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Lindsay Tozer, Ocala Chapter President, Recognized with FPRA State President’s Awards for Furthering the Profession and Leadership Development

At the recent Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) State President’s Awards ceremony at the @85th Annual PR & Comms Summit, outgoing Ocala Chapter President Lindsay Tozer was honored with two prestigious awards: the President’s Award for Furthering the Profession and the President’s Award for Leadership Development. These accolades recognize her dedication to advancing the public relations profession and developing strong leadership within her chapter.

Tozer received the President’s Award for Furthering the Profession for leading her chapter in a comprehensive evaluation of its infrastructure. Under her leadership, the chapter implemented significant enhancements, including elevating board positions to Vice Presidents and creating two new chair roles – Chapter Historian and IDEA Chair. The IDEA Chair is responsible for promoting involvement and inclusion, distinction and diversity, and ensuring evenness and accessibility in the chapter’s activities.

In addition to her chapter leadership, Tozer made valuable contributions at the state level. She advised the FPRA state board on critical matters related to Chapter 119 public records laws and ADA accessibility compliance. Her expertise played a pivotal role in supporting the state office in responding to public records requests, ensuring compliance with legal requirements while representing the Association and the public relations profession with integrity.

Tozer was also honored with the President’s Award for Leadership Development for her work in fostering strong leadership within her chapter. She spearheaded a comprehensive leadership orientation that covered essential topics such as chapter governance, strategic planning, and financial management. The orientation included an engaging self-discovery exercise that promoted team cohesion and unity, helping to build a strong, effective board.

This focus on leadership development continued at the chapter’s mid-year retreat, where Tozer led the team through workshops on effective communication, conflict resolution, and team building. By embracing diversity and capitalizing on individual strengths, she fostered a sense of camaraderie that strengthened the overall cohesiveness of the board.

In addition to her FPRA State President’s Awards, at the FPRA Ocala Chapter Annual Awards Banquet on August 30th, Lindsay Tozer was named Toni James, APR, CPRC PACEsetter of the Year by incoming Chapter President Greg Davis. Established during the 2004-2005 chapter year in honor of FPRA’s “Set the PACE (Professional and Career Enhancement)” theme, the PACEsetter Award recognizes a member who has demonstrated excellence and helped advance both the chapter’s and state association’s mission.

Tozer was also recognized as a top finalist for the Florida Public Relations Ocala Chapter’s 2024 Wilton F. Martin Individual Communicator of the Year (COTY) Award. The COTY Award honors individuals and organizations for their strategic communications and public relations efforts that have significantly enhanced community awareness, understanding, and support for causes and issues making a meaningful impact.