This year marks the 100th anniversary of Ivy Lee\'s first press release. Known as the father of public relations, Lee’s first press release is considered the birth of the public relations industry as we know it today. Business Wire, a global source of news distribution, will pay homage to Ivy Lee with a panel discussion featuring local area academics, journalists and public relations professionals. The centennial celebration, themed "Public Relations Past, Present and Future," will be held on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at 8:15 a.m. at the Wayne State University Welcome Center Auditorium on Warren Avenue.

Panelists include Dr. Matthew Seeger, Chair of Wayne State University\'s (WSU) Communication Department; Mary Henige, Communications Director, North American Sales, Service and Marketing at General Motors; Jim McFarlin, former Detroit News entertainment and media writer and current Information Officer for the WSU Medical School of Nursing; Scott Simons, Senior Media Relations Specialist at DTE Energy; and Dr. Shelly Najor, senior lecturer and Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Faculty Adviser.

The press release is the primary means of communication between an organization and the media and has become symbolic of the mutually beneficial relationship that exists between the two. “We spend a lot of time in our undergraduate public relations classes talking about the press release; the purpose of it and how to strategically get the news your organization wants to send out in a form and style that the media will pick up,” says Dr. Shelly Najor, director of the undergraduate PR program at Wayne State.

According to Stan Simek, District Manager of Business Wire, “The discussion will explore why PR is once again on the rise, while traditional advertising and marketing are under attack in today\'s shifting marketplace." Business Wire is currently the global market leader in commercial news distribution. Thousands of member companies and organizations depend on Business Wire to transmit news releases, regulatory filings, photos and other multimedia content to journalists, financial professionals, investor services, regulatory authorities and the general public worldwide.

Contact: David Priestly
Voice: (248) 770-7187
E-mail: av4192@wayne.edu