PACE Center’s Melissa Simontis Earns Public Relations Accreditation

Nov. 10, 2010 - PRLog -- Melissa Simontis, APR, of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) recently earned professional public relations accreditation, and received the designation of Accredited in Public Relations (APR).

Simontis joins the more than 4,300 active public relations professionals worldwide who represent an elite group of highly skilled professionals committed to practicing with exemplary ethical standards.

Simontis is director of development for the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County, where she is responsible for planning and executing the center’s fundraising initiatives, overseeing volunteers, and promoting PACE’s mission throughout the community. Simontis holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising from Florida Southern College and a master’s in business administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. She is chairwoman of the Women in Business Committee for the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and special projects chair for Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA (http://www.fpraswfl.org).

To earn accreditation, candidates must pass an oral presentation and rigorous written examination administered by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), which is an alliance of eight national and statewide professional associations dedicated to furthering the field of public relations and the development of public relations professionals. FPRA is a member of the UAB.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida.  Visit http://www.fpraswfl.org for more information on the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association.

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The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to programs and activities that enhance the success of public relations professionals in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades Counties.