”Practice and thought might gradually forge many an art.” Virgil  Ray J. Hornak, APR Chairman A graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University, Ray served as senior consultant, director of client services, senior vice president, managing director and president of the legacy firms before co-founding Forge Communications.   Ray has served on the public relations committee of the Wake Education Partnership and on the board of directors of the Wake County Business/Education Leadership Council.  He was a co-founder of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, serving as its first board member and continuing today as a member of its board of advisors.  Ray is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America and a past president of the society's North Carolina Chapter.  He was recently honored with the Raleigh Public Relations Society’s Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement. A Pittsburgh native, Ray is a rabid Steelers fan and president of the Steel Triangle Club.    Roger M. Friedensen, APR President & CEO Roger began his consulting career in 1985 when he joined Epley Associates, Inc., one of the Southeast’s leading public relations firms. Over the years, Roger has managed a wide array of strategic communication programs for a broad range of regional, national and international clients across dozens of industries. Before co-founding Forge Communications in late 2009, Roger served as vice president and senior vice president of client services at Epley Associates, Inc. and The Catevo Group. His specialties include strategic planning, executive counsel, reputation management, crisis communications, issue management, media relations and spokesperson training.   Roger was a visiting instructor in the Department of Communication Studies at North Carolina State University and is a frequent guest speaker at local and national conferences and forums.  He earned master's and bachelor's degrees in speech communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a serious fan of Tar Heel basketball (though the 2009-10 season does leave a lot to be desired).  Active in the community, Roger is a steering committee member of and counsel to the Regional Transportation Alliance and has served on the boards of many other local and state organizations.  An accredited member of PRSA, Roger serves on the Executive Committee of the Counselors Academy of PRSA and is past president of the Raleigh Public Relations Society. You can follow Roger on Twitter at @RogerFriedensen. A professional guitarist, Roger performs regularly around the Triangle and has released two CDs. In addition, he’s a father, husband, cook, gym rat and music geek. To listen to some of his original music, just click below: http://wju.edu/http://www.wakeedpartnership.orghttp://www.brpfoundation.org/http://www.prsa.orghttp://www.prsa.orghttp://www.ncprsa.orghttp://www.ncprsa.orghttp://www.rprs.orghttp://www.steeltrianglefanclub.com/http://www.ncsu.eduhttp://www.ncsu.eduhttp://www.unc.eduhttp://www.unc.eduhttp://www.letsgetmoving.orghttp://www.counselors.orghttp://www.rprs.orghttp://www.twitter.com/RogerFriedensenshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9shapeimage_2_link_10shapeimage_2_link_11shapeimage_2_link_12shapeimage_2_link_13shapeimage_2_link_14shapeimage_2_link_15shapeimage_2_link_16

“There and Then”

“A Sip of Life”

“My Oasis”

SixStringsNC

Roger’s Twitter feed