Patricia M. Szpekowski, APR, president of PR Strategies & Communications, Inc./PmS advertising, inc. in Elgin, has received recognition from the Illinois Woman’s Press Association (IWPA), an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), in its recent 2026 communications contest. Szpekowski was awarded 8 recognitions for all 8 diverse stories submitted for judging to the IWPA. She has been a member of both organizations since 1995.

The first place entries, which have proceeded to the NFPW for national judging, include: A Chicago Pope - Cover Story/Air Chicago Magazine; The All American Dining Experience - Kane County Magazine; The Magical Morel Makes for Ottawa Springtime Fun - Northwest Quarterly Magazine.

Third place: In the wake of Minnesota shooting, Elgin high school with ties to Annunciation sends support - Observer, Diocese of Rockford. Honorable Mention: Clergy Appreciation - Observer, Diocese of Rockford; 156 Years of the Kane County Fair - Fox Valley Magazine; rscan app brings big returns - Northwest Indiana Business Magazine; and Speakeasies, sanctuaries, and storied pasts - Elkhorn, WI - Northwest Quarterly Magazine.

“It is an honor to receive recognition for my work that highlights a very wide range of topics,” Szpekowski said. “Each of these publications reaches a very strong and loyal readership throughout O'Hare/Midway International Airports travelers, Northern Illinois, the Fox Valley area, and Northwest Indiana. "Writing the Air Chicago cover story on Pope Leo XVI, the Chicago Pope, was a true privilege of my career."

The IWPA contest is named for Mate E. Palmer, the ninth IWPA president, who served from 1907 to 1909. Upon her death in 1939, the IWPA established a writing contest in her memory.

IWPA continues to hold a firm place in the history of women communicators in Illinois. It is dedicated to professional excellence and the highest ethical standards in the communications field, and to the rights and responsibilities of the First Amendment.

PR Strategies & Communications, Inc./PmS advertising, inc., a full service advertising agency and public relations firm, was founded in 1987 by Szpekowski. She wears two hats as an award-winning accredited public relations APR professional and freelance journalist.

For more information on how Szpekowski can communicate news for businesses and nonprofits, visit the firm’s website at prstrategies.net.