RENA ABRAMS
Rena Abrams joined Plaza Frontenac as the Marketing Director in 1992. Her responsibilities include planning the advertising, public relations, events and promotions for the shopping center. She also serves on the board of the Frontenac/Town & Country Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to joining Plaza Frontenac, Rena was an active member of the community, volunteering and chairing The Couturier Sale for The National Council of Jewish Women in 1990, and chairing several fashion shows to benefit The Missouri History Museum Permanent Costume Collection in 1988.

From 1974 to 1981, Rena founded The Chicago Fashion Exchange, a non profit organization which promoted fashion design and fashion networking in Chicago.

Rena Abrams received her BA degree from Indiana University in Fashion Merchandising.

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RON AMELN
President, St. Louis Small Business Monthly
After earning a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism in 1990 and becoming a sports reporter, Ron Ameln wanted to use his journalism talents to really help people. He got his chance in 1992 when he joined the St. Louis Small Business Monthly, a monthly trade publication that helps small- and mid-sized business become successful.  He began as a reporter, was named editor a short time later and then vice president.  In January 2007, Ameln purchased the publication from long-time owner, Judy Meador. Today, as president of the company, Ameln oversees the operation, which includes selling ads, promoting the business, formulating story ideas and producing the company's Business-to-Business trade shows.

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JOAN LEE BERKMAN
President, Face Watchers, Inc. Joan retired after 30 years with Southwestern Bell - now the new AT&T -  as  Executive  Director  of  External  Affairs,  where  she managed the company’s government and  community affairs  for  Eastern Missouri.  Following her retirement, she and her mother, Eleanor, a well-known St. Louis drama coach, co-authored a book, entitled: “Face Watchers: Wrinkles Are Physical, Face Lines Are Mental.”
In addition to presenting Face Watcher workshops to professional
organizations throughout the country, Joan owns a public relations
consulting firm. She also serves on a number of charitable boards including the Center of Creative Arts and Junior League of St. Louis
Advisory Boards, March of Dimes of Greater St. Louis and its
Missouri  Chapter,  St.  Louis  County  Workforce  Development,
University of Missouri-Friends and serves on the Governor-appointed
Advisory Committee of the Missouri Community Service Commission.

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CHARLENE BRY
Charlene Bry began her career as a reporter and columnist for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. She founded the Ladue News, a major St. Louis publication now owned by Lee (I don't know if its INc.) Her articles have been published in People magazine, American Airlines magazines, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A former model and fashion writer, Bry started her own company, Boot Loot, Inc., to create fashionable attire for women. She travels to Paris and New York to keep up on current trends, was a speaker for the Fashion Group International. Bry is currently writing her first book, “History of Ladue: A Celebration,” about the development of Missouri suburbs with connections to the historical Lewis and Clark. Bry's awards include “Media Person of the Year,” the Women of Achievement Award, and Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a board member of A&E.

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CLAUDIA BURRIS 
Claudia Burris, senior editor/photojournalist, joined Webster University in 1990. In her position, she is responsible for the University magazine Webster World. She also coordinates the photography and maintains several photo exhibits for the University. A 1979 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Burris is an award-winning communications professional who started out as a reporter/photographer at the Paragould, Ark., Daily Press. After a year at the paper, she went to Ralston Purina in St. Louis where she served as assistant editor of the Ralston Purina Magazine for five years. She then worked at the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council as manager of communications for five years before coming to Webster.

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JOHN CARNEY
John Carney found his niche in broadcasting over 20 years ago. His voice has penetrated airwaves from Denver to Carbondale to St. Louis hosting everything from country music to classic rock to talk shows. He currently hosts his own show on St. Louis’ KMOX, “2 John’s, no waiting,” from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Carney founded “Carney’s Kids Foundation,” a foundation’s whose primary goal involves giving financial support to children’s charities that focus on improving the lives of children. In December, he put out a cookbook to benefit the foundation. Carney hosts a variety of charity events around the St. Louis area, and plays with the well-known southern rock band, “Heartsfield,” when they are in town. Carney has won several awards over the years, including “Air Award” for talk show host of the year, “Media Personality of the Year” in 1999 and 2000 and ranked one of St. Louis’ top radio personalities by the Riverfront Times. Carney’s most cherished rewards are his daughters, Jaede and Joerdan, who take precedent over business any day.

