Our History

The Early Years (1984-2005)

The Space Coast Chapter was chartered on October 8, 1984 at the Canaveral Port Authority commission meeting room. The formal charter ceremony for the Brevard Chapter was held in November and the chapter immediately got to work to develop goals. The founding fathers of the chapter, President Dick Baumbach, and Chairman Bob Gordon, led the chapter and its 23 members that first year.

The first official chapter communication was the Newsflash, a monthly newsletter, and the chapter’s first philanthropic plan was to assist a local child welfare organization with gratis PR support and the chapter decided to work with the Child Care Association of Brevard, an organization that supported more than 1000 local children. Similar to today’s format, the chapter established a monthly breakfast professional development program and invited notable local speakers to present each month.

“The original group of people were committed to showing the world and space coast that public relations was a profession that really could do a lot of good for mankind.” Dick Baumbach, co-founder, Space Coast Chapter.

Starting in 1987, we began to see appearances by key Space Coast FPRA members who still are active in our chapter by participating in APR panels, serving as previous professional development speakers, or who have served as Image Award Judges. A few of our past presidents have gone on to proudly serve as State Presidents such as Marilyn Waters, APR, CPRC (1993), Jessica Rye, APR, CPRC (2007) and Suzanne Rains, APR, CPRC (2008).

The idea for the Corporate Spelling Bee was developed in 1990 as an offshoot of the Project for Literacy. The event brought together corporate teams from all over Brevard County and was a successful fundraiser and community relations outreach for many years. The Corporate Spelling Bee became the first trademarked community service event for the chapter over the years. Due to the downturn in local economy the Spelling Bee was discontinued in the early 2000’s and the event concept was turned over to the Space Coast Rolling Readers (a recipient of the funds for many years), to continue in 2013.

Interesting fact: Smoking was banned from all FPRA meetings in July 1990. This was voted on by the board and enacted.

One of the chapter’s claims to fame is founding the Doris Fleischman Award. The award was originally created by the Space Coast Chapter and was adopted by the Association in 1994. It was felt that the award warranted a state level award as well as a local level award.

The chapter has supported many philanthropies throughout the years such as The Child Care Association, Keep Brevard Beautiful, nonprofit business support, the Brevard Zoo, Project Literacy, Habitat for Humanity, Environmental Education project, Rolling readers and more.

The space industry played a major role in developing PR practitioners on the Space Coast for many years. Corporate support from the space industry thrived in the early years and PR practitioners were offered many out-of-this-world opportunities such as staffing the press office at Kennedy Space Center for the return flight in 2005. FPRA members from around the state manned 24-hour shifts as our country revived the space program.

In the thriving days of the space industry meetings were well attended, sponsorship was readily available for events and activities and the membership was very active. In the past few years, as the industry has slowly been dissolving and thousands have lost their jobs, the chapter has grown smaller.

Throughout the history of the Space Coast Chapter we have held monthly meetings and developed informative professional development opportunities. Many of our board members have gone on to proudly serve the state board’s executive committee, including Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC, and Melissa DiMaria.

As technology has developed over the years and we have advanced from mailing postcards about events and faxing press releases to the digital age of communications, so have the chapter communications developed. Our primary form of communication today is electronic.

