JIM McQUEENY SELECTED AS U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION (IPRA)

Winning Strategies Chair Also Named IPRA’s Deputy Representative to United Nations

NEWARK, N.J. (Oct. 20, 2009) – Jim McQueeny, Chairman of Newark, N.J.-based Winning Strategies, has been selected as a United States representative to the prestigious Council of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), based in London.

In this role, McQueeny joins an international delegation of leading communications industry leaders from throughout the globe. A total of 42 nations are represented on the IPRA Council. McQueeny is one of just two U.S.-based Council members.

IPRA also named McQueeny as its deputy representative to the United Nations’ Department of Public Information and the Economic and Social Council. IPRA has representation status with the United Nations, with consultative responsibilities to help shape the media presentation of the body’s global public policy initiatives.

IPRA aims to provide intellectual leadership of the profession and further the development of the ethical practice of public relations. In addition, IPRA is the organizer of the Golden World Awards for Excellence, considered one of public relations most prestigious international awards. Winning Strategies is a two-time winner of the Golden World Awards.

McQueeny says that his appointment to IPRA’s Council reflects Winning Strategies national and global focus. For example, the agency regularly arranges client interviews with international media outlets such as CNN International, CNBC Asia, CNBC Europe and the BBC. Additionally, the company has performed work on behalf of the United Nations Development Program in Asia.

“Our company was built having public relations skill proficiencies for state, regional, national and overseas tasks,” said McQueeny. “The IPRA’s Council recognition of that is an honor.”

Winning Strategies has established itself as one of America’s fastest growing public relations agencies, according to PR Week. In the 2009 PR Week Agency Business Report, Winning Strategies was listed among the nation’s largest independently-owned public relations agencies.

Winning Strategies has garnered prestigious awards from organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America, the International Association of Business Communicators, the American Association of Political Consultants and The Association for Women in Communications.

Before launching Winning Strategies, McQueeny served as spokesman for U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, as well as a White House Bureau Chief and reporter for the Star-Ledger in Newark, and was an on-air television correspondent in the New York City market. He participated in the team coverage with the lead, guest op-ed on the resignation of Governor Jim McGreevey that accorded the Pulitzer Prize for the Star-Ledger.

Presently, he is host of "Power and Politics" on News 12 New Jersey, the state’s largest cable television station. McQueeny has also written articles that have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Newsday, among other publications. He is a columnist for New Jersey Municipalities magazine.

About Winning Strategies (www.winningstrat.com)
Winning Strategies offers a range of expertise such as strategic issues counsel, media relations, Internet technology services, corporate positioning, crisis management, media training, issues management and public affairs for an array of international, national and New Jersey-based clients, including Verizon, Protecting America, Prudential Global, ExxonMobil, Ford and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

About the International Public Relations Association (IPRA)
The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) is the world’s only association for personal membership for senior PR practitioners.