On April 30, PRAL-BR President Tracy White presented John Hightower, APR with the Legacy Member award during the Red Stick Awards ceremony. The Legacy Member award recognizes a PRAL-BR member for their leadership, service, and dedication to both PRAL-BR and the public relations profession. These individuals are often retired but remain active in the PRAL-BR community. Learn more about John's legacy below. 

John S. Hightower is the owner of John S. Hightower, Public Affairs Counsel, a company specializing in lobbying at all levels of government, public relations, fundraising/development and organization management. Hightower has been active in public affairs since 1973. He served as Government Affairs Manager for Georgia-Pacific Corporation in Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma; Regional Director for The Tobacco Institute in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama; Executive Director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association and Communications Director and lobbyist for AARP. He recently retired from the Louisiana State University Law Center where he served as Senior Development Officer.

Hightower is a past president of the four-state Southern Public Relations Federation, the State Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana, the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the PRAL-Baton Rouge. He is currently Immediate Past Chairman of the Adult Literacy Advocates of Greater Baton Rouge; Past Chairman of the Capital Area Division of the March of Dimes; Past Board of Directors of the State Chapter of the March of Dimes; Moderator of the Governing Board of his church and Past President of the Environment and Health Council of Louisiana. He is a past President of the Arthritis Association of Louisiana, Family Service America, the Press Club of Baton Rouge and the River City Festivals Association and currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Press Club of Baton Rouge.

Hightower is an accredited public relation practitioner (APR) through the Public Relations Society of America and the Southern Public Relations Federation. He was named the 1994 Practitioner of the Year and a recipient of the First Circle Award by PRAL-BR and is recognized as a Southern Public Relations Federation Senior Practitioner and a member of the Southern Public Relations Federation Hall of Fame.

He is an alumnus of Louisiana State University, married with three grown children and eight grandchildren and resides in Baton Rouge.