PRSA Maryland and Central Chesapeake Chapters explore merger
The Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the PRSA Central Chesapeake Chapter are in formal discussions to explore a potential merger.
The initiative, currently in an exploratory phase, comes as the Maryland Chapter works to rebuild momentum after struggling to maintain membership and programming in recent years. The Maryland Chapter was formed in 1961 and is based in Baltimore. The Chesapeake Chapter is Annapolis-based.
In an email to PRSA Maryland members, Chapter President Emily McDermott wrote:
“By joining forces with the Central Chesapeake Chapter, a complementary partner, we believe we can significantly expand our geographic reach, increase programming, and provide a richer network of colleagues and opportunities. This will be a merger of equals, resulting in a new chapter with a new name built on the strengths and history of both organizations.”
Teams from both chapters are working with PRSA National and have formed a Chapter Merger Committee composed of past and present members from each chapter. From the Maryland side, Greg Abel, president of Abel Communications, is serving as co-chair, and Jana Duckett, PhD, an associate professor in the Strategic Communication Department at Morgan State University, is a committee member. McDermott and Ray Feldmann, president of the Central Chesapeake Chapter, also serve on the committee.
McDermott said the chapters are collaborating closely with Sonja Barisic, PRSA Regional Representative for the Mid-Atlantic District, to ensure the process follows PRSA National’s guidelines.
As part of the due diligence process, both chapters recently distributed an online survey to members to gather input on the potential merger. Any final proposal would require approval from the memberships of both chapters before advancing to PRSA National for final authorization.
