FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter News and Notes

"Back" to School and "Forward" with New Leadership!

2009-08-24T08:50:00.007-04:00

Counting Down...
As my term as President winds down, this week and next will be my last blogs. It's hard to believe that the year is almost over...but I leave you in good hands with President-Elect Bryan Beaty!

Installation of Officers and Awards Ceremony
Speaking of President-Elect Beaty, you don't want to miss the 2009-10 FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Installation of Officers and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at noon. The location is the Kight Center, Room 309, on the Indian River State College Campus in Fort Pierce. At the Ceremony, we will announce the 2008-09 Member of the Year, the Virginia Moulton President's Award recipient and the Adrienne Moore Award of Excellence winner to three deserving members of the Treasure Coast Chapter. We'll also celebrate the State Awards for Best Chapter Newsletter, President's Award for Communications and Outstanding Chapter of the Year. Reservations can be made online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com and the cost is $20 per person. Thanks and see you at the celebration!

And There’s More…
In last week’s blog, I mentioned the extensive participation from the Treasure Coast Chapter in the Annual Conference. I neglected two things: Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC was installed on the State Board as the Florida Public Relations Association’s Education Foundation Chair for 2009-10 and IRSC associate professor James Mason prepared the opening video for
state president Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC. The video showed photos of her chapter visits, the voiceover referred to the State theme of “The Birth of New Ideas” and included baby photos of the Executive Committee members.

Member News
Steve Schmoyer of Multicolor Printing Inc. hosted seven Indian River State College graphic design students recently at his printing facility in Stuart. He welcomed the students and their instructor, Walter Hines, IRSC Assistant Professor-Graphic Design, Advanced Technology Division for a 90-minute presentation.

During the visit, IRSC students learned pre-press techniques and digital file preparation for Quark XPress projects in a contemporary, commercial printing environment. Among the topics covered were: PDF creation and setting preferences, hot-folders, page imposition and on-the-fly PDF editing. Schmoyer provided an overview of the printing industry, past and present, and its close relationship with graphic designers. The presentation included demonstrations of several printing and finishing processes including, lithographic offset, letterpress, die-cutting, hot foil stamping and embossing.

IRSC students appreciated the quality time and professional advice given to them through these hands-on opportunities. The students enjoyed learning about the complete printing process start to finish in full detail. Way to go Steve!

Have a great week!
Linette

The Final Piece of the Puzzle ~ Outstanding Chapter of the Year!

2009-08-17T10:28:00.010-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter!

As you saw last week, our Chapter put the “final piece in the puzzle” by winning the “Outstanding Chapter of the Year” for the first time in our 25-year history! All year, this Chapter pulled together, worked hard as a team and advanced the public relations profession on the Treasure Coast. We are a wonderful team and I appreciate everything each and every one of you did this year to make this recognition possible. And, as your President, I am so proud to have served such a fantastic group of PR Professionals this past year.

Congratulations goes to Communications Chair, Erick Gill, who made it possible for us to win the President’s Award for Communications. And thanks to Misti Guertin, APR and Sarah Starr, our newsletter editors, who made it possible for us to win the Best Chapter Newsletter Award, too!

FPRA State President, Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC, was kind enough to share her comments with me and I’d like to share them with you:

President’s Award for Communications
Communications plays such a major role in the success of any organization or business. Identifying your target audiences and understanding the importance of message consistency and continued dialogue is incredibly important. The same can be said of an FPRA Chapter. Timely and meaningful information being sent to members in the manner in which they’d like it received is a delicate balance. I believe one chapter rose to the top in this area and gave the perfect example of how to do it right this year. In fact, this chapter lead the way for many of the chapters by being the first to announce their new chapter blog, and they were probably wondering why they weren’t mentioned for new technology because they did SO much in this area, even sharing ideas and helping other chapters as they set up their own blogs or other tools in the “new technology” department. However, this chapter didn’t just excel in the area of new technology; they excelled in all areas of communications. The chapter we will honor today has spent the year finding new ways to take their communications to new levels through already established tools and the introduction of many new ones! Chapter communications efforts were top priority for this chapter. From an upgraded Web site to a weekly President’s blog, communications to their members, the State Executive Committee and Board updates, and media and non-members were of utmost importance. In September, the first redesigned e-newsletter, The PRO, was issued. Continued upgrades and enhancements of the chapter’s Website provided new options and content. The chapter distributed more than 21 press releases with several media hits included newspaper and magazine articles and radio shows. The President’s new idea was to begin and maintain a weekly blog to communicate to the members. Additionally, the chapter created a Facebook page and LinkedIn group. Let’s hear it for Linette Trabulsy and the Treasure Coast Chapter for their outstanding work in Communications this year!

Best Chapter Newsletter (presented by Melanie Mowery Etters, APR, CPRC, FPRA State Communications Chair)
I will share that the newsletter competition was extremely close. Chapters, please keep up the great work next year. Let me tell you some of the comments from the judges in selecting our winner.

This chapter newsletter had outstanding graphics which increased its readability.
Visually it was attractive
It contained lots of information about a variety of subjects
And, it was consistently of high quality

Our 2009 winner for the Best FPRA Chapter Newsletter is: The Pro Newsletter from the Treasure Coast Chapter, President: Linette Trabulsy, Newsletter Editor: Sarah Starr and Designer: Misti Guertin, APR. Congratulations to the Treasure Coast and Thank you all!

Outstanding Chapter of the Year (Presented by Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC, FPRA State President)
The chapter that I’m about to honor with the most coveted “Outstanding Chapter of the Year” had their sights set on this award going into the year, and they shared that with me last August when I visited their chapter to install their new board. As far as I’m concerned they have more than earned it. But, I have to tell you, several chapters gave you all a serious run for your money!!! I can’t really tell you how difficult a decision this was to make. I truly believe you all did an outstanding job this year and I am not ashamed to admit that I did lose some sleep on making this and many of these award selections. So many of you have worked so hard all year and I’m so honored to have had the chance to serve alongside you. However, the chapter we honor today really outdid themselves and it truly was a team effort; all year I saw the perfect teamwork of the president, the immediate past president, the president-elect and many of the other chapter leaders and members. What really stood out to me was how they didn’t stop there. They were eager to share best practices with so many of the other chapters and really led the way with being available to help others when they were called upon to assist with “how-to’s” and other such info sharing and teamwork. This chapter had an exciting and busy year. From a “puzzle” themed Installation Ceremony in September to the annual Media Conference in June, high quality opportunities for member professional development, networking, local awards competitions and leadership were presented. The chapter’s theme, “Putting All the Pieces of the Puzzle Together,” was used to build a network of professionals and put all the pieces into place to form one awesome chapter. After such a strong year and excelling in so many areas, this chapter is poised to flourish and continue to provide the pieces of the puzzle for this chapter for many years to come. Cleary it’s a great time to be part of FPRA at the Treasure Coast Chapter and I’ve been so pleased and impressed with this chapter. Please join me in congratulating Linette Trabulsy and her fabulous chapter! Will you all come forward to be recognized?

Chapter Participation at Annual Conference
While we were at the Annual Conference, it occurred to me that the Treasure Coast Chapter really went above and beyond to help make the conference successful. From raising money for the Foundation to participating in panel presentations, our Chapter served the association by hosting, sponsoring and assisting with the conference including:

Coordinated and presented a panel discussion for the Student Track of the conference -- Debra Banta, APR, and a committee of five other local FPRA members presented “What Is Public Relations/PR Career Opportunities” to a group of university students at the conference. Panelists discussed their jobs as public relations professionals, how they got into their career and offered advice for entering the public relations field. The panel included: Banta, Trabulsy, Kendall Clifford with The Firefly Group, Pat Austin Novak, APR, Audra Shaneman of Mariner Sands Country Club and Sam Yates with Yates and Associates.
Blogged from the conference -- Bryan Beaty, president-elect of the Treasure Coast Chapter, was part of the blogging team that provided real-time information from the conference (www.fprablog.org).
Assisted with Student Track presenters -- Cara Perry, of FAU Treasure Coast Campus, assisted the State Conference Chair, Karen Smittle, APR, with the coordination and scheduling of speakers for the Student Track of the Conference.
Introduced speakers -- Linette Trabulsy, your Chapter President, was honored to introduce a legend in our profession -- Mr. Joseph Curley, APR, CPRC as one of the speakers during conference.
Coordinated and hosted the FPRA Education Foundation annual scholarship fundraiser -- Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC served as the chairman of the fundraiser which raised $8,000 for scholarships given to university students going into the public relations profession.
Provided golf lessons for the participants -- as part of the fundraising efforts of the Foundation, an annual golf outing is provided to the participants of the conference on the Sunday before the meetings. Chapter member Susan Naugle, of the Executive Women’s Golf Association, provided the lessons.

Even before the conference, our Chapter won 3rd place in the State’s Chapter Challenge by promoting Annual Conference, Image Awards and Golden Image Awards. For our efforts, our Chapter was given a prime spot table at Golden Image Awards along with a bottle of wine. Thanks to all who helped before, during and after annual conference! Your hard work really paid off!

Golden Image Awards
Speaking of Golden Image Awards, congratulations goes to Stacy Ranieri and Nancy McCarthy, APR of The Firefly Group for their Award of Distinction at Golden Image Awards for their work on the Manatee Pocket Dredging Website. Congratulations also goes to Doreen Poreba, APR, of the PR Czar, for her Award of Distinction and Judges Award at Golden Image Awards for her work on Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow news release for the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast. Way to go ladies!!!

What's on the Horizon
Looking forward to 2009-10, I wanted the theme to be: Do it again in 2010....but we’ll just have to wait to see what Mr. President Bryan Beaty has up his sleeve! Whatever the theme, it will certainly be an exciting year under his leadership. Please mark your calendars now for our Annual Meeting and Installation of Officers and Directors, scheduled for Wednesday, September 2nd at noon at the IRSC Kight Center for Emerging Technologies, room 309. If you haven’t already done so, please go online and RSVP by clicking here.

Wow! Thanks again for all you do, did and will do in the future for FPRA! :-)

Have a great week,
Linette

F.I.R.E! Can’t make it to Conference…you can still be part of the FUN!

2009-08-03T11:44:00.010-04:00

Thanks to Universal Studios, the FPRE Foundation has received a two-night stay at the Loew’s Royal Pacific Resort and four (4) two-day Universal Studios park passes for a weekend of family fun. This gift package is valued at $1,000.

You don’t have to attend annual conference to participate in this fabulous experience. Take a chance and you just might win a weekend at one of Florida’s top attractions for you and your family or friends, with accommodations at one of Florida’s top hotel facilities. Don’t miss The Simpsons, E.T., Shrek and lots of other friends from Universal Studios!!

To enter your name in this drawing click here to make a $10 donation. Donations are not required and your name can be entered in this drawing by faxing your name, chapter name and phone number to (941) 906-1556.

The winner will be announced at the end of the HOT STUFF/COOL CASH auction fundraiser at the Boca Raton Resort on Monday, August 9, 2009. Don’t miss out on this exciting weekend package! As required by Florida law related to non-profit raffles, no purchase or contribution is necessary to participate. You do not have to be present to win.

Still want to attend conference? It’s not too late!
Conference is a time to renew your professional self, connect with old friends and meet new professional peers and ensure that you are linked in with the who’s who in public relations in the state of Florida. Join 200 of your closest PR friends and get the most out of your membership by registering today! click here.

The Treasure Coast AdFed Presents: "The Incredible Changing Newspaper"
The Treasure Coast Advertising Federation will host “The Incredible Changing Newspaper,” a panel discussion with executives from the Treasure Coast’s daily newspapers, featuring Bob Brunjes of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers and Chuck Gerardi of The Palm Beach Post. Moderator for the discussion will be celebrity spokesperson Greg Rice. Attendees are requested to e-mail any questions they have for the panel to fineartdaily@gmail.com prior to the event.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 SE Salerno Road in Stuart. Cost is $17 for members and $20 for non-members; lunch is included. RSVP to the Ad Fed web site at www.treasurecoastadfed.com.

The Treasure Coast Advertising Federation, an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), meets on the third Tuesday of each month at locations throughout the Treasure Coast. The AAF is the oldest national advertising trade association, representing 50,000 professionals through a network of 200 ad clubs in communities across the country. For more information, contact Ad Fed President Jodi Connolly at 772-409-1391 or jodi.connolly@scripps.com, or visit the club’s website at www.treasurecoastadfed.com.

Winding Down...

2009-07-27T13:02:00.020-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Winding Down...
As summertime winds down, my term as President winds down as well. Your President-Elect, Bryan Beaty, will officially be sworn in as President on August 10 at the State FPRA Annual Conference in Boca Raton. A local Chapter Installation Ceremony will take place in September. I hope you will make plans to join us at the Installation Ceremony (when the date and location is finalized, I'll let you know!) to welcome your 2009-10 FPRA Treasure Coast Board of Directors. I can say that this has been a wonderful experience for me and I look forward to working closely with Bryan and the rest of the Board next year to continue the good things we have started this year.

Annual Conference is Only Two Weeks Away!

2009 FPRA Annual Conference!
PR on F.I.R.E.
Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education

Join us for 3-days of “hot” professional development topics ranging from new media to green marketing and beyond. This year’s conference will offer attendees the tools, tactics and strategies needed for success. Put yourself in the F.I.R.E! Check out the State's NEW website at www.fpra.org for detailed information about the agenda, registration information and a video presentation about the conference!

http://www.fpra.org/Professional_Development/Annual_Conference_Video.aspx

FPRE Education Foundation Silent and Live Auction Items Still Needed!
Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC is still looking for items for the FPRE Foundation Auction. She recently acquired a $1,000 Universal Studios package as well as JetBlue airline tickets! If you have an idea for an auction item, please contact Adrienne at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com.

Member News
Congratulations to Earle Kirkbride, an FPRA Treasure Coast Member from Indian River County. Earle recently published a book titled Letters Home. The book is based on the letters his late wife, Norma Jean Cone, wrote to her mother, sister and brother while she was the first American woman on the team inventorying the assets of the Bank of Japan in Tokyo right after the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Through Letters Home, the reader gets a personal view of what life was like for a young American woman who was a civilian employee with General Douglas MacArthur’s occupying force of 200,000 G.I’s. At the same time that her team was finding paper bags of diamonds in the vaults, she was learning a little about Japanese culture, sightseeing, attending dances, and developing a deep friendship, which ended tragically. Some of these activities are documented in the book with photos she took.

Letters Home is available online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Local book stores can also order it from the publisher iuniverse. Earle also donated an autographed copy for the FPRA Education Foundation fundraiser at the Annual Conference! Congratulations!

Have a great week!
Linette

Fun in the Sun!

2009-07-21T18:18:00.014-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

A Big Thank You!
Thank you to President-Elect Bryan Beaty as he filled in for me last week while I was on vacation in Islamorada. I have to say, Facebook made it possible for me to share some fun videos and pictures while on my trip with all my friends. Facebook has really changed the way we work and play!

I'd like to remind you about my different contact information. Please make note that you can now find me at:

St. Anastasia Catholic School
401 South 33rd Street
Fort Pierce, FL 34947
ltrabulsy@stanna.org
(772) 461-2232

Annual Conference is Only Three Weeks Away!

2009 FPRA Annual Conference!
PR on F.I.R.E.
Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education

Have a great week!
Linette

And Now A Word From The President-In-Training

2009-07-14T14:19:00.002-04:00

Good afternoon Treasure Coast Chapter!

While President Trabulsy is away this week, I have the privileged of presiding at today's membership meeting and writing this week's blog. I suppose this is good training for next year and also a good opportunity to understand first hand the work that our President has undertaken during the 11 months.

July Membership Meeting Re-Cap
Today, more than 20 members and guests heard first-hand how to effectively and efficiently launch and coordinate an organizational re-branding and image initiative. Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication for Florida Atlantic University presented “Brand New. FAU’s Journey Through the World of Visual Identity.” This initiative was conducted to allow FAU to revise their institutional image through visual identifiers such as their academic logo, athletic logo and official seal. Aileen stated that organizational brands tend to take a life of their own and that it's important to maintain a brand's integrity through proper procedures for it's usage.

Also at today's meeting the 2009-10 FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Slate of Officers was approved. The Slate is as follows:

Executive Committee:
President – Bryan Beaty, Indian River State College
Immediate Past President – Linette Trabulsy, St. Annastasia Catholic School
1st Vice President, President-Elect – TBD
2nd Vice President, Membership – Kathryn Treadwell, ARC of Martin County
Treasurer – Lisa Swyryn, Communigraphics
Secretary – Samantha Kayser, inVision Brand Partners, Inc.

Directors:
Image Awards Chair: Louise Murtaugh, APR, Molly’s House;
Committee Members: Robin Delgado, Attorney Philip DeBerard, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, A. Moore Communications Strategies; Kherri Anderson, Martin County Supervisor of Elections

Professional Development (Includes Media Conference, High School presentation, etc.) Co-Chairs: Krista Garofalo, United Way of St. Lucie County and Lauren Anderson, Stuart Cardiology Associates

Media Conference Committee Members: Beverly Bevis Jones, APR, BBJones Communications; Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC; other committee members: TBD

Communications Chair: Erick Gill, St. Lucie County;
Committee Members: Newsletter Writer – Sue-Ellen Sanders; Layout - Robert Lane, IRSC; Website – Mark Weinberg, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office

Programs Chair: Cara Perry, FAU Treasure Coast Campus
Committee Members: TBD (need 3-4)

Accreditation & Certification Chair: Nancy McCarthy, APR, The Firefly Group

Indian River Council Co-Chairs: Sarah Starr, Childcare Resources of Indian River County and TBD

As you can see, we have a couple key “TBDs” in the slate. If you are interested in serving on a committee or a leadership role for the Executive Committee, please contact Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com for information.

News from the State Office
The last day to register for FPRA's 71st Annual Conference and receive the early bird discount is
this Sunday, July 19h. After that, the rate goes from $595 to $675. Register today for Florida's
premier public relations professional development opportunity on the NEW FPRA Web site at www.fpra.org.

