Each year, the Toronto society presents the Doris Whiteside Award (biography below) to a graduating student at each of
the community colleges which offer public relations courses recognized by CPRS Toronto.
This year’s recipients are:
Seneca College – Elena Dvoirin
Humber College – Trevor Speechly
Centennial College – Hannah Sunderani
BIOGRAPHY
DORIS WHITESIDE
Doris began her public relations career in the 1960’s as a part-time secretary with the Girl Guides of Canada. While there she met Ruth Hammond who sparked Doris’s interest in public relations.
From the Girl Guides, Doris joined Hilda Wilson at Investor Relations. Subsequent career moves took her to Berger and Associates and the Metro Toronto and Ontario Lung Associations where she acted as Director, Public Relations. There, Doris implemented many strategic public relations programs.
Doris’s many public relations accomplishments included a successful strategy that allowed chiropractors to achieve professional status in Ontario. And she was one of the first public relations practitioners to bring the concepts of public relations to not-for-profit organizations. She pioneered the concept of joint sponsorship programs between not-for-profit organizations and corporate sponsors. Doris also developed the Lung Association’s first public relations manual and provided training programs for volunteers and staff.
Doris began CPRS’s first speakers bureau in the 1970’s and was a member of the Board of Directors. She was always an advocate for raising the profile and status of public relations practitioners.
Doris gladly gave advice to anyone interested in public relations. She taught public relations and enjoyed various workshops.
Doris died in 1989.