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KAREN CARROLL
Karen Carroll assumed the role of President / CEO of KCI Enterprises, Inc. in March 2003.  Prior to forming KCI, Karen served as Vice President / General Manager of KMOX Radio, the Voice of St. Louis. Starting her years as General Manager of KYKY-Y98 FM, she then added the GM responsibilities of KSD-AM 550 and KSD-FM 93.7. As consolidation continued, she also became GM of soft-rock KEZK-FM and 590 all-sports KFNS. During her career, other special recognition includes National Radio Industry Woman of the Year, 1994; YWCA Leadership Award, 1999; Top 100 St. Louis Business Leaders, 2001; Top 25 Women Business Leaders, 2000; and the Woman of Achievement Award in 2003. As a born and bred St. Louisan and alumni of the University of Missouri - Columbia, Karen has spent her entire professional career based in St. Louis.

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BOB COHN
Bob Cohn is the Editor-in-Chief Emeritus for the St. Louis Jewish Light where he began working in 1969. He retired as Editor-in-Chief/Publisher in 2004, but still contributes editorials, major articles, theatrical and book reviews and hard news. Bob graduated from Washington University with degrees in English, philosophy, political science and the Washington University Law School with a Doctor of Law degree. He worked as Administrative Assistant, Staff Attorney, Press Secretary and Speech writer for the late Lawrence R. Ross, then St. Louis County Supervisor (Executive). Bob has won numerous local and national awards for his journalism and community service, including the "Rockower Award for Excellence in North American Jewish Journalism", two lifetime achievement awards from the American Jewish Press Association of which he is a past president, among others.
            Bob is currently Chairman of the St. Louis County Human Rights Commission and Board Chairman and Immediate Past President of the Press Club. He also teaches at the Jewish Community High School, CAJE Adult Studies, a film class for OASIS and the Jewish Community  Center, and a course at Washington University on Middle East reporting and commentary. Bob and his wife Barbara reside in Clayton, and are the parents of three children, and have five grandchildren.

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ALLISON COLLINGER
Allison Collinger founded AHC Consulting LLC, a company that provides strategic communications, planning, training and facilitation services to several clients, including the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Coro Leadership Center, Diversity Awareness Partnership (founded by Collinger), St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend and the St. Louis Rams and Rams Foundation. An active member in bringing the professional football team to St. Louis, Allison Collinger directed the corporate communications and community outreach for the St. Louis Rams--overseeing the Rams community outreach team, the Rams Foundation and the teams' off the field public relations initiatives—before establishing AHC Consulting. She assisted in one of the NFL’s first corporate communication departments at the Rams in 2001. Collinger has managed special projects such as planning and overseeing post-season festivities, including two Super Bowl post parties. She has over 15 years of experience with public and community relations. Collinger’s professional work has earned her multiple awards, including three prestigious Silver Anvils, the highest award given by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), recognition as Public Relations Professional of the Year in 2006 by the Community Service Public Relations Council, the Sheer Elegance community award for leadership by the Matthews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club and the St. Louis Business Journal’s Forty Under Forty (a list of accomplished individuals under 40).

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THOMAS ESCHEN
Thomas Eschen is Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has over 27 years of experience in development in positions at Washington University, Webster University, Lindenwood University, KWMU 90.7 FM and DeSmet Jesuit High School, as well as in teaching. He has served on numerous non-profit boards including River Styx, Double Helix, Black Cat theater, Mary Queen of Peace Parish, and The St. Louis Regional Chapter of the AFP (NSFRE). Escehn has a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a teaching certificate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a masters degree in communications from Saint Louis University.