2005- onward

Past Presidents

2023 - 2024 - Abby Hemenway, APR
2022 - 2023 - Melissa DiMaria
2021 - 2022 - Nina Salvaggio-Wagner, APR
2020 - 2021 - Autumn Shrum, APR
2019 - 2020 – Sara Almond, APR, CPRC
2018 - 2019 – Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC
2017 - 2018 – Sarah (Hansen) Le
2016 - 2017 – Angelica Deluccia Morrissey
2015 – 2016 – Rebecca Crisafulli
2014 - 2015 – Tessa Friederichs
2013 - 2014 – Michael Gardner, APR, CPRC
2012 - 2013 – Julie Arnold
2011 - 2012 – Tina Lange
2010 - 2011 – Katherine Sonn
2009 - 2010 – Geo Ropert, APR
2008 - 2009 – Amelia Woodbridge
2007 - 2008 – Linda Herridge
2006 - 2007 – Shanti Brasington
2005 - 2006 – Cindi Calhoun
2004 - 2005 – Rosalind Postell
2003 - 2004 – Jay Wilson, APR, CPRC
2002 - 2003 – Suzanne (Sparling) Rains, APR, CPRC (State President 2008)
2001 - 2002 – Agnes Vargas
2000 - 2001 – Jessica Rye, APR, CPRC (State President 2007)
1999 - 2000 – Caroline Kempf
1998 - 1999 – Natalie Sellers
1997 - 1998 – Merry Lynn Glisch, APR
1996 - 1997 – Monica Russo, APR
1995 - 1996 – Lisa Malone, APR, CPRC
1994 - 1995 – Tracy Steele
1993 - 1994 – Deborah Duschl, APR
1992 - 1993 – Elizabeth Hall
1991 - 1992 – Janet L’Abbe
1990 - 1991 – Andrea Shea-King
1989 - 1990 – Marilyn Waters, APR, CPRC (State President 1993)
1988 - 1989 – Teresa Munroe
1987 - 1988 – Pennie Smith
1986 - 1987 – Penella Smith
1985 - 1986 – Patricia Oliver
1984 - 1985 – Leslie V. Neilhouse
1983 - 1984 – Dick Baumbach, Founder

In Memory of Geo Ropert, APR

Geo joined Space Coast FPRA in 1998 and served the board and membership in many capacities. He was a past recipient of the Doris Fleischman Award, and PR Professional of the Year. Geo mentored many members, and often served on accreditation panels helping to advance his peers further in their profession. Geo's impact on the Space Coast Chapter of FPRA will be known for years to come, as many current board members, and long-time members worked side-by-side with him to elevate the chapter and its members to new heights. He is greatly missed, and his commitment and dedication to helping others succeed will continue to be a hallmark of the work in which he believed.

In 2021, under the leadership of then President Nina Salvaggio Wagner, APR, and VP of Accreditation, Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC, the Space Coast Chapter chose to honor Geo by naming an accreditation scholarship after him. Geo was a strong supporter of the accreditation process. He was always the first to volunteer to sit on our APR panels and of course was always the toughest panelest, as many of us can attest to.

Award winners

State President's Awards

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Individual State Recognition

2024: Community Service & Financial Management
2023: Membership Retention, Sponsorship Development, Leadership Development, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
2022: Accreditation
2021: Community Involvement
2020: Communication & PR, Networking,
2018-2019: Chapter of the Year

Individual State Recognition

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Individual State Recognition

2024: John W. Dillin Award: Marilyn Waters, APR, CPRC.
2024: Doris Fleischman Award: Sara Almond, APR, CPRC
2023: Joe Curley Rising Leader Class of 2023: Carlee Mixon
2022: State Joe Curley Rising Leader Award: Rachel Horst
2019: State Joe Curley Rising Leader Award: Sara Almond, APR, CPRC
2015: State Joe Curley Rising Leader Award: Rebecca Emery, APR
2014: John W. Dillin Award: Suzanne Rains, APR, CPRC
2014: Past President's Award: Jessica Rye, APR, CPRC
2013: John W. Dillin Award: Lisa Malone, APR, CPRC
2013: State Joe Curley Rising Leader Award: Tessa Friederichs
2012: Past President's Award: Suzanne Rains, APR, CPRC

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

The Dick Baumbach PR Professional of the Year Award is our chapter’s most prestigious award as it is given to a member of the FPRA community who exemplifies the highest standard of excellence in the public relations field. They exhibit a professional attitude in all facets - they set the standard in their job role, contribute to the FPRA community at large, and seek ways to give back to strengthen the PR profession.

Recent Recipients:

Melissa DiMaria (2023)
Rachel Horst (2022)
Abby Hemenway, APR (2021)
Sara Almond, APR, CPRC (2020)
Angelica Deluccia-Morrisey (2019)
Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC (2018)

Image Awards

Communicator of the Year:

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

2024: Silver Pinnacle Award for Government Team of the Year Space Coast TPO (Abby Hemenway, APR)
2023: Golden Image Award and Judges' Award Lockheed Martin (Nina Salvaggio Wagner, APR); Judges' Award and Award of Distinction - Launch Credit Union (Carlee Mixon); Award of Distinction - Space Coast TPO (Abby Hemenway, APR)
2022: Judges' Award and Award of Distinction - City of Cocoa (Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC, and Rachel Horst); Award of Distinction - Space Coast Office of Tourism (Meagan Happel); Judges' Award and Award of Distinction - Space Coast TPO (Abby Hemenway, APR); Judges' Award and Award of Distinction - Lockheed Martin (Nina Salvaggio Wagner, APR)
2021: Award of Distinction - City of Cocoa (Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC, and Rachel Horst); Judges' Award and Award of Distinction - L3Harris (Autumn Shrum, APR)

