A Tribute to Aaron Norris: Inspiring Leadership Personified
Posted by SEC2021 on Jul. 15, 2022 / Subscribe 0
By Christopher Perez, APR
The Inland Empire lost one of its best with the passing of Aaron Michael Norris, APR on July 1, 2022. Aaron was an inspirational leader and beloved friend to so many, and he left us much too soon. Among his many accomplishments and roles, he was a past president of PRSA-IE, as well as past chair of the PRSA Western District, and his mark on our chapter was profound.
Even though Aaron was fighting a rare form of cancer for over a year, he spent this time reminding us of what life was all about. To the end, he lived life on his own terms, with the same cheerfulness, optimism, encouragement and love for others that he always had. Even through his many hospital visits and treatments, he always answered everyone’s calls, texts and emails, kept tabs on his work and many volunteer efforts, and worried more about others more than himself, including his partner of 18 years, Mike.
Many of us in PRSA remember Aaron as a force of nature, and through his time on our board and afterward leading the PRSA Western District, he brought the chapter and district to new heights. He was the kind of leader that brought out the best in a volunteer board—no one worked harder than him, and he had great expectations, but he created an environment of fun and trust. Through his own example and constant encouragement, you always wanted to do the best you could, just so he’d give you that smile and appreciation.
With Aaron at the helm, our chapter increased membership, hosted a wildly successful Western District conference, and put our chapter firmly in the black with a budget surplus. He brought other regional marketing associations together for events and partnerships and became a voice for our region with the national PRSA board.
What many in our chapter might not know was that, in fact, public relations wasn’t Aaron’s first or primary career. His first love was acting, and he performed professionally on stage in New York and Los Angeles before a medical condition moved him into real estate, where he helped run his father’s successful investment firm The Norris Group. Eventually, the nerd in him found him gravitating to technology and data, and he merged all of it for both the Norris Group and his most recent employer PropertyRadar.
But Aaron’s greatest passion was philanthropy and giving back to organizations and causes that help make life better for others. He served on many nonprofit boards and was a champion for the Inland Empire Community Fund where his leadership and dedication raised almost $1 million for IE charities. His annual “I Survived Real Estate” gala, which featured prominent national speakers, raised over $1 million for Make-A-Wish and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
One of the last events Aaron would attend was a preview of the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture for VIP donors, yet another project he championed. Aaron introduced me and my firm to Drew Oberjuerge of the Riverside Art Museum, giving us the opportunity and honor to bring The Cheech to the world. We talked that day, and I thanked him—once again—for all he has done for our community and in this case, his advocacy for the arts.
So it was no surprise when we all learned that before his passing, he would launch the Aaron Norris Creative Fund that lives on after him to help support arts programs in the Inland Empire. Any donation to this fund celebrates the person Aaron was, his many accomplishments, and a legacy of positivity, love and light he left behind.
Aaron accomplished in 45 years what would take several lifetimes for most, and he has inspired and was loved by more people than he ever acknowledged. We want to share a few voices of appreciation from our chapter.
“Aaron was such a dynamic, caring, creative person. I met him through PRSA-IE, and he encouraged me to be the president elect when he was the chapter president. I learned so much working with him. He was so enthusiastic about understanding trends with data analysis, his social media and video creation. His skills were superb, and his philanthropy was contagious. He also embraced public relations by achieving his APR. I was inspired to become accredited because he made it look so easy. Aaron Norris was a transformational leader. He made his followers, friends and colleagues feel valued. We will all miss Aaron.” —Mary Ann Pearson, Ed.D., APR, Professor of Communication and Leadership, California Baptist University
“My friend, Aaron, introduced PRSA to me about seven years ago and encouraged me to get involved. I first met Aaron when he volunteered for the Give BIG Riverside committee I was chairing. He volunteered as a nonprofit mentor, creating social media channels for over 100 nonprofits. He worked a full-time job, then came home and worked for another six hours each evening creating social sites and digital assets for the participating nonprofits. I know for certain that many nonprofits in Riverside can attribute their digital fundraising success to Aaron’s mentorship and encouragement. I have never met anyone that gave as much to others without any expectation of something in return. He liked to say that everyone can give time, talent, or treasure, but he gave all three. He helped because he believed in a better Riverside.” —Sharilyn L. Hunke, Associate Director | Auxiliary Marketing, University of California, Riverside
“Aaron’s smile was so infectious. He was always quick to smile and extend a hand in friendship. He definitely led by example.” —Janice Newman, APR, Retired Agency Owner
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