Ray Atkinson Earns APR Designation

June 15, 2007 (ROANOKE, VA) — The Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is honored to announce that Ray Atkinson is now fully accredited in Public Relations (APR). Atkinson is director of corporate communications for Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, the world’s largest chicken company, where he is responsible for corporate media relations, issues management, crisis management and M&A communication for the Fortune 500 Company. He has been a member of PRSA and in the Blue Ridge Chapter, since 1998.

Prior to his career at Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, Atkinson earned his B.S. degree in mass communication with a concentration in public relations from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. Subsequent to earning his degree, he began his career with WLR Foods, Inc. in Broadway, VA, which was acquired by Pilgrim’s Pride in 2001. He was responsible for internal and external communication during the WLR acquisition, and for the subsequent acquisitions of ConAgra’s chicken division in 2003 and Atlanta, GA - based Gold Kist Inc. in 2006.

Atkinson also serves as chairman of the Harrisonburg Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the educational experience for students in the Harrisonburg City Schools.

PRSA is the world's largest association of public relations professionals who represent business and industry, government, non-profit, healthcare, schools and professional firms. The purpose of PRSA is to unite professionals, set industry standards and a Code of Ethics for performance, and to increase public recognition of the public relations profession. The Blue Ridge Chapter serves members in western Virginia.

For more information, visit our website at www.prsa-blueridge.org or contact Shelly Whitaker, APR, Accreditation Chair at shelly.whitaker@advanceautoparts.com.

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