PR Start by Nick Lucido

Since the announcement that Betsy Plank–PRSSA’s godmother, adviser, champion and friend–passed away Sunday, there have been some beautiful memories posted about the kind of person Betsy was. I remember meeting Betsy at the PRSSA 2008 National Conference in Detroit. At that point, I really had no idea what a big deal she was. Now, I wish I would have been able to express my gratitude for how much she’s done for PRSSA.

In exactly one week, my term begins as PRSSA National President, and this includes board service on the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. To be around people Betsy inspired is more than an honor for me; it’s the start of career commitment to mentorship and service in the profession I believe in.

This also means my term will be the first National Committee without Betsy around. What I’ve come to discover in the past several days is while she won’t be around, her legacy will. She was an incredible and passionate leader with unparalleled industry awards, yet she remained humble through her dedication to inspiring future generations of leaders.

Looking forward in our profession, I see evidence of Betsy’s influence in so many current and future leaders. While I many not have been one of her direct beneficiaries, her mentees and colleagues have been instrumental in my young career. Brandi and Rebecca, who have been putting up with me for a long time, have helped me grow into the leader I am today. My Edelman career (which began one year ago on Wednesday!) started because of a scholarship in Daniel Edelman’s name; Betsy used to work with him. And the countless people who have answered my crazy e-mails, phone calls and lunch meetings can be credited with most of the good decisions I’ve ever made.

So, as we mourn the loss of an incredible, dynamic and passionate leader, we should also be thinking about how we all can best carry on the torch. To quote Betsy’s Distinguished Service Award acceptance speech, “Public relations education needs and deserves more such responsible angels.” For those of us who she inspired, both directly and indirectly, I hope we can carry on Betsy’s legacy.