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SUSAN FADEM
Susan Fadem is in her fourth decade as an award-winning professional journalist. She is presently a feature-writing freelancer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where her AT HOME WITH stories run on Saturdays in the Lifestyle section. The immediate past president of the National Federation of Press Women/Missouri affiliate, she served as managing editor of St. Louis Woman Magazine, editor-in-chief of St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles magazine and of Ladue News, a columnist and reporter at the old St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper, and a reporter at the short-lived St. Louis Sun.
The author of four books, including “The Educated Cat: Teaching Your Cat to Do Tricks” and “Cat Condominiums and Other Feline Furniture,” both published by E.P. Dutton in New York, Susan contributed a chapter to "Real Feature Writing: Story Shapes and Writing Strategies from the Real World of Journalism," published in 2006 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. The recipient of a Quest Award for distinguished achievement in communications from the National Federation of Press Women, she was also named a Career Mentor of the Year by Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.

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JEFFREY L. FISTER
Jeff Fister is president of Virginia Publishing Co., which publishes the West End Word weekly newspaper, books on local history and special event programs. A native of St. Louis, Fister is a 1981 graduate of St. Louis University. After working for the Suburban Journal Newspapers as an editor and in public relations for McDonnell Douglas, Fister bought the Word in 1989. He expanded the twice-monthly paper to a weekly in 2000. The publishing company produces 3-5 books a year, including titles such as So, Where'd You Go To High School?, which was given an award in 2006 by the Independent Publisher's Association. The company also publishes programs for arts groups such as The Sheldon Concert Hall and for historic neighborhood house tours. In March, 2007, Fister was given a Quest Award for excellence in communications from the National Federation of Press Women.

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CYNTHIA KAGAN FROHLICHSTEIN
Award winning writer Cynthia Kagan Frohlichstein began her career as a professional actress and teacher. After earning her Master’s Degree at Webster University, she became a writer specializing in Travel, Entertainment and Personality Profiles. In 2006 she received the Quest Award for excellence in Journalism. Frohlichstein is a frequent contributor to AAA’s Midwest Traveler and Southern Traveler She was Travel Editor for Senior Circuit and has rated restaurants for Mobil Travel Guides. Her articles have appeared in local, regional, national magazines/newspapers. Frohlichstein originated and taught travel writing workshops at St. Louis Community College.
Her first book, the Peanut Butter Kid, will be published in 2007. This will be more than a children’s book. Frohlichstein not only plans to donate moneys from the sales of the book to cancer and children’s organizations but will be booking fund-raising appearances to talk about the book, survival and new beginnings at any stage in life.
A board member of St. Louis Metropolitan Press Club and The National Federation of Press Women, she also takes an active role as a member of the Palm Springs Chapter of National League of Pen Women.
Cynthia and her husband Harvey winter in Rancho Mirage.

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RICHARD GAVATIN
Richard Gavatin was the webmaster of the Press Club Web site through 2007. He designs and maintains web sites and have been an editor, writer and publisher during his entire adult life. In his youth, during his Pharmacy education he was the driving force of his Student Magazine back when “Copy and paste” literally meant “copy and paste” . He has been the editor of numerous print and on-line newsletters during the 80’s and 90’s and when the new media of web publishing started he was there from the very beginning.
He has authored books, articles, blogs and many other written publications, including a translation from English to his native Swedish.

His company, IMS, Inc., a computer consultaning company that specializes in the support and customization of accounting software, has been in business since 1984 (!). His role in the company is to support the clients’ needs and to install, maintain and update (if necessary) the clients’ systems.

His involvement with the Press Club started a few years ago and included, besides the web site (comprising of the creation of a system to accept credit card payments), working on the By-Law committee whose completed proposal passed the Annual Meeting unanimously in December 2007.

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MARGARET GILLERMAN
Margaret Gillerman has worked as a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 28 years. She has covered most beats and written many hundreds of news and feature stories about people and governments throughout the metropolitan area. She was awarded the Newspaper Guild's Terry Hughes award for her work. Some of her favorite assignments over the years have been covering the people and issues of East St. Louis and the personal stories of people affected by the Flood of 1993.
Gillerman, a St. Louis native, grew up in Olivette and attended Ladue schools. She has a bachelor's degree in English and History from the Honors College at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in University City with her husband, political reporter Mark Schlinkmann.

