National Federation of Press Women: 2003 NFPW Communicator of Achievement

2006 NFPW communicator of Achievement

Betty Packard

Betty J. Packard’s life has been a series of firsts: First in her family to graduate from high school; First to graduate from college; First woman to edit a national financial magazine; First woman main platform speaker for the Million Dollar Round Table; First woman in Indiana to file for equal pay for equal work; First woman keynoter for the Life Insurance Association of Europe as well as many other financial service organizations; and First president of the new affiliate, California Press Women, Northern.

As a management consultant, Betty has been the creative force behind specially designed training and personnel development programs. Her current continuing education program is licensed by 11 state departments of insurance. As a speaker and writer, Betty’s talents have taken her to three continents and 17 countries. Tens of thousands have heard this marketing motivator bring a new perspective to their careers and personal relationships.

Widowed in 1960, Betty supported her children in a variety of occupations: teaching high school journalism, newspaper reporting, office manager for a racing team at the famed Indy 500, and editor of several national financial publications.

Highlights of Betty’s career include a total of 17 NFPW writing awards, 121 writing awards from California Press Women, Women’s Press Club of Indiana and Public Relations Society of America. She is a Kentucky Colonel, an honorary Okie, and a Canadian Buffalo Hunter, to name just a few.

Betty has served CPW as its president, convention chair, contest chair, and for the past five years has voluntarily served as Executive Director of the Northern CPW after the state was split, coordinating all the activities, contests and programs. For the past 25 years she has chaired the CPW high school journalism contest, now regarded as one of the finest in Northern California. This year each category winner will receive $500 in an awards ceremony for all participants and advisers. Before coming to California, Betty was an active member and officer with WPCI, She served for eight years on the NFPW national board as an officer and also has served on several national committees over her 39 years of membership.

In 1973 Betty participated in a joint American/Soviet journalism study tour held in the USSR. In 1979 she represented the United States at the World Conference of Women Journalists held in Seoul, Korea. Among her many volunteer efforts over the years have been lobbying for women’s rights in Indiana, Volunteer Chairman for the American Red Cross, the San Francisco Symphony, Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, San Francisco Garden Club and Take Christmas to the VA Hospital,. For the past 11 years Betty has served the City and County of San Francisco as a member of the Ballot Simplification Committee, which she has chaired for the last three years. She has been continuously listed in Who’s Who in American Women, and also listed in Who’s Who in Finance and Industry , Who’s Who in America and several international volumes as well.

Betty counts among her many blessings her husband of nearly 31 years, Stephen Voris; her two children, Lisa Beaudry and James Russell Packard III; her eight grandchildren and her two great-grandchildren.

NFPW Membership Department:
P.O. Box 34798
Alexandria, VA 22334-0798

E-mail: NFPW Headquarters at presswomen@aol.com
Phone: 800-780-2715
Fax: 703-237-9808
Mail: PO Box 5556, Arlington, VA 22205

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Carol Eberly, a Michigan journalist and educator, is named 2003 NFPW
Communicator of Achievement by National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), a
nationwide organization of professional communicators, women and men, in
print and broadcast journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing,
freelance writing, photography, new media, graphic design and education
focusing on professional development, high ethical standards and protection
of First Amendment and freedom of information rights.