - Vice President for Administration - is the owner of Bombar Public Relations, a consulting firm she started in 1990. She has served during 2003 as PRSA vice president for membership and currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the University of Washington's certificate program in public relations. Her professional awards include two PRSA Totem awards, one in 1997 for non-profit public service and one in 1989 for marketing communications in support of The Rouse Company's opening of Seattle's Westlake Center. An avid supporter of non-profit organizations, she works with Transitional Resources, the Corporate Council for the Arts, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and the United States Eventing Association.

Adam Bashaw, APR - Secretary/Member Communications - has served in the public relations field for more than 17 years, and is currently the public relations manager for United Way of King County as well as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University with degrees in English and journalism. He is also a graduate of the military's communications academy, Defense Information School. He earned an Army Commendation Medal in 1996 and the Keith L. Ware award in 1998 for military public affairs excellence. An active community member, Adam served on the Real Change Marketing Committee and regularly volunteers at Lake Hills Elementary School in Bellevue.

Erik Elvejord - Treasurer - is director of public relations at Holland America Line in Seattle and a board member for the local PRSA chapter. This year he co-chaired the chapter's March 6 Totem Awards banquet, which recognized outstanding public relations people and projects in a variety of categories. Elvejord is a graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in communications and Norwegian language and literature. With more than 18 years in the public relations business, he previously worked for Windstar Cruises, Society Expeditions and Hartman Public Relations in Seattle.

Davina Gruenstein, APR - Vice President for Education - is an account supervisor on the branded food team in the Seattle office of Publicis Dialog, a top-20 public relations firm noted for its influential food communications practice. Gruenstein has been a member of PRSA since 1997, serving on several committees and boards. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations from the University of Washington.

Erika Schmidt, APR - Vice President for Membership - has been in public relations, marketing and sales for more than 12 years and has helped lead The Frause Group through many successful marketing communications campaigns. The Puget Sound Business Journal recently recognized Schmidt's talents in their annual "40 Under 40" report, a showcase of rising stars in the Seattle business community. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Washington and is a founding board member of the Northwest Next Leaders Council as well as a member of The Rainier Club of Seattle.

Karin Munger, APR - Vice President for Programs - is a senior communications analyst with Safeco Life & Investments. She has 15 years of professional experience in writing, editing, marketing and public relations. She served as special sections editor for Washington CEO magazine, and worked in the corporate communications offices of Security Pacific Bank, Weyerhaeuser and Safeco Corp. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications/public relations from Washington State University and a master's in international business from Seattle University.

Walt Greenwood, APR - Ethics Officer/Nominations Committee - served as president of the Puget Sound chapter of PRSA this year, Greenwood will move to this new position in 2004. He has been a professional communicator for 30 years and a public relations professional for 25. A graduate of the University of Oregon, Walt worked as reporter for the La Grande, Ore. Observer and the Bellevue Journal-American before joining Pacific Northwest Bell as a writer and editor. In 1983 he joined AT&T as Northwest manager of community and media relations. Walt transferred to AT&T headquarters in 1991, managing communications projects and serving as executive speechwriter and media relations manager. When Lucent Technologies was formed in 1996, he led the company's creative services organization, and in 2000 he retired from Lucent and returned to the Northwest to open Greenwood Public Relations.

About PRSA:

The Puget Sound chapter of PRSA is the region's largest professional organization for public relations professionals, with nearly 400 members from throughout Western Washington. Members of this non-profit association represent corporations, agencies, sole practitioners, military, government, health care and other service organizations. The Puget Sound group is one of 116 chapters affiliated with the national PRSA organization, which serves 20,000 members. For more information: www.prsapugetsound.org

Editor's note:

APR is a mark of accreditation for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice. The designation is earned based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective and sound professional judgment. Nationwide, approximately 6,000 public relations professionals have achieved accreditation since the program began in 1964.