Stephanie Cegielski, who was VP-PR of PR Society of America until July 27, is an adjunct professor at New York University School of Professional Studies.

Cegielski & Jack O'DwyerPRSA VP-PR Stephanie Cegielski with Jack O'Dwyer at 2013 Society conference in Philadelphia. (photo: Sharlene Spingler)

She had joined the Society as associate director of PR in June 2012. One of her duties was to “establish and cultivate key media relationships, arrange media interviews” and “manage organizational response to media inquiries.”

She also developed a “comprehensive ethics training program proposal to address business and practice needs of PR professionals,” says her essay on Linked-In.

As the only Society staffer allowed to deal with the O’Dwyer Co., she enforced its policies of refusing membership to O’Dwyer staffers, refusing conference credentials, and refusing exhibit space for O’Dwyer products. Society officers and board members do not respond to O’Dwyer emails.

When the O’Dwyer Co., through its own sources, obtained the 2014 audit, showing revenues of $11,159,091 were below the $11,426,867 revenues of 2006, the Society expelled a member suspected of providing that information.

The Society was on good terms with the O’Dwyer Co. until 1994 when it exposed the Society’s sale of hundreds of thousands of copies of authors’ articles without their permission from 1978-94. The expose halted the illegal program that was netting about $60,000 yearly.

O'Dwyer's PR Services ReportO'Dwyer's exposed the Society’s sale of hundreds of thousands of copies of authors’ articles without their permission from 1978-94. The illegal program that was netting about $60,000 yearly.

All PR reporters were barred from the Assemblies of 2011, 2012 and 2013. Press was allowed at the 2014 conference in Washington, D.C.

Credentials, Exhibit Space, 990 Are Withheld

The Society, whose annual conference will be Nov. 8-10 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, is refusing to supply credentials to any O’Dwyer reporter and refusing exhibit space. It is also withholding the 2014 IRS Form 990 that has the pay packages of the top seven staffers including Cegielski. Its audit was published in May indicating that payroll and other information required for the 990 was available at that time.

The Marriott, informed of the boycott, has offered the O’Dwyer Co. space on the tenth floor of the hotel to show its six products. Space had been provided in lobbies of Marriott hotels in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., in the 2013 and 2014 conferences.

Not responding to phone calls or emails is Joseph Truncale, who became CEO of the Society in January, and Rosanne Mottola, PR manager.

Truncale has adopted a low profile since joining the Society. Its website carries one interview with him—a discussion of the similarities and differences of printing and PR. He was in the printing industry for more than 30 years.