The Lead

"Joe Epley has distinguished himself over many years as a sophisticated, visionary ethical professional who has been an inspirational leader of PRSA," said PRSA Chair and CEO Jeffrey Julin, APR. "He is a credit to the profession and to this organization in every respect, and he is a worthy recipient of this honor."
Julin presented the prestigious Gold Anvil Award to Epley during the International Conference. First awarded in 1948, the Gold Anvil commemorates a lifetime of service by an individual whose work significantly advanced the profession and set high standards for those engaged in the practice of public relations.
Epley, now semi-retired in the Blue Ridge Mountains community, Tryon, N.C., headed Epley Associates, Inc., for 27 years. The full-service firm represented a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local not-for-profits, many of them clients for more than two decades. He also was founding partner in Worldcom Public Relations Group, a network of independent firms that grew to include businesses in 35 countries.
"Joe Epley has made a great impact in all aspects of the public relations field and has been an exemplary professional. We're proud to recognize his great contributions to our profession by awarding him the 2008 Gold Anvil Award," said Sherry Goldman, 2008 PRSA Honors and Awards Committee chair and president of the New York-based Goldman Communications Group.
"It is both a thrill and a humbling experience to be selected by your peers for such a high honor," said Epley. "I can't think of a better way to cap one's career. It makes me feel that I have made a difference. But I also have had many colleagues who worked with me, guided me, supported me and gave me the opportunities to make that difference."