Dear FPRA Family,

As we step into 2025, we celebrate a significant milestone in our chapter’s history – our 40th anniversary. Chartered on January 16, 1985, we were founded during a time of change and connection. The emergence of personal computing and the growing globalization of media, laid the groundwork for the tools and platforms we rely on today.

On a personal note, I was in 8th grade with coke bottle glasses and a Dorothy Hamill haircut. (Yes, there is photo evidence, but you’ll never see it because this was pre-social media. 😌) While I remember these events, I had no idea the impact they would make our on profession at the time.

  • The launch of Windows 1.0 and the rise of personal computing started a new path in how we communicated and shared information, paving the way for the digital tools we rely on today.
  • “We Are the World” was recorded, uniting voices for a cause and demonstrating the power of collaboration and storytelling.
  • New Coke debuted, only to become a legendary case study in understanding and responding to public perception.
  • Live Aid made history, raising over $100 million to combat hunger through a globally coordinated event that showed the reach and influence of the media.
  • The first Blockbuster Video store opened, signaling a cultural shift in entertainment and consumer behavior.

These milestones remind us of the decade in which our chapter was born – a time when we relied on tools like fax machines, hard-wired phones and mailed press kits versus e-mail, text messages, and social media. Over the past 40 years, our industry, along with every other, has undergone incredible transformation.

Today, we navigate a world that’s immediate – where we can connect with people in real time. Analytics tools enable data-driven decision-making, and virtual collaboration tools have expanded the ways we engage with each other. Despite these advancements – building relationships, fostering trust, and telling meaningful stories – are the core of what we do.

Over the last two weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of talking with our chapter’s Past Presidents as part of preparing a special video that will debut at our anniversary celebration on January 27 from 5p-7p at Ter-Tini’s. Their dedication reminds me that while the tools and tactics of our profession may change, our mission to advance the public relations profession endures.

I’m so glad to have you as part of this journey as we honor the past, embrace the present, and shape the future of public relations in our community.

Happy Anniversary #FPRASWFL.

Here’s to making 2025 a year to remember!

Lauren Bernaldo, APR, CPRC