Our Chapter:
Wordspring: A Strategic Communication Resource

When a Raleigh-based regional bank lost a full-time corporate communications staff member due to restructuring in 2005, the company called on Dawn Stuart to supplement the work of the remaining staff.

Stuart is president of Wordspring Communications, Inc., and an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) with more than 20 years of experience. She frequently works as an adjunct staff member to help her clients meet their business objectives through strategic communication.

"Most of the communication professionals I know have more work to do than they can possibly get done," said Stuart. "As an independent consultant, I offer cost-effective and flexible solutions for oversized workloads. I can handle specific, one-time projects or serve as a temporary, part-time staff member."

Having operated independently for 10 years, Stuart gets "up to speed" quickly at new organizations and brings an objective, experienced perspective to day-to-day challenges.

IABC has been the source of numerous prospects and clients for her through the years, but the value Stuart derives from her longtime membership surpasses the obvious. She has sought recommendations of professional vendors (especially photographers) from IABC members across the U.S. She has partnered with fellow independents for specific consulting projects. She has kept her knowledge and skills up-to-date through participation in local, regional and international conferences and professional development seminars.

"I have built a strong network of IABC colleagues through the years, and that network pays off for my clients and me in many ways," Stuart said. "If one of my clients has a specific need that I cannot meet, I know someone in IABC who can."

Having joined the student chapter at James Madison University in 1984, Stuart learned of the organization's potential value early in her career. "I have maintained my membership continuously since graduation, and I became a lifetime member when IABC offered that opportunity in 2000," she said.

From 1985 to 1991, Stuart was an active participant and board member of IABC Richmond (Virginia). In 1991, as a result of a corporate acquisition, she relocated to Tampa, Fla. There, the Florida Suncoast chapter named her to a board position right away, and she served as chapter president in 1993. Since relocating to the Triangle in 1996, Stuart served a term on the local board and held the position of regional director for the southeast U.S. in 1999-2000.

She earned the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation from IABC in 1992. This professional credential program recognizes communicators who have reached a globally accepted standard of knowledge and proficiency. It demonstrates the ability to think and plan strategically and to successfully manage those skills essential to effective organizational communication.

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