The steering committee of the proposed trade association for PR agencies, tentatively being called the American Association of Public Relations Firms, met last Monday in New York to consider proposals from two companies that help groups form trade associations as well as to go over its fund-raising and start-up plans.
At that meeting, principals from seven companies, including The Weber Group, Johnston Wells, Ketchum, Morgan & Myers, Boxenbaum Grates, GCI and The Evans Group, gathered to hear development proposals from representatives from The Forbes Group and Smith Bucklin & Associates, two Washington, D.C.-based companies who guide industry professionals trying to set up trade associations.
Although a formal deal has yet to be struck between the two, the steering committee has decided to select Smith Bucklin & Associates to help develop the association and handle issues such as how bylaws will be set up; how the organization will be governed; what its business, strategic and marketing plans will be; and how its dues structure will be put in place.
It will also look at what the staffing needs will be and how the organization will broach, and handle, lobbying for those in PR.
Up By Winter?
The goal is for the organization to be up and running by February.
The concept of a new trade association for the PR field grew out of a PRSA Counselor's Academy plan adopted in 1995 and was discussed at the PRSA Counselor's Academy conference held in March in St. Petersburg, Fla. There, counselors met to go over some of their concerns and to discuss the logistics surrounding such an organization.
More than $100,000 in seed money has already been "committed" by small-, mid- and large-sized agencies, according to Gary Myers, executive VP of Morgan & Myers and one of those spearheading the effort for the new organization, which is primarily being developed to set quality standards for companies handling PR and related communications disciplines.
Execs at close to 30 firms, thus far, have indicated that they will earmark funds to help bolster the group financially so that Smith Bucklin & Associates can be hired as a consultant and so start-up costs can be covered, according to Myers.
Myers said those involved in the development of the organization will meet again in late July and that plans are to set up a bank account and ink a contract with Smith Bucklin if things proceed as planned. (Gary Myers, 414/674-4026)