Martin Waxman, president of Martin Waxman Communications in Toronto, has been elected chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Counselors Academy.
Counselors Academy is a section of PRSA that focuses on the business of agency PR through networking, mentoring and learning activities. Its members are owners or senior managers of independent firms in the U.S. and Canada.
Another Canadian, Media Profile president Alison King, has been named conference chair for the Counselors Academy’s marquee event, its annual spring conference which starts May 1 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Members of Counselors Academy have at least 10 years of senior level PR experience. Through an affiliation agreement, membership in Counselors Academy is open to eligible members of the Canadian Public Relations Society.
Waxman says one of the first things he did when he started his own firm in 2004 was to join Counselors Academy.
“I was intrigued by the idea that there was a group of savvy, independent PR agency owners and leaders who would come together to learn and share ideas about how to better run their business,” he says. “It’s been the one of the best things I’ve done from a business learning perspective. And it helped me build close relationships with smart, open professionals I know I can trust.”
There are currently nine Canadians out of Counselors Academy’s 348 members.
Waxman, who writes a monthly column for Marketing, says most PR people who start agencies understand communications but don’t have a business background
“Counselors (Academy) is a bit like getting a business degree in agency PR.”
The annual conference presents sessions on topics such as leadership, streamlining your agency, legal and HR considerations, winning new clients and running a profitable firm.
Other programming includes monthly webinars and several regional events.
A content committee has also been started that will organize and share leadership pieces, articles and blog posts by members.
