Black PR Wire Power Profiler on Cheryl Procter Rogers

Cheryl Procter-Rogers is currently the corporate affairs director for Home Box Office (HBO) and the new president of the Public Relations Society of America, the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. As the first African-American elected as president of the Chicago Chapter of PRSA, she holds the record as the youngest member ever to be inducted into the Public Relations Society of America's College of Fellows when she was inducted in the year 2000.

Ms. Procter-Rogers is an esteemed leader who wears many hats. In her role as corporate affairs director for HBO, she oversees the development and implementation of public relations and integrated marketing communications strategies for the Midwest region of North America, which includes 11 states.

Before settling at HBO, Ms. Procter-Rogers was president and owner of A Step Ahead, a public relations agency in Los Angeles. Some of her esteemed clients included The Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, Anheuser-Busch, Eastman Kodak Company, and Coca-Cola. Throughout her career, Ms. Procter-Rogers also served as the public relations and advertising director for Nielson North America in Northbrook, Illinois and a communications consultant in the Chicago area. Some of her clients included Sears Roebuck & Co., Nissan North America, Inc., McDonald's Corporation, Allstate Insurance Company and HBO.

Ms. Procter-Rogers did not achieve success overnight. The consummate professional, she obtained an M.B.A. from Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago and a B.S. in English and Journalism from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Ms. Procter-Rogers has also received a Business Certificate from the Loyola University School of Business Administration and a professional designation in public relations from UCLA Extension.

With so many talents, it's no wonder that Cheryl Procter-Rogers has received so many accolades and honors for her hard work. She was the recipient of the PRSA National President's Exceptional Service Award, the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation's Customer Focus Award, and Golden State Mutual Community Service Award. Additionally, Ms. Procter-Rogers was honored by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund with the "Black Woman of Achievement" Award and by the Los Angeles Black Media Coalition with the "Ida B. Wells Award."

When asked what she thought of diversity practices within the Public Relations Society of America, Ms. Procter-Rogers explained that "PRSA's diversity initiative began in earnest in the early 1980s with the creation of the Minority Affairs Task Force. Efforts included student scholarships, the distinguished D. Parke Gibson Award, professional development workshops and other activities. The initiative was turbo-charged in 2003 with a renewed commitment and funding led by PRSA President Reed Byrum. Under the leadership of current board member Rosanna Fiske, PRSA is building an infrastructure and providing new tools for inclusion and awareness that will serve our society, our members and the public relations profession for years to come."

Without a doubt, Ms. Procter-Rogers will continue to make a difference for years to come. Cheryl Procter-Rogers is married to Terry D. Rogers, chief investigator for Safeway Foods.