The Chair of the Board of Directors of Public Relations Without Borders (PRWB), Dominique Dionne, received the Yves-St-Amand award presented by the Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques (SQPRP) at its Gala des prix d’excellence on December 10, 2018, in Montréal.
The Prix Yves-St-Amand is awarded to public relations professionals who, over the course of their careers, have distinguished themselves through their professional activities, dedication and sharing of knowledge. The SQPRP therefore recognizes the productive and exceptional careers and contributions to the advancement of the public relations profession of professionals in the field.
The prize is named in honour of Yves St-Amand, who passed away in 2006. He was a great contributor to the development and recognition of the public relations profession in Québec.
Upon her acceptance of the prestigious award, Dominique Dionne underscored what a unique privilege it is to work as a public relations professional: “This profession allows us to crystallize the meeting of ideas and points of view and to elicit real conversations that more often than not have constructive or transformational implications. It is a profession based on real values, values of respect, transparency and dialogue. It is a profession of knowledge sharing and humanism. Those are the values and aspirations that guide us as public relations professionals.”
Dominique Dionne is the fourth Chair of the PRWB Board of Directors since it was founded in 2007. She has been in office since 2018. Her predecessors in that role were Guy Versailles, Francine Lahaye and the founder, Luc Beauregard.
Text of Dominique Dionne’s speech
- Good evening everyone, friends, family, colleagues and members of the SQPRP. Thank you all. I am very touched, this is an immense honour and I am very grateful to you. However, I would like to say that all of the years that I spent working as a public relations professional are my greatest reward.
- It is both a serious responsibility and a unique privilege to practise this wonderful profession. It allows us to crystallize the meeting of ideas and points of view and to elicit real conversations that more often than not have constructive or transformational implications. It is a profession based on real values, values of respect, transparency and dialogue. It is a profession of knowledge sharing and humanism. Those are the values and aspirations that guide us as public relations professionals.
- And, as we are talking about humanism, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit the Web site of Public Relations Without Borders to register as a member and thereby include your personal mission in the overall mission of PRWB.
- Lastly, I want to address all of those with whom I have had the pleasure of working, from near or far, throughout my career, and there are many of you here tonight. Thank you to all of my teams, past and present. Thank you to the PSP team for being there. And a very special thank you to my four children, who know better than anyone that practising this profession involves many unexpected turns of events, changing priorities and trips to faraway places.
- I am planning an exciting and important change in my professional life in a few weeks, a change of pace to explore new avenues. This recognition tonight touches me all the more at this pivotal time in my life as it allows me to look back on the past with great pride, and towards the future with great enthusiasm. Thank you so much.
