PRINZ inducts new Life member and two new Fellows in 2020
The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) has awarded Life membership to Catherine Arrow in recognition of her significant service over many years.
Catherine’s contribution to PRINZ and the profession is enormous. Instrumental in establishing the Institute’s professional development programme, she is always at the forefront of global developments in public relations.
Life membership is the highest accolade and previously awarded to just 16 recipients.
At the awards ceremony, PRINZ also inducted two new Fellows: Lee Harris, Pike River Recovery Agency, and Michele Hider, Priority Communications.
PRINZ Fellows demonstrate a high degree of competence in the practice of public relations and are nominated based on their significant contribution to the enhancement of the public relations profession. The new Life member and Fellows were inducted by PRINZ Chair Fiona Cassidy and Chair of the PRINZ College of Fellows, Julien Leys at its annual awards ceremony held virtually on Thursday 11 June.
Life Member: Catherine Arrow
Catherine Arrow is an outstanding and internationally recognised public relations professional.
Before emigrating to New Zealand, she was one of the most respected and accomplished practitioners and teachers of public relations in the UK, being awarded the Chartered Institute of Public Relations PR Professional of the Year for the Midlands in 2000 and being awarded fellowship in 2005.
Since arriving in New Zealand in 2005, Catherine’s contribution to both PRINZ and our profession has been enormous. In recognition of her work she was awarded the highly regarded and seldom presented PRINZ President’s Medal in 2012 and made a PRINZ Fellow in 2013.
Catherine has always been committed to professional development, both in the UK and here.
In 2006 Catherine set up the strong foundations for the now successful PRINZ professional development programme and has been involved ever since. Today PRINZ members are enthusiastic users of professional development with over 80% of members attending a course in the last year and spending up to 23 hours a year on professional development.
Catherine has always been at the forefront of developments, unafraid to take on the challenge of new technologies and practices, indeed embracing them. Her leadership in the profession in the social media, on-line and Artificial Intelligence space is recognised globally.
Catherine is a thought-leader of international standing and has presented at fora throughout the world on many topics of practice. More importantly she considers and orients her thinking towards the future and how public relations can capitalise on the opportunities offered.
Catherine’s commitment to service is part of who she is.
She has served the CIPR and she was an outstanding Secretary of the Global Alliance of Public Relations and Communication Management until 2015. Her advice is wise, weighty and practical. She was a key contributor to the GA’s Melbourne Mandate, turning it into a practical knowledge wheel which has been in use since 2012 – knowledge leadership.
Her service to PRINZ started the day she arrived and continues today. She spent nine years on the National Council, has been an awards judge for seven years, sits on the Education Committee and in her busy schedule also find times to mentor for PRINZ.
Catherine’s personal attributes are what we all aspire to be. She is smart, forward thinking, a leader, ethical, a woman of integrity and mana, and modest.
To become a PRINZ Life Member you must be recognised by the industry and your peers as a leader, a mentor, a role model, and most importantly someone who makes or has made a significant contribution. Catherine Arrow – thank you for all you do and congratulations.
Fellow: Lee Harris
Lee has been a committed and an active member of the PRINZ community for the past decade – first as Chair of the Southern Division from 2012 to 2015 and again as a Board member in 2019 to 2020. She is particularly passionate about the role of PRINZ in growing its public presence as an authority and spokesperson for issues affecting public relations and communications professionals.
Lee is committed to her own professional development achieving APR in 2010 and attending the PRINZ annual conference each year as well as other events and webinars. She is also equally passionate about supporting the professional development of other PRINZ members.
Over the years she has been a mentor for APR candidates and as part of the PRINZ mentoring programme, examining APR candidates in their Viva Voce, and judging the PRINZ Awards.
Lee has extensive PR experience working in the public sector as well as broader marcomms and publicity experience.
Lee has made a significant contribution to PRINZ as a mentor, Board member, and Awards judge. Just as importantly she ensures that the voice of the regions is heard and planned around.
She is a true committed professional and has all the attributes associated with being a Fellow.
Fellow: Michele Hider
Public relations can be a tough gig. The subjects can be complex, the issues complicated, the stakeholder relationships difficult and the communications work involved particularly challenging. Fortunately, Michele is up to the task. She has come from a solid grounding in public sector health communications, branched out into working in disability and now works on a range of topics and issues.
Michelle has a foundation of working from an evidence or knowledge base, building in evaluation and matching up expectations with results. Her support of her team to build their own skills, through PRINZ courses and her efforts to support PRINZ and university communications courses and graduates are to be admired. Her efforts in growing our next generation of talented PR professionals is seen by her staff moving on to positions in tourism, government and PR roles overseas.
