NEW YORK (BUSINESS WIRE) -The Council of Public Relations Firms, one of several PR industry trade associations, today announced that it had rearranged some of their boardroom seating.

The new Chair of the Council’s Board is Marcia Silverman, CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations. Silverman, a lifer at Ogilvy PR, was once recognized by industry booster rag PRWeak as one of the 50 or so Most Powerful Women in PR and as one of the 100 Most Influential PR Professionals of the century. (That and 50 cents.)

Joining Silverman as executive officers are the usual suspects: Ray Kotcher (Ketchum) as Chair-Elect for 2008; Joel Curran (CKPR) as secretary; and dear Abby Gouverneur Carr (Bliss, Gouverneur & Associates) as treasurer. The Council also announced the election of its new board members, all CEOs/principals of their respective firms: Fred Cook (GolinHarris), Andy Cooper (CooperKatz & Company), Margery Kraus (APCO Worldwide), Cos Mallozzi (Gibbs & Soell), Kathy Obert (Edward Howard & Co.) and Mark Penn (Burson-Marsteller). Continuing directors are: Cathy Ackermann (Ackermann PR), Kathy Baughman (HLB Communications), Rick French (French/West/Vaughan), Sandy Hermanoff (Hermanoff & Associates), Aedhmar Hynes (Text 100), Marina Maher (Marina Maher Communications) and Melissa Waggener Zorkin (Waggener Edstrom).

Kathy Cripps, president of the Council, said the obligatory thank yous in near perfect monotone: "Thanks to the contributions of the board of directors and its committees, the Council is an important industry resource. Helen Ostrowski provided strong leadership during her year as Council chair. Incoming chair, Marcia Silverman has pledged to continue to push for more outreach to clients about the value of public relations."

About the Council

The Council of Public Relations Firms represents some of the leading PR agencies in the United States. Their mission is four fold: to advance the business of public relations by puffing its value as a business tool; to set various industry standards (whatever they are); to help member firms make a buck; and lastly, to make the industry attractive to new naïve recruits.