Across-the-board room upgrades are still available for conference attendees. For example,
rooms in the tower used to be $165 and are now $155. The Yacht Club, which was not available before, is now available for $165. The bungalow one-bedroom suites, which were $185, are now $169. And the bungalow two-bedroom suite, which was not previously available, is now available for $199. Although the hotel registration deadline has passed, our special room rates are available as long as rooms are available at the Boca Raton Resort. Call 1-888-503-2622 for reservations.

Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC is still looking for outstanding items for the FPRE Foundation Auction. She has been very successful so far in collecting items such as College Football Tickets and a lunch for four with a NASA astronaut including a VIP tour of the Space Center. If you have an idea for an auction item, please contact Adrienne in the next week adrienne.moore7@gmail.com.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Bryan
a/k/a President-in-Training

Out of the Loop

2009-07-07T19:29:00.006-04:00

Hello Treasure Coast Chapter!

I've started my new job at St. Anastasia Catholic School, but am still a bit out of the loop. Hopefully, by the end of the week, I'll be back up and running with e-mail and other forms of communication. If you need to reach me, please e-mail me at ltrabulsy@stanna.org or call me at (772) 216-8631.

Last Day to Register for the July Monthly Business Meeting is Friday, July 10!
Make your reservation TODAY for the Chapter’s last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. at the IRSC Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University will present: “Brand New. FAU’s Journey Through the World of Visual Identity.” Izquierdo is responsible for creating and managing integrated communications plans and initiatives for internal and external university audiences that are aligned with the University’s strategic plan. Izquierdo is the first Hispanic vice president in the FAU’s 44 year history.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling company communications. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Again this month, Panera Bread will be catering lunch.

The Treasure Coast Chapter is privileged to have Ms. Izquierdo present at our monthly business meeting. Let’s show her a very warm welcome to the Treasure Coast by attending this last meeting of the year! RSVP NOW online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339.

Reminder...the FPRA 2009-10 Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Slate of Officers Set for Vote at the July 14th Meeting
The 2009-10 FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Slate of Officers will be presented to the membership for approval at the July Monthly Business Meeting. The Slate is as follows:

Executive Committee:
President – Bryan Beaty, Indian River State College
Immediate Past President – Linette Trabulsy, South Florida Water Management District
1st Vice President, President-Elect – TBD
2nd Vice President, Membership – Kathryn Treadwell, ARC of Martin County
Treasurer – Lisa Swyryn, Communigraphics
Secretary – Samantha Kayser, inVision Brand Partners, Inc.

Directors:
Image Awards
Chair: Louise Murtaugh, APR, Molly’s House; Committee Members: Robin Delgado, Attorney Philip DeBerard, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, A. Moore Communications Strategies; Kherri Anderson, Martin County Supervisor of Elections

Professional Development (Includes Media Conference, High School presentation, etc.)
Co-Chairs: Krista Garofalo, United Way of St. Lucie County and Lauren Anderson, Stuart Cardiology Associates; Media Conference Committee Members: Beverly Bevis Jones, APR, BBJones Communications; Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC; other committee members: TBD

Communications
Chair: Erick Gill, St. Lucie County; Committee Members: Newsletter Writer – Sue-Ellen Sanders; Newsletter Layout - Robert Lane, IRSC; Website – Mark Weinberg, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office

Programs
Chair: Cara Perry, FAU Treasure Coast Campus
Committee Members: TBD (need 3-4)

Accreditation & Certification
Chair: Nancy McCarthy, APR, The Firefly Group

Indian River Council
Co-Chairs: Sarah Starr, Childcare Resources of Indian River County and TBD

As you can see, we have a couple key “TBDs” in the slate. If you are interested in serving on a committew or a leadership role for the Executive Committee, please contact Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com for information.

Deadline for Registration for Annual Conference – PR on FIRE - July 19!
Register now and make your hotel reservations (http://waldorfastoria.hilton.com/en/wa/groups/personalized/BCTBCWA-ZZEPRZ-20090803/index.jhtml). The deadline for early registration is July 19, 2009, and the deadline for hotel reservations at the FPRA discounted price is July 9, 2009. Hotel rooms are going fast, so reserve your room as soon as possible.

71ST FPRA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, FL
Date: August 9 – 12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

Have a great week,
Linette

The Heat is ON!

2009-06-23T11:02:00.015-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

I think the heat might be slowing me down. I hope you haven’t missed me too much! We’re in the home stretch of our membership year and I’m really looking forward to my last couple of months as your Chapter President. As some of you may know, this is my last week as the Media Relations Specialist for the South Florida Water Management District. Beginning July 6th, I will be the Development Director for St. Anastasia Catholic School in Fort Pierce. My children attend this school and my mother, husband and I all attended this school as well. I will be in charge of school media relations, communications, special events and fundraising. I will continue on as Chapter President and will remain on the Board as Immediate Past President next year. When I get my new contact information, I will forward it along to you.

Tweet All About It!! The FPRA Media Conference was a Huge Success!
The Treasure Coast Chapter held its annual Media Conference in June. About 150 people from the public relations and media fields took part in the conference with the theme of a “Welcome to the Digital Conversion” on the same day of the switch to digital TV, June 12, in Stuart. “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools,” the title of this year’s annual Media Conference, assembled professionals from all media outlets including newspaper, magazine, radio, television, Internet and more.

The day began with a luncheon and a moment to honor the 42-year career of Tom Weber, the former publisher of Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. Weber, who retired at the end of May, received a special painting from the chapter.

The keynote speaker, Jay Berkowitz, a senior online marketing professional for more than 20 years, is the author of The Ten Golden Rules of Online Marketing Workbook, the Founder and CEO of www.TenGoldenRules.com, a strategic online marketing consulting business. Berkowitz has also managed marketing departments for Fortune 500 brands: Coca Cola, Sprint and McDonald’s Restaurants, and has developed online and offline strategies for AT&T and leading health and fitness Web site eDiets.com. He presented his latest topic, “Web 2010,” and provided 10 strategies defining business futures. You can find a copy of his presentation at http://presentations.tengoldenrules.com/web_2010/.

Another presenter was Alex de Carvalho. A social media strategist and avid user of social networks, Carvalho works at the intersection of online social interaction, Web site user experience and marketing programs, specializing in the practical application of social media platforms, culture and ethics for external and internal community engagement. He is the co-founder of StartPR, an online service for reputation management, blogger relations, and brand monitoring. He noted that social media is changing marketing, public relations and journalism.

Other sessions during the day included Communications for Non-profits, presented by Suzanne Sparling, APR, United Way of Brevard County, Photography and Videography 101, Meet the Press Roundtables and PR 101.

As part of the conference registration, attendees received the ever-popular Media Directory – this year on CD. If you missed out on the opportunity to attend this event, you can still purchase your Directory by contacting Lisa Swyryn at Lisa@communigraphics.biz and she will make sure you get a copy. Copies cost $25.

The conference has always been an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community and this year was no exception! Thanks to Media Conference Co-Chairs, Beverly Bevis Jones, APR and Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC for their dedication and leadership of this event. They had many committee members and volunteers to assist them…so a BIG THANK YOU goes to Justin Beard and Denise Belizar, as well as volunteers Bryan Beaty, Robert Lane, Karen Brown, Lisa Hornamen Sywyrn, Lauren Anderson, Robin Delgado, Inez Frid, Erick Gill, Felonice Margasak, Diane Charette, Linda Probst, Stacy Ranieri, Gina Golina, Nancy McCarthy, Larry Schultz and Laurie K. Blandford who helped put this wonderful event together.

In honor of the Media Conference, I started an FPRA Twitter Account…follow us at FPRATC!

Regan Communications is All-A-Twitter
Thanks to Misti Guertin, APR, Vice President of Regan Communications for sharing this story about how Regan Communications is using Twitter to get the word out about their clients.

http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/06/16/04/3245-82/index.xml
Firms tweet their message, PR execs find Internet is a treasure trove to get their clients out to the public

During a time when traditional media is struggling to stay relevant due to dwindling readership, public relations executives are tapping into Twitter to get the word out about their clients. So far, it’s working, according to some of the top local industry executives.
Twitter is now becoming one of the “go-to” tools at Boston-based Regan Communications Group, which boasts clients such as the Boston Celtics, Mohegan Sun and Legal Sea Foods.

“We’ve been aggressively using Twitter for several months, and we found pretty quickly it is a very powerful vehicle for the right kinds of messages,” said Christian Megliola, who heads new media at Regan.

Earlier this year, executives set up a Twitter account for their client — the Boston Wine Expo — in order to publicize the upcoming event, attract wine enthusiasts locally and nationally and highlight some of the special guests. Within a month, more than 800 people were “following” the Twitter account and the Boston Wine Expo Web site had huge Web traffic coming from Twitter. This year’s wine expo had 200 more attendees than last year, which Regan executive Dominic Amenta believes was in part because of Twitter.

Marlo Fogelman, president and founder of marlo marketing/communications in Boston, tweets daily.

“A couple of weeks back a writer at Marie Claire tweeted about needs she had for a story. My colleague who followed her saw the tweet, tweeted back and secured a placement for our client,” Fogelman said.

FPRA 2009-10 Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Slate of Officers Set

The 2009-10 FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Slate of Officers will be presented to the membership for approval at the July Monthly Business Meeting. The Slate is as follows:

Executive Committee:
President – Bryan Beaty, Indian River State College
Immediate Past President – Linette Trabulsy, South Florida Water Management District
1st Vice President, President-Elect – TBD
2nd Vice President, Membership – Kathryn Treadwell, ARC of Martin County
Treasurer – Lisa Swyryn, Communigraphics
Secretary – Samantha Kayser, inVision Brand Partners, Inc.

Directors:
Image Awards
Chair: Louise Murtaugh, APR, Molly’s House; Committee Members: Robin Delgado, Attorney Philip DeBerard, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, A. Moore Communications Strategies; Kherri Anderson, Martin County Supervisor of Elections

Professional Development (Includes Media Conference, High School presentation, etc.)
Co-Chairs: Krista Garofalo, United Way of St. Lucie County and Lauren Anderson, Stuart Cardiology Associates; Media Conference Committee Members: Beverly Bevis Jones, APR, BBJones Communications; Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC; other committee members: TBD

Communications
Chair: Erick Gill, St. Lucie County; Committee Members: Newsletter Writer – Sue-Ellen Sanders; Newsletter Layout - Robert Lane, IRSC; Website – Mark Weinberg, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office

Programs
Chair: Cara Perry, FAU Treasure Coast Campus
Committee Members: TBD (need 3-4)

Accreditation & Certification
Chair: Nancy McCarthy, APR, The Firefly Group

Indian River Council
Co-Chairs: Sarah Starr, Childcare Resources of Indian River County and TBD

As you can see, we have a couple key “TBDs” in the slate. If you are interested in serving on a committee, serving in a leadership role for Indian River Council or a leadership role for the Executive Committee, please contact Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com for information.

July Monthly Business Meeting
Now is the time to make your reservation for the Chapter’s last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. at the IRSC Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University will present: “Brand New. FAU’s Journey Through the World of Visual Identity.” Izquierdo is responsible for creating and managing integrated communications plans and initiatives for internal and external university audiences that are aligned with the University’s strategic plan. Izquierdo is the first Hispanic vice president in the FAU’s 44 year history.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling company communications. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Again this month, Panera Bread will be catering lunch.

The Treasure Coast Chapter is privileged to have Ms. Izquierdo present at our monthly business meeting. Let’s show her a very warm welcome to the Treasure Coast by attending this last meeting of the year! RSVP NOW online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339.

Congratulations to Nancy McCarthy, APR, of The Firefly Group!
Congratulations to Nancy McCarthy, APR, Glowing Results Director of The Firefly Group, on being awarded the 2009 Treasure Coast Chapter Annual Conference Scholarship. In her first year of being a member of the Treasure Coast Chapter, Nancy currently serves as Membership Director for the Chapter as well as participates on many committees. Next year, Nancy will serve as the Accreditation and Certification Chair for the Chapter.

Speaking of Annual Conference – PR on FIRE!
Register now and make your hotel reservations (http://waldorfastoria.hilton.com/en/wa/groups/personalized/BCTBCWA-ZZEPRZ-20090803/index.jhtml). The deadline for early registration is July 19, 2009, and the deadline for hotel reservations at the FPRA discounted price is July 9, 2009. Hotel rooms are going fast, so reserve your room as soon as possible.

71ST FPRA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, FL
Date: August 9 – 12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

Membership Update!
During the Media Conference, the Chapter received three new membership applications. This brings our membership tally to 70 members…only 5 shy of last year’s record breaking number of members and only 11 shy of our goal of 81 members this year. We still have two more months left to recruit new members and Nancy McCarthy, APR, is still keeping track of leads and new member referrals for the New Member Contest where you could win one of several Visa Gift Cards! Please send any member leads to Nancy at nancy@fireflyforyou.com! Thanks.

Martin County Honors FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners honored FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter with a proclamation celebrating our 25th Anniversary. Pictured accepting the proclamation was President Linette Trabulsy, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and Debra Banta, APR with Martin County Chairman Susan Valliere.

Have a great week,
Linette

2009 Media Conference is This Friday!

2009-06-08T15:29:00.007-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Media Conference is This FRIDAY!
Who: FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter and YOU!

What: “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference

Where: Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart

When: June 12, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Media Mix & Mingle from 5-7 p.m.)

Why: This conference is for anyone interested in promoting their business or organization. Business owners, volunteers, PR professionals and beginners are encouraged to attend. “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference promises to provide valuable knowledge on how to successfully communicate via digital media. The conference is also an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community.

How: Online registration is now closed, however, advanced registration is required. Please call (772) 220-0444 to register. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for non-members and $35 for students.

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter to be Honored at Martin County Commission Meeting
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners will honor the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA with a proclamation celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Chapter on Tuesday, June 9 at 9 a.m. at the Commission Chambers in Stuart. Please join us in accepting this recognition or watch it live at http://www.martin.fl.us/.

Treasure Coast Chapter Offers One Full Scholarship to Annual Conference – Deadline to apply is this Friday, June 12th
The Treasure Coast Chapter is offering one full scholarship ($595) to assist a member in attending annual conference. The application can be found at www.fpratreasurecoast.com, with member criteria included. Following conference, the lucky recipient must provide an article on their experience and an overall sense of the value of attending annual conference for the chapter newsletter. The member who receives the scholarship must pay for their own hotel and other related expenses. The deadline for the application is due on Friday, June 12th! For more information, contact Linette Trabulsy at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov.

July Monthly Business Meeting
Mark your calendars now for our last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. in St. Lucie West. Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University will present: “Brand New. FAU’s Journey Through the World of Visual Identity.” Izquierdo is responsible for creating and managing integrated communications plans and initiatives for internal and external university audiences that are aligned with the University’s strategic plan. Izquierdo is the first Hispanic vice president in the FAU’s 44 year history.

Izquierdo joined FAU in 2003 as the director of media relations and later became the executive director of communications. In her previous position, she led the university’s first branding effort that included oversight of FAU’s new logo development, and the launch, implementation and adherence to FAU’s new visual identity. Izquierdo oversaw the creation of the Office of Communications, an integrated communications division previously missing from the University’s structure. Previous to joining FAU, Izquierdo worked in the media relations department at Florida International University.

A graduate of FIU, Izquierdo obtained a master’s degree in integrated communications and a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association. Izquierdo has been named a Heavy Hitter in Public Relations by the South Florida Business Journal and highlighted in the NextGen section of South Florida CEO magazine.

Special Events Grants Available in the City of Stuart
Please see the information below from the City of Stuart CRA. The city of Stuart CRA has launched a new grant program to help non-profit groups put on special events in the CRA area. For further information, contact: Thondra Lanese, City of Stuart CRA, Ph. 772-600-1248 (Internal Ext. 5348), Email: tlanese@ci.stuart.fl.us.

CRPC News from Jeff Nall, APR, CPRC, FPRA VP of Accreditation & Certification
Many CPRC eligible fence sitters have said, “I’ll do it when someone else does.” Well, here’s your chance!!!

In response to strong interest in sitting for the CPRC exam prior to Annual Conference, we have arranged two CPRC written testing dates for candidates from throughout the state on Saturday, June 27 and Saturday, July 18 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. in Gainesville at the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, 5700 SW 34th Street, just off I-75. Many thanks to Rod Hemphill, APR, CPRC for making this opportunity available. He also may be able to arrange a reasonably good rate at a Gainesville hotel for those who prefer to spend the night prior to the exam. Please let me know if you are interested.

Candidates need to complete the application (found at www.fpratreasurecoast.com), return it (along with payment) to the State Office with their preferred date indicated on the application. There are 14 computer work stations at the facility. Seats will be assigned first come, first served. Space cannot be reserved until a completed application and payment are received. We will contact you regarding the availability of your preferred date.

The oral presentation will need to be arranged locally through chapter Accreditation and Certification Chairs. This is not part of what is being offered in Gainesville. Oral presentations for those doing the written test on June 27 will need to be done prior to the written testing date. Those doing the written test on July 18 will need to do their oral presentation by Friday, July 10. The CPRC video is posted on our blog at http://www.fprablog.com/.

APR/CPRC Scholarship Available from the Treasure Coast Chapter
The Treasure Coast Chapter has $150 in scholarship funds available this year. If you are considering sitting for the APR or CPRC, please contact Linette Trabulsy at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov for details.

Have a great week,
Linette

Happy Birthday Bryan!!

2009-06-01T20:50:00.005-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Happy Birthday to our President-Elect Bryan Beaty!!

Don’t delay…register TODAY! FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
Who: FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter and YOU!

What: “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference

Where: Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart

When: June 12, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Media Mix & Mingle from 5-7 p.m.)

Why: This conference is for anyone interested in promoting their business or organization. Business owners, volunteers, PR professionals and beginners are encouraged to attend. “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference promises to provide valuable knowledge on how to successfully communicate via digital media. The conference is also an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community.

