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Former WCU public information director honored

Alfred Douglas “Doug” Reed, former director of public information at Western Carolina University, has been honored with a Lifetime Membership Award given by an organization he helped create and lead more than four decades ago.

A Cullowhee resident, Reed was recognized Tuesday (March 22) by the College News Association of the Carolinas during the organization’s annual meeting in Greenville, S.C. CNAC is a group of higher education public relations professions from public and private schools in the Carolinas. Reed was nominated for the honor by Bill Studenc, WCU senior director of news services.

A Bristol, Tenn., native, Reed was a newspaper writer and editor before becoming director of public information and associate professor of English at WCU in 1966. During his three decades at the university, Reed was an adviser and mentor for six WCU presidents and chancellors, and he was a key leader as the institution became a member of the University of North Carolina system and enrollment more than doubled, Studenc said.

Reed retired in 1996 and received an honorary doctor of letters degree from WCU in May 2010 in recognition of his service to the university.

As he accepted the honor, Reed told conference attendees that CNAC started with “just a handful” of members, and he is gratified to know that the organization now boasts more than 175 public relations professionals from across the two states.

“The days in which we began establishing the work of CNAC are long ago,” Reed said. “Like you have today, I had a great group of colleagues with whom to work.

“Those few of us who are still around from when this organization started are proud of what you have done with the small instrument we tried to create,” he said. “I thank you very much for this award.”

By Randall Holcombe

© 2011 Western Carolina University.