About POTY

Philip R. Forrest, Jr.

Born July 25, 1919, in New York City, Philip R. Forrest, Jr. moved to Mobile to attend Spring Hill College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Math in 1942. He returned to New York for a short time to work for United Press International as a copywriter before returning to the warm Alabama climate that he would enjoy for the rest of his life.

An active Member of the Public Relations Society of America and its Alabama Chapter, the Overseas Press Club of America, the Public Relations Council of Alabama and the Mobile Advertising Club, he was one of only seven Mobile citizens named “Honorary Jaycee” in the 44-year history of the Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce. He served PRCA both as local and state president and received the Practitioner of the Year Award in 1977. The award was re-named in honor of Mr. Forrest in 1983.

Professionally he spent time as a reporter and feature writer for newspaper dailies and the Associated Press. He also worked as a photographer and writer with the Employee and Public Relations Department of the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company for three years and as a copywriter and account executive for advertising agencies. He spent eight years as Promotion, Program and News Director with Mobile radio and TV stations and for four years he headed his own Advertising, Promotion, and Public Relations firm which served accounts in 13 Southeastern states.

For six years he was Director of Public Relations for the America’s Junior Miss Pageant and traveled extensively. In that capacity he had occasion to deal with the largest corporations and advertising agencies in the world, as well as newspapers, wire services, magazines, and television networks. Mr. Forrest led the Public Relations Department from 1969 until his death in 1983 at Merchants National Bank in Mobile.

He lived in Mobile with his wife, Anne (Demoranville), - a native Mobilian - and his three daughters and son. He was especially proud of his grandchildren - one, Philip R. Forrest IV, is his namesake. In fact, Philip (Ryder) Forrest, III, and Phil Forrest IV presented this year’s Practitioner of the Year Award during the PRCA State Conference held in Mobile Oct.18-19.

Phil Forrest, Jr. was a firm believer in the state of Alabama: its people, its resources and its future. Previously known as the Practioner of the Year Award, PRCA changed the name to Professional Achivement Award in 2006.