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WILLIAM GREENBLATT
William Greenblatt has provided photography services for over thirty years-both as a staff photographer for United Press International and as owner of Wm. Greenblatt Photography, LLC. Greenblatt clients include commercial, industrial, Public Relations, Advertising and Non Profit agencies. His expertise is special events; news making opportunities; professional and collegiate sporting events features in Missouri and other areas in the United States. Greenblatt is also the official photographer for elected officials on the national, state, and local level.

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ALICE S. HANDELMAN
Alice S. Handelman assumes presidency of the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis after serving four years as first vice president. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she is an award winning writer and photographer.
        A public relations consultant , she is The author of ³LaSalle Street ­ The History of the St. Louis Wholesale Flower Market². Handelman worked for 18 years as Community Relations Director at Jewish Center for Aged. Prior, she was a feature writer for the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club and the National Hockey League.  
      Handelman chairs the print and public relations selection committees for the St. Louis Media Halls of Fame at the Mercantile Library, University of Missouri, St. Louis.
       An active community volunteer, she is past president and chairman of the board of Gateway Elder Services and serves on the executive committee of Women of Achievement. She co-chaired the St. Louis contingent to the Lion of Judah International Conference in September . Handelman is also involved in the Capital Campaign committee of the Jewish Community Center and serves on the Adult Programs and Services committee of the JCC. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Women¹s Division of Jewish Federation of St. Louis for the past six years.
       In 2000, she received the Quest Award from National Federation of Press Women; in 2002 was named a Woman of Achievement for services to older adults; and in 2006 was named a Woman of Worth by OWL.
      Alice and her husband Howard have three children and four grandchildren.

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JEANE JAE
As Director of Communications for the Humane Society of Missouri, Jeane Jae is responsible for getting the word out about and garnering support for the work of the largest animal welfare organization in the Midwest. She is a very experienced communicator working in her career for publications, radio, hospitals and higher education, in addition to animal welfare. For more than 20 years she provided communications and marketing services to St. Louis Community College and also taught advertising, business and marketing. At one point, she provided executive search consulting services for the city manager position for the City of Webster Groves. Jeane is a life-long Missourian. She grew up in Hannibal, attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and has worked in St. Louis her entire career. She has been a member and officer of numerous professional organizations, is an officer for two scholarship foundations, has served as a court appointed special advocate guardian ad litem and is active in her church, St. Matthews Episcopal in Warson Woods. She has two adult children and lives in Grantwood Village.

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JUDY KAPLAN
Judy Kaplan, a free lance writer, specializes in Travel Writing, providing the Ladue News travel column for 20 years, as well as writing free lance travel stories for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch  and the
St. Louis Jewish Light  newspapers.  While living in New York City and Cincinnati, Kaplan wrote advertising for the J.C. Penney Co. and a features column for the Cincinnati Post & Times-Star.  After moving to St. Louis she wrote advertising copy for the former Famous-Barr department stores. Along with travel writing she is an active volunteer and on the board of several non-profit agencies in St. Louis.  Needless to say, Kaplan's love of travel writing is fueled by her zest for new experiences and visiting different cultures.  Her many journeys have taken her from Bombay to Singapore; Cairo to Tokyo; and Bangkok to Berlin.

