Charlie Glazener (2019-2020)

The Barry Gaskins Service Award
    for outstanding contributions to school public relations

The North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) is proud to present its 2019-2020 Barry Gaskins Service Award to Charlie Glazener, who retired in 2017 after serving as the executive director of community relations and communications for Asheville City Schools.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Charlie spent 20 years in the United States Air Force, flying B-52 bombers for the Strategic Air Command.  In 1992, he began his tenure in education when he was hired to lead the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s new education division that fostered a successful chamber-school partnership in Asheville and across Buncombe County.

He left Asheville in 1998 to lead the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, but returned home in 2002 to manage the communication efforts for Asheville City Schools.  During his chamber days, Charlie guided efforts in Asheville and Rocky Mount that resulted in both communities earning the prestigious All-America City distinction.

Charlie served on the NCSPRA Board of Directors for eight years, and during his two-year term as president, he teamed up with the N.C. Association of School Administrators to coordinate the 175th anniversary celebration of public schools in North Carolina.  The “Every Child’s Chance … Every Community’s Future” campaign during the 2014-2015 academic year highlighted the rich history of public schools in our state and brought attention to the importance of supporting our public schools, which are still viewed as the cornerstone of democracy.

Charlie Glazener’s career story is one of popularity, victory, productivity, and success at every stop.  That’s why he is extremely deserving of NCSPRA’s most prestigious award.  It is safe to say that Barry would be very proud of our winner for 2019-2020 – Charlie Glazener.

■ About the Award
The Barry Gaskins Service Award is the highest honor bestowed on an individual by the North Carolina School Public Relations Association. The award is named in memory of Barry Gaskins, the first public information officer for Pitt County Schools in Greenville, who was known to so many people as “Mr. School Public Relations.”

Barry was a trailblazer in our field, and he helped to put the North Carolina chapter on the map. Barry Gaskins is the reason why North Carolina is viewed as one of the top state chapters in the country.

He served our state organization so well and even took his service, leadership, and vision to the national level, serving as president of the National School Public Relations Association from 2001 until 2002.

Barry died unexpectedly in March 2003 at the age of 49. His passing was a shock to PR people across the country. While Barry is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through the Barry Gaskins Award.

Click here for more information and a list of past winners.