CHICAGO, June 1, 2011 – The Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC/Chicago) has recognized Don Empie for earning the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation from IABC.
“Earning the globally recognized ABC is a milestone in any communication professional’s career,” said Tom Keefe, ABC, IABC/Chicago president. “The peer-reviewed program challenges candidates to demonstrate their knowledge of strategic communication planning, implementation, measurement and ethics. The IABC/Chicago board of directors joins me in congratulating Don.”
Empie is Director of Internal Communications for Honeywell’s Specialty Materials business group. He has been with Honeywell since 2007. Prior to joining Honeywell, he was with Exxon Mobil Corporation for 10 years, where he served in several corporate communications roles of increasing responsibilities. Empie earned a bachelor of arts degree in Journalism from Arizona State University before beginning his career as a newspaper reporter and photographer.
He is a past recipient of Silver and Bronze Quill Awards from IABC, a Gold Excalibur Award from the Public Relations Society of America, and a Top 10 Publications award from Ragan Communications.
“Earning the ABC designation is a terrific honor,” said Empie. “When I began working in corporate communications in 1997, a colleague talked me into joining IABC. He had his ABC designation and further encouraged me to begin my own journey to accreditation about two years ago. I’m very glad I did it. It feels great to have my skills validated by some of the industry’s best.”
Empie joins a select group of accredited business communicators – about 1,100 worldwide and 20 in the Chicago area. IABC’s accreditation process consists of a rigorous evaluation that identifies and recognizes highly qualified, well-rounded communicators through a review of their portfolio of work, as well as written and oral examinations.
A study of accredited business communicators in seven countries found that IABC’s accreditation program is a gateway to learning and advancing the practice of strategic communication management. A majority of current and former supervisors who participated in the study said ABCs provided more credibility to their departments or organizations, while a majority of clients perceived ABCs as having an increased understanding of effective communication practices. Large majorities of the ABCs surveyed said that becoming accredited improved their resumes, increased their confidence, enhanced their credibility and gave them peer approval and recognition.
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 15,000 members in 90 countries and 100 chapters. IABC/Chicago (https://chicago.iabc.com) is the oldest IABC chapter in the world.
Media Contact:
Diane Laux, ABC
IABC/Chicago
djlaux@earthlink.net