Former IABC Philadelphia President’s Successful Leadership Elicits Regional Recognition

Philadelphia, Pa., July 14, 2011 – IABC Heritage Region, the northeast region of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), has named Tony DeFazio as the Communications Director for the 2011-2012 program year. DeFazio is a public relations professional with more than 20 years of industry experience, and is president of DeFazio Communications, LLC, a Conshohocken, Pa.-based public relations agency. He will report directly to the IABC Heritage Region Director and will supervise the Communications Chair.

DeFazio’s successful leadership of IABC Philadelphia over the last two years attracted the attention of the trade group’s regional chapter, which represents 20 chapters spanning 17 states.  IABC Heritage Region, comprised of regional communication professionals well-versed in various disciplines of corporate communication, is responsible for serving Region members, primarily through providing guidance, support, and development opportunities for chapter leaders. The group also fosters growth within the Region and serves as the communication mouthpiece between members, chapters and the IABC Executive Board.

“Tony has exemplary communications leadership skills,” says Gary Spondike, Region Director of IABC Heritage Region. “During his tenure as president, the Philadelphia chapter emerged as one of the most recognizable in the world in terms of proactive and impactful communications programs. We are grateful to have him as an officer of the Heritage Region board of directors and look forward to seeing him elevate our communication programs across the region.”

DeFazio is an active member of IABC Philadelphia, 230 members in full, where he served as chapter president from 2009-2011. During this time, DeFazio was instrumental in building the chapter’s brand awareness, and was a speaker on branding strategies at the IABC Leadership Institute.

In his new role, DeFazio will develop a strategic communication plan for the Region, which will include designing and maintaining the Region’s website, and the implementation of a newsletter. DeFazio will oversee internal and external communications, monitoring and resolving existing communication issues, and maintaining contact lists for distribution to Region leaders, Region members and Chapter leaders. DeFazio will also manage the Region’s social networking sites.

Requirements to be nominated for the position of Communications Director include possessing a strong background in strategic communications, being able to translate strategy into practical applications, as well as having experience in organizational development and change management.

“It’s been a privilege to serve as the president of IABC Philadelphia for the last two years,” DeFazio said. “To be recognized by the Heritage Region chapter is indeed an honor. I look forward to taking our best practices locally and applying them to a much larger constituency.”

DeFazio lives and works in Conshohocken, Pa., where he founded his agency in 2008. He previously served as Director of Public Relations for American Financial Realty Trust from 2005 to 2008.  Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President and Partner at Gregory FCA Communications. DeFazio began his career managing public affairs campaigns in Washington D.C. He is a graduate of Ithaca College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and communications.

About IABC Heritage Region

IABC Heritage Region, the northeast region of IABC, supports IABC’s mission by serving Region members, primarily through providing guidance, support, and development opportunities for Chapter leaders; fostering growth within the Region; and serving as a communication conduit between members, chapters and the IABC Executive Board. The IABC Heritage Region has the largest number of members of any region, serving 17 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.  The region covers Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.  For more information, please visit http://heritageregion.iabc.com.

About IABC

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is a global network of communication professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. Established in 1970, IABC serves more than 15,000 members in over 90 countries. For more information, visit http://www.iabc.com.

Press Inquiries:

Elizabeth Trubey
(484) 532-7783
etrubey@defaziocommunications.com

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