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Durée Mellion Ross

President

WHEN YOU FIND YOUR CALLING, WHY KEEP LOOKING?

Durée Mellion Ross is the founder and president of Durée & Company, a full-service public relations and marketing agency she launched in 1999. A respected leader in the industry, Ross is known for developing creative, tactical, and results-driven programs that help brands build visibility, protect reputation, and drive measurable growth. Her work is rooted in the belief that long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships are essential to sustainable success in today’s business landscape.

Ross works with a diverse portfolio of local, national, and international consumer brands, landmark industries, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations. She leads a team of communications professionals from varied backgrounds, carefully assembling talent based on experience, strategic thinking, and collaborative ability. Her leadership fosters a culture that supports individual growth while maintaining a strong focus on delivering ROI for clients.

An award-winning entrepreneur, Ross has earned national recognition for her expertise in crisis management and brand reputation strategy. In 2025, Durée & Company was named Fort Lauderdale Magazine’s Best PR Agency for the third consecutive year. That same year, Ross was recognized as one of PRNEWS’ Top Women in PR. In 2024, she was named a “Badass Woman of the Year” by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce in the Arts, Culture, and Media category. Durée & Company also received Fort Lauderdale Magazine’s highest gold honor for Best PR Agency in both 2023 and 2024 and earned an Honorable Mention at the 2024 PRNEWS Experiential & Event PR Awards for a marine industry campaign.

Ross was named PRNEWS’ PR Person of the Year in 2023. Additional honors include the Cannabis Marketing Summit’s Best Use of PR award, Bulldog Reporter’s bronze Best Crisis Management award, recognition as a “Who’s Who of Local Influence” by Venice Magazine, and designation as an Apogee Award Honoree by South Florida Business & Wealth. Earlier accolades include honors from the Marine Marketers of America’s Neptune Awards, South Florida Business & Wealth’s Prestigious Women Awards, Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Visionary award, and PRNEWS’ Agency Elite Top 100.

Durée & Company is a longtime member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of influential boutique PR firms. Ross serves on PRBI’s executive board, reflecting her leadership and influence within the global public relations community.

30
Industry

AWARDS

Consistently celebrated within the
PR and small business communities.

OFFICIAL CONTEST AND GIVEAWAY RULES NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING. PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION CONSTITUTES YOUR AGREEMENT TO BE BOUND BY THESE OFFICIAL RULES. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES (EXCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND OTHER COMMONWEALTHS, TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS), 18 YEARS OR OLDER.

  1. Terms. By entering this 20/20 contest (“Contest”) and accepting these terms, you agree to be bound by the following rules (“Official Rules”), which constitute a binding agreement between you and Durée & Company, Inc. These Official Rules apply to all online (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.) contests unless otherwise noted.

 

  1. Official Rules: Entrants must fill out all required fields on the entry form to participate in the Contest. After submitting the required information on the entry form, the entrant will receive one (1) entry into the 20/20 Contest. The Contest will begin on January 20, 2020 at 8:30 A.M. ET and end on February 20, 2020 at 8:30 A.M. ET (“Contest Entry Period”). All times in the Contest refer to Eastern Time (“ET”). Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws. Limit one (1) Entry per company during the Contest Period. Entries generated by a script, macro, or other automated means or by any means that subverts the entry process will be disqualified. Entries must be received before January 20, 2020 at 8:30 A.M. ET to be eligible for the Contest.

 

  1. Eligibility. Contest is open only to individuals participate in the Contest or submit an entry and who are eighteen (18) years of age as of the date of entry (“Entrant”). The Contest is only open to legal United States residents who have at least one physical location in Florida, and is void where prohibited by law. Employees of Durée & Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of Employees are not eligible to participate in the Contest. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

 

  1. Agreement to Rules. By participating, the Entrant agrees to be fully unconditionally bound by these Official Rules. Entrant represents and warrants that they meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, Entrant agrees to accept the decisions of Durée & Company as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Contest.

