The Arthur W. Page Society has selected Donald K. Wright, Ph.D., to receive the 2007 Distinguished Service Award. The annual award recognizes an individual who has helped strengthen the role of public relations in our society by devoting themselves to service which helps build and nurture the profession. The award will be formally presented during the 24th Annual Arthur W. Page Society's Conference, which is taking place in Southern California from September 16-18.

Donald K. Wright, Ph.D., is Professor of Public Relations in the College of Communication at Boston University and an internationally known professor, author, speaker, researcher, advisor, and corporate communications consultant. In addition to teaching, conducting scholarly and applied research, and lecturing in 28 countries on five continents, Dr. Wright has worked full-time in corporate, agency and university public relations, and has been a corporate communications consultant for three decades. He also has been a daily newspaper reporter, weekly newspaper editor and a broadcast journalist.

Since 1989, Professor Wright has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arthur W. Page Society. He also has enjoyed a long-time board association with the Institute for Public Relations. He brought Page and the Institute together as co-sponsors of the highly successful, 15 year-old Public Relations Executive Forum, an annual training and development seminar program for high potential, corporate communications and public relations executives. He also directs the annual Public Relations Leadership Forum that Page, the Institute and the Council of Public Relations Firms offer each year for high profile agency professionals and corporate communications managers who work with public relations firms.

A member of the Page Society since 1986, Dr. Wright is also the immediate past chair of the Institute's Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation, a former chair of the Public Relations Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), one of the founders of the Education Academy of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and a former National Advisor of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

A proven leader whose counsel others seek in the areas of ethics and responsibility, training and professional development and research, measurement and evaluation, Professor Wright is one of the world's most published public relations scholars and the author of nearly 200 articles, monographs, book chapters and conference presentations.

Roger Bolton, president of the Arthur W. Page Society, said the honors committee was unanimous in its selection of Donald K. Wright as the winner of the 2007 Distinguished Service Award. "Donald has devoted himself to the communications industry for nearly 20 years. The Page Society congratulates Donald for his accomplishments and we thank him for serving as a role model in our profession," said Bolton.

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award was created to honor an individual, who over the years has helped strengthen the role of public relations. Successful candidates have served the profession by improving its overall value and effectiveness. The recipients of this award helped strengthen the role of public relations in our society by devoting themselves to services that help build and nurture the profession. Winners may have championed the merits of public relations; written articles and/or books; conducted opinion research; developed educational programs; and worked with students, professional groups and community groups.

About the Arthur W. Page Society

The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association composed primarily of the chief communications officers (CCOs) of the world's top multinational corporations, and the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies. The organization's members also include academics from the leading business and communications schools.

The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief communications officers. The Page Society is upheld by management concepts, known as the Page Principles, which have been tested for more than half a century and have earned the support and respect of chief executive officers throughout the country. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Arthur W. Page Society.

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For more information contact:
Dawn Hanson
Communications Director
216.932.8641
dhanson@awpagesociety.com