Doris Fleischman Award:

Communicator of the Year:

This award is presented to a member who makes often unrecognized, “behind the scenes” contributions to the public relations profession and/or to FPRA. In essence, this is an “unsung” hero award intended to reward that individual who consistently provides support and assistance to the Association and their peers.

This award is named after Doris Fleischman, business partner and wife of Edward L. Bernays, the “father” of public relations. The award recognizes those FPRA members, who, like Ms. Fleischman, make contributions to the field of public relations through their consistent, tireless efforts. The award is meant to honor a member for his/her "behind the scenes" work and FPRA volunteer efforts that go unnoticed by chapter members and are not recognized by other awards programs.

Recent Recipients:

Carlee Mixon (2023)
Samantha Senger, APR, CPRC (2022)
Kelly Haskins (2021)
Geo Ropert, APR (2019)

Communicator of the Year:

The Communicator of the Year award is given to a local agency or organization that exhibited outstanding communication efforts and exceeded expectations during the year they are nominated. This nominee does not have to be a member of FPRA. Qualifying efforts may include strategic social media campaigns, internal/external communications plans, crisis communications response, and brand management tactics (relaunches, brand development, etc.)

Recent Recipients:

Brevard Zoo (2023)
Brightline (2022)
Melbourne Orlando International Airport (2021)
Space Coast Area Chambers (2020)
City of Melbourne (2019)
Health First (2018)

Rising Star Award:

Chapter Member of the Year

President’s Awards:

This award is presented to an FPRA member of less than three years who has made significant contributions to the chapter and is interested in or already involved with the chapter board and is seeking ways to pursue leadership within the FPRA community.

Recent Recipients:

Darlene Montano (2023)
Carlee Mixon (2022)
Sara Shell & Elizabeth Counsman (2021)
Rachel Horst (2020)
Melissa DiMaria & Abby Hemenway, APR (2019)
Sara Almond, APR, CPRC & Nina Salvaggio Wagner, APR (2018)

President’s Awards:

Chapter Member of the Year

President’s Awards:

President’s Awards are given to chapter members who have gone above and beyond to support the Space Coast chapter.

Recent Recipients:

Meagan Happel & Russell Bruhn (2023)
Marilyn Waters, APR, CPRC (2022)
Abby Hemenway, APR (2020)
Sara Almond, APR, CPRC (2019, 2021)
Autumn Shrum, APR (2018)

Chapter Member of the Year

Chapter Member of the Year is given to an active, committed FPRA member who regularly contributes their time, energy, enthusiasm, and skill to ensure the chapter’s success.

Recent Recipients:

Vanessa Green Skyrmes (2023)
Tessa Friederichs
Julie Arnold
Katherine Sonn
Tina Lange, APR (twice)

Your path to leadership begins here

Members of Space Coast FPRA have served as State President, on the State Executive Board as VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, VP of Chapter Services, VP of Communication, LeadershipFPRA Chair, on State committees, and as members of LeadershipFPRA classes. As you can see above, our chapter and members have been recognized with top honors by FPRA year after year. This is only a snapshot of the achievements bestowed upon this chapter, and you could be next to join these ranks.

Our History

The Early Years (1984-2005)

2005- onward

Dick Baumbach, Founder

x

Past Presidents

In Memory of Geo Ropert, APR

Award winners

State President's Awards

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Individual State Recognition

Individual State Recognition

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Individual State Recognition

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Image Awards

Communicator of the Year:

Dick Baumbach PR Pro of the Year:

Doris Fleischman Award:

Communicator of the Year:

Communicator of the Year:

Communicator of the Year:

Communicator of the Year:

Communicator of the Year:

Rising Star Award:

Chapter Member of the Year

President’s Awards:

President’s Awards:

Chapter Member of the Year

President’s Awards:

Chapter Member of the Year

Chapter Member of the Year

Chapter Member of the Year

Your path to leadership begins here