At the 2009 Puget Sound Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapter’s holiday gala last week, there was something besides the live auction of locally-baked deserts that raised a few brows in the room.  

The holiday gala traditionally marks the announcement of the PRSA “PR Professional of the Year” award. This year, not only were there two recipients of this award, but they are also both former strategic communication professors of mine, Soon Beng Yeap and Barry Mitzman, from my alma matter, Seattle University.

A pioneer of public relations higher-education, Soon Beng Yeap came to Seattle University in 2006 and took the communication department by storm. With much persistence, he established the first-ever undergraduate degree program in strategic communication in the State of Washington by Fall 2007.

If you’re noticing an influx in highly-qualified competition for public relations positions around town, at least you now know who to blame.