How: Advance registration is required, visit www.fpratreasurecoast.com or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students.

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors Meeting Scheduled
The last Treasure Coast Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16th at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Fort Pierce Campus of IRSC in the Administration building.

Treasure Coast Chapter Offers One Full Scholarship to Annual Conference
As the registration deadline (July 19th) to the FPRA 71st Anniversary Annual Conference nears, the Treasure Coast Chapter is offering one full scholarship ($595) to assist a member in attending annual conference.

The application can be found at www.fpratreasurecoast.com, with member criteria included. Following conference, the lucky recipient must provide an article on their experience and an overall sense of the value of attending annual conference for the chapter newsletter. The member who receives the scholarship must pay for their own hotel and other related expenses. The deadline for the application is due on Friday, June 12th! For more information, contact Linette Trabulsy at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov.

July Monthly Business Meeting
Mark your calendars now for our last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. in St. Lucie West. Our scheduled presenter is Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University on the topic of branding. She’ll share her presentation on the process of bringing a new logo and branding effort to Florida Atlantic University.

Have a great week,
Linette

Who, What, Where, When, Why & How!

2009-05-26T19:43:00.004-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Offers One Full Scholarship to Annual Conference
As the registration deadline (July 19th) to the FPRA 71st Anniversary Annual Conference nears, the Treasure Coast Chapter is offering one full scholarship ($595) to assist a member in attending annual conference.

Budgets are tight everywhere, and the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter is no exception. We hope to offer two half scholarships ($297.50 each) to two more members after June 12. The half scholarships will be available based on the success of the Chapter’s annual Media Conference. Please make sure you register now for the June 12th event to ensure its success (See detailed information on the Media Conference later in this blog)!

The application can be found at www.fpratreasurecoast.com, with member criteria included. Following conference, the lucky recipients must provide an article on their experience and an overall sense of the value of attending annual conference for the chapter newsletter. The member who receives the scholarship must pay for their own hotel and other related expenses. The deadline for the application is due on Friday, June 12th!

Welcome Three New Members to FPRA Treasure Coast
Congratulations to Membership Chairman Nancy McCarthy, APR, on her recent success in gaining three new members last week! We welcome new members Thondra Lanese, Program Manager for East Stuart Main Street; Angela Gomez, Prevention Specialist for Project Northland in Martin County; and Rhonda Irons, Public Information Officer for Martin County Sheriff’s Office!

This brings our membership to 64 members…only 17 more members to go to make our state goal of 81 members by August 1st. Don’t forget about the New Member Referral Contest unveiled last month!! Every time you provide a membership lead or recruit a new member, you will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a Visa Gift Card!

Rules:
Send contact information for membership prospects to Nancy McCarthy, APR at nancy@fireflyforyou.com. By providing a membership lead, you will receive one ticket in the drawing. If that prospect becomes a member, you will receive two additional tickets in the drawing. The contest is retroactive, so all prospects sent during the fiscal year will count toward the contest. Winners will be announced at the September Monthly Luncheon.

Prizes:
1st Place: $50 Visa Gift Card
2nd Place: $25 Visa Gift Card
3rd Place: $25 Visa Gift Card

July Monthly Business Meeting is Scheduled
Mark your calendars now for our last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. in St. Lucie West. Our scheduled presenter is Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University on the topic of branding. She’ll share her presentation on the process of bringing a new logo and branding effort to Florida Atlantic University.

Member News
Congratulations to Doreen Poreba, APR, of The PR Czar is featured on the front page of Hometown News, Martin County version, as a songwriter and singer. Her duo, known as Connected Souls, will debut in October. Read the entire article below.
http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=58094

Congratulations to Communications Chair Erick Gill and his fellow media affairs team members! They were recently notified that they were the recipients of several national awards. See the following press release:

For the third consecutive year, St. Lucie County’s Media Relations staff earned recognition from the National Association of County Information Officers’ (NACIO) Annual Awards of Excellence competition, winning six awards in three different categories.

The Media Relations staff, including Erick Gill, Shane DeWitt, Andrew Wise and former staff member James Kraybill, won the following awards:

· Video Public Service Announcement – Superior: Drowning Prevention
· Video Public Service Announcement – Excellence: Watch Out For Me
· Video Public Service Announcement – Excellence: County Auction
· Video Public Service Announcement – Meritorious: Frontier Fest 2008
· Special Projects: Ceremonies – Excellence: Lawnwood Skate Park Opening
· Special Projects: Citizen Education Projects – Meritorious: Watch Out For Me Campaign
The Watch Out For Me campaign was a collaborative effort with the St. Lucie County School District to improve pedestrian safety, while the Drowning Prevention PSA was project produced for the St. Lucie County Fire District.

The awards will be presented at the group’s annual meeting July 24 in Nashville, TN. The NACIO Awards of Excellence are given in various categories with rankings of “Superior,” “Excellence” or “Meritorious.” Entries are broken into two divisions based on the county’s population.

FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
Last Friday, our very own Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, was interviewed on WPSL 1590 AM regarding the Media Conference. Tune into www.wpsl.com to listen to the whole show!

Who: FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter and YOU!

What: “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference

Where: Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart

When: June 12, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Media Mix & Mingle from 5-7 p.m.)

Why: This conference is for anyone interested in promoting their business or organization. Business owners, volunteers, PR professionals and beginners are encouraged to attend. “Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” Media Conference promises to provide valuable knowledge on how to successfully communicate via digital media. The conference is also an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community.

How: Advance registration is required, visit www.fpratreasurecoast.com or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students.

APR and CPRC Videos Reposted at FPRAblog.com
Last week I posted information about the new CPRC video and some folks had problems opening the video. The APR and CPRC videos have been reposted at www.fprablog.com. All you have to do is click where is says “View video here,” then hit the play button.

Have a great week,
Linette

Nothing is Ever Really "Off the Record!"

2009-05-19T21:15:00.005-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

"The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite" - Recap of May 12th Meeting
The FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter's May 12th monthly business meeting focused on Crisis Communications. Our speaker, Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, lead us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. Carl gave a presentation about how to communicate effectively during a crisis and how to handle different types of interviews. He provided 12 Commandments for effective crisis communication:

1. Anticipate questions
2. Understand before you answer
3. Bridge to key messages if necessary
4. Don't repeat negative language
5. Use inverted pyramid technique
6. Speak from the audience viewpoint
7. Avoid jargon and acronyms
8. Maintain composure and stay calm
9. If you don't know, admit it
10. Limit the use of "no comment" or don't use it at all
11. Nothing is ever "off the record"
12. Tell the truth.

Tips for solid communication included: Stand up or sit up straight, reduce verbal fillers like "umm," "like," and "you know," reduce nervous habits like twirling your hair, tone down hands as they are a distraction, don't squint your eyes or wear sunglasses, look at the reporter (not the camera) unless told otherwise, pay attention to grooming and tell the truth. Other suggestions for interviews include preparing at the most three printable quotes, don't use chronological order when speaking, get all information before you speak if possible,if something changes after an interview, contact the reporter with an update, think that all pens/pencils/microphones are "live," use bridging techniques to get your key messages across, have at most three key messages, anticipate questions, research reporter, practice what you are going to say, and verify your information.

Be sure and mark your calendar now for our last monthly business meeting of the year scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th at 11:30 a.m. in St. Lucie West. Our scheduled presenter is Aileen Izquierdo, Vice President of Communication, Florida Atlantic University on the topic of branding. She'll share her presentation on the process of bringing a new logo and branding effort to Florida Atlantic University.

FPRA State Board Meeting in Destin this Past Weekend
Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and Immediate Past President of the Treasure Coast Chapter, attended the Quarterly State Board Meeting in Destin over the weekend. She reported to us that our Chapter came in 3rd place for the Chapter Conference Challenge and will receive Priority Seating at Golden Image Awards Ceremony along with a bottle of wine. Thank you to everyone who helped us do so well in this competition and we look forward to toasting to our success at the ceremony. The Gainesville Chapter came in 1st place winning one conference scholarship and the Southwest Chapter came in second place winning a half conference scholarship.

Adrienne also reported that the Annual Conference Committee Chairman, Karen Smittle, APR, reminds everyone that the Conference Deadlines are fast approaching - Hotel Reservation deadline is July 9 and Conference Registration deadline is July 19.

As most of you know, our Chapter is responsible for the FPRE Education Foundation fundraiser scheduled for Monday, August 3. At the State Board Meeting, Adrienne was successful in picking up several items for the silent auction part of the event. But she needs more help! Please consider donating a gift to benefit the scholarships that benefit YOU and your professional development as well as our future public relations practitioners attending college now! For more information on what to donate and how to donate, contact Adrienne at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com.

FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
The lineup is set for the 2009 Florida Public Relations Association Treasure Coast Chapter annual media conference on June 12, at the IRSC Chastain Campus in Stuart.

"Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools" is this year's theme and promises to provide valuable knowledge on how to successfully communicate via digital media. Featured speakers will include Jay Berkowitz, a senior online media professional with more than 20 years of marketing experience, and Alex de Carvalho, founder of the Social Media Club of South Florida. Berkowitz has managed marketing departments for Fortune 500 brands: CocaCola, Sprint and McDonald's Restaurants, and has developed online and offline strategies for AT&T and leading health and fitness Web site eDiets.com. An avid user of social networks, Carvalho works at the intersection of online social interaction, Web site user experience and marketing programs, specializing in the practical application of social media platforms, culture and ethics for external and internal community engagement.

Other topics include:
* Communications for Nonprofits presented by Wayne Cunningham,interim CEO of United Way of Palm Beach County
* Photo and Videography 101
* Meet the Press Roundtables: An opportunity to meet and learn from print, radio and TV representatives
* PR 101 with Patricia Austin Novak

Check-in begins at 10:30 a.m. June 12 at the Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College's Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road,Stuart, followed by an hour-long networking session, then lunch at 11:30a.m. A Media Mixer cocktail reception will begin following the last session at approximately 5 and last until 7 p.m. The conference has always been an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast's media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community.

Sponsors include: The Stuart News, John Pierson's Toyota of Stuart, Eventmakers, Martin Memorial Health Systems, Automated Direct Mail and Bright Ideas.

Students interested in pursuing a career in media, public relations or marketing and non-FPRA members are also invited to attend.

Advance registration is required, visitwww.fpratreasurecoast.com or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students. Deadline to RSVP is June 5.

FPRA Golden Image Awards Competition - Deadline to enter is this Friday,May 22!
The Golden Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations professionalism in our state. The deadline for entering an award is May 22! Don't delay! The entry form and further information can be found at http://www.fpra.org/.

CPRC and APR News from the FPRA State Accreditation and Certification Chair, Jeff Nall
New CPRC Video - CPRC - Your Future, Your Career, Your Leadership Opportunity, is now available on the FPRA blog at http://fprablog.com/. The video covers what CPRC is, the application, preparation, the written exam and the oral presentation as well as tips.

APR Retakes at Discounted Rate - Those who have taken the APR exam and not passed may retake the exam for $200 providing they take it within six months of the original attempt. This is a great opportunity to jump back in the saddle while study efforts are still fresh and save some money. To take advantage of this opportunity, contact Kathy Mulvihill, UAB Accreditation Manager, at 212-460-1436 or kathy.mulvihill@prsa.org.

Have a great week,
Linette

FPRA Professional Development Opportunities

2009-05-11T20:54:00.012-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite”
Tomorrow is our monthly business meeting focusing on Crisis Communications. I get the opportunity to play the media role in our crisis scenario…so get ready to have some fun! If you would like to see me in the role of a reporter, join us tomorrow, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Reservations and payment may be made online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
The lineup is set for the 2009 Florida Public Relations Association Treasure Coast chapter annual media conference on June 12, at the IRSC Chastain campus in Stuart.

“This conference is for anyone interested in promoting their business or organization. We encourage business owners, volunteers, PR professionals and beginners to attend,” said Beverly Bevis Jones, who is co-chairing the event with Adrienne Moore.

“Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools” is this year’s theme and promises to provide valuable knowledge on how to successfully communicate via digital media.

Featured speakers will include Jay Berkowitz, a senior online media professional with more than 20 years of marketing experience, and Alex de Carvalho, founder of the Social Media Club of South Florida.

Berkowitz has managed marketing departments for Fortune 500 brands: Coca Cola, Sprint and McDonald’s Restaurants, and has developed online and offline strategies for AT&T and leading health and fitness Web site eDiets.com.

An avid user of social networks, Carvalho works at the intersection of online social interaction, Web site user experience and marketing programs, specializing in the practical application of social media platforms, culture and ethics for external and internal community engagement.

Other topics include:

· Communications for Nonprofits presented by Wayne Cunningham, interim CEO of United Way of Palm Beach County

· Photo and Videography 101

· Meet the Press Roundtables: An opportunity to meet and learn from print, radio and TV representatives

· PR 101 with Patricia Austin Novak

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. June 12 at the Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, followed by an hour-long networking session, then lunch at 11:30 a.m.

A Media Mixer cocktail reception will begin following the last session at approximately 5 and last until 7 p.m.

The conference has always been an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community.

Sponsors include: The Stuart News, John Pierson’s Toyota of Stuart, Eventmakers, Martin Memorial Health Systems, Automated Direct Mail and Bright Ideas.

Students interested in pursuing a career in media, public relations or marketing and non-FPRA members are also invited to attend.

Advance registration is required, visit www.fpratreasurecoast.com or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information.

Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students.

FPRA Golden Image Awards Competition
The Golden Image Awards competition is conducted annually by the Florida Public Relations Association to recognize outstanding public relations programs in Florida and to encourage and promote the development of public relations professionalism in our state.

The Golden Image Awards have become a standard of public relations excellence in the state of Florida. Winners demonstrate the very best examples of innovation, planning and design. The awards competition includes four divisions of categories: Public Relations Programs, Printed Tools of Public Relations, Audio/Visual Tools of Public Relations and Student Projects in Public Relations. To qualify for judging, an entry must incorporate sound public relations research and planning. Entries also must meet the highest standard of production, execution and evaluation of results and budget.

The deadline for entering an award is May 22! Don’t delay! The entry form and further information can be found at www.fpra.org.

Have a great week,
Linette

Chapter Challenge Points Opportunity...Can You Find It?

2009-05-04T20:35:00.005-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite”
Make your reservations now to join the Florida Public Relations Association’s Treasure Coast Chapter on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Reservations and payment may be made online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
Digital communication has forever changed the world of media, public relations and marketing.

Sending press releases to local media outlets can still reap great results, but the times are changing on the Treasure Coast and professional communicators must now learn how to take advantage of what digital media outlets can offer.

“Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools,” the theme of this year’s Florida Public Relations Association Treasure Coast chapter annual Media Conference, promises just that by assembling professionals from all media outlets including newspaper, magazine, radio, television, Internet and more.

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. June 12 at the Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, followed by an hour-long networking session, then lunch at 11:30 a.m.

This year’s topics include:
· Is PR ready for a Digital World?
· Search Engine Optimization for your Web site
· Communications for nonprofits
· Photography and Videography 101
· 10 Free or Low-Cost Strategies for PR and Marketing in a Recession
· PR 101
· Meet the Press: An Opportunity to Meet and Learn From the Best!

A Media Mixer cocktail reception will begin following the last session at approximately 5 and last until 7 p.m. The conference has always been an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community. Students interested in pursuing a career in media, public relations or marketing and non-FPRA members are also invited to attend.

Advance registration is required, visit www.fpratreasurecoast.com or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students. For more information visit: www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Make your reservations online today!

For more information: Beverly B. Jones, APR, BB Jones Communications at beverly@bbjonespr.com.

2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update – May 2009 from the Annual Conference Committee
Check out our PR on F.I.R.E. video conference ad (http://www.fpra.org/pr_on_fire.asp) – it’s sure to fire you up for this year’s conference! Our Tuesday lineup is full of professional development and networking opportunities, beginning with corporate social responsibility (CSR) and wrapping up with a “PR Under Fire” panel discussion, featuring public relations professionals from various industries.

We’ll start the morning with our 2009 Dillin Keynote Speaker, Eugene Campbell, Vice President of Community Relations and Minority Business Development for Walt Disney World Resort. Named #4 in a CSR poll, Disney is well known for its corporate responsibility. This presentation will focus on the Foundation and Reputation components of F.I.R.E. as Eugene talks about Disney’s comprehensive, integrated approach to corporate responsibility. He’ll also talk about how the company addresses crucial issues related to the environment, community, workplaces, product development, and other factors that shape stakeholder perceptions.

Interested in International CSR? Join Leticia Solaun, International Public Relations Liaison for CH2M HILL, for her presentation One Size Does NOT Fit All: Cultural Influences in CSR Decision Making.

Or join Joe Curley, APR, CPRC, and learn the ten strategies you need to earn a position on the management team at his presentation, PR is Not Always Loved by Management: Here’s How to Get the Romance Started.

Still a little confused by those financial statements and budgets? Finance 101: What You Need to Know about Financial Statements and Budgets so you can Communicate with Your CEO will help. Join Dennis Gayle, Senior Vice President of First Bank and Trust of Indiantown for this Educational session.

Wendy Cobrda and Amy Hebard, founding partners of Earthsense, LLC will Educate us on Green Public Relations and Marketing. Following their presentation, you’ll have the opportunity to hear about Green Printing and Paper from Wayne Dennis, Corporate Director of Sustainability for Mac Papers, and Kathy Paiva of FidelityPress.

And back by popular demand are the Counselors’ Network Roundtable lunch discussions. Our seasoned professionals will facilitate discussion about hot public relations topics.

We’ll wrap up Tuesday’s professional development with a panel session you won’t want to miss: “PR Under Fire.” What do you do when your employer, or you personally, are suddenly the focus of the community’s and the media’s attention? Here from public relations professionals as they talk candidly about their experiences in addressing challenges they’ve faced in their respective industries, how they have responded to those challenges, and how they continue to demonstrate the value of public relations and the bottom line return to their employers. Moderated by Suzanne Sparling, APR, FPRA Past President, panel members are Jack Levine, 4Generations Institute (non-profit); Lauri-Ellen Smith, APR, PIO for Jacksonville Sheriff's Department (government); and Deirdre Breakenridge, President, PFS Marketwyse (agency).