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THOMAS F. KELLER
A native St. Louisan, Thomas F. Keller has served as director of public relations at Logan College of Chiropractic since November 2004. At Logan, Keller is a member of senior administration and has responsibility for the college's collateral publications, web site, advertising, special events and community activities. Keller has more than 20 years of experience in the field of marketing communications. Prior to joining Logan, he was director of communications and public affairs for St. Louis-based Centene Corporation. Previously, he was the director of marketing and communications for Tenet Healthcare’s Saint Louis market office and served as Mayor Clarence Harmon’s press secretary and director of communications in 2000-2001. From 1989-2000, he was a partner in Keller & Associates Public Relations with his wife, Janet. Keller has a bachelor’s degree from Webster University and holds a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

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BENJAMIN A LIPMAN
Ben works in the Litigation department, specializing in Media and Communications, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property as well as Commercial Real Estate at Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, L.C. He joined them in 1991.
Education:
      Washington University School of Law - J.D. - 1991; Washington University Law Quarterly; Winner, Wiley Rutledge Moot Court and final round Golden Gavel Award winner; American Jurisprudence Awards; Order of the Barrister; Chairman, Honor Council
University of Pennsylvania - B.A. - Economics (English minor) - 1988
      Court experience:
United States Supreme Court; United States Courts of Appeals, Second and Eighth Circuits; Various Lower Federal Courts; all Missouri Courts; all Illinois Courts. Bar Associations: American Bar Association and Committees; Missouri Bar Association and Committees; Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Chairman, BAMSL Media Law Committee; Illinois Bar Association
           Academic and Publishing: Adjunct Professor of Law, Washington University School of Law (teaching Media Litigation); Freelance writer, St. Louis Journalism Review; Co-Author, Missouri chapter, Open Government Guide: Access to Public Records and Meetings In The 50 States and D.C.; Reporter’s Privilege chapter, Missouri Media Law Handbook
            Other Activities: Board Member and Treasurer, Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis; Board Member, Vashon - Jeff VanderLou Initiative; Member, Anti-Defamation League Civil Rights Committee; Australian Rules Football team member and Board Member, St. Louis Blues A.R.F.C.; Commissioner, St. Louis Airport Commission

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CAROL LUNDGREN

Carol Lundgren is president of AMP Creative Company, Inc., a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in Clayton. Utilizing a wealth of experience in St. Louis journalism, including serving as the executive editor of the St. Louis Jewish Light and an annual magazine, Carol also has performed a wide range of free-lance work for both the general media and private clients. Carol's diverse portfolio includes serving as the president of Salsman Lundgren Public Relations (SLPR) Inc for 18 years. Throughout her impressive career and as Vice President of the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, she has established a network of professional colleagues across various media.

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PAM NIEHAUS
Pam Niehaus is a communications consultant and works primarily on higher education issues, currently as a writer for a national newsletter on urban community colleges.  She recently retired as director of communications at St. Louis Community College where she was responsible for marketing, advertising, crisis communications, public information, graphic design, events and speech writing.  Earlier in her career she was a writer and editor for two local publications—St. Louis magazine and St. Louis Home and Garden magazine.  She has done freelance articles on interior design and architecture.  Awards for work Pam has done independently or as part of a communications team include the Silver Anvil, Public Relations Society of America; various citations, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; and recognition from local advertising associations.  Aside from her volunteer activities for the Press Club, she served as president of the St. Louis Chapter of Women in Communications, Inc. and as a public relations volunteer with the Webster Groves School District. Pam is a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia

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GLENDA PARTLOW
Glenda Partlow was formerly with the St. Louis Public Schools as the the communication specialist and, most recently, divisional assistant for the Division of School Partnership Programs and Volunteer Services. While with the city schools, she received national and local awards for outstanding partnership-in-education programming that brought community resources into instructional activities shared by city and county students as an adjunct component of the desegregation settlement plan. Earlier in her career, Partlow was director of publications and public relations at what was then Lindenwood Colleges, public relations manager at KFUO, and managing editor of the St. Louis Bar Journal. She received her Bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from Florida State University and did graduate work in educational administration at University of Missouri-St. Louis.

