Name
The name of this organization shall be the Baltimore Public Relations Council, Inc., and its principal office shall be the City of Baltimore, Maryland.

Principles and Objectives
The Council is an organization comprised of public relations professionals in the public and private sector as well as independent public relations practitioners dedicated to promoting the image and principles of public relations. College students with an interest in public relations and emeritus members are encouraged to join and participate.

The Council provides public relations practitioners with regular programs on current topics affecting the industry, opportunities to network and exchange ideas, and encourages best practices and ethical standards. The Council maintains a Web site (baltimoreprcouncil.org) that includes program/event information and registration materials, job opportunities listing, the Council’s newsletter, etc. The current membership directory and on-line forum are available to BPRC members only.

Membership Qualifications

Full Membership – Admission to full-voting membership shall be limited to the following: persons devoting the majority of time in the paid professional practice of public relations; related public service personnel, and those engaged in the practice of public relations on a voluntary basis.

Emeritus Membership – Granted to any member, upon the member’s request, who is fully retired. Receives full voting rights. Dues are one-half those of full members.

Student Membership – Available to full-time students at accredited colleges and universities who display an interest in public relations. Dues are one-half those of full members; nonvoting status. Upon graduation, student members are encouraged to seek full membership.

Organization
The officers of the Council shall include a President, President Elect (Vice President), Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. The President and President Elect (Vice President) shall be elected for two-year terms and all other officers shall be elected for two-year terms.

Members-at-large are those Board members who are chairpersons of standing committees and others who are not officers. Members-at-large may serve as chairs of special committees which are formed by the Board for a limited period of time to meet specific needs.

The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected officers, the immediate Past President and members-at-large. The following Standing Committees will be appointed annually by the President:

Program Committee
The Baltimore PR Council Program Committee is responsible for planning and supervising the organization’s monthly programs. Its chairperson is appointed annually by the President.

Responsibilities

  • Choosing the topic
  • Choosing a name/date/location
  • Selecting and confirming the panelists
  • Providing the panelists’ bio information to the Marketing and Web committee, BPRC administrator (in advance) and the moderator (for the program)
  • Arranging for appropriate refreshments
  • Communicating the program details to the Web site committee and the BPRC administrator

Marketing and Web Committee
The Marketing and Web Committee seeks to increase brand awareness of the Baltimore PR Council throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area that will initiate action among public relations professionals.

Responsibilities

  • Administer baltimoreprcouncil.org by posting new content current and managing the site’s technical aspects
  • Promote BPRC news and events through media relations, by writing and distributing press releases to relevant, local media
  • Develop a layout and process for new monthly e-newsletter and periodic e-mail blasts to market programs and other news
  • Coordinate advertising of BPRC advertising, including paid and sponsorship placements
  • Solicit sponsorships – paid, in-kind and media – to help offset marketing and program costs
  • Develop, manage and market the Baltimore PR Council brand, through logo design, print collateral, new media, social media, etc.
  • Work closely with the program and membership committees to ensure their marketing needs are being met

Membership Committee
The purpose of the BPRC Membership Committee is to attain and maintain members.

Responsibilities

  • Answering and assisting members with their questions and needs (especially via e-mails as forwarded by the Board administrator)
  • Routinely surveying members to gauge their BPRC expectations, experiences and program desires
  • Recruiting new members via targeted membership campaigns
  • If possible, membership committee members should be present, visible and able to greet and assist members at BPRC program events

Special committees

  • Ad hoc committees appointed by the Board on an as-needed basis

Quorum

A quorum for any membership meeting shall be one-fourth of the total membership; a quorum for a Board of Directors meeting shall be two-thirds of the members of the Board.

Elections
Election of the officers and members-at-large of the Council shall be held in September of each year. At a meeting of the Board of Directors held at least thirty (30) days prior to the September membership meeting, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee which shall nominate officers and three members-at-large for the ensuing one (1) year, or until their successors are fully qualified. Additional nominations will be accepted from the September meeting. If more than one candidate is nominated for any office, a secret ballot shall be conducted, with the candidate receiving the highest number of votes being elected. Results of the election shall be announced immediately, and those elected shall assume their duties on October 1 of the same year. Should any officer or member-at-Large not be able to continue in the office, the Board of Directors may appoint an interim officer to fill out the unexpired term.

Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Council shall be September 1 through August 31.

Dues and Fees
A change in annual dues may be recommended by the Board of Directors, and shall be determined by membership vote, following written notification of such recommendation. A full year’s dues shall be due on June 30 of the subject year.

New members joining the Council between September 1 and January 30 shall be liable for a full year’s dues, and for one-half year’s dues if they join between February 1 and August 31.

Any member who fails to pay the dues within sixty (60) days of receiving the dues notice shall be sent a second reminder invoice. If at the end of thirty (30) days thereafter the member is still delinquent, he/she shall be sent a written notice of delinquency with warning loss of membership. If the full dues amount is not received by the Treasurer within ten (10) days following such notice, the membership shall be declared forfeit.

Meetings
Meetings of the Council shall be held monthly from September through May at dates and times determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall meet at least four (4) times during the year.

Any part of the Bylaws may be eliminated or amended as needed by a three-quarters affirmative vote of members in good standing. Proposed changes will be distributed to all paid members at least ten (10) days’ prior to the commencement of voting.

Note
The Bylaws were adopted October 31, 1951, and include revisions:

November 4, 1952
January 24, 1956
February 1, 1971
January 18, 1972
September 19, 1972
April 16, 1974
September 21,1976
January 15, 1984
July 1, 1990
March, 1995
May 6, 2010
January 20, 2017