The PRSA Hoosier Chapter thanks all who volunteered as president since our founding in 1981. It’s because of their hard work and dedication that our Chapter is recognized nationally as one of the strongest in the association.
| Year | President |
| 1981-82 | Robert L.W. Clark, APR |
| 1982 | Margaret G. Root, APR |
| 1982-83 | Stanley A. Huseland, APR |
| 1983-84 | David L. Shank, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 1984-85 | Alice M. Irvan, APR |
| 1985-86 | Joanne S. Dring, APR |
| 1986-87 | Hugh Orr |
| 1987-88 | Myra J. Borshoff, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 1988-89 | Billie J. Scott, APR |
| 1989-90 | Deborah J. Evans, APR |
| 1990-91 | Robert E. Norris, APR |
| 1991-92 | Ann M. Rein, APR |
| 1993 | Dr. Melvin L. Sharpe, Fellow PRSA |
| 1994 | Julie A. Vincent, APR |
| 1995 | Erik C.A. Johnson, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 1996 | Dan P. Millar, APR |
| 1997 | Marilyn L. Shank, APR |
| 1998 | Robert E. Dittmer, APR |
| 1999 | Christopher Brooks, APR |
| 2000 | Angeline Protogere, APR |
| 2001 | Robert S. Birge |
| 2002 | Fred Bagg, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 2003 | Alice McColgin, APR |
| 2004 | Jennifer Young Dzwonar, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 2005 | Deanna Lepsky, APR |
| 2006 | Robert Schultz, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 2007 | Myra S. Cocca, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 2008 | Sonja Popp-Stahly, APR, Fellow PRSA |
| 2009 | Jennifer Mahoney, APR |
| 2010 | Jamaison Schuler, APR |
| 2011 | Becky Polston, APR |
| 2012 | Bobbi Simmons, APR |
| 2013 | Kay Millar, APR |
| 2014 | Vanessa Stiles, APR |
| 2015 | Courtney Kasinger, APR |
| 2016 | Andrea Farmer, APR |
| 2017 | Melissa Geitgey, APR |
| 2018 | Megan Bulla, APR |
| 2019 | Emily Kibling, APR |
| 2020 | Kendall Horvatich |
| 2021 | Allyson Johnson, APR |
| 2022 | Deeksha Kapoor |
| 2023 | Hyacinth Rucker |
| 2024 | Mark Back |
| 2025 | Brytnie Dickerson |
| 2026 | Lamar Holliday |
The Passing of the Spoon: A Hoosier Chapter PRSA Tradition
Remembered (sort of) by David Shank, APR, Fellow PRSA
Once upon a time, in the year of 19 and 81, there was a pleasant little PRSA Chapter in a pleasant Midwestern community. The pleasant little chapter saw that growth was on the way in the pleasant little community, but it was a long way off.
The pleasant little PRSA Chapter had a membership of, oh, maybe a hundred, and maybe 25 or 30 people attended monthly meetings. The meetings were in a deteriorating old downtown hotel affectionately known as the Essex House, which is now a classy parking lot.
The leadership of the pleasant little PRSA Chapter was frugal – with few members you have to be. They were so frugal that the Chapter didn’t own a gavel.
Since the pleasant little chapter wasn’t rowdy most of the time and didn’t often have to be called to order, a gavel really wasn’t necessary. Until …
… the president changed, and there was no gavel to pass. How could the new president of the pleasant little PRSA Chapter assume the mantle of leadership with the passing of the gavel if there was no gavel? Outgoing President Bob Clark, APR, recognized the total absurdity of transferring power without the proper tool. Seated nearby, David Shank, APR, using well-developed street sense and innate ingenuity, slipped a magnificent and unused Essex Hotel teaspoon to President Clark.
At that moment, the Order of the Silver Spoon was born.
The honorific spoon was presented to the new president, Peg Root, as the symbol of leadership from one regime to another. (There is no truth to the rumor that the appropriation of a piece of flatware led to the ultimate bankruptcy of the hotel.)
From that day decades ago, in sparse and Spartan surroundings, the hallowed tradition of the PRSA Hoosier Chapter Order of the Silver Spoon has sparked the growth of the pleasant little Chapter to a major power in the Public Relations Society of America.
We extend our gratitude to those who have held leadership positions with the chapter and to all of our chapter’s members, past and present, who have created a proud legacy of public relations in Indiana.