Register now and make your hotel reservations. The deadline for early registration is July 19, 2009, and the deadline for hotel reservations at the FPRA discounted price is July 9, 2009. AND if you register by May 8, the Chapter will be eligible for “points” in the Chapter Challenge!!

Have a great week,
Linette

The Fun Never Ends For FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter!

2009-04-27T19:25:00.005-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite”
Please mark your calendars to join the Florida Public Relations Association’s Treasure Coast Chapter on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Reservations and payment may be made online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

Carl’s responsibilities for the Seminole Tribe include managing and conducting emergency preparedness programs for a community that covers over 30,000 acres and includes a resident population of more than 700. Carl joined the Seminole Tribe in February 2009 after serving for more than eight years as the Public Information Officer and Training Coordinator for Broward County Emergency Management Division in South Florida. He managed media relations and served as the principal spokesman during numerous disasters and emergencies that included Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma. He has appeared on local, national and international news networks that include CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and The Weather Channel. Carl also managed the Division’s Training Program and has taught classes throughout Florida for public information officers and on incident command for first responders and other public safety officials. Carl is a frequent contributing teacher and presenter at the Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference where he teaches beginning and advanced PIO classes. He’ll share television clips showing “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite,” on handling media interviews. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and scenarios.

FPRA Media Conference Set For Digital Conversion June 12
Digital communication has forever changed the world of media, public relations and marketing.

Sending press releases to local media outlets can still reap great results, but the times are changing on the Treasure Coast and professional communicators must now learn how to take advantage of what digital media outlets can offer.

“Successful Media Strategies: Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools,” the theme of this year’s Florida Public Relations Association Treasure Coast chapter annual Media Conference, promises just that by assembling professionals from all media outlets including newspaper, magazine, radio, television, Internet and more.

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. June 12 at the Wolf High Technology Center on Indian River State College’s Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, followed by an hour-long networking session, then lunch at 11:30 a.m.

This year’s topics include:
· Is PR ready for a Digital World?
· Search Engine Optimization for your Web site
· Communications for nonprofits
· Photography and Videography 101
· 10 Free or Low-Cost Strategies for PR and Marketing in a Recession
· PR 101
· Meet the Press: An Opportunity to Meet and Learn From the Best!

A Media Mixer cocktail reception will begin following the last session at approximately 5 and last until 7 p.m. The conference has always been an excellent networking vehicle assembling the Treasure Coast’s media professionals with their public relations counterparts in the community. Students interested in pursuing a career in media, public relations or marketing and non-FPRA members are also invited to attend.

Advance registration is required, visit http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or call The Firefly Group at (772) 287-5272 for more information. Tickets for the conference are $75 for FPRA members, $90 for nonmembers and $35 for students. For more information visit: http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/.

Media Conference Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Successful Media Strategies – Digital PR and Marketing Power Tools ~ June 12, 2009 – IRCC Chastain Campus, Wolf High-Technology Center
Sponsorship Opportunities:

Newspaper advertising will begin the week of May 18. Deadline for Sponsorships is May 11.

$2,000 – Platinum Headline Sponsor
· Name and logo included Media Conference ads, invitations, event schedules and press releases
· Full page ad in Media Directory with link to your website
· Listing in our newsletter
· Display booth in vendor area 6’ table
· 8 tickets to event
· Item in goody bag

$1,500 – Gold Front Page Sponsor
· Name and logo included on ads, invitations, event schedules and press releases
· ½ page ad in Media Directory
· Newsletter listing
· Display space in vendor area 6’ table
· 6 tickets to event
· Item in goody bag

$1,000 – Silver Local News Sponsor
· Name and logo included on ads, invitations and event schedules and press releases
· ¼ page ad in Media Directory
· Newsletter listing
· Opportunity to display materials
· 4 tickets to event
· Item in goody bag

$500 – Bronze Display Advertising Sponsor
· Name and logo included on ads, invitations, event schedules and press releases
· Business card ad in Media Directory
· Newsletter listing
· 2 tickets to event
· Item in goody bag

$250 – Pewter Advertising Sponsor
· Name and logo included on ads, invites, schedule, press releases
· Listing in sponsor recognition page
· Newsletter listing
· 1 ticket to event
· Item in goody bag

Sponsors at the Silver level and below may also purchase a vendor table for $100.

Resource Directory advertising ~ $50 per listing
Listing and a 75-word description of business services and all contact information.

For more information: Beverly B. Jones, BB Jones Communications at beverly@bbjonespr.com.

2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update – April/May 2009 from the Annual Conference Committee

If you haven’t signed up for this year’s annual conference, now’s the time to set your career on F.I.R.E.! To learn how … check out this year’s conference offerings http://www.fpra.org/pr_on_fire.asp!

PR on F.I.R.E.
Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education

This year’s conference is packed full of professional development and networking opportunities! We’ll have an Internet Café set up throughout the conference, sponsored by Sight and Sound, with free WiFi so you can stay in touch with your clients and the office. We’ll also have laptop docking stations available in the café, and of course – coffee!

On our first day of conference sessions, Monday, August 10, we’ll cover social media thoroughly, a hot topic (pun intended) with PR professionals, focusing on the Innovation and Education components of F.I.R.E. As we’ve mentioned in a previous update, Peter Shankman, CEO, The Geek Factory and Founder of HARO (Help A Reporter Out) will get us fired up in our first general session with “Crazy, but Effective PR.”

Laura Sturaitis, Senior Vice President for Media Services & Product Strategy at Business Wire, will talk about “Social Media and Press Releases.” Find out how to increase your press release’s return on investment and how to measure that return so you can show your boss its effectiveness.

Caron Sjoberg, President of IdeaWorks, will show us how to “Set Up Online Press Rooms as part of your Company's Web Site.” When you leave this session, you’ll be able to work with your company’s Web team to implement Caron’s practical ideas and applications.

Kelly Moore Robertson, a Senior Account Manager with Kidd PR, will tell us about a Social Media Campaign she developed and successfully implemented. She’ll talk about the types of social media she effectively tied into her campaign and provide practical tips for you to do the same.

We’ll end the day with a “Social Media Social,” sponsored by Kidd PR, where we’ll have the opportunity to “socialize” using new media. This informal session will wrap up just in time for our Florida Public Relations Education Fundraiser – you can still donate your really hot stuff for both the silent and live auctions. Contact Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, if you or your chapter would like to make a donation (Adrienne.moore7@gmail.com or 772.341.3845).

And just in case you want more social media, we’ll offer one more session on Tuesday afternoon. Melissa Fach, Owner of SEO Aware, will educate you on search engine optimization (SEO) and give you great information you can take back to the office and apply….this will make your boss happy!

JOIN US FOR THE 71ST FPRA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, FL
Date: August 9 – 12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

Register now and make your hotel reservations. The deadline for early registration is July 19, 2009. Room prices are tiered, starting as low as $145/night. We look forward to seeing you at the conference in August 2009!

Have a great week,
Linette

Congratulations Image and Communicators of the Year Recipients

2009-04-22T09:41:00.013-04:00

Good Wednesday Afternoon Treasure Coast!

Your chapter held a fantastic Image and Communicator of the Year Awards Ceremony last night and recognized several outstanding public relations professionals. A special thank you to Image Awards co-chairs Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm, and special assistant Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC for organizing such a great event. The networking time was dynamic, the silent auction items were dynamite, the food by Chef Melissa Major and crew was delicious and the desserts sponsored by Mariner Sands Country Club were delicious – how’s that for mid-week alliteration? Congratulations to the following honorees:

Award of Distinction:
2008 Students “Pledge to Vote” Campaign, Kherri Anderson, Vicki Davis; Martin County Supervisor of Elections

A Piece of Our Future: FAU Treasure Coast, Cara Perry; Florida Atlantic University

Judges Awards:
Indian River State College Branding & Identity, Robert Lane, Shari Killday, Michelle Abaldo; Indian River State College

“Hare Today – Gone Tomorrow”, Doreen Poreba, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast

Drowning Prevention PSA, Erick Gill & Catherine Cheney; St. Lucie County Media Relations and St. Lucie County Fire District

Manatee Pocket Website, The Firefly Group, BJN Designs, Martin County Coastal Engineering

Indian River State College – Creating the Future Today Presentation, Bryan Beaty, Robert Lane, Jennifer Moore; Indian River State College

Image Award:
2009 Environmental Stewardship Awards, Keep Martin Beautiful, The Firefly Group

“Hare Today – Gone Tomorrow”, Doreen Poreba, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast

Manatee Pocket Website, The Firefly Group, BJN Designs, Martin County Coastal Engineering

Grand Image Award:
“Hare Today – Gone Tomorrow”, Doreen Poreba, Humane Society of the Treasure Coast

Manatee Pocket Website, The Firefly Group, BJN Designs, Martin County Coastal Engineering

Grand All Image Award
2009 Environmental Stewardship Awards, Keep Martin Beautiful, The Firefly Group

In addition to Image Awards, the following individuals were recognized as 2009 Outstanding Communicators.

Jennifer Trefelner, John Carroll High School -- Communicator of the Year for a Non-Profit
Sita Harrison, The Alexis Agency -- Communicator of the Year for a For-Profit
Erick Gill, St. Lucie County -- Communicator of the Year for a Government Agency
The Firefly Group -- Outstanding Public Relations for a Special Event
Rhonda Irons, Martin County Sheriff’s Office -- Crisis Communicator of the Year

Indian River Council Co-Hosted Professional Development
On April 16th our very own Indian River Council co-hosted a presentation by Dr. Gene Cohen on creativity and psychological growth with aging. A special thank you is extended to Laura Kelley, APR for her work in organizing this event and all Indian River Council activities.

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound"
RSVP now to join the Florida Public Relations Association’s Treasure Coast Chapter on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon.

The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu or by loggin on to http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

Carl’s responsibilities for the Seminole Tribe include managing and conducting emergency preparedness programs for a community that covers over 30,000 acres and includes a resident population of more than 700. Carl joined the Seminole Tribe in February 2009 after serving for more than eight years as the Public Information Officer and Training Coordinator for Broward County Emergency Management Division in South Florida. He managed media relations and served as the principal spokesman during numerous disasters and emergencies that included Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma. He has appeared on local, national and international news networks that include CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and The Weather Channel. Carl also managed the Division’s Training Program and has taught classes throughout Florida for public information officers and on incident command for first responders and other public safety officials. Carl is a frequent contributing teacher and presenter at the Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference where he teaches beginning and advanced PIO classes. He’ll share television clips showing “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite,” on handling media interviews. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and scenarios.

Special Thanks...

A special Thank You to Bryan Beaty for writing and posting this blog today!

Have a great rest of the week!

Linette

Spring Break from the Blog

2009-04-14T19:11:00.003-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Spring Break from the Blog
I’m sure all of you missed my blog last week. I took a Spring Break from the Blog. Now back to work!

Thanks to Our Image Awards Judges
The Treasure Coast Chapter traded judging responsibilities with the Orlando Chapter. The Orlando Chapter sent us 49 entries and we sent them 17 entries from the Treasure Coast Chapter. We would like to thank the local judges who took time out of their busy schedule on Saturday, March 28 to read and evaluate all the entries. Thank you to Robin Delgado, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Misti Guertin, APR, Kyle Ball, APR, Beverly Jones, APR, Pat Austin Novak, APR, Beverly Paris, APR, Nancy McCarthy, APR, Laura Kelley, APR and Anne Satterlee, APR, CPRC. The Orlando judges were very impressed with our entries.

Image and Communicator of the Year Awards Ceremony! Bigger and Better than Ever! Only One Week Away!
Now is the time to make your reservations for the Image Awards Celebration ~ don’t wait! The annual Local Image and Communicator of the Year Awards Ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. at the Schreiber Center at Indian River State College Campus in St. Lucie West.

Tickets for the event are $40 per person and include one complimentary glass of wine or beer, hors d’oeuvres and dinner. Credit cards, checks and cash are accepted for the silent auction and a cash bar will be available. Reservations and payment for the event can be made online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com or by calling Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339. This year’s sponsors for the Treasure Coast Local Image Awards Ceremony are Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing and Mariner Sands Country Club. The Schreiber Conference Center is located at 500 N.W. California Avenue in Port St. Lucie.

May Newsletter Deadline
Please submit your stories and information to Sarah Starr at sstarr@childcareresourcesir.org no later than Friday, April 17th for the May edition of The PRO. Thank you!

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite”
Please mark your calendars to join the Florida Public Relations Association’s Treasure Coast Chapter on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Beginning next week, reservations may be made online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

Carl’s responsibilities for the Seminole Tribe include managing and conducting emergency preparedness programs for a community that covers over 30,000 acres and includes a resident population of more than 700. Carl joined the Seminole Tribe in February 2009 after serving for more than eight years as the Public Information Officer and Training Coordinator for Broward County Emergency Management Division in South Florida. He managed media relations and served as the principal spokesman during numerous disasters and emergencies that included Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma. He has appeared on local, national and international news networks that include CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and The Weather Channel. Carl also managed the Division’s Training Program and has taught classes throughout Florida for public information officers and on incident command for first responders and other public safety officials. Carl is a frequent contributing teacher and presenter at the Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference where he teaches beginning and advanced PIO classes. He’ll share television clips showing “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite,” on handling media interviews. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and scenarios.

Media Conference Planning Underway
Please mark your calendars for a very special Media Conference planned for June 12, 2009 at the IRSC Wolf Center in Stuart. The Media Conference committee has been very busy planning a unique and interesting conference in light of the changing face of media relations on the Treasure Coast and nationwide. The conference, called Successful “ME”dia Strategies – Digital PR and Marketing Tools, will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a Media Mix and Mingle, networking and opportunity to visit with vendors. At noon, the keynote luncheon speaker will be Ken Payne, APR, Assistant Professor of Public Relations at Western Kentucky University. He will present, A Digital World: Opportunities and Challenges Facing PR Practitioners in a Digital World. He will lead us in an interesting and informative discussion asking, “Is PR ready for a Digital World?”

Sessions throughout the day will include website search engine optimization, communication tools for non-profits, overview of photography, low cost PR strategies in a recession, and the ever-popular PR 101. New this year, a “Meet the Press: An opportunity to meet and learn from the best!” session. This session will be held over a 2 hour time period with representatives from the media at different tables. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit different tables of their choice for 20 minutes at a time. At the end of the day, the Media Mix and Mingle is “Rejingled” bringing everyone back together again for more networking, meeting and greeting!

Thanks to the committee co-chairs Beverly Jones, APR and Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and their hard-working committee members Denise Belizar, Justin Beard, Karen Brown, APR, Erick Gill, Robert Lane and Nancy McCarthy, APR, this event promises to be fabulous. Many hours of planning have already gone into making this Media Conference the best yet! So spread the word on the date and look for upcoming information on registration, cost and speakers.

Have a great week,
Linette

The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite

2009-03-30T19:33:00.004-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, is there Professional Development in Indian River County After All? Why Yes…Thanks to the Indian River Council

Deadline to RSVP is THIS FRIDAY!!
Are you a professional in the fields of aging, education, healthcare, faith-based services, museum education, caregiving, social services or the arts? Then you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to learn more about aging and the creative process on Thursday, April 16 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College’s (IRSC) Mueller Campus. The Richardson Center on the Mueller Campus at Indian River State College is located at 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach.

Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities professor of Health Care Sciences and professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, will present “New Understanding About Creativity & Psychological Growth With Aging.”

New research on aging has identified a number of positive brain and behavioral changes in the second half of life that set the stage for psychological growth and creative expression. Scientists now recognize positive developments among middle-age and older adults. The New Senior Moment – a creative one – will be perhaps the best example of a phenomenon where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Be prepared to witness the dismantling of a number of long held negative myths and stereotypes about aging. For more information, visit http://www.creativeaging.org/.

Admission to this lecture is $25 per person and seating is limited to 300. Reservations can be made by calling IRSC at (772) 462-7880 or the Cultural Council at (772) 770-4857. The deadline to RSVP and purchase tickets is Friday, April 3.

This event is sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute at IRSC, the Cultural Council of Indian River County, Vero Beach Magazine and the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA

Putting Your Image Together—Make Your Reservation NOW!
The Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) invites you to the annual Local Image and Communicator of the Year Awards Ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. at the Schreiber Center at Indian River State College Campus in St. Lucie West.

The FPRA Local Image Awards are held each spring to recognize outstanding efforts in public relations. Prior to the dinner and awards presentation, the reception will feature a new element to the event. A spectacular silent auction with fabulous gifts such as aesthetic laser treatments, cocktail cruise for two on a 51’ Bertram, “The Challenge,” tickets to “The 10 Tenors” at the Sunrise Theatre and much more will be available.

Tickets for the event are $40 per person and include one complimentary glass of wine or beer, hors d’oeuvres and dinner. Credit cards, checks and cash are accepted for the silent auction and a cash bar will be available. Reservations and payment for the event can be made online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339. This year’s sponsors for the Treasure Coast Local Image Awards Ceremony are Yates & Associates, Public Relations & Marketing and Mariner Sands Country Club. The Schreiber Conference Center is located at 500 N.W. California Avenue in Port St. Lucie.

May Monthly Program -- Crisis Communications: “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite”
Join the Florida Public Relations Association’s Treasure Coast Chapter on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:30 a.m. when Carl Fowler, Emergency Management Area Coordinator for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Brighton Reservation, leads us on a journey of what to do, or more importantly, what to say to the media when a crisis hits. The monthly business meeting takes place at the Indian River State College’s Schreiber Center on the St. Lucie West Campus in Port St. Lucie.

