Letters to Jos

1. Letters to Jos gregandy@bluewin.ch bertil.flodin@gullers.se antoni.noguero@esrp.net Louis-Philippe.Laprevote@univ-nancy2.fr bbaerns@zedat.fu-berlin.de

2. Dear Jos, While we shared objectives we sometimes differed on the means and ways to reach them. In some of these cases you must have considered me -- probably quite rightly -- a pain in the neck. Nevertheless, you always acted or responded like a gentleman. For this reason, for your patience and for your immense contribution to the development of public relations education and research in Europe you have earned my admiration and respect.  You have honored me with your friendship. Let me respond with a Greek wish: "Na ta ektondisis", meaning: "May you become a hundred years" and this in good health. Andreas Gregoriades

3. Dear Jos, I am one of the lucky people who have participated in board meetings in Cerp Education with Jos as chairman. It is no exaggeration to say that Jos used all the skills necessary for a good communicator – rhetoric, diplomacy, dialogue and persuasion. When you thought you had won the debate, Jos raised his finger and said. But….on the other hand….. But behind all his communication skills I could always feel a warm friendship and a strong wish to contribute to the development of public relations and communication sciences in Europe both in theory and practice. So for me, being both a researcher and consultant in public relations, and a friend I can only congratulate Jos for his significant and remarkable achievements over the years. Bertil

4. Dear Jos: Let me say some words -‘for old times’ sake’ - as a member of the  "Club of Fridays  and  Saturdays", in which you were our "Honorary President". For a quarter of a century we have been travelling from North to South, and from East to West in order to establish a common European ground for an academic state of the art for Public Relations. Under your leadership the "surveys of programmes of PR", and MARPE (to mention only those) were developed . A brief look at the files of Cerp, Cerp Education and Euprera, enables one to realize the impact of your leadership and efforts in favour of the academic role PR has to play in Europe. In other words Jos your name is part of the academic history of PR in Europe. Many thanks for your friendship and companionship in the struggle for the emancipation of PR in academia and beyond. Antoni

5. Jos c'est… CERP-Education, c'est MARPE, c'est encore EUPRERA. Ce sont aussi d'amicales et enthousiastes visites à Gand. A commencer par l’anniversaire de son école.  C'est la découverte de cette ville et du fameux magasin de cartes postales. Un mémorable dîner sur la pelouse du “président Willems”. Des séances de travail studieuses à Prague ou à Nancy. C'est notre amitié. C'est la gentillesse de l'épouse de Jos. Bref c'est une longue marche au service de ce que nous persistions à appeler "relations publiques". Entre Paris et Nancy ou Nancy et Paris, je n'oublie pas notre complicité. Louis-Philippe

6. Jos… I would like to congratulate not only Jos Willems but also your school (and yourself) for that wonderful  - and adequate – decision (Chair). I personally admire Jos Willems' amazing efficiency in making friends within the difficult European arena. The development of CERP Education, the foundation of Euprera and last but not least the foundation and development of MARPE, in my opinion, is mainly resulting from his strategic and tactical management capabilities. Barbara