Jackie Clark Receives PRSA Midwest District Platinum Award

Jacqueline Clark Receives PRSA Midwest District Platinum Award,
PR Team of the Year Award

Greater Kansas City PRSA presents Clark with awards at annual awards program

Kansas City, Mo. (December 2, 2024) — The Greater Kansas City chapter of PRSA presented Jacqueline “Jackie” Clark, APR, Fellow PRSA with the Midwest District’s Platinum Award at its 2024 PRISM Awards Gala recently.

The PRSA Midwest District Platinum Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the organization, celebrating individuals whose work has had a lasting and meaningful impact on the public relations profession.

“Jackie leaves her own distinctive, indelible mark on everything she does,” said Erin Van Zee, APR, PRSA Midwest District 2024 Chair. “Jackie’s spirited, kind approach to leadership and mentorship has positively impacted both clients and colleagues, and her honesty and transparency have proven instrumental in PRSA’s success at the chapter, district and national levels.”

Greater Kansas City PRSA chapter President Bridget Koan, APR, presented the award and noted, “As a volunteer in PRSA or throughout her career, she maintains the highest ethical standards, and she sets the bar high for effective stakeholder engagement to achieve the objectives for the businesses and organizations she has represented. We know that she will continue to shine and we look forward to seeing how she continues to deliver excellence in the work she does.”

Clark was nominated by the leadership of the Greater Kansas City chapter of PRSA. Clark is the Midwest and West Regional Government Relations and Public Affairs leader for HolcimUS, where she leads the company’s public and government affairs as well as political action, community relations and crisis management programs. Before she was recruited to HolcimUS, Clark’s career included stints in communications and government relations at privately held enterprises (Hallmark Cards, Inc. and Ash Grove Cement Company) and positions in Missouri state government in the Office of State Auditor, Missouri Lottery Commission and Missouri Department of Revenue.

Clark is the proud first and only professional advisor to the Mizzou Public Relations Student Society of America chapter. She has led the boards of directors for public relations, business, civic, arts, education, health and human services organizations. She served as president of the Greater Kansas City chapter of PRSA and served two terms as the Midwest Director on the PRSA board. In 2010, she was named PR Professional of the Year by the chapter and was inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows. She was honored as the Colorado PRSA PR Professional of the Year in 2022. She has earned numerous awards for effective government relations, public affairs and communications programs. 

In addition to the award, the district contributed $250 to a charitable organization of the recipient’s choice. Clark directed donations be made on her behalf to the Greater Kansas City chapter’s Inez Y. Kaiser Scholarship.

“I had the good fortune to know Inez when she worked with us at the Missouri Lottery,” Clark said. “Her legacy continues to inspire me, and I hope to be as inspirational to others as Inez was for PR professionals throughout Kansas City, Missouri and the US.”

Previous Platinum Award honorees from the Greater Kansas City PRSA chapter include Debra Peterson, APR, Fellow (2022). Clark is the only Missourian to have received this award since its inception. Peterson resides in Kansas.

Clark also accepted the prestigious PR Team of the Year on behalf of the Holcim US Government Relations team at the PRISM Awards.

“It is an amazing achievement and recognition for our team,” Clark said. “We are thrilled to be honored with the award. We all went above and beyond the usual government relations and public affairs responsibilities in 2024. Our portfolios expanded significantly to include extensive stakeholder engagement supporting carbon pollution reduction and low carbon materials grants as well as initiating engagement with Native American stakeholders. The team has been integral in securing state incentives for the future headquarters for the Holcim North American spin off company.”

About PRSA Midwest District

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) empowers its members to succeed at every stage of their careers through a wide breadth of professional development, networking and leadership opportunities. PRSA’s Midwest District is one of 10 PRSA Districts and includes 12 Chapters: Central Illinois, Chicago, Greater Kansas City, Iowa, Madison, Mid-Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northeastern Wisconsin, Southeastern Wisconsin, Southwest Missouri and St. Louis. The Midwest District’s goal is to support Chapters and their members by offering professional and leadership development at a regional level that complements national and local programs. For more information, visit www.prsamdc.org. 

About Greater Kansas City PRSA
The Greater Kansas City PRSA chapter is a chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. PRSA is the nation’s largest professional organization serving the communications community. The organization’s mission is to make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career. PRSA achieves this by offering its members thought leadership, innovative lifelong learning opportunities to help them develop new skills, enhance their credibility and connect with a strong network of professionals. The organization sets the standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct for the public relations industry. PRSA collectively represents more than 30,000 members consisting of communications professionals spanning every industry sector nationwide and college and university students who encompass the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Learn more about PRSA at www.prsa.org.