The Treasure Coast Chapter invites all interested first responders, public relations practitioners and anyone responsible for handling media relations during an emergency to attend the luncheon. The cost is $15 for FPRA members and $20 for non-members. Reservations may be made online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, Director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Lunch will once again be catered by Panera Bread.

Carl’s responsibilities for the Seminole Tribe include managing and conducting emergency preparedness programs for a community that covers over 30,000 acres and includes a resident population of more than 700. Carl joined the Seminole Tribe in February 2009 after serving for more than eight years as the Public Information Officer and Training Coordinator for Broward County Emergency Management Division in South Florida. He managed media relations and served as the principal spokesman during numerous disasters and emergencies that included Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma. He has appeared on local, national and international news networks that include CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and The Weather Channel. Carl also managed the Division’s Training Program and has taught classes throughout Florida for public information officers and on incident command for first responders and other public safety officials.

Carl is a frequent contributing teacher and presenter at the Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference where he teaches beginning and advanced PIO classes. He’ll share television clips showing “The Good, The Bad and The Sound Bite,” on handling media interviews. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and scenarios.

Have a great week,
Linette

The Time is NOW!

2009-03-23T21:30:00.003-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

The Time is NOW…Deadline for Local Image Award Entries is TOMORROW!
The “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards is available online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009 at 5 p.m.

Drop off locations include:
Indian River County:
Elisabeth (Lil) Miller-Fox
6174 North AIA, Vero Beach, FL 32963
(772) 231-8441, info@VeroBeach.com

Martin County:
Robin Delgado, Accident Law Offices of Philip DeBerard
215 S. Federal Hwy., #300, Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 286-1000 robin@flainjurylawyer.com

St. Lucie County:
Robert Lane, Indian River State College
3209 Virginia Avenue, A Building, A-119, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
(772) 462-7506, rlane@irsc.edu

Communicator of the Year Awards – Deadline for Nominations is 5 Days Away!
To date, I have only received two nominations for Communicator of the Year. I know we have some wonderful communicators out there…so put on your thinking cap and send in your nomination no later than Friday. Information and forms are available on our website at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. The Communicator of the Year award is given to a public relations professional, whether a member of FPRA or not, who demonstrates outstanding skills in one of the following four categories:

Communicator for a Nonprofit Organization
Communicator for a For-Profit Organization
Public Relations for a Special Event
Crisis Communicator

Past winners of a Communicator Award are eligible for nomination. Nominations should be submitted to Linette Trabulsy by e-mail at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov no later than Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, is there Professional Development in Indian River County After All? Why Yes…Thanks to the Indian River Council
Are you a professional in the fields of aging, education, healthcare, faith-based services, museum education, caregiving, social services or the arts? Then you won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to learn more about aging and the creative process on Thursday, April 16 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College’s (IRSC) Mueller Campus. The Richardson Center on the Mueller Campus at Indian River State College is located at 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach.

Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities professor of Health Care Sciences and professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, will present “New Understanding About Creativity & Psychological Growth With Aging.”

New research on aging has identified a number of positive brain and behavioral changes in the second half of life that set the stage for psychological growth and creative expression. Scientists now recognize positive developments among middle-age and older adults. The New Senior Moment – a creative one – will be perhaps the best example of a phenomenon where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Be prepared to witness the dismantling of a number of long held negative myths and stereotypes about aging. For more information, visit http://www.creativeaging.org/.

Admission to this lecture is $25 per person and seating is limited to 300. Reservations can be made by calling IRSC at (772) 462-7880 or the Cultural Council at (772) 770-4857. The deadline to RSVP and purchase tickets is Friday, April 3.

This event is sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute at IRSC, the Cultural Council of Indian River County, Vero Beach Magazine and the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA

Have a great week,
Linette

Celebrate Good Times!

2009-03-16T19:37:00.020-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Remembering our Past, Celebrating our Future!
The Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA celebrated its 25th Anniversary at a wonderful reception, tour and show at the Sunrise Theatre for the Performing Arts in historic downtown Fort Pierce last Tuesday. This unique event, highlighted by “Footloose: The Musical,” featured a special behind-the-scenes tour of the theatre, stage and dressing rooms, fantastic hors d’ouevres by Brewers’ Café, a historical rundown of past presidents by Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and a toast by our Chapter Liaison and State Immediate Past President, Suzanne Sparling, APR, of the Space Coast Chapter. The Sunrise Theatre for the Performing Arts, especially FPRA member Renee Page, Sharon Engle and Executive Director John Wilkes, provided a beautiful reception area as well as exceptional hospitality – THANK YOU! If you haven’t had a chance to visit this magnificent venue, please call them for a tour or buy a ticket to one of their fabulous events. The Theatre also has rental space available for that special event you are planning. Be sure to visit their website at http://www.sunrisetheatre.com/ for all the information. A special Thank You to Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, and Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, for their help in coordinating this special and unique event. If you missed it, you really missed out!!

Local Image Awards Dinner & Ceremony Needs Donations
The 2009 Local Image Awards Dinner and Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. at the Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. You can now make your reservation online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or call Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 to reserve by phone. This is an event you won’t want to miss! New this year, a spectacular silent auction with fabulous gifts such as aesthetic laser treatments, cocktail cruise for two on a 51’ Bertram, “The Challenge,” tickets to “The 10 Tenors” at the Sunrise Theatre and much more! Plus, you will want to be there to cheer on the Image Awards winners and the Communicator of the Year winners – it might just be you!

The Countdown is ON…Deadline for Local Image Award Entries is Only 8 Days Away!
The “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards is available online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/%20/%20http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009.

Communicator of the Year Awards – Deadline for Nominations is 11 Days Away!
At the Annual Image Awards, it’s the President’s honor to announce the Communicator of the Year Awards. Nominations are now being accepted and forms are available on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. The Communicator of the Year award is given to a public relations professional, whether a member of FPRA or not, who demonstrates outstanding skills in one of the following four categories:

Communicator for a Nonprofit Organization
Communicator for a For-Profit Organization
Public Relations for a Special Event
Crisis Communicator

Past winners of a Communicator Award are eligible for nomination. Nominations should be submitted to Linette Trabulsy by e-mail at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov no later than Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update from the Annual Conference Committee
PR on F.I.R.E. – Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education
The Annual Conference Committee is FIRED up about the line-up of conference speakers that will be featured this year. But even more so is this terrific opportunity that will be available to all conference attendees:

Business Wire is sponsoring one of our social media breakout sessions and is offering a 10% discount to all FPRA members and conference attendees who register for the annual conference at the full conference rate. This opportunity is only available to FPRA full conference attendees and Business Wire will be available at the conference to talk to attendees about this opportunity.

As part of our Education component, Wendy Cobrda and Amy Hebard, founding partners of Earthsense, LLC will educate us on Green Public Relations and Marketing. With a mission of making sense of our world by providing "must-have" consumer knowledge that would make cause-related product, marketing and strategy efforts more effective, Cobrda and Hebard founded Earthsense, an applied marketing company that addresses the green marketing challenge facing all businesses today. Recognized for presenting marketing data in creative and humorous ways, Cobrda and Hebard will “make sense” of the environmental, behavioral, social and attitudinal issues that impact household decisions while addressing the phenomena of greenwashing and green fatigue. Break out sessions on other sustainability topics will include green practices in the print and paper industries.

Member News
Congratulations to Stacy Ranieri, Chief Illuminator for The Firefly Group, on her nomination for the Soroptimist International of Stuart’s 2009 Women of Distinction Award in the Business/Professional Category. Winners will be announced at the Women of Distinction Evening Awards on April 7th at the Hutchinson Island Marriot. For more information, visit http://soroptimistofstuart.org/index.html.

Also, congratulations to all of the Treasure Coast AdFed 2009 Addy Award Winners announced this past weekend! Many FPRA Treasure Coast members won in many categories including Best of Show, two Judges Awards and three other Addy Awards to The Alexis Agency (member Sita Harrison) of Vero Beach and a website award to Global Design (member Linda Probst) for the Treasure Coast FPRA website!

Congratulations to the other winners including Denise Belizar, Write Idea; Beverly Jones, BBJ Communications; Tom McNicholas, McNicholas and Associates; Stacy Ranieri, The Firefly Group; Pat Williams, Pat Williams and Associates; Steve Schmoyer, Multicolor Printing; and Kherri Anderson, Martin County Supervisor of Elections.

Have a great week,
Linette

Happy Silver Anniversary Treasure Coast Chapter!

2009-03-09T20:21:00.004-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

The Chapter’s 25th Anniversary Celebration is Tomorrow!
In honor of our 25th Anniversary, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners will present our Chapter with a special proclamation tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. at the St. Lucie County Board Chambers. Feel free to come by the Chambers, located at 2300 Virginia Avenue in Fort Pierce, to help us accept this proclamation.

If you haven’t made your reservation for the 25th Anniversary Celebration tomorrow, you will be missing a great event! Many of us will gather at the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce tomorrow afternoon to honor 25 years as the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA. Look for photos in this blog next week!

Local Image Awards Dinner & Ceremony Needs Donations
As you know, our Local Image Awards Dinner and Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. (PLEASE mark your calendars!) at the Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Our Image Co-Chairs, Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm, are still working very hard to make this another lovely event for you to share your accomplishments and enjoy networking with members and friends. As I told you last week, the Committee is adding a Silent Auction to the event, and they still need your help! Dorothy has given me a sneak peek at some of the fabulous items up for auction next month, and they are hoping you will consider a donation to your Treasure Coast Chapter’s Local Image Awards Ceremony and help make this the most successful event ever!

Here are some of the items available:

Two gift certificates for three aesthetic laser treatments and 4 “Rainforest Collection” facials from the Aesthetic Beauty & Laser Center at Women’s Health Specialists, Jensen Beach. Value: $900
Cocktail Cruise for two on board The Challenge, a 51’ Bertram, leaving from Hutchinson Island Marriott Resort & Marina, donated by Fogel Capital Management, Inc. http://challengesportfishing.com. Value: $500
Autographed bat and ball from the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays; 4 tickets to a Florida Marlins Game; 4 Season Tickets to the St. Lucie Mets, plus throwing out the 1st ball at Tradition Field, donated by WPSL/WSTU. Value: $1,200
Two tickets to The 10 Tenors, Friday, May 1, 8:00 p.m., Sunrise Theatre, Ft. Pierce. Australia’s most famous musical export, The Ten Tenors, continues to enthrall audiences across North America! The Ten Tenors continue to sell out shows and win heats with their unmistakable charm, camaraderie and vocal power in opera, pop, rock, and more. Value: $100
Coffee basket with $25 gift card from Starbucks and other coffee related goodies. Value: $50

If you have a donation or idea, please contact Dorothy Kamm at Dorothy@yatespro.com.

The Countdown is ON…Deadline for Local Image Award Entries is Only 15 Days Away!
The “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards is available online at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009.

Communicator of the Year Awards – Nominations Now Being Accepted
At the Annual Image Awards, it’s the President’s honor to announce the Communicator of the Year Awards. Nominations are now being accepted and forms are available on our website at www.fpratreasurecoast.com. The Communicator of the Year award is given to a public relations professional, whether a member of FPRA or not, who demonstrates outstanding skills in one of the following four categories:

Communicator for a Nonprofit Organization
Communicator for a For-Profit Organization
Public Relations for a Special Event
Crisis Communicator

Past winners of a Communicator Award are eligible for nomination. Nominations should be submitted to Linette Trabulsy by e-mail at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov no later than Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

Have a great week,
Linette

The Countdown is On...

2009-03-01T08:53:00.028-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Chapter Board Meeting
The Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the Martin/St. Lucie Service Center in Stuart. Please RSVP to Linette at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov.

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Community Service Project
Last Tuesday, members of our Chapter presented “What is PR and PR Opportunities” to nearly 100 students at Martin County High School. The presentation, made up of seven panelists, was interactive, exciting (at least to us) and fun. Debra Banta, APR, the coordinator of this event, reported to the committee that she immediately heard from the journalism teacher at the school who had this to say:

“One of my students is now all excited…she thinks she wants to branch out from journalism to public relations. She said she had never thought of it before and really likes the career opportunities. So thanks for bringing the panel to our school. It’s great when seeds are planted.”

This kind of feedback was just what we wanted to hear! The school videotaped the presentation and we are working the school to finalize the video this week. We are also working with the marketing teacher on an evaluation of the presentation in order to tailor our efforts for the next time. A special thank you to Debbie Banta, APR, Kherri Anderson, Kendall Clifford, Erick Gill, Robin Delgado, Cara Perry, Sam Yates & Nancy McCarthy, APR – the staff photographer! :-)

The Chapter’s 25th Anniversary Celebration is Next Week! Don’t Delay! RSVP TODAY!
By now you should have received your invitation to the 25th Anniversary of the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA scheduled for Tuesday, March 10th at 4 p.m. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to join your fellow FPRA members and friends at the Sunrise Theatre in historic downtown Fort Pierce for a reception honoring the past 25 years. After the reception, the Sunrise Theatre invites you and a guest to stay for the performance of “Footloose: The Musical.” The cost to attend is $25 per person and includes the reception and the show! Only 60 tickets will be reserved for our Chapter, so make your reservations early and feel free to bring a guest. Make your reservations now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. The easiest way to RSVP is on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC, our State Association President and Suzanne Sparling, APR, CPRC, our State Association's Immediate Past President and Chapter Liaison, will both be on hand to help us celebrate. Let's have a great showing to support their visit to the Chapter.

Local Image Awards Dinner & Ceremony Needs Donations
As you know, our Local Image Awards Dinner and Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. (PLEASE mark your calendars!) at the Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Our Image Co-Chairs, Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm, are working very hard to make this another lovely event for you to share your accomplishments and enjoy networking with members and friends. This year, the Committee is adding a Silent Auction to the event, but they need your help! Dorothy and Robin have already procured two fabulous prizes: a cruise on The Challenge and a series of facial and laser treatments worth $900! However, they still need donations. Donation ideas include themed gift baskets, gift certificates or artwork. Please consider a donation to your Treasure Coast Chapter’s Local Image Awards Ceremony and help make this the most successful event ever! If you have a donation or idea, please contact Dorothy Kamm at Dorothy@yatespro.com.

The Countdown is ON…Deadline for Local Image Award Entries is Only 22 Days Away!
The “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards is available online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/%20/%20http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009.

Communicator of the Year Awards – Nominations Now Being Accepted

At the Annual Image Awards, it’s the President’s honor to announce the Communicator of the Year Awards. Nominations are now being accepted and forms are available on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. The Communicator of the Year award is given to a public relations professional, whether a member of FPRA or not, who demonstrates outstanding skills in one of the following four categories:

Communicator for a Nonprofit Organization
Communicator for a For-Profit Organization
Public Relations for a Special Event
Crisis Communicator

Past winners of a Communicator Award are eligible for nomination. Nominations should be submitted to Linette Trabulsy by e-mail at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov no later than Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

Hot Stuff/Cool Cash – State Conference Update from Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC
At the Quarterly State Board meeting last weekend, the Chapter Challenge for Annual Conference was announced. One of the items where our Chapter can earn points is donating a gift or two or three to the Florida Public Relations Education Foundation auction fundraiser. This year, it’s known as HOT STUFF/COOL CASH.

What should you donate? Gift baskets with gift cards, books, CDs, antique items, toiletries, a painting, and more. It’s up to you. Let your creativity go wild and count those points toward the Conference Chapter Challenge!! Last year, our Chapter won a conference scholarship for Annual Conference. We can do this again with your help!

If you have any questions, please contact me at (772) 341-3845 or by email at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com. Adrienne stands ready to receive some HOT gifts from a great group of COOL public relations professionals!!

Member News
Someone you know is “Dancing with the Stars!! “Vero star” Laura Kelley, APR, Chairman of the Indian River Council & professional Joe Wynes of Desire to Dance is dancing to support the Healthy Start Coalition of Indian River County and for every dollar you donate online (see link below) or by donation is equal to one vote! Seats to the event are sold out, but she still needs and would appreciate every vote as the majority of the competition is based on how many votes received! The fundraiser and show-stopping fun is March 14 at the Elks Lodge in Vero. Not only will you be supporting your fellow FPRA member and Indian River Council Chairman, but every dollar supports healthy moms and babies! Donations can be made in the name of your favorite dancer by clicking on the “Star dancer” button online. http://www.dancingwithverostars.com/stardancers.htm or make check payable to: Healthy Start Coalition.

A Word About Tweeting from cnn.com, SciTechBlog
Tweets on the Hill, February 26, 2009

Transparency seems to be all the rage on Capitol Hill these days. And what better way for Congress to connect directly with constituents than through Twitter, the free social-messaging site?

As I began following the 100 or so members who currently use Twitter through a site called http://tweetcongress.org, I found the Democrat-to-Republican tweeting ratio a bit surprising. There are only 29 Democrats tweeting compared to 57 or so Republicans.

As we saw in the last election campaign, Democrats have a reputation as being hipper and more plugged-in than their GOP counterparts. So are Republicans now trying to drum up support with the tech-savvy crowd through this hot medium that seems to be spreading like wildfire?

Twitter gives the public a sense of what’s happening in now in the halls of Congress. It’s like a real-time backstage pass to Capitol Hill. We elected these people to do a job, and Twitter gives us a way to connect with them more directly than ever.

During President Obama’s speech Tuesday night to the joint session of Congress, Texas Republican congressman John Culberson posted, “This is always an awe-inspiring experience no matter who is President,” and “Capt Sully is here — awesome!” These personal messages give us a behind-the-scenes look at how our government works, humanize our elected leaders and avoid the cumbersome rhetoric that we find in formal congressional correspondence.

However, there are a handful of potential pitfalls in congressional tweeting, which might be why not every senator or congressman has jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. There are no Twitter filters or copy editors, and once a tweet is out there, there is no turning back. This can be a dicey prospect for a politician.

During President Obama’s speech, one such tweet slipped through the cracks for congressman Joe Barton, another Texas Republican, who Twittered, “Aggie basketball game is about to start on espn2 for those of you that aren’t going to bother watching Pelosi smirk for the next hour.”

