Gulf Coast PRSA honors public relations pros

NAPLES, Fla. - Oct. 18, 2019 - PRLog -- The Gulf Coast Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) honored two prominent public relations professionals for their service to the industry during an awards ceremony on Oct. 2.

Denyse Smith Mesnik, APR, president of The Mesnik Group, received the PRSA Sunshine District Geri Evans Award for Distinguished Service. She founded her company in 2016 following a 25-year career as vice president of corporate communications for Beasley Media Group. Mesnik is a past officer of the PRSA Sunshine District, and a founding member and former president of the Gulf Coast Chapter of PRSA.

"This award means the world to me," said Mesnik. "I am honored, humbled and forever grateful for the role PRSA has played, and continues to play, in my professional and personal life."

Donna Heiser, APR, CFRE, chief advancement and external affairs officer at Ave Maria School of Law, received special recognition for attaining 35 years as a member of PRSA. She served as president of the Gulf Coast Chapter of PRSA in 2013.

"I am so grateful to PRSA and the wonderful group who came out to celebrate," said Heiser. "How fortunate we are to have so many talented colleagues in our chapter that are part the nation's leading professional organization serving the communications community."

More than 30 guests, including three representatives from the PRSA Sunshine District traveled from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale to participate in the Gulf Coast Chapter PRSA Celebration event on Oct. 2 at Burntwood Tavern at the Mercato in Naples.

Participants included Geri Evans, APR, Fellow PRSA and former member of the PRSA National Board; J.W. Arnold, APR, Fellow PRSA and 2019 chair of the PRSA Sunshine District; and Christina Morton, APR, immediate past chair of the PRSA Sunshine District and 2019 Radiance Awards chair.

For more information about the Gulf Coast Chapter of PRSA, visit www.gulfcoastprsa.org.