  

  1. How to Enter. Entrants must fill out the contest form entirely and send to the name/contact information as instructed. Any automated computer receipt, such as one confirming delivery of email, does not constitute proof of entry for the purposes of these Official Rules. The entry must fulfill all Contest requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of Durée & Company. Fraudulent methods or other attempts to circumvent the rules will disqualify an Entrant’s eligibility at the sole discretion of Durée & Company. Durée & Company may disqualify any Entry for any reason, In its sole and absolute discretion.

 

  1. Prizes. The Winner(s) of the Contest (the “Winner”) will receive 20 hours of free services per month for 3 months. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted except at Durée & Company’s discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize-related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes, shall be the sole responsibility of Winner. The prize is awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for Durée & Company to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

 

  1. Rights Granted by You: By entering this Contest, the Entrant understands and agrees that Durée & Company, anyone acting on behalf of Durée & Company, and Durée & Company’s licensees, successors, and assigns, have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the world, without limitation, the Entrant’s entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Contest, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes, without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent.

 

  1. Terms & Conditions: Durée & Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond Durée & Company’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, Durée & Company may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Durée & Company. Durée & Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website or violates these Terms & Conditions.

 

Durée & Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Contest, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Contest rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, Durée & Company reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

  1. Disqualification. If an Entrant is found ineligible, or if he/she does not comply with the Official Rules, then such Entrant will be disqualified. If a prize, prize documentation, or prize notification is returned as undeliverable or unclaimed, this will result in disqualification. In the event an Entrant is deemed ineligible or disqualified for any reason, then an alternate potential winner will be selected.

 

  1. Disputes. THIS CONTEST IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND FLORIDA, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Contest, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Minnesota having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Contest). Entrant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

 

  1. Winner(s) will be announced by March 20, 2020.

 

  1. Sponsor. The Sponsor of the Contest is Durée & Company, Inc. 10620 Griffin Road, Suite 208, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328

 

  1. Social Media. The Contest hosted by Durée & Company is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Five Things That Need to be in Your Resume or Cover Letter

To paraphrase Jerry Maguire, help us help you. As we sift through the paperwork, here’s what we are looking for:

1. What you love to do and why.

In PR, you may love writing, editing, interviewing, pitching the media, researching, coordinating events, networking, posting to social media … whew! While we would love it if you had a passion for it all, we’d never believe you if you said as much.

What part of this zany, crazy, whirlwind, yet meticulous, tedious, detail-oriented, profession calls to you and why? Help us make the connection as to how PR is really for you, and call it your Professional Summary.

2. Something you did that changed something or someone else.

If you never showed up to your last job, what wouldn’t have happened? That’s right. Erase yourself. Now which clients disappeared with you? Which articles just fade away? What press releases cease to exist? How much social media did NOT get liked?

We are just meeting you. So take a moment to spell out your impact, and it will be easier for us to see what you can do for the clients of Durée & Company. Share this under your Job Responsibilities.

3. Anything you created.

Feeling humble? Well, stop it. This is the part where you brag. If you craft a delightful blog, master a mind-blowing website, shoot crazy video or direct wonderful events, show us.

Then tell us a bit of how you did it, so we trust that it was your brilliance and not the intern’s. Let’s dub this Your Portfolio.

4. An indication of why you belong here.

At PR firm Durée & Company, we have a culture. Really, all companies do. To learn about ours, do some legwork. At this point, if you’re on our blog, you are in the right spot to begin learning. Hate pink? Not good with women? Live in Kansas? Low energy? Then you might want to reconsider applying. However, if we resemble a group that you’d like to hang out with, share why. You can do that in the Cover Letter.

5. Correctly spelled words – all of them.

Do more than hit spell check. Know how to spell or ask someone to proofread. Correctly spelled words work everywhere, all the time. Consider them the Little Black Dresses of resumes.

So consider these five tips – we’ve just given you a “cheat sheet” about what we’re watching out for. Even if our position may not be for you, feel free to use our advice for another – it may just get you the job!