Just miles down the road from Clairemont in Raleigh, North Carolina we welcome Roger Friedsensen. Principal and Owner of Forge Communications, Roger has been dedicated to wide array of strategic communication programs since 1985. Get to know Roger better by reading his Q&A below about PR and Counselors Academy!

Getting to know you…
Name: Roger Friedensen, APR

Agency: Forge Communications

Position: Principal & Owner

First job in PR: Public Relations Specialist, Epley Associates

Your insights…

Most loved thing about being in PR: I thrive on helping solve complex challenges, the process of “connecting the dots,” and the ability to learn about a wide range of issues, ideas and industries. I’ve been blessed in my public relations career to be able to do all that and more working alongside some of the smartest, most creative people I’ve ever met.

Best source for breaking PR news: Honestly, I don’t look to just one source for updates as the “breaking PR news” I want is less about which giant agency won/lost which giant account (reported most excellently by PR Week, PR News and similar trade publications) and more about the latest tools, trends and ideas that will help me serve our clients more effectively (e.g., SmartBriefs, Mashable, Social Media Examiner, HBR, Wired, Fast Company, etc.)

Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Develop a sense of savvy and learn how to connect the dots. And read, read, read everything you can get your hands-on. Have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about people and the world around you. And buy a couple of really good business suits.

About Counselors Academy…

Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: The ability to connect with and learn from the best and brightest public relations and business professionals working in the industry today.

Role on the planning committee: Fundraising Subcommittee this year.

Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: The opportunity to get educated, energized and revitalized alongside some of the smartest and most talented professionals I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet (many of whom have become very close friends and advisors).

Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: My first Spring Conference was in St. Petersburg back in the 90s. My friend and colleague, Mike Herman, and I performed three songs at the “talent show.” When we finished, the room erupted in thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Later that night, we sat with our guitars on the hotel’s back deck next to the ocean, drank exceptionally good single-malt scotch (Bowmore for those of you keeping score) and led a sing-a-long of rock, blues and country songs that lasted until early morning.

Counselors Academy Member Spotlight Blog Series: 

Our very own Dana Hughens is the PRSA’s Counselors Academy Conference Chair for the 2013 conference June 9-11 in Austin, Texas. As conference chair, she has the privilege to work with other members of the conference planning committee, which consists of senior-level PR counselors and agency owners from across the United States and Canada. We caught up with these PR pros to find out their secret to success and what they love most about Counselors Academy.