Becoming A Member

The Page Society is a membership organization composed of individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of corporate communications or public relations. It is anticipated members will be peers and able to share common experiences and challenges. It is expected members understand, accept, and support the Page Principles.

Membership in the Page Society is restricted to professionals who are, or have been, in policy-making positions or who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of public relations or corporate communications. Membership is granted to individuals, not the companies they represent. Although it has strict criteria for gaining membership, the Society has been able to attract the best and brightest of the profession. Members are proven leaders who set the standards for the profession.

Who can join?

Below are the major categories of membership, as defined in the Society’s bylaws:

  • Individual – An individual member is any member that does not qualify as an Educator, Non Profit/ Government, Honorary or Life Member. Annual dues for Individual Members are $1395. The criteria for an Individual members are as follows:

Individual Corporate:

  1. Hold the top corporate communications position and have a broad range of responsibilities. For example, candidates who report to the CEO and appear in the Annual Report are highly desirable for membership.
  2. The individual holding the top communications position in the US for a non-US based corporation also is eligible for consideration.
  3. A candidate’s company should generate at least $2 billion in annual revenues.
  4. Eligible candidates should have held their current position for at least one year.

Individual (PR Agency, Opinion Research)

To be considered for full membership a candidate must hold the top position (CEO) in the agency, and must meet two of these three criteria:

  1. Be recognized as having a significant practice in corporate communications with major corporations, particularly with Fortune 500 companies.
  2. Be employed in an agency with annual fees exceeding $10 million.
  3. Be considered a thought leader in corporate communications as evidenced by activities such as published articles, speaking engagements and contributions to the industry.

• Educator

To be considered for membership as an educator, a candidate must meet three of these four criteria:

  1. Possess an earned doctorate or equivalent
  2. Be employed in a full-time public relations or corporate communication teaching position in an accredited institution of higher learning.
  3. Produce a substantial body of research and be published in corporate communication or public relations venues.
  4. Currently be serving as the director or senior faculty member of their program or instructional group in their institution of higher learning.

Annual dues for Educator Members are $595.

• Non Profit and Government

To be considered for membership as a non-profit or government member:

  1. The individual must hold the top communication position in the non-profit or government organization and have broad responsibilities
  2. The individual is considered a thought leader in communications, supported by published articles, speaking engagements, sphere of influence
  3. The organization is considered a leader in its area of expertise
  4. The organization has a track record of constructive relationships with corporations
  5. Communication is an important function to the organization
  6. The organization adheres to the Page Principles

Membership in this category is limited to five people per year with a maximum total of five percent of the membership. Annual dues for Non Profit and Government Members are $1395.

• Life

This category is closed, but is grandfathered to those who retired from their corporate position prior to December 31, 1992 and are not actively engaged in the profession. Annual dues are $110.

• Honorary

Individuals, who because of their contributions to the practice of public relations, may be elected by unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees as an Honorary Member. Persons inducted into the Society’s Hall of Fame and recipients of the Distinguished Service Award are elected to this category.

We are Growing Globally

The Arthur W. Page Society welcomes nominations for membership from qualifying senior public relations professionals in companies in all countries.

“Corporate communications is a global profession,” said former president Tom Martin, “and the Society’s growing international membership reflects our common interest in issues confronting practitioners in major companies around the globe.”

While the Society’s current membership is largely North American, several Europe-based corporate communicators are active in the Society and are encouraging others to consider participation.

Where ever they are situated, Society members have access to full membership benefits – from conference and committee participation to networking with others in the Society. The Society’s web site provides news and information to all inquirers. Member contact information is accessible exclusively to members.

What’s the process for becoming a member of the Society?

The process for joining the Arthur W. Page Society is this:

  • An active member of the Society proposes consideration of the individual, by completing the sponsorship form available from the Society’s office or by writing a letter describing the individual’s job and title (and to whom the individual reports), and if practicable, enclosing a current biography of the candidate.
  • The Membership Committee reviews nominations and makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees for action at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. Accepted candidates and their sponsors are notified. If a candidate is not accepted, the sponsor is notified.
  • The proposed candidate receives an application and guidelines for submitting it to the Society’s offices. Upon payment of the appropriate fee, the candidate becomes a member immediately and is more formally and personally welcomed at the next annual conference of the Society.

For answers to specific questions on Arthur W. Page Society membership, contact Ray Jordan (RJordan@corus.jnj.com), chair of the Membership Committee. To download a membership sponsor form:

Membership Sponsor Form (PDF)

Membership Sponsor Form (Word)

What are the opportunities for participation?

All members are invited to all functions of the Society and all are qualified for election to the Board of Trustees, to become officers, and to serve on committees. A questionnaire is sent to each new member, asking for his or her interests and preferences for committee assignment. Each committee chair welcomes volunteers to committee work.

Renewing your membership:

To renew your membership for 2012, please click here.

 

New Rule for Retaining Membership

  •  Members joining or rejoining Page on or after June 29, 2011 must retain employment that would qualify them for membership. On an annual basis, during membership renewal, members whose current role makes them ineligible for continued Page Society membership will be allowed a one-year grace period to take employment in a qualifying role.

New Rule for Changing Membership Category

  •  Members who join after June 29th, 2011 and are not yet members for life must qualify for membership under their new membership category, if they switch from one category to another. For example, if Jane Doe moves from a Chief Communications Officer job to an agency position, she must qualify under the rules guiding agency membership in order to continue in the organization.

Abolishing Automatic Membership for Life

  •  Until now, the Page Society has allowed members to automatically remain members for life, as long as their dues were paid on time each year. The Board has agreed to abolish this provision for new members who join on or after June 29th, 2011.
  • Current members, who joined the organization before June 29th, 2011, will continue to enjoy membership-for-life, as long as they remain continuous members in good standing, including paying their dues.
  • The new rules will also not apply to Hall of Fame or Distinguished Service Award winners, who will always automatically qualify as lifetime members. Past Chairs of Page’s Board of Trustees will also qualify automatically for lifetime membership.

Qualifying for Membership for Life

  • Members joining or rejoining after June 29th will be eligible to apply for lifetime membership after they have been members in good standing for seven years.