NEW YORK (Oct. 31, 2008) — The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) announced today that it has selected Robert E. Dittmer, APR, as the 2008 recipient of the Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Leadership Award for his significant contributions to the public relations profession, as well as strict adherence to the highest ethical standards in public affairs advocacy for U.S. diplomatic and military policies.
Presented by the PRSA Public Affairs and Government (PAG) Section, the Dennis award was established in honor of the late Section president, Lloyd B. Dennis, whose career included work as a senior public affairs officer for a major banking institution, speechwriter and public affairs officer for three secretaries of the Treasury in the Johnson and Nixon administrations, and as a journalist for The New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, and Congressional Quarterly.
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During his 30 years in public relations, Dittmer has worked as a military public affairs leader, private-agency owner and an academic leader. Through his work, he has strived to bring value and strong ethical practice to the public relations field. His efforts and accomplishments have been recognized by the U.S. Army, NATO, PRSA and the Defense Information School. Dittmer currently is director of public relations graduate studies and sequence coordinator of the public relations undergraduate sequence at Indiana University. He also is academic advisor to the university’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Chapter and Jaguar Communications, the Chapter’s student-operated public relations agency.
“Most importantly, Dittmer is all about setting others up to succeed in the field, as illustrated by two major career contributions to the public relations profession” said Ann Knabe, PAG chair.
Preparing for crises
At the conclusion of the Gulf War, Dittmer was selected by the commanding powers of the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a training program designed to prepare majors and lieutenant colonels to serve as public affairs officers at the corporate and superior evels. The U.S. Department of Defense was concerned that its senior public affairs officers in major units and commanding roles were not adequately prepared for the rigorous demands of their public affairs responsibilities. As Dittmer was committed to success, he developed a program that required officers to complete a six-week program that included course work at the Defense Information School in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. The program was based on the Accreditation in Public Relations process and the key skill area requirements overlaid a military approach focused on joint operations between military units. The program was so well-received that Dittmer was awarded the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his oversight and implementation of this key military program.
Preparing for the future
Dittmer’s contributions to the public relations industry continue as he prepares the next generation of top public relations professionals for the field. In August 2005, Dittmer, who has transitioned from military leader and public servant to public relations agency owner, closed his private practice days and joined the staff of the Indiana University School of Journalism in Indianapolis. In less than two years, Dittmer evolved the Indianapolis public relations program from a nine-hour certificate program to a full-scale bachelor’s curriculum, complete with PRSA endorsement; a PRSSA Chapter; a student-run, in-house public relations agency; and a growing program faculty. Additionally, Dittmer recognized the need for a progressive graduate program for Indianapolis public relations professionals — a program for which he made strenuous efforts to establish in record time.
“For those of us who know Bob Dittmer, these pioneering programs and contributions are no surprise,” said PAG Chair-Elect Stephanie McFarland, who teaches with Dittmer and has co-authored two books with him. “He is a man fully dedicated to this profession who has worked diligently throughout his career to bring knowledge, ethics, trust, and top performance to those around him. Many have gone on from his teachings and programs to help spread effective public relations and increase its credibility within their organizations.
“In all, this quiet, but passionate little man has brought a dynamite-sized powered punch to the practice of public relations for more than 30 years. He is truly an example of what the Lloyd B. Dennis award stands for.”
During his 20-year U.S. Army career, Dittmer has held leadership roles in combat units and senior staff positions. While deputy director of the Public Affairs Department at the Defense Information School in 1992, he developed the Joint Public Affairs Advanced Course under the direction of the assistant secretary of defense for Public Affairs. In 2007, Dittmer developed the first Indiana University graduate program in public relations.
He has received several public relations honors, including the 1998 PRSA Excellence in Professional Service Award from the Hoosier Chapter, PRSA and Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 1992. He has also served as a PRSA District, as well as a PRSA Section chair. He has more than 36 years of professional leadership and management experience, including 26 years in professional public relations and more than 20 years as an educator.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters nationwide and 20 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 289 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