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MARGE POLCYN
Honorary Press Club Member
Marge Polcyn, began her career in school public relations in 1966 at a suburban Pittsburgh school district. Moving to St. Louis in 1971, she helped start a public relations office at Notre Dame College in South County. In 1976, Marge moved to the St. Louis Public Schools where she helped steer the ground-breaking implementation of the Voluntary Desegregation Plan. In her 16 years with the St. Louis Schools, she chaired a committee for the district’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, edited a history of the St. Louis Public Schools, and produced the full gamut of public relations. After retiring from the school district post, Marge worked as a public relations consultant and also served as adjunct professor of communications at Maryville University, St. Louis University and Notre Dame College. In 1995 she was named executive director of the St. Louis Press Club. After 10 years, she again “retired,” this time to volunteer her knowledge and expertise as a member of the National Federation of Press Women—Missouri Affiliate, the Missouri School Public Relations Association, Women in Communications, Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Missouri, as a fund raiser, and as president of the Gateway Chapter of OWL from 2001 till 2005. Through the years of her service, Marge has been honored with the Matthews-Dickey Sheer Elegance Award, the Press Club Catfish Award, the 2005 Quest Award for excellence in communication from the Missouri Chapter of the National Federation of Press Women, a 2006 Woman of Worth Award from OWL, and gold and bronze medals from the St. Louis Senior Olympics.

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JOAN QUICKSILVER
Joan Quicksilver’s experience and expertise in communications has contributed to the growth and success of a wide range of accounts, with emphasis on public relations, advertising, and special events.She began her career as a copywriter for P.N. Hirsch and Company.  She later joined The Savan Company as Creative Director, Account Executive and Public Relations Director.In 1976, Ms. Quicksilver and a partner formed IQ & Associates, an advertising and public relations company in Clayton, Missouri.  As president of IQ & Associates, for eighteen years she managed campaigns for financial institutions, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, philanthropic organizations, medical practices, breweries, shopping centers, supermarkets, and entertainment entities such as The St.  Louis Zoo, St. Louis Symphony, Fox Theatre, KMOX Radio, FOX-2 KTVI, KPLR-TV, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and the Kool Jazz Festival, Coors Beer, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University, McDonnell-Douglas Corporation, etc., etc. 
         Since 1994, she continues her work at The Quicksilver Company.
         Her creative endeavors include writing and producing for radio, television, and the print media.  For her efforts she has been the recipient of a Flair Award for the best local radio campaign, been awarded  Emmy Awards for best locally written and produced television commercials and sales films, and won the Marconi and Addy Awards for best regional radio campaigns.
      Not content to merely use her talents in business, Joan Quicksilver has made a strong commitment to the St. Louis community.  In recognition of her services, she was named the St. Louis Globe Democrat “Woman of Achievement” for Creative Philanthropy, the youngest woman to be so recognized.  In 2001, she received The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis’ “President’s Award” for outstanding performance in media and community relations.  She was inducted into The Catfish Club, the highest honor bestowed by the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, for distinguished service in the public relations field.   
      The National Federation of Press Woman honored her with its Quest Award for Outstanding Professionalism in Journalism at ceremonies in 2005.

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ALVIN A. REID

Alvin Reid is city editor of the St. Louis American, the state's largest African-American newspaper.  The American has been voted the best African American Newspaper in the nation five of the last 10 years, and won the national competition in June 2005.

Along with his news responsibilities, Reid writes a weekly Major League Baseball - St. Louis Cardinals column, and was honored by the Missouri Press Association as Best Sports Columnist in 2004 and 1999.  He is co-author of the book, "Whitey's Boys: A Celebration of the 1982 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals."

Reid is former co-host of the interview/discussion show "In The Loop" that won a regional Emmy Award in October 2002.  He is also a frequent guest commentator on KETC-PBS' most-popular local television show, Donnybrook and is a contributor to the show, "Living St. Louis." He has also appeared on ESPN "Outside the Lines" and on "The Tony Kornheiser Show" on ESPN Radio.

Reid began his career at the Danville (Ill.) Commercial News where he planned and wrote a series on Proposition 48 which won several national awards. Reid is a former business editor of the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal, a state editor at the Arkansas (Little Rock) Gazette and served as senior editor of Emerge magazine after three years with USA TODAY Baseball Weekly.

