Dr. Kaye Sweetser named to Public Relations Accreditation Board

Dr. Kaye Sweetser

Congratulations to Dr. Kaye Sweetser, Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, who has been appointed to the prestigious Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), the leading certification body for the public relations profession. She has nearly two decades of experience in practicing public relations.

Dr. Sweetser joins other public relations professionals around the nation who serve on the board, which represents broad participation from industry practice segments, including educators, industry leaders, government and military public affairs officers, nonprofit organizations and public relations firms.  The UAB administers the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations and coordinates all activities related to the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation.

The UAB was established in 1998 by a coalition of public relations professional organizations, and now includes the Agricultural Relations Council, Asociación de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico, Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public Relations Society of America, Religion Communicators Council, and Southern Public Relations Federation. Each organization contributes resources and senior-level volunteer members representing all segments of the public relations profession. For a complete list of UAB members and other information about the APR designation and UAB, visit www.praccreditation.org.

ADPR and Grady mourn the loss of Don Perry (ABJ '74)

Don Perry (ABJ '74). (photo by Peter Frey for Georgia Magazine)

Grady College alumnus Donald (Don) A. Perry (ABJ '74), spokesman and vice president of corporate public relations for Chick-fil-A, died suddenly early this morning.


Perry began working for Chick-fil-A in August 1983 as part of the company's public relations staff, and helped the company grow into a national chain, according to a recent profile of Perry for Georgia Magazine. During his time at Chick-fil-A, the company had established several programs, including its WinShape Foundation, which creates student scholarships and fosters community leadership. Before he worked for Chick-fil-A, the Valdosta native began his career at General Electric as part of their in-house news bureau. 


Perry was an active and involved alumnus, serving Grady College and the greater UGA community. Perry has been on Grady College's professional advisory board and on the UGA Arch Foundation's Board of Trustees since 2004. He has also served as a trustee of the UGA Foundation and editorial board member of Georgia Magazine. He was also involved with the Atlanta Press Club and the Georgia chapter of Public Relations Society of America, serving as chapter president in 1993. In 2006, Grady College awarded him the John Holliman Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011, he received the Blue Key Service Award from UGA’s Blue Key Honor Society.


We will dearly miss him.