VP of Communications and Marketing Joseph A. Brennan Will Be Inducted into PRSA College of Fellows

Joseph A. Brennan, Vice President of Communications and Marketing.

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 24, 2017) – The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has announced that University at Albany Vice President of Communications and Marketing and Clinical Professor of Business Joseph A. Brennan is one of 11 new members approved for induction into the organization’s prestigious College of Fellows.

PRSA’s College of Fellows is considered the pinnacle of a public relations professional’s career. Since its founding in 1989, fewer than 400 of PRSA’s 21,000 members have been admitted. Brennan is one of just three SUNY faculty and staff to ever earn this distinction.

“I am honored and humbled that my peers selected me for this distinction,” said Brennan. “I owe a great deal of my success to the amazing people I work with here at UAlbany. My staff, students and peers inspire and challenge me every day. Our senior leaders are great collaborators who support me at every turn. I also credit my success to my SUNY education and to the opportunities I have enjoyed through my teaching and administrative roles here and at the University at Buffalo. SUNY has supported my career development and allowed me to do the publishing, volunteering and mentoring that are required to become a Fellow.”

Just as the National Academies recognize the nation’s best scientists, engineers, physicians, artists and writers, the College of Fellows recognizes the nation’s most accomplished communicators. To be inducted, a practitioner or educator must have at least 20 years of experience, hold the Accredited in Public Relations credential and have demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in the practice or teaching of public relations.

Selections are made by a College of Fellows panel after rigorous review of a candidate’s experiences and character.

“Joe is the consummate public relations professional — very interested in measurement and evaluation of public relations programs, and in persuading university administrators to measure their communication programs,” said Deborah Silverman, associate chair and associate professor of communication at SUNY Buffalo State and College of Fellows member. "In addition, he has been an outstanding leader of PRSA’s Counselors to Higher Education (CHE) section, delivering excellent programming and offering superb networking opportunities to CHE members through the annual CHE conference. He is a stellar addition to our College of Fellows.”

“I have known Dr. Brennan for eight years as SUNY Chancellor, and I can assure you that he meets all the criteria needed for membership in the PRSA’s College of Fellows – and then some,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Joe is highly respected by his peers in the field of higher education public relations and marketing. He is also an active leader within the SUNY system. I congratulate him on this much-deserved career distinction.”

“Appointment to the PRSA’s College of Fellows is an extraordinary honor for communications practitioners, and we could not be more proud of Joe Brennan’s tremendous contributions, both to his field and to UAlbany as a vice president and valued faculty member at the School of Business,” said UAlbany Interim President James R. Stellar. “I know he will represent the University well in this capacity and bring the critical perspective of higher education communications to the table.”

"Congratulations to my dear friend and colleague, Joe Brennan, on this remarkable distinction,” said Matt Nagel, managing director of public affairs at New York University and the chair-elect of PRSA’s CHE section. “Joe has made significant contributions to the public relations profession and it is exciting to see someone with his work ethic, integrity and strategic mind receive this well-deserved honor. It is worth noting Joe's exceptional service to the Counselor of Higher Education section of PRSA, his thought leadership in the higher education space of our industry and the countless professionals who he has mentored throughout his career."

The 2017 College of Fellows inductees will be welcomed officially on Oct. 7 during a special ceremonial dinner at the PRSA International Conference.

Other inductees include:

Loring Barnes, APR, Fellow PRSA, COO/Managing Principal, Clarity
Dotti Gallagher, APR, Fellow PRSA, Principal, Dotti Gallagher Consulting
Kevin Gaydosh, APR, Fellow PRSA, Director of Public Relations/Strategic Planner, O’Brien et al Advertising
Janelle Guthrie, APR, Fellow PRSA, Communications Director, Washington Employment Security Department
David Hakensen, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Vice President, FleishmanHillard
Barbara Paynter, APR, Fellow PRSA, President, Paynter Communications LLC
Sonja Popp-Stahly, APR, Fellow PRSA, Manager, Global Employee Communications, Eli Lilly and Company
Nancy J. Sterling, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications, ML Strategies, LLC
Kaye D. Sweetser, Ph.D., APR+M, Fellow PRSA, Professor, San Diego State University
Mary Beth West, APR, Fellow PRSA, Principal, Mary Beth West Communications, Inc.

You can learn more about PRSA by visiting www.prsa.org.

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