Oops! Several minutes later another message followed, saying, “Disregard that last tweet from a staffer.” Insert tweet in mouth.

So, should there be some filter or editor to protect our congressmen from themselves? Or can we benefit from these raw, unpolished glimpses at our elected representatives? Let us know what you think!
– Callie Carmichael, CNN.com

Have a great week,
Linette

Are You Ready for a Chapter Challege?

2009-02-23T21:30:00.011-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

State Board Meeting
Bryan Beaty and I attended the second State Board meeting this past Saturday in Jacksonville. We learned that our Chapter had reached 76% of our membership goal, and that was before the newest four members joined. Keep sending membership prospects to our Membership Chairman, Nancy McCarthy, APR, at nancy@fireflyforyou.com. Other news from the State Board included a new Chapter Challenge to promote the Annual Conference. Our Chapter and individual members have the opportunity to be rewarded for our hard work and dedication. We must demonstrate to the State Conference Committee how we’ve promoted the Annual Conference in our Chapter. Additionally, we are able to earn more points by promoting the Golden and Local Image Awards. Winners will be recognized at the State Board Meeting on May 16, 2009. Winners will receive various prizes including recognition, conference cash, preferred seating, and more! Last year, our Chapter was winner of the Chapter Challenge and I was the lucky recipient of the Conference Scholarship. I’ll be providing more information to you in the next blog on ways we can receive points towards the Challenge. Thanks!

Chapter Board Meeting
The Treasure Coast Chapter Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the Martin/St. Lucie Service Center in Stuart. Please RSVP to Linette at ltrabuls@sfwmd.gov.

FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter Community Service Project
Tomorrow, several members of the Chapter will conduct a panel discussion at Martin County High School on Tuesday, Feb. 24, starting at 9:10 a.m. Debra Banta, APR, and a committee of seven FPRA members will present the organization’s High School Community Service Project: “What Is Public Relations/PR Career Opportunities” for more than 100 career tech students at MCHS. As part of a panel discussion, local FPRA professionals, representing the diversity of career opportunities in the public relations industry, will present an overview of the field and give each student a Tool Kit for Success. Panelists will discuss their jobs as public relations professionals, how they got into their career and offer advice for entering the public relations field.

Local Image Awards Dinner & Ceremony Needs Donations
As you know, our Local Image Awards Dinner and Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 4-7 p.m. (PLEASE mark your calendars!) at the Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Our Image Co-Chairs, Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm, are working very hard to make this another lovely event for you to share your accomplishments and enjoy networking with members and friends. This year, the Committee is adding a Silent Auction to the event, but they need your help! Dorothy and Robin have already procured two fabulous prizes: a cruise on The Challenge and a series of facial and laser treatments worth $900! However, they still need donations. Donation ideas include themed gift baskets, gift certificates or artwork. Please consider a donation to your Treasure Coast Chapter’s Local Image Awards Ceremony and help make this the most successful event ever! If you have a donation or idea, please contact Dorothy Kamm at Dorothy@yatespro.com.

Call for Entries for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards
The Image Awards Committee has announced the “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards. The Call for Entries and application is only available electronically on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009.

Make Your Reservations Now to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Chapter!
On Tuesday, March 10th at 4 p.m., we will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA. Join your fellow FPRA members and friends at the Sunrise Theatre in historic downtown Fort Pierce for a reception honoring the past 25 years. After the reception, the Sunrise Theatre invites you and a guest to stay for the performance of “Footloose: The Musical.” The cost to attend is $25 per person and includes the reception and the show! Only 60 tickets will be reserved for our Chapter, so make your reservations early and feel free to bring a guest. Look for your invitation in the mail soon, but feel free to make your reservations now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu or by RSVPing online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/.

Indian River Council Professional Development Seminar ~ Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – What is Aging After All?
Learn more about aging and the creative process on Thursday, April 16 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College’s (IRSC) Mueller Campus. Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities professor of Health Care Sciences and professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, will present “New Understanding About Creativity & Psychological Growth With Aging.” New research on aging has identified a number of positive brain and behavioral changes in the second half of life that set the stage for psychological growth and creative expression. Scientists now recognize positive developments among middle-age and older adults. The New Senior Moment (a creative one) will be perhaps the best example of a phenomenon where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Be prepared to witness the dismantling of a number of long held negative myths and stereotypes about aging.

Admission to this lecture is $25 per person and seating is limited to 300. Reservations can be made by calling IRSC at (772) 462-7880 or the Cultural Council at (772) 770-4857. This event is sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute at IRSC, the Cultural Council of Indian River County, Vero Beach Magazine and the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA

The Richardson Center on the Mueller Campus at Indian River State College is located at 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. For more information, visit http://www.gwumc.edu/cahh/About/cohen.htm.

Member News
Congratulations to former Chapter member Tanya White, who was married on Valentine’s Day. Tanya is Communications and Events Coordinator for the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce. Her husband is Ronald Smith, who works in prison ministry and is studying psychology, eventually looking for a career in drug counseling. He is also a certified nutritionist.

Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, was spotted recently at ZoraFest’s Hattitude. Since the inception of the ZoraFest event in honor of Zora Neale Hurston, Adrienne has volunteered her time and talent to the cause. I personally think she looks fantastic in a fancy hat!

Have a great week,
Linette

News You Can Use

2009-02-17T18:26:00.014-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

State Board Meeting
Bryan Beaty and I will attend the Quarterly State Board Meeting in Jacksonville this weekend. Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC, State President, has asked that I share information about our upcoming Community Service Project at Martin County High School with the other Chapter presidents as a shining example of a Best Practice. Additionally, I’m looking forward to sharing many other great things our Chapter has been doing with the group. Look in next week’s blog for information that we bring back from the meeting.

Speaking of the MCHS Community Service Project
Several members of the Treasure Coast Chapter will conduct a panel discussion at Martin County High School on Tuesday, Feb. 24, starting at 9:10 a.m. Debra Banta, APR, and a committee of seven FPRA members will present the organization’s High School Community Service Project: “What Is Public Relations/PR Career Opportunities” for more than 100 career tech students at MCHS. As part of a panel discussion, local FPRA professionals, representing the diversity of career opportunities in the public relations industry, will present an overview of the field and give each student a Tool Kit for Success.

Panelists will discuss their jobs as public relations professionals, how they got into their career and offer advice for entering the public relations field. The panel includes: Linette Trabulsy with South Florida Water Management District, Kherri Anderson with the Martin County Supervisor of Elections, Kendall Clifford with the Firefly Group, Erick Gill with the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, Robin Delgado with the Law Firm of Philip DeBerard, Cara Perry with Florida Atlantic University and Sam Yates with Yates and Associates.

Thanks, Debbie, for all of your hard work on this endeavor. And thank you to all of the panelists who enthusiastically agreed to participate! This event will certainly be a huge success and I look forward to bringing it to other high schools throughout the Treasure Coast!

Call for Entries for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards
The Image Awards Committee has announced the “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards. The Call for Entries and application is only available electronically on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/%20/%20http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009.

Remembering our Past and Toasting our Future ~ 25th Anniversary Celebration
On Tuesday, March 10th at 4 p.m., we will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA. Join your fellow FPRA members and friends at the Sunrise Theatre in historic downtown Fort Pierce for a reception honoring the past 25 years. After the reception, the Sunrise Theatre invites you and a guest to stay for the performance of “Footloose: The Musical.” The cost to attend is $25 per person and includes the reception and the show! Only 60 tickets will be reserved for our Chapter, so make your reservations early and feel free to bring a guest. Look for your invitation in the mail soon, but feel free to make your reservations now by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu or by RSVPing online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/.

February Monthly Meeting Recap
Our FPRA Treasure Coast February business meeting was a little unique. Instead of a speaker, attendees were given an opportunity to meet and greet with their fellow members. The “Speed Networking” meeting was an overwhelming success with many happy, smiling people breaking the “network for 5-minutes only” rule! Participants were given five minutes to network with fellow guests. When the five minutes were up, participants moved to another table getting to know another person. Business cards were moving about while the room got louder and louder! Two first time attendees said that it was the best way to get to know fellow members and they were thrilled that this session was held during their first meeting. The attendees were also delighted that Panera Bread of St. Lucie West catered the lunch this month. The only thing that disappointed some is that we didn’t do this sooner in the membership year!

Indian River Council Professional Development Seminar ~ Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – What is Aging After All?
Learn more about aging and the creative process on Thursday, April 16 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. at the Richardson Center at Indian River State College’s (IRSC) Mueller Campus. Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities professor of Health Care Sciences and professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, will present “New Understanding About Creativity & Psychological Growth With Aging.”

New research on aging has identified a number of positive brain and behavioral changes in the second half of life that set the stage for psychological growth and creative expression. Scientists now recognize positive developments among middle-age and older adults. The New Senior Moment (a creative one) will be perhaps the best example of a phenomenon where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Be prepared to witness the dismantling of a number of long held negative myths and stereotypes about aging.

Admission to this lecture is $25 per person and seating is limited to 300. Reservations can be made by calling IRSC at (772) 462-7880 or the Cultural Council at (772) 770-4857. This event is sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Institute at IRSC, the Cultural Council of Indian River County, Vero Beach Magazine and the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA

The Richardson Center on the Mueller Campus at Indian River State College is located at 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. For more information, visit http://www.gwumc.edu/cahh/About/cohen.htm.

Thank you to Laura Kelley, APR, for coordinating this event.

Member News
Congratulations to Bev Paris of Paris Production as she has been selected by the Cultural Council of Indian River County as a Laurel Award for Cultural Leadership honoree for 2009. Bev, and her husband, Martin, are recognized in the Philanthropic /Business Leadership category. The Laurel Awards recognizes leaders in Indian River County who have consistently supported the cultural community in the following categories: Philanthropic/Business Leadership Award, Volunteer/Activist Award, Cultural/Professional Leadership Award, Artist Award and the Carolyn Eggert Award. The 14th Annual Laurel Awards Celebration Dinner will take place on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at Grand Harbor Club in Vero Beach.

Have a great week,
Linette

I'm "Crazy 4 FPRA" (Valentine's Day...Candy Hearts...Get it??)

2009-02-09T18:39:00.006-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

February Monthly Meeting ~ A “Quick” Opportunity to Meet your Fellow FPRA Members
Be sure to make your reservations for tomorrow’s Speed Networking Meeting! What is “Speed Networking?” With all the participants seated in pairs, the Speed Networking sessions begins. During each five-minute session, participants will be able to network face-to-face. After the end of each session, participants will quickly alternate their seating arrangements to pair up with their next networking opportunity. This process will continue until all participants have interacted with each other. In just a few minutes, participants will share business cards, history and offer a few “random” things that people might not know about them.

Participants should prepare some business questions and answers to:
• Who do you know that might need their services?
• Who has a similar client base and might like to exchange client leads with them?
• How might each company do business with one another?
• Can you introduce them to anyone who can help them?

This month’s meeting is at the IRSC Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Lunch (served by Panera!) is at 11:30 and the program will begin at noon. Reservations can be made either online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. The cost for members is $15 and $20 for non-members.

Deadline for Newsletter Submissions is Wednesday!
Committee Chairs and members: Please submit your news for The PRO to Sarah Starr at sstarr@childcareresourcesir.org no later than Wednesday, Feb. 11th. Thank you for your help!

Call for Entries for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards
The Image Awards Committee has announced the “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards. Please note that there will be “no snail-mailed” “call for entries” this year, this information is only available electronically on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ (and it is attached to the e-mail you just received)! Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009. Don’t forget the 25 Tips for Image Awards are available on this blog (http://www.fpratreasurecoast.blogspot.com/) with the final installation in today’s entry. A special thank you to Image Co-Chairs Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm and committee members Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and Nancy McCarthy, APR, for their hard work and for their presentation at the January monthly meeting. Thanks and good luck!!

2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update – February 2009 ~ from your Annual Conference Committee
PR on F.I.R.E. ~ Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education
Your Annual Conference Committee continues to seek out speakers who will help you grow as a public relations practitioner. Here is a sneak peek into another great speaker who is bound to hit a “home run” with conference attendees!

Tom Hoof, Marketing and Communications Director for the Tampa Bay Rays, will share his experience about rebranding a professional baseball team. In November 2007, the majority owner of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team decided to make drastic changes and renamed his team the “Tampa Bay Rays.” As a result of his decision, the team went through a rebranding campaign that re-energized fans and made everyone in the Tampa Bay area feel like they had ownership of the Rays. Join us at the 2009 FPRA Annual Conference to hear about the campaign and the astounding success the team experienced in 2008.

Opportunity for Design Professionals
This message comes from Audria V. Moore, PIO at the Fort Pierce Police Department. She has been appointed by the Governor to serve on Florida’s Education Committee for the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities. The Committee would like to request the volunteer assistance of a public relations professional to layout and design a brochure which would offer tips on interacting with people with disabilities in different settings i.e. hospital, government and office. The product will be distributed statewide and will come from the Governor’s Office. The deadline for completion would be June 2009. If anyone is interested in assisting with this worthy project, please contact Audria at 772-461-3820 ext.5203; Cell: 772-370-1848 or fppio@fppd.org.

Have a great week,
Linette

“I Think I Can…I Think I Can…I Think I Can”

2009-02-03T21:24:00.010-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

“I Think I Can…I Think I Can…I Think I Can”
I have approached the half-way mark of my presidency and to be honest, sometimes I worry that I am running out of steam! I don’t expect you all to work as hard as I make Bryan Beaty and myself work, so please know that I am very grateful for any little “piece” of the puzzle you can and do contribute. Whether it is coordinating a community service project, studying for your accreditation, chairing a fundraising effort or submitting information for the newsletter or blog….I appreciate all you do to keep this Chapter chugging along! It is with your effort and teamwork that we complete the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter puzzle. Thank you.

February Monthly Meeting
Be sure to make your reservations for the Tuesday, February 10th monthly business meeting no later than this Friday, February 6th. This month the meeting will be back at the IRSC Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West and the topic is Crisis Communications. Lunch is at 11:30 and the program will begin at noon. Reservations can be made either online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. The cost for members is $15 and $20 for non-members.

Call for Entries for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards
The Image Awards Committee has announced the “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards. Please note that there will be “no snail-mailed” “call for entries” this year, this information is only available electronically on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ (and it is attached to the e-mail you just received)! Deadline for entries is March 24, 2009. Don’t forget the 25 Tips for Image Awards are available on this blog (http://www.fpratreasurecoast.blogspot.com/) with the final installation in today’s entry. A special thank you to Image Co-Chairs Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm and committee members Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and Nancy McCarthy, APR, for their hard work and for their presentation at the January monthly meeting. Thanks and good luck!!

More Image Tips from Moore (Adrienne, that is)
This is the final installation of the Image Tips from Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC. Thanks to Adrienne for her outstanding work and dedication to FPRA.

23. If you are entering the same project in two different categories, such as Division A for Public Affairs and Division C for website, you cannot use the same two-page summary for both projects. The summary for Division A must look at the objectives and the results for the entire project, while Division C must provide the objectives and results of what needed to be accomplished by the website itself. One of these entries may be disqualified if the judges determine the same summary was used.

24. One of the last steps to be completed and placed in the binder is a series of word documents. Your two-page summary, your 50-word summary and a jpeg photo of your project should be placed on a disk and stapled to the written version of the 50-word summary on the last page of the binder.

25. The final step comes after you win an award. YOU have the joy of writing a media release about the success of your project and its recognition in the Image Awards program. You deserve the recognition, as does your business or client!

Community Service Project Update
I’m so very proud to announce that our long-awaited and highly-anticipated High School Community Service Project, “What Is Public Relations/PR Career Opportunities” for career tech students at Martin County High School, is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 9:15 a.m. Thanks to Debra Banta, APR, and her committee members for organizing the session. As part of a panel discussion, local FPRA professionals, representing the diversity of career opportunities in the public relations industry, will present an overview of the field and give each student a Tool Kit for Success! Over 100 students are scheduled to be in attendance for the session. Way to go Debbie!

Newsletter News
You may have noticed, or not, we skipped the February edition of The PRO. We did this in order to present a special 25th Anniversary edition coming to your e-mailbox by the end of this month. Committee Chairs: please submit your news to Sarah Starr at sstarr@childcareresourcesir.org no later than Friday, Feb. 6th. Thank you for your help!

Speaking of Anniversaries…
If you haven’t circled the date on your calendar yet…get that red pen ready! On Tuesday, March 10th at 4 p.m., we will celebrate our 25th Anniversary of the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA. Join your fellow FPRA members and friends at the Sunrise Theatre in historic downtown Fort Pierce for a reception honoring the past 25 years. After the reception, the Sunrise Theatre invites you and a guest to stay for the performance of “Footloose: The Musical.” The cost to attend is $25 per person and includes the reception and the show! Only 60 tickets will be reserved for our Chapter, so make your reservations early and feel free to bring a guest! Please make your reservations by contacting Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu.

Speaking of calendars…
Be sure and mark your calendar for several upcoming FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter events:

Tuesday, February 10 at 11:30 a.m. – Monthly Business Meeting focusing on Crisis Communications; Schreiber Center, IRSC, St. Lucie West.

Tuesday, February 24 at 9:15 a.m. – “What Is Public Relations? And PR Career Opportunities” presentation to career tech students at Martin County High School, Stuart.

Tuesday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m. – FPRA Treasure Coast Board Meeting; SFWMD Martin/St. Lucie Service Center, Stuart.

Tuesday, March 10 at 4 p.m. – 25th Anniversary Celebration; Sunrise Theatre, downtown Fort Pierce.

Tuesday, March 24 at 5:00 p.m. – Deadline for Image Award entries.

Thursday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m. – Indian River Council’s Professional Development Presentation (in partnership with Indian River State College’s Lifelong Learning Institute and the Indian River Cultural Council): “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall-What is Aging After All? New Understanding About Creativity & Psychological Growth With Aging,” by Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center on Aging, Health & Humanities, Professor of Health Care Sciences & Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University; Richardson Center Auditorium of Indian River State College’s Mueller Campus in Vero Beach.