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MICHAEL J. RIGHT

Michael Right is the vice president of Public Affairs for the AAA-Auto Club of Missouri. He joined the Auto Club in 1966 as a traffic analyst. Prior to joining the Auto Club, he worked as a traffic investigator for the City of St. Louis.
      A native St. Louisian, Right attended Washington University. He is active in traffic engineering and traffic enforcement organizations throughout Missouri. He is chairman of the Missouri Highway Users Association, a vice president of the Missouri Transportation and Development Council and a member of the Air Quality Advisory Board of East-West Gateway Coordinating Council in St. Louis.
     He has also served on the board and as president of the Traffic Engineers Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, is a member of the advisory board of the Missouri Driver and Safety Education Association, and a past president of the St. Louis Traffic Law Enforcement Association. He has served on numerous national, state and local task forces on specific transportation, air pollution and energy issues. 
He has served as a member of the American Automobile Association’s Energy and Environment, Traffic Safety and Highway committees and on the Transportation Research Board’s Truck Access Committee, and was a member of Missouri’s Total Transportation Commission. He currently is a member of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s Research and Development Committee, the Public and Government Relations Committee of the American Automobile Association and a member of Blue Ribbon Panel of Experts formed by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission.
In addition to his duties representing AAA-Auto Club of Missouri in public affairs, he is a registered lobbyist and publisher/editor of THE MIDWEST TRAVELER and THE SOUTHERN TRAVELER magazines.

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GLORIA S. ROSS
Okara Communications provides small businesses and nonprofit organizations with the professional expertise needed to produce clear, creative and effective communications. Okara helps organizations move from communications as an afterthought to communications with a purpose.
An additional service of Okara Communications is AfterWords, the writing of unique life stories (obituaries) for funeral and memorial services, Web sites and newspapers. AfterWords also creates beautiful program designs.

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JANET SCOTT
Janet (Jan) Scott has a personal mission to develop opportunities for women to succeed professionally. Her variety of professional experience includes the president of Women’s Yellow Pages of Greater St. Louis, publisher for the St. Louis Women On The Move monthly magazine, professor at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and orchestra personnel manager for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She has been involved with numerous professional organizations including the National Association of Women’s Business Owners, Women’s Regional Publications of America (formerly know as National           Association of Women’s Yellow Pages), Rotary International and the American Symphony Orchestra League. Her leadership positions consist of Advisory Board for the Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies at University Missouri of St. Louis, president of the St. Louis branch of the American Association of University Women and Board of Directors for the Musician’s Association of St. Louis AFM Local 2-197. Scott is also a musician whose performance career as a flutist began at age 21 in the St. Louis Symphony. A highlight of her musical career was a solo flute debut recital at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. Scott took her passion for music to her full time faculty position at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where she was the first research scholar in the music department, designed the music business curriculum and served on the board of the Southern Illinois Arts Council. She is the founding member of the Flute Society of St. Louis, a nonprofit organization for flutists of all ages.

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ELLEN SOULE
Ellen Soule is the public relations manager of Neiman Marcus at the St. Louis store. Her responsibilities include managing special events, editorial placement and marketing. Soule handles community outreach involvement with multiple nonprofit organizations. Soule’s resume includes marketing and public relations experience with companies in Los Angles, Dallas and St. Louis. She has handled media coverage on national and local levels, organized advertising campaigns for radio, television, and print media and coordinated special events featuring national personalities. Soule’s also has experience with fundraising, client relations management and customer service.

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VIRGINIA TRENT
Virginia Trent began her career almost 35 years ago as Senior Administrator and Director of Planning, Marketing and Public Relations at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University, planning and directing its 50th Anniversary Celebration, as well as, its 60th Anniversary Celebration. She currently presides over Virginia Trent Special Events, which plans, organizes and provides publicity for managerial meetings, weddings and fund raisers. In her work history, Trent has helped create, plan and launch BJC Health Center's Celebration of Life, an upbeat event that celebrates the survival of caner patients treated at the Washington University Medical Center who have been disease-free for five years. As Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, she was instrumental in enhancing the image of St Louis Children's Hospital nationwide. Trent has assisted in planning events and fund raisers for the Clayton Rotary, St. Andrew's Resources for Seniors and the Press Club. 
            Trent has earned several awards for her work and contribution as a volunteer. These awards include Advertising Person of the Year from the St. Louis Advertising Club, the Quest Award in 1999 from the Press Women Missouri Affiliate and the prestigious Women of Achievement Award in 2001.

