Public relations practitioners recognised

Public Relations Institute of New Zealand
Media statement
27 May 2008

Three leading public relations practitioners recognised by professional body

Three leading public relations practitioners have been made Fellows of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand.

Two of the new Fellows, Victoria University Director of Communications and Marketing Helen Morgan-Banda and Communications Manager for the Prime Ministers Office Andrew Cutler, are based in Wellington. The third, Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey’s communications advisor Fiona Cunningham, is from Auckland.

Helen Morgan-Banda has managed a range of communication and marketing functions, and been part of executive management teams for more than 15 years in both the public and private sector.

These include TranzRail, NZ Police, NZ Lotteries, and EDS (Electronic Data Systems) where she was Director of Marketing & Communications for Australia and New Zealand. She has also worked as Communications Manager in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Andrew Cutler began his career in government public relations during the late 1980s. He took up a Fulbright scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania from in 1991 and returned to New Zealand in 1993.

Since then he has worked in central and local government and lectured at university, before moving back into politics last year as the Communications Manager for the Prime Minister’s Office.

Auckland based Fiona Cunningham, the third new PRINZ Fellow, followed the path of many of her peers, moving from journalism into the public relations sector.

A stalwart of the Auckland community newspaper scene and a political reporter with the defunct Auckland Sun newspaper, she joined Crossman Communications – later to become Porter Novelli – a decade ago. That experience led to her current role as Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey’s communications adviser.

PRINZ Fellows are recognised for their professional achievements and for their support of PRINZ and the public relations profession. The College of Fellows takes a leading role in PRINZ activities, especially in the field of maintaining ethical standards and mentoring and guiding younger practitioners.

At the PRINZ AGM on the 22nd of May, Pauline Rose, Strategic Communications Manager at Whangarei District Council, was elected as the new Chair of the College of Fellows.

Outgoing Chairman Joseph Peart said that he was delighted to be passing on the responsibility to Mrs Rose, who is at the same time strategic and sensible.

"She is also a person with a big heart, who has given unstinting support to PRINZ since she first became a member, and she will watch over members' interests with empathy and energy."

He said that Mrs Rose had been active on the College of Fellows executive and brought managerial skills, as well as strong experience in corporate communication and PR consulting to her new position.

ENDS

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