CHICAGO, March 16, 2009 – Enriqueta (Queta) Rodríguez Bauer has become the first Chicago-area Latina to earn the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
“Earning an ABC is an outstanding personal and professional achievement in our complex and growing field,” said Karen Utterback, ABC, president of the IABC/Chicago chapter. “Queta meets a global standard for her ability to manage the communications function, think strategically, establish meaningful objectives and measure her success.”
Queta Rodríguez Bauer, ABC is the founder and president of Cultural Communications, LLC, an award-winning consulting firm specializing in public relations, integrated marketing communications, and crisis and reputation management. Her clients have included Amnesty International, the City of Chicago, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency For Planning. Recognition for her work includes an IABC Gold Quill Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in communication around the world.
Bauer received her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and a master of science degree in communication from Northwestern University. She also has studied at the Universidad National Autónoma de México, in Mexico City. Bauer is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators and the Publicity Club of Chicago. She is fluent in English, Spanish and French.
Bauer has joined a select group of accredited professional communicators – about 830 throughout the world and 19 in the Chicago area. IABC’s accreditation process consists of 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 2007 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 more than 16,000 members in 70 countries with a multi-disciplinary approach to corporate communication, public relations, employee communication, marketing communication, media relations, community relations, public affairs, financial communications and government relations. IABC/Chicago (www.iabcchicago.com) is the oldest – and one of the largest – IABC chapters in the world, with more than 500 members.