Tuesday, April 21 at 4 p.m. – Image Awards Ceremony; Schreiber Center, IRSC, St. Lucie West.

College student scholarship applications available
Martin County Supervisor of Elections has announced the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections is offering three $1,200 statewide scholarships. Applicants must be registered voters who have lived in Florida at least two years and must be majoring in political science, public administration, business administration, journalism, or mass communications. Eligibility requirements and scholarship applications are available by contacting the office or visiting the website at www.MartinVotes.com. Completed applications must be returned to the Martin County Supervisor of Elections Office by Friday, March 20, 2009. For further information, call 288-5637 or visit the office located at 135 SE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in Stuart.

Member News
Although not officially an FPRA Treasure Coast member, Felonice Margasak is a member of our extended AdFed family and a good friend to our Chapter. Congratulations to her and her husband, Gabe, on the birth of baby Abigail! In a feat of lightning speed, Abigail Rosalind Margasak was born at 3:38 a.m. on Monday, February 2nd after only 2 hours of labor. She weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces. According to Dad, “Mom was a superstar and both are happy and healthy! Our home is all set up for when we return, thanks to all the kind efforts of our friends and family.”

Have a great week,
Linette

Tips, Info and Words of Advice

2009-01-26T19:44:00.008-05:00

Happy Monday FPRA Treasure Coast!

Need Your Input
The State Association Accreditation and Certification and Chair, Jeff Nall, APR, CPRC is trying to gauge the interest level of APR and CPRC candidates attending a four-hour study session in Orlando on Saturday, March 21. Please let our Accreditation and Certification Chair, Debra Banta, APR, know if you would be interested in attending this session no later than February 4. She can be reached at bantad@martin.k12.fl.us.

More Image Tips from Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC
20. In reviewing the two-page summary, judges can give up to 70% for the two-page summary and another 30% for the support materials. Three judges are expected to review each entry and then the scores are totaled and divided by 3. A review of all scores at the end of the judging determines the Image, Award of Distinction and Judges Award necessary points.

21. You may also want to consider NOT entering the entire project. In other words, sometimes it’s better to enter a segment of a project in Division B or Division C rather than having to meet the requirements of Division A, Public Relations campaigns. If this is your first entry, that may be a good course to take. Your evaluation points may relate more to the results of a brochure or an audio program than to the overall public relations project, which uses several PR tactics. It’s often easier to demonstrate the value of one segment of the project than the entire project.

22. Get a copy of the judging form and review the questions that are asked. You will know just how to write your two-page summary. In their review, the judges determine if the results of the project fulfill the objectives you initially set out to accomplish. Are they measurable objectives? In other words, if you wanted to increase attendance by 100%, did you do that or higher? The form also determines the quality and effectiveness of the support materials.

Mark your calendars
Be sure and mark your calendars for the February 10th luncheon meeting in St. Lucie West where we will focus on Crisis Communications and the very special March 10th FPRA Treasure Coast 25th Anniversary Celebration reception and performance at the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.

Newsletter
If anyone has any submissions for the newsletter, please send the information to me as soon as possible. Thank you.

Note to Board Members
Please make sure you send me your vote on the new members and Treasurer. Thank you!

PRWeek Article
I came across this article on the PRWeek website and I thought I'd share it with you. Be careful what you post!

Ketchum employee's Tweet causes client controversy
Tonya Garcia
January 16, 2009

MEMPHIS, TN: A Tweet by a Ketchum staffer that was visiting agency client FedEx in its hometown prompted an angry memo that reached executives on both sides and the blogosphere.

A Twitter post made by the screen name “keyinfluencer,” which lists James Andrews, VP, director of interactive at Ketchum, as its owner, made the “true confession” that “I'm in one of those towns where I scratch my head and say ‘I would die if I had to live here!'”

An employee of FedEx then wrote a letter to both FedEx and Ketchum leadership that said the comment was “inappropriate” and they were “confident” that “it is enough to expect a greater level of respect and awareness from someone in your position as a vice president at a major global player in your industry.” The memo was posted on the blog of Peter Shankman.

“This is an unfortunate situation and demonstrates very poor judgment by Mr. Andrews,” wrote FedEx, in a statement e-mailed to PRWeek. “The reaction by our employees proves once again that FedEx takes great pride in our hometown of Memphis.”

“This lapse in judgment also demonstrates the need to apply fundamental communications principles in the evolving social-networking environment: Think before you speak; be careful of you what you say and how you say it,” the statement continues.

Ketchum also called the incident a "lapse in judgment," in a statement. “We've apologized to our client... We greatly value this long standing client relationship. It is our privilege to work with them,” the Ketchum statement read.

In later Twitter postings, the “keyinfluencer” said he was “Having a great day with my new friends at Fedex” and apologized. He also posted an apology to his blog.

FedEx concluded that “Mr. Andrews made a mistake, and he has apologized. We are moving on.”

Have a great week,
Linette

Historic Day for the U.S.A.!

2009-01-20T19:35:00.005-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Historic Day for the U.S.A.!
What an exciting day for America and for all of our citizens. I hope you were able to watch today’s Inauguration of President Barack Obama. With the emergence of Facebook and other social networking technologies, I felt like I was there with all my friends (both in Florida and in D.C.) without the chill of the weather! All weekend long, friends posted photos of their arrival in D.C. and of the concert. CNN.com Live also partnered with Facebook to let people “Experience the Inauguration,” where people could watch the inauguration and see friends’ status updates, all in the same place. Your FPRA Chapter has a “Group” on Facebook and if you are on Facebook, feel free to join us!

Call for Entries for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards
The Image Awards Committee has announced the “Call for Entries” for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter 2009 Local Image Awards. Please be aware that there will be “no snail-mail” “call for entries” this year. This information is only available electronically on our website at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/! Don’t forget the 25 Tips for Image Awards are available on this blog (http://www.fpratreasurecoast.blogspot.com/). A special thank you to Image Co-Chairs Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm and committee members Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC and Nancy McCarthy, APR, for their hard work and organization in getting this event going. Thanks and good luck!!

More Image Tips from Moore (Adrienne, that is)
17. When you read the entry booklet, you will see that the judges have the right to disqualify an entry. You don’t want that to happen. Make sure you follow all the rules regarding the set up of the entry binder, from font and type size to page layout. Use the Research, Objectives, Implementation, Evaluation and Budget headings in your two-page summary. Follow the NEW Rules for the Budget process. Meet all the binder requirements for placement of information.

Judges are instructed to look for the headings listed above in the summary and sometimes, will even measure the margins around the summary pages to make sure they are one inch around, as instructed.

18. Judges have the discretion to move your entry to another category. That will NOT disqualify your entry. Try to stay away from the OTHER category, if possible. The association has worked to include all types of projects in the stated categories.

19. Judges for Image Awards are selected from another Florida chapter. Most likely, those judges will not be familiar with your area or business. While you don’t want to waste space in the two-page summary to explain the demographics or location of your project, it often helps to say things like . . . on Florida’s East Coast or an underserved community . . . in order to give the judges a quick reference. Some of this may be handled in the one-page Organizational Summary to help orient the judges.

Media Conference Update
There will be a kick-off meeting for the 2009 Media Conference on Tuesday, January 27 at 4 p.m. at the office of Beverly Jones, APR, chairman of the event. Please plan on attending if you are interested in helping; however, if you can’t attend and want to help, please contact Beverly at beverly@bbjonespr.com for more information. Beverly’s office address is: BB Jones Communications, Inc., 2682 SE Willoughby Blvd., Suite B, Stuart.

2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update – January 2009 from your Annual Conference Committee
PR on F.I.R.E. ~ Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to attend the 2009 FPRA Annual Conference? We sure hope it is!

Thanks to everyone who recently completed our short survey to help us find out a little more about what your expectations are of the conference and suggestions on speakers, sponsors, and sustainability. According to the survey, we already have 141 members planning to attend our conference in August – that’s fantastic! And congratulations to Lonnie Parizek of the Capital Chapter for winning the FPRA bucks.

One of our sessions is a panel discussion focusing on “PR Under Fire” (Foundation and Reputation components) to address the criticism our profession is receiving, especially during these difficult economic times, and what we can do to address that criticism and change the negative perception. Suzanne Sparling, APR, Immediate Past President of FPRA, has agreed to moderate this panel. Panel members include representatives from non-profit and government organizations, as well as agency and academic representatives. Following the panel discussion, we’ll hold breakout sessions with the panel members to address proactive ways to address this criticism.

Here’s another member testimonial from Denise D. Feiber, APR FDACS/Div of Plant Industry, Public Information Director of the Gainesville Chapter.

In these times of tight budget constraints, I feel more confident asking my boss for conference funding support when I can demonstrate that attendance will not only help me professionally, but will also benefit my agency. One way I have done this is by seeking opportunities to showcase our agency’s project work at conference – by volunteering to serve as a leader of a roundtable discussion or preparing a poster for display and discussion.

SAVE THE DATE
Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, FL
Date: August 9 – 12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

If you have a testimonial about how the annual conference has benefited you and your employer, please e-mail it to ksmittle@ch2m.com. Remember, you can register now and make your hotel reservations. Room prices are tiered, starting as low as $145/night. We look forward to seeing you at the conference in August 2009!

Member News
Congratulations to Krista Garofalo, Director of Communications & Marketing for the United Way of St. Lucie County. Krista is participating in the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership St. Lucie Class 27 this year.

Congratulations to Kathryn N. Treadwell, Director of Community Development for The ARC of Martin County. Kathryn and her husband, Andrew, were lucky enough to attend the University of Florida Gators’ National Championship win on January 8th! Go Gators!

Former Chapter President Melinda Glasco (2003-2004) and her husband David are awaiting the arrival of their second child, a boy. She is eight months pregnant with the arrival planned around March 23. Little Julia, born around the time Melinda was president, is now four years old and says she is ready for her new baby brother. Melinda works at the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens. Congrats to Melinda and David and of course, big sister, Julia!!

Have a great week,
Linette

Elastigirl(s) to the Rescue

2009-01-12T13:32:00.007-05:00

Happy Monday FPRA Treasure Coast!

Elastigirls to the Rescue
Flexibility is so important in our business, right? Well, we're going to have to be flexible for this month’s program as our scheduled speaker had an unexpected work-related appointment that prevented her from coming to the Treasure Coast tomorrow. So, as I thought about it, we have some pretty darn good (ok, great!) experts in public relations and Image Award winners right here in our own Chapter. For tomorrow’s monthly program, we will hear from our very own “Elastigirls” (think “The Incredibles”) Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Nancy McCarthy, APR, Robin Delgado and Dorothy Kamm. Nancy will focus her presentation the value of entering and Dorothy will address the changes in the entry process. Robin and Adrienne will talk about following the rules…kind of like a “What Not To Do” (think “What Not to Wear”) for Image Award entries. We will have all “25 Tips on Image Awards Entries” prepared in a handout for those in attendance and other useful handouts as well. I am grateful that our panel of experts ~ Adrienne, Nancy, Robin and Dorothy ~ is willing to fill in at the last minute, and I am sure we will all leave tomorrow’s meeting with valuable and important information.

Speaking of Image Award Entries…
Let’s continue with more information on entering an Image Award from Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC.

15. When you read the entry booklet, you will see that the judges have the right to disqualify an entry. You don’t want that to happen, especially if this is a strong project with great results.

Make sure you follow all the rules regarding the set up of the entry binder, from font and type size to page layout. Use the Research, Objectives, Implementation, Evaluation and Budget headings in your two-page summary. With new rules for budgets, be sure to follow those instructions in order to identify hours working on the project.

Judges are instructed to look for the headings listed above in the summary and sometimes, will even measure the margins around the summary pages to make sure they are one inch around, as instructed.They also have the discretion to move your entry to another category. That, however, will NOT disqualify your entry. Don’t pick the OTHER category, if you can avoid it.

Mark your calendars
Be sure and mark your calendars for the February 10th luncheon meeting in St. Lucie West where we will focus on Crisis Communications and the very special March 10th FPRA Treasure Coast 25th Anniversary Celebration reception and performance at the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.

Member News
Judy Cruz and Mille Wood were spotted in the Sunday edition of Luminaries pictured at the opening of the St. Lucie Heart Gallery to benefit the Children’s Home Society.

Congratulations to Kendall Clifford on her engagement to T. J. Large, a professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox. Her engagement announcement and photo was in Sunday’s Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. Kendall is an account executive (i.e. Sparkstarter) and public relations and marketing specialist for The Firefly Group. The couple plan to marry on December 5, 2009. Best of luck, Kendall and T.J.!!

And finally, congratulations to the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce Leadership St. Lucie Class 27. FPRA Treasure Coast boasts three members in this class ~ Cara Perry, Florida Atlantic University; Catherine Whitaker, St. Lucie County Fire District; and Tanya White, St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce! Way to go ladies!

Have a great week,
Linette

New Year, New Opportunities

2009-01-05T09:50:00.012-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Welcome to 2009! I hope that everyone is rested and ready to rock the New Year for the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter.

January Monthly Meeting
The first thing on the agenda is our monthly business meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, January 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Martin/St. Lucie Service Center in Stuart. The program topic is Effective Public Relations Campaigns & Image Award Information presented by the Image Awards Committee! Wendy Crites Wacker, APR, is our guest speaker. Wendy is the director of corporate communications for Regeneration Technologies Inc. (RTI), the Florida-based processor of orthopedic and other biologic implants. Wendy’s role at RTI includes directing all corporate communications, which includes internal communications, media relations, community relations, investor relations, government relations, donor services communications and general corporate public relations. Wendy has a bachelor’s degree in English and a bachelor’s degree in public relations, both from the University of Florida. She received her Accreditation in Public Relations in 2001. Wendy served as president of the Gainesville Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) in 2004-05 and vice president of professional development for the state association in 2005-06. She currently serves as vice president of chapter services for FPRA. The FPRA Gainesville Chapter has awarded Wendy with the Member of the Year Award in 1998, as well as the John S. Detweiler, Ed.D., APR, CPRC Professional of the Year Award in 2007.

Be sure to make your reservations by Friday, January 9 either online at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. The cost for members is $15 and $20 for non-members.

More Image Awards Tips…by Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC
This week, the emphasis is on the binder and what it should contain:

9. The binder – hardcover, stiff-spined, three-ringed, no larger than 3 inches thick - starts with the entry form on the front page. This can be an original or photocopied form with the necessary information, including the Division and Category circled.

10. The check, which was originally attached to the entry form, is now attached to a photocopy of the entry form and placed in the front pocket of the binder. For multiple entries, you may attach one check with copies of each entry.

11. The two-page summary follows the entry form. Three additional copies of the two-page summary can be provided in the front pocket of the binder. Those are distributed to the judges who will be reading your particular category and entry.

12. An organizational summary should immediately follow the two-page summary, providing the judges with an idea about the company background and PR staff. Remember, this is another way of introducing the judges to your project, how many people worked on it and what type of projects your business or agency handles.

13. Support materials will follow which could include everything from newspaper clippings, photos, brochures, and other printed materials used in the project, and more. Anything that doesn't fit within the 8 ½ x 11 format should be folded, photocopied or photographed for the judges to review. Any audio or video should be submitted on a CD or DVD. Again, that eliminates bulky tapes and allows the entry to maintain the 3-inch binder width requirement.

14. At the back of the binder, the final page should be a 50-word summary of your entry. This is what the narrators read at the Image or Golden Image event. It’s another opportunity to demonstrate the success of the project and how beneficial it was to your business or your client.

Professional Development Opportunity from the Southwest Chapter of FPRA
There’s something for everyone at this year’s PR University – the signature professional development seminar for the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association. Actually, there’s a deluge of information, inspiration and experience to be had at this one-day event, a downpour we think your members would love to be caught in!

FPRA SWFL would like to extend an invitation to you to join them on January 9 at Hodges University in Fort Myers. Information on speakers, schedules, and sponsorships can be found below. For details on costs and registering, please visit http://www.fpraswfl.org/calendar/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=2.

A Special Invitation from the Gold Coast PR Council

5th Annual Bernays Awards Luncheon
Keynote Speaker is CNN Reporter John Zarella

WHAT: The Gold Coast PR Council (GCPRC), the largest independent organization of public relations and marketing professionals in Palm Beach, Broward & Martin counties, invite you to attend the organization's fifth annual Bernays Awards, which are named after the late Edward Bernays, the father of modern public relations. Awards will be presented in five competitive categories, with winners selected by an independent panel of PR professionals.

WHEN: Thursday, January 29 -- 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Indian Spring Country Club, 11501 El Clair Road in Boynton Beach (Located between Jog and the Turnpike, turn south off of Boynton Beach Blvd.)

WHO: Keynote speaker will be CNN’s Miami correspondent John Zarella, who directs the cable news Network’s coverage of Florida and the Caribbean. He also is CNN's chief reporter covering the space program. Among his major assignments were covering the Challenger shuttle disaster, all major hurricanes, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the Cuban and Haitian refugee crises.

COST: $40 for GCPRC members and $45 for non-members. If you would like to become a member of GCPRC at the luncheon, the cost is only $75, and this includes the cost of the luncheon. Tickets may be reserved by contacting GCPRC Vice President Gary Schweikhart at 561.756.4298 or by return email or at gary@pr-bs.net. The deadline to RSVP is January 22, 2009.

For more information about GCPRC, visit http://www.blogger.com/www.goldcoastprcouncil.com.

Have a great week!
Linette

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for FPRA Treasure Coast

2008-12-29T12:11:00.005-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Some people hate them, others love them…New Year’s Resolutions. I personally love New Year’s Resolutions, but keeping them can be challenging. Most resolutions involve losing weight, spending more time with friends and family, learning something new or quitting an old habit. Unlike personal resolutions, the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA has its own set of goals still ahead of us. It is hard to believe that we are only a few months into this membership year with so many professional development opportunities yet to come.

