Sunday, February 26, 2012

Tribute to the late Christine Bell, Past President, PRSJ


Tribute to the late Christine Ann Bell, 
Treasurer and Past President
The Public Relations Society of Jamaica
 
A Professional and a Lady
 
The Public Relations Society of Jamaica (PRSJ) mourns the passing of current Treasurer, and former President of the Society, Christine Ann Bell. She was a tireless champion of the ethical practice of public relations, stickler for correct use of words to communicate messages, and a master of using the creativity to engage people towards a cause, or use of a product. She was a doyenne of her time.

PR practitioners benefit from a thriving community of professionals, and ours was built on the generousity of spirit of persons like Christine Bell. She enjoyed her work and the company of her peers. Christine also easily shared her insights as a consultant, and motivated others to aspire to their own success.

Some highlights of her outstanding career include her contribution to thesuccessful conferences staged by the Jamaica Computer Society in the 1990s. For many years, this annual conference was the high point of activities of entrepreneurs, academics and technicians in the field of computing. She helped to make this series profitable for the organisers and extremely beneficial to the participants.
 
As a consultant to Jamaica Broilers, her passion for her work, attention to detail and creative flair helped to renew and strengthen the value of the brand to the public. She demonstrated the value of that the correct practice of public relations brings to business.
 
Christine Bell was a philanthropist who readily employed her skills and connections in public relations towards causes. The best known example is her company's charitable arm, Hearts n Ideas, which staged the annual fundraising event, Hats Off to Easter, which generated beauty and great fun. It was a dream event for social writers and photographers who helped to make it into an anticipated calendar event.

Christine Bell was also one of those rare PR professionals who maintain the sparking effervescence of creativity throughout a lifetime of work. She was always brimming with ideas and shared them with verve. The close connection that she maintained with the theatre no doubt was a sustainance that kept her creative energies high.
 
The public relations society was reactivated in 2010 and Christine Bell was at the forefront of this. She volunteered to serve in any needed area and, in 2011, accepted the post of Treasurer and readily hosted meetings at her lovely Ardenne Road office. Christine will be remembered for her service, her graciousness and her style. We in the profession will also regard her as a skilled writer for print and broadcast media; an event organiser; and most importantly, an expert facilitator of good relations between an organisation and its publics.

Rest well our sister.
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