Statewide communication association appoints eastern Idaho man as president
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IDAHO FALLS — A communication association based in Boise has appointed a local from eastern Idaho as president.
According to its website, the Idaho Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community.
PRSA Idaho appointed Tony Lima, vice president of public relations and SEO at Melaleuca, as its president.
“I’m delighted at the opportunity to lead this association, to build meaningful connections, relationships, and friendships across the strategic communications function, and help everyone sharpen their skills in this changing environment,” Lima told EastIdahoNews.com.
What is PRSA?
PRSA provides professional development, networking, leadership opportunities and resources that support excellence and ethical practice in the communications profession.
“It’s a community for PR and public affairs, public information officers and others that have these responsibilities, which include some nonprofit leaders, marketers, social media, and content creators,” Lima said.
He was officially appointed on Sept. 14. The association is volunteer-based. Lima will focus his one-year term on expanding PRSA Idaho’s statewide presence through in-person and virtual programs, networking, and professional development.
Increasing membership
“I’m the first president of the chapter from eastern Idaho. The chapter has really been focusing on taking a much stronger regional approach, and there are a lot of strategic communications professionals in different parts of the state outside of Boise,” Lima said. “We think that with a little bit more organization and focus, we’re going to be able to double, maybe even triple the number of members.”
Roughly 50 members are part of PRSA.
“Yet we will have 40 or 50 people show up to events in each region. So we have a lot of people who are interested in events who aren’t necessarily members,” Lima said.
Events
PRSA puts on several events throughout the year.
“A few months ago, we had an editorial meeting at East Idaho News to give our members and attendees a much more accurate view of how the newsroom operates, what makes the news, and what doesn’t make the cut. So that their pitching to journalists can be far more strategic and in line with what they need,” Lima said.
“Wouldn’t it be great if the journalists are getting pitches from professionals who take the time to truly understand the profession and can do far more of the work so that you can have a better story at the end of the day and less junk and on top of that building quality relationships?” Lima continued. “PRSA can bring the professionals to you.”
Another event PRSA members attended was a session on event planning at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.
An upcoming event on Oct. 14 is titled, “Keeping Pace with the Evolving Media Landscape.” There will be a media panel, and it will focus on things like how video, social media, podcasts, and AI are reshaping journalism and storytelling.
Goals
According to a news release, Lima will focus on helping communicators stay ahead of industry changes, including search engine optimization and emerging practices such as generative engine optimization and AI visibility.
His priorities also include ethics and advocacy, membership growth, and outreach to senior professionals and students.
Background
Lima brings more than 25 years of PR experience to the board, having led Melaleuca’s PR, philanthropic and community initiatives for 15 years.
Previously, he worked at PR and advertising agencies in New York City, Florida and Salt Lake City. His clients have included ADP, Deloitte & Touche, Walmart, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the law firm of Foley & Lardner, and Subway.
Lima earned his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), a professional certification that serves as the gold standard for strategic expertise and ethical practice, according to a news release.
Over the last two years, Lima served as PRSA Idaho’s eastern Idaho co-chair, where he led regular PRSA Idaho programs that averaged 40 attendees.
“If anyone feels like they’ve got communications in their job description, this is an organization where they could be a part of and find a lot of value,” Lima added.
Past PRSA Idaho President Malcolm Hong, who served from 2023 to 2025, said in an email to EastIdahoNews.com, “As PRSA Idaho expands across the Gem State, Tony’s leadership is exactly what we need to move our chapter forward. His growth mindset, passion for our industry, and focus on building meaningful relationships set him apart.”