Gainesville, Fla. [January 23, 2004] - The Institute for Public Relations (IPR) announced today that a Governance Committee is at work on the search for a new president and CEO for The Institute. Jack Felton, who has been head of IPR since 1995, has announced his plans to step down at year end 2004.

Heading the specially appointed search committee is Ward White, Co-Chair of the Institute for Public Relations, and vice president, corporate relations, Northwestern Mutual.

Other members of the committee are Peter D. Debreceny, vice president, corporate relations, Allstate Insurance Company, and Co-Chair of IPR; Steven J. Harris, vice president, communications, General Motors Corp.(retired); Alan Kelly, CEO, Applied Communications Group; Raymond L. Kotcher, senior partner and CEO, Ketchum; Kenneth D. Makovsky, President, Makovsky & Company, Inc.; Thomas R. Martin, senior vice president, corporate relations, ITT Industries; Katharine D. Paine, President and CEO, K.D. Paine & Partners; Dr. Don W. Stacks, professor, advertising & public relations, University of Miami; and Louis C. Williams, Jr., chairman and CEO, L.C. Williams & Associates.

Assisting the governance committee as advisors are David R. Drobis, senior partner and chairman, Ketchum (retired); Don Bates, managing director, marketing and new media, Media Distribution Services; IPR president and CEO John W. Felton, visiting professor, public relations, University of Florida; Dr. Kathleen S. Kelly, professor and chair, public relations, University of Florida; and Willard D. Nielsen, corporate vice president, public affairs, Johnson & Johnson.

Located in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida and formally named the Institute for Public Relations Research and Education, it is the only independent foundation of its kind in the public relations industry. IPR's mission is to improve the practice of public relations by serving as a catalyst to combine the best academic knowledge in the field with the finest professional practices.

White suggests those interested in the IPR position visit the web site at www.instituteforpr.org for a complete job description. "Past CEOs, each of whom has contributed distinguished public service, have viewed the position as a way of giving back to the profession," White said, "and the compensation level is not intended to be market-competitive with agency or corporate positions." Applications should be sent to the Institute for Public Relations, P.O. Box 118400, Gainesville, Fl. 32611-8400.