Top 10 resolutions for 2009 for the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA

10. Surpass the 83 members goal
9. Celebrate our 25th anniversary at the Sunrise Theatre in beautiful, historic downtown Fort Pierce
8. Continue the exciting monthly programs with over 50 attendees each month
7. Arrange Community Service Program at Martin County High School and present Indian River Council professional development seminar
6. Host spectacular Local Image Awards event with over 75 guests
5. Host highly-successful Media Conference with over 200 attendees
4. Schedule, test and pass at least one candidate each for APR and CPRC
3. Promote our Chapter throughout the Treasure Coast as the premier public relations association in the region
2. Present at least three scholarships to annual conference to deserving members and send record number of attendees to annual conference

And last but not least…drum roll please….

1. Win the Florida Public Relations Association’s Chapter of the Year! (wink, smile!)

Thinking back to our Installation Ceremony, I want to remind you that YOU are an IMPORTANT piece of the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter puzzle and we can’t reach any of our goals without YOU! Please add “Participating, volunteering or attending FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter events!” to your list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2009. It’s an easy resolution to keep and one that will help you become a better public relations professional at the same time!

I wish each of you a prosperous, safe and healthy new year! See you in 2009!
Linette

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T11:51:00.011-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Congratulations to FPRA State President Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC on the arrival of her new baby boy Philip Alexander Mallory Hart. He arrived on Thursday, December 11 at 6:48 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs., 7 oz. and is 19 ¾ inches long. Mom and baby are doing well.

Farewell to Debi Malcomson, our Chapter's Treasurer! She leaves us this week to move out of state. We wish her the best of luck on her new endeavor and hope she'll keep in touch. We welcome Lisa Swyryn in as our new Treasurer! Thanks, Lisa, for accepting the position of Treasurer mid-year!

Image Awards Tips from Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC
As mentioned last week, it’s time to review the requirements of the two-page summary. The judges see the two-page summary before they review the supplemental materials in the booklets and the summaries carry with them 70% of the scoring.

Here are the principles of the R.A.C.E. formula that we all use everyday:

4. Research / Situation Analysis: Why did you do this project? What did you consider before establishing goals, tactics and evaluations? What occurred that helped you to identify a problem, a target audience and eventually a strategy. Research can be formal or informal. The judges need background of the problem or issue in this section. It can’t just be that your boss said to do the project. Setting up the situation makes the goals and objectives fall into place easier.

5. Objectives: What are your goals? What are your objectives? What will you hope to accomplish by doing this project? This is the section that concentrates on quantitative not qualitative. The judges are looking for specifics that will hopefully come about when the project is completed, such as increasing your membership by 50%, or collecting $200,000 from a special fundraising event, or gaining $25,000 in FREE publicity.

6. Implementation: This is the action plan. What steps will you take to accomplish these goals? Establishing a communications plan, a budget, a special event, a newsletter, and other items are all tactics to obtain the results of the project.

7. Evaluation: Did you increase attendance? Did you earn $200,000 in donations? Did you gain free publicity? In other words, the evaluation must spell out what you accomplished. This section is directly connected to the Objectives. In the Objectives, you spell out what you want to accomplish. In the Evaluation, you show you accomplished it.

8. Budget: This year there are new requirements for the budget section of the summary and below is the new requirements for this section. Explain the financial outlay required for development, implementation and evaluation of this program or tool. (Reporting staff time agency/corporation/non-profit/government should be expressed in a total dollar amount for the entire number of hours. Hourly rates, salaries or total number of hours are not necessary.) Explain how these expenses relate to the project’s success.

Next week, we’ll take a look at the requirements for the booklet.

Treasure Coast Ad Fed Announces Call for Entries for the 2009 ADDY Awards
The Treasure Coast Advertising Federation has announced its Call for Entries for the organization’s 2009 ADDY Awards competition. The awards recognize exceptional advertising created in the Treasure Coast market, including print, broadcast, out-of-home and public service advertising. To be eligible for consideration, all work must have been published or aired between January 1 and December 31, 2008. Entries can be dropped off at the Palm Beach Post Building on Kanner Highway in Stuart, Florida on January 9, 2009 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. All entries must be received on or before that day. Single entry fees are $57 for Ad Fed members and $114 for non-members; campaign entries are $72 for members and $144 for non-members. Students can also enter their advertising creative in the student portion of the ADDY competition; the student fee is $20. For information on submitting your entry prior to January 9, contact Ad Fed President Gail Goldy at 772-223-2333. Entry rules and categories are online at http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etreasurecoastadfed%2Ecom&urlhash=idby&_t=disc_detail_link .

The Treasure Coast ADDY Awards Competition is the first tier of a three-tier national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation. The ADDY Awards, which recognize excellence in advertising, are the world’s largest advertising competition. Treasure Coast ADDY Awards winners will be honored at a formal dinner gala on March 14, 2009 at the Willoughby Golf Club. Winners are eligible to compete in the second tier of the competition at the district level. The district winners are then eligible for the ultimate competition, the national ADDY, presented in June.

Finally, I wish you all a very happy holiday season! May you enjoy a relaxing and blessed time with your friends, family and loved ones!

Linette

It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like Christmas!

2008-12-15T09:56:00.021-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

The Christmas and Holiday spirit was with the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA during the Ultimate Holiday Mixer last week. Thanks to all who attended ~ it was so much fun to share the season with our friends and colleagues from the Treasure Coast AdFed and the Association of Fundraising Professionals! A wonderful time was had by all and we collected over $350 for the Treasure Coast Food Bank. The Port St. Lucie Civic Center was a beautiful venue, the food was fabulous and the specialty drinks (see photo!) were full of holiday fun! A special thank you to Bryan Beaty, Judy Cruz and Robin Delgado for their efforts in organizing this fantastic event!

Twenty-five tips for Image Awards
Last week, I introduced the “25 tips for Image Awards” sent in by Image Awards Committee member Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC. Here are tips number 2 & 3:

Now that you’ve reviewed your 2008 projects and selected the entry category, it’s time to begin thinking about the next steps in preparing an Image Award entry.

2. Two-Page Summary: This is the primary narrative needed to explain the project, its objectives, its action plan, and its evaluation. Start thinking how you developed the project, what your objectives were and what tactics you coordinated to get it completed. Then review the results or evaluation of how well the project worked.

The final step in the summary is the budget, which has new requirements this year. Those will be spelled out in later Image Award “tips.”

3. Format of the Two-Page Summary: Your summary can ONLY be two pages and should be on 8 ½ by 11 paper, one inch margins all around, double spaced. It should be typed in a WORD document, Times New Roman font and a minimum of 10 point type. The topics to be discussed should be identified in the narrative: Research, Objectives, Implementation, Evaluation and Budget.

Next week, we’ll begin to review the individual topics in the two-page summary. Remember, the judges place 70% of the scoring on the two-page summary. If your summary is more than two pages, the extra pages will be removed from the entry, which means the entry will be missing one or more of the topics. The judges can disqualify your entry for not meeting these specifications.

The 2009 Image Awards entry requirements are available at
www.fpratreasurecoast.com.

Finally, congratulations to Lauren Anderson on the birth of her 3rd son, Liam, last Monday! Lauren is the Marketing Director for Stuart Cardiology Group and serves on the Programs Committee for the Treasure Coast Chapter of FPRA. She was kind enough to share the following information about him and a photo of baby Liam at 10-minutes-old!

Liam Alfred Anderson
Born: 12-08-08
Time: 2:58 PM
Weight: 7 lbs. 15 oz.
Length: 20”

According to mom, both Liam and mom are doing well and “resting” at home.

Have a great week!
Linette

It's Time to Mix & Mingle Like Kris Kringle!

2008-12-08T09:24:00.016-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Tomorrow is our Ultimate Holiday Mixer from 4-7 p.m. at the NEW Port St. Lucie Civic Center. Thank you to all who have RSVP’d online and to all of those who have already donated to the Treasure Coast Food Bank. I understand everyone is very busy during this holiday season, but if you can’t attend the event please consider making a donation to the Food Bank. Any donation, whether large or small, is greatly appreciated and you can still donate online by clicking http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/index.php?template=events&nav=4&event=26 then “RSVP HERE.”

Twenty-five tips for Image Awards
In sixteen weeks, the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association will be collecting the 2009 round of Image Awards entries from all of you. The deadline date is Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 5 p.m.

While that seems a long way off, it is truly just around the corner when you consider the Christmas holidays, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and lots of other day-to-day assignments coming your way. During these few weeks, the Image Committee wants to provide you with some tips for preparing an Image Award and to encourage you to enter this annual review. It is a great way to validate that you are on the right track with the way you present and develop projects for your business or your clients. A “win” in this awards program also brings a smile to your boss’ or clients’ faces. Now that's what you like to see!!

Here is the first step: Sit down in the next few weeks and write out all of the possible projects that you would like to enter. After all, you don’t have to enter just one!!

Go through each project to determine how strong an entry each would be and then decide on one or more that you could enter and why. Review your objectives and then see if they met your results. That’s how you’ll know you have a great Image Awards project!!

Start those brain cells rolling through your project list NOW!!

Update on the 2009 FPRA Annual Conference Update from the Annual Conference Committee:

PR on F.I.R.E. ~ Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education

We know it’s only December, but we hope that you are gearing up for the 71st FPRA Annual Conference in August! Your conference committee is planning the details to make sure that you get the most out of state conference this year. But before the planning goes too far, the committee would like to make sure that we do our research and ask for your feedback. We want to make sure that we are meeting your professional development needs.

Please spend 10 to 15 minutes taking this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=pHpRth3NK8mJgh4Xhcg4fw_3d_3d. Your opinion and comments are important, so please take the time to complete the survey. Please respond by Friday, December 12.

SAVE THE DATE
Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, FL
Date: August 9 – 12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

Have a great week!
Linette

Holiday Happiness!

2008-12-01T09:05:00.005-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Only one more week until our Ultimate Holiday Mixer on Tuesday, December 9th from 4-7 p.m. at the NEW Port St. Lucie Civic Center. FPRA will join forces with the Treasure Coast Advertising Federation and the Indian River and Treasure Coast Association of Fundraising Professionals to co-host this networking event. Tours of the new Civic Center will be available and Center staff will also be on hand to answer questions about how you can have your next event in this beautiful new facility. We will also take this opportunity to raise funds for the Treasure Coast Food Bank to assist them in serving those in need during this Holiday Season. Staff from the Food Bank will also be on hand to accept a “BIG CHECK.” The media will also be invited to cover this event.

Invitations have already been emailed, so RSVP now by clicking http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/index.php?template=events&nav=4&event=25. Also make your contribution to the Treasure Coast Food Bank online by clicking http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/index.php?template=events&nav=4&event=26 then “RSVP HERE.”

Tomorrow (Dec. 2) at 3:30 p.m., the Board of Directors will meet at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce. Bryan Beaty has reserved Conference Room 210 in the newly renovated Administration Building.

To kick off your holiday season with a laugh, click here and enjoy!
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/R5oVzNzFBYQw814e#/owner/R5oVzNzFBYQw814e

Linette

Thankful for the Opportunity

2008-11-25T09:57:00.017-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Did you think I forgot about you yesterday? No way! I took the day off to go on a field trip with my son’s class. Since he is in the 3rd grade, I figured it wouldn’t be too much longer that he would not want me to participate in things like that with him ~ so I took advantage of some fun time with him and his classmates!

Given that it’s the week of Thanksgiving, I wanted all of you to know how thankful I am to be serving as your Treasure Coast Chapter president this year. I am meeting a lot of new people, learning many new things and making tons of new friends! I’m thankful for the support and enthusiasm you show me on all of the projects and programs this year.

Thanks to President-Elect Bryan Beaty, AFP and FPRA member Judy Cruz and AdFed and FPRA member Robin Delgado for taking the lead on the Holiday Mixer! Ring in the Holiday Season at the Treasure Coast’s Ultimate Holiday Mixer on Tuesday, December 9th from 4-7 p.m. at the NEW Port St. Lucie Civic Center. FPRA will join forces with the Treasure Coast Advertising Federation and the Indian River and Treasure Coast Association of Fundraising Professionals to co-host this networking event. Tours of the new Civic Center will be available and Center staff will also be on hand to answer questions about how you can have your next event in this beautiful new facility. We will also take this opportunity to raise funds for the Treasure Coast Food Bank to assist them in serving those in need during this Holiday Season. Staff from the Food Bank will also be on hand to accept a “BIG CHECK.” The media will also be invited to cover this event.

Invitations have already been emailed, so RSVP now by clicking http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/index.php?template=events&nav=4&event=25. Also make your contribution to the Treasure Coast Food Bank online by clicking http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/index.php?template=events&nav=4&event=26 then “RSVP HERE.”

A very special thank you to Jennifer Fleming Moore for designing the beautiful invitation for the Holiday Mixer!

On Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 3:30 p.m., we will have a Board meeting at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce. Board members, please make sure your calendars are marked for this quarterly meeting.

If you are a football fan and like this view (and who doesn't like a view of Tim Tebow?), then you will want to mark your calendars for the FPRA Annual Conference on August 9-12 in Boca Raton. Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, won tickets to sit in the President’s Box at the University of Florida vs. The Citadel football game at last year’s FPRE Education Foundation fundraiser. Prizes like these are always available on the silent and live auction.

I wish you all a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with family and friends!

Linette

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2008-11-17T14:27:00.011-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Time sure flies when you are having fun and these weeks sure fly by quickly! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s monthly business meeting here in Stuart. I hope to see many of you as we hear from Alexis Walkenstein, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach. She will share her story of “How Public Relations Played a Role in the Elections” from the Catholic Church’s perspective.

There's still time to renew your FPRA membership! The membership renewal period officially ended on October 31. If you have not renewed your membership by the end of November, you will no longer receive member services. On December 31, 2008, your name will officially be removed from the rolls and you will incur a $25 late fee to reinstate your membership. As incentive to retain members this year, the State launched a promotion called “Invest in Yourself.” There is no better time to “Invest in Yourself” than during a tough economy. And now FPRA is going to reward you for renewing your FPRA membership and “Investing in Yourself!” By renewing now, you will be eligible to win Travelocity dollars, FPRA “bucks” and Visa “cash.”

It is with a sad heart that I have to announce we are losing our Treasurer, Debi Malcomson. Debi was our Rising Star Award recipient last year and has done an outstanding job with our financials. At the end of the year, Debi is moving to Virginia to be with “the love of her life” and she will be sorely missed by all of us at FPRA. I hope you will join me in wishing Debi the best of luck and happy trails in her new adventure! By the way, that means we are on the lookout for a new Treasurer. I am happy to take nominations, referrals and volunteers. Please don’t make me beg!! :-)

It is my pleasure to announce that FPRA Immediate Past President Suzanne Sparling, APR, will be the Treasure Coast Chapter liaison. Suzanne is a long-time member of the Space Coast Chapter and a former president. She has served at the state level for six years now in various VP, President-Elect and President positions. She is definitely a valuable resource for our chapter and someone who is always willing to lend a helping hand.

While we plan an article in our newsletter about Suzanne, please know that in her everyday work, she is the VP/Investor Relations for United Way of Brevard County, a mom for two young sons and is currently working on her master’s degree at University of Central Florida. Talk about energy! Hope she’ll share some of that with us!! Thanks, Suzanne, for signing up for your neighboring chapter.

Just a reminder that it’s never too early to start thinking of silent and LIVE auction items for the annual FPR Education Foundation fundraiser at annual conference 2009. We don’t need the gifts until summer, but as you get ideas drifting through your heads and onto your holiday lists, there might be something there that would make a great auction item. Get in touch with Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, to let her know about any ideas. Don’t forget some of your vendors, sponsors and friends have great items as well.

One last item…FPRA, AdFed and AFP will join forces to mix and mingle holiday style at the newly opened Port St. Lucie City Center on Tuesday, December 9th from 4-7 p.m. This event will be a fundraiser for the Treasure Coast Food Bank.

Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Linette

Invest in Yourself!!

2008-11-10T11:54:00.025-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Immediate Past President and I attended the State Board meeting in Palm Coast on Saturday and I’m please to announce that State President Lanette Hart, APR, CPRC, had us highlight this blog as a “Best Practice” at the Chapter level.

Hurry! There is still time to renew your FPRA membership! The Treasure Coast Chapter is one of nine Chapters in the State reach the 50% mark (50.47% to be exact) for membership renewal. If you haven’t renewed yet, you can expect to receive phone calls from us to find out why! Just a reminder, the membership renewal period officially ended on October 31. If you have not renewed your membership by the end of November, you will not receive member services. On December 31, 2008, your name will officially be removed from the rolls and you will incur a $25 late fee to reinstate your membership. According to the 2008 FPRA Benchmark survey, the No. 1 reason people join FPRA is YOU! Existing members are the main reason others join, so when renewing your membership, consider inviting a friend!

If you need another incentive to renew now, the State is launching a promotion called “Invest in Yourself.” Invest in Yourself is designed to encourage our current members to renew before they are purged from the rosters on December 31st! There is no better time to “Invest in Yourself” than during a tough economy. And now FPRA is going to reward you for renewing your FPRA membership and Investing in Yourself! By renewing now, you will be eligible to win Travelocity dollars, FPRA “bucks” and Visa “cash.”

**REMINDER** The regularly scheduled November program is Tuesday, November 18th. Be sure NOT to show up at my office tomorrow, as we will NOT be here! I’m very pleased and excited to announce that we have an outstanding speaker for the November 18th meeting. Within the theme of “How Did Public Relations Play a Role in the Elections?,” our speaker, Alexis Walkenstein, Director of Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach, will focus her presentation on Issues Advocacy and how the efforts of the Diocese and the Catholic Church ~ in order to not lose their 501c3 status ~ can not promote any candidate in any election. Therefore, they must use only public relations strategies to promote their stance on any issue. This year, the Diocese faced issues including pro-life, same sex marriage, stem cell research and death penalty questions. