Ellen Toplin, president and founder of Toplin & Associates, Inc., a Fort Washington, Pa. -based public relations, advertising and marketing firm was recently named one of the Best 50 Women in Business, an award program sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in association with the business journals of PA and Wachovia Bank.
The award recognizes Pennsylvania women business owners and leaders for their professional accomplishments, leadership, community involvement and influence. Toplin was presented with the award on May 23, 2005 at the Whitaker Center for Science and Arts in Harrisburg, Pa.
"I’m honored to accept this award," said Toplin, who started her career as a social worker in the early seventies before moving into corporate marketing in 1975. "Being an ethical leader in business is very important to me," said Toplin, whose company was ranked in the top 10 of the region’s Best Places to Work in 2004 by the Philadelphia Business Journal. "As a team, we really strive to be substentative in everything we do, and I’m very proud of that."
Toplin has been dedicated to the community-at-large and her profession. She was recently elected to serve as 2004-2005 secretary of the board of directors as well as board of directors’ second vice chair for the American Red Cross Blood Services, Penn Jersey Region, where she also is the chair of the communications committee. Toplin has been instrumental in spearheading marketing and research initiatives to increase the region’s diminishing blood supply.
Active in other advocacy organizations, Toplin serves on: the nominating committee for the board of directors and as chair of the visibility committee for The Forum of Executive Women; the ad-hoc image enhancements committee for the Girl Scouts of Philadelphia; and, the advisory board of the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Also a founding member of the Public Relations Society of America’s Regional Leadership Council for the Philadelphia Region, she was a 2004 director-at-large for the Philadelphia Public Relations Society (PRSA).
For her work with area non-profits, Toplin has also received the 2002 PRSA Philadelphia Chapter’s DeAnn White Award, which recognizes a member who utilizes his or her expertise in community service and volunteerism.
A resident of Dresher, Pa., Toplin earned her bachelor’s degree from Temple University (cum laude, 1973), and her master’s degree from Antioch College (1977).