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BARBARA A. WASHINGTON
Barbara A. Washington VP, Public Relations & Special Events, Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club, 4245 N. Kingshighway Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63115 Voice: 314-382-5952, ext. 234
Fax: 314-389-3033   E-Mail: bwash-md@swbell.net
      In a career spanning 20+ years at Mathews-Dickey, Barbara A. Washington has initiated numerous youth programs and raised millions of dollars to support them.  As vice president of public relations and special events, Washington is the official Club spokesperson and directs and manages communications with the Club’s key audiences, including members and parents; staff; volunteers and alumni; corporate sponsors; funding institutions, such as the United Way of Greater St. Louis; community leaders; and the general public.  She manages and directs a professionally skilled volunteer force of hundreds and staff to accomplish impressive fund-raising, program development and media campaigns. Active on numerous boards, Washington is a Certified Special Events Professional, former president of the International Special Events Society (ISES) Missouri Chapter and current St. Louis Post-Dispatch Community Advisory Board Member.  She is a former Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis Catfish Member and “Media Person of the Year” Scholarship Dinner general chairperson.
      The acclaimed vocalist is well-versed in Gospel, country, adult contemporary and patriotic music.  In 2004, Washington released “Calvary Lord,” a gospel CD to establish a scholarship foundation for the organization’s “The Sky is the Limit” career-readiness program.  She plans to launch “Down by the Riverside,” a gospel tribute to service, in 2007.

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DICK WEISS
Dick Weiss is an award-winning writer and editor with more than three decades of experience at American newspapers. While keeping his day job at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Weiss started WeissWrite LLC in 2003 as a writing, editing and coaching service for anyone with a story to tell. WeissWrite recently has been burgeoning with requests for writing workshops, ghostwriting, and editing consultations. In December, 2005, Weiss left the Post-Dispatch to devote all his energies to WeissWrite. As a metro editor and writing coach at the Post-Dispatch, oversaw the development of enterprise stories, with a particular emphasis on narrative writing. He also held training seminars for a newsroom staff of 300 reporters and editors, and coached reporters one-on-one. Several stories Weiss wrote and edited were nominated for Pulitzer Prizes. Weiss is a frequent speaker at the American Press Institute and was site director for the National Writers’ Workshop in St. Louis from 2001-2004. He recently completed a year-long tour as a speaker for the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism where he showed business writers how to weave their facts and figures into compelling tales. More information on WeissWrite can be found at weisswrite.com.

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PATRICIA WENTE
Patricia Wente has managed KWMU since August 1989. She is responsible for the overall operation of KWMU, management and supervision of staff, budget preparation and monitoring, programming, promotion, and development.

Wente served on the board of directors of National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcast Managers Association (PBMA), and was also a member of the Public Radio Leadership Forum (2004-2005). She is current President of Public Radio in Mid America (PRIMA) and represents PRIMA in the Public Radio Regionals Organization. Wente serves on the boards of Dance St. Louis and Finale St. Louis and is a member of the Marketing & Communications Committee of the United Way of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Forum.

Prior to joining the KWMU staff, Wente was Manager of Station Grant Programs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for both public radio and television stations in Washington, D.C. She has also managed public radio stations in Norman, Oklahoma and Wichita, Kansas.

Wente has received two national awards including the Public Broadcast Management Association’s 1999 Award of Excellence and Public Radio Regional Organizations 1999 “Potholder” Award. The St. Louis Business Journal named Wente one of 2007’s “Most Influentials,” one of 2004’s “Most Influential Business Women” and she received a YWCA Special Leader Award in 2003.

Wente received a Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Illinois-Springfield (formerly Sangamon State University), in Springfield, Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the same institution.

Wente is originally from Champaign, Illinois.

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