2025 PRSA Leadership Assembly delegates elect new board members prepared to focus on the growth of the association

Dawn Buzynski, APR, and Jane Keairns, APR, acted as delegates for the Iowa PRSA Chapter at the 2025 Leadership Assembly on Friday, October 3. The delegates cast votes on behalf of our members which included:

·       Two delegates at large (Lauri-Ellen Smith, APR, EPIO, Fellow PRSA and Raquel Rivera-Torres) and one international delegate at large (Maria Bengtsson), an uncontested slate for the board and one petition for the SE district. The vote passed (78%).

Items of note:

·       Kevin Waetke, APR, Fellow PRSA, from our chapter was re-elected for his second term as Treasurer for 2026.

·       Treasurer reported a $1.7 Million deficit, investments covered deficit. Deficit at this point in the year isn’t unusual and was expected. ICON is not yet reflected in the budget and is on track to meet forecasts. Kevin shared the organization has a strong financial team and it has strong governance (auditing and procedures).

·       The board and staff are focused on four areas to help address the gap including rebuilding membership(s), new revenue sources / vigilant expense management, resources for chapters/districts/sections and preparing to vacate the New York office at the end of the lease in February 2027 (fully remote team).

·       PRSA CEO Matthew Marcial shared that there is a staff restructure that includes three new staff members to help move PRSA toward a vibrant future.

·       The board conducted a perception study which will inform strategies to retain and recruit members.

·       PRSA membership is lagging goal in 2025, slight uptick in joins and reinstatements.

·       Attendance at events is softer than in prior years, demand for in person remains strong.

·       Member Mondays have been well received, with more than 4,200 attendees.

·       Focusing on executing digital first, as a result Strategies and Tactics will be moving to digital only. Other printed materials will be assessed on-going.

·       Streamlined email communication resulting in year-over-year increase in click through rates: 4.1% to 5.6%