NEW YORK - Philanthropist, environmentalist and media visionary Ted Turner heads the list of featured speakers for the PRSA 2005 International Conference, Oct. 22-25, at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, Fla. Turner, founder of CNN and chairman, Turner Foundation, Inc., will be "Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is" as the special guest speaker and honoree during the Conference's Legends Luncheon on Monday, Oct. 24.

The 2005 Conference, themed "Many Beats - One Rhythm: Creating Harmony Through Public Relations," will feature Turner, as well as Newsweek columnist and best-selling novelist and author Anna Quindlen and Loews Hotels Chairman and CEO Jonathan M. Tisch. Quindlen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist whose novels include Being Perfect, Loud and Clear, and Living Out Loud, will deliver the keynote address, "Don't Be Limited by Perfection," during the Conference's opening General Session on Sunday, Oct. 23. Acknowledged as one of the leaders in the hotel industry and recognized by Crain's New York Business as one of the top 10 most influential business leaders, Tisch will share the secrets behind his partnership management philosophy, "Profiting Through Partnerships," during the closing General Session on Tuesday,
Oct. 25.

"We are proud that our 2005 International Conference showcases the power of public relations to effect positive change in our communities, our nation, our world," said PRSA President and CEO Judith T. Phair, APR, Fellow PRSA. "The caliber of our speakers and programming represents the best of our profession and will provide real, tangible value to all who attend."

More than 3,000 public relations professionals and students from around the world are expected to attend the PRSA 2005 International Conference, which will feature more than 120 professional development opportunities, including workshops, seminars, breakfast roundtables, Meet the Media Panels and Master Classes. As a special welcome to sunny South Florida, Conference attendees will be treated to a Miami Beach-style opening-night gala on the Fontainebleau Resort's great lawn, featuring spicy Caribbean cuisine and sizzling Latin rhythms. There will also be networking dinners, exhibits and many other activities designed to inform, educate and stimulate the thinking of the public relations professionals attending the premier public relations event of the year.

"The PRSA 2005 International Conference offers a terrific variety of programming, including more strategic issues sessions than ever before," said Debbie Mason, APR, Fellow PRSA, 2005 Conference co-chair and president, Strategists, Inc, with offices in Ft. Lauderdale and Perry, Fla. "We've capitalized on the explosive growth of nonprofits and the changing governance issues facing them, and tied that into a nonprofit track of programming that runs throughout the conference. There's more professional development value packed into this Conference than any other professional association offers."

The Conference's final day will feature several special workshops and sessions, including a track of programming for association and nonprofit public relations professionals highlighted by the General Session, "Sustaining the Future Beat: Humanity," featuring Emmett D. Carson, president & CEO, Minneapolis Foundation, Minneapolis, Minn., and chairman of the board, Council on Foundations, Washington, D.C., and John H. Graham, IV, president & CEO, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Washington, D.C., and moderated by PRSA Executive Director & COO Catherine A. Bolton. Conference attendees will also have a unique opportunity to participate in a General Session featuring a live feed from the shifting war zone, courtesy of the U.S Army. In addition, they will be able to hear from Edward Wasserman, Knight Professor in Journalism Ethics at Washington and Lee University and Miami Herald columnist. Wasserman will deliver the keynote speech, "Mission PR: Charting an Ethical Course for the Enlightened CEO," during the annual Leadership and Legacy Luncheon, sponsored by the PRSA College of Fellows.

Registration costs for the PRSA 2005 International Conference are $1,125 for members and $1,425 for nonmembers (which also includes a one-year PRSA membership for those who qualify). Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the Conference's Early Bird registration special - sign up before Sept. 9 and save $100. Day registrations are also available. Special room rates for the Fontainebleau Resort are available to Conference attendees by calling 1-800-548-8886 (please specify that you are a PRSA International Conference attendee).

For more information or to register for the PRSA 2005 International Conference, visit http://www.conference.prsa.org.

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prs.org), based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 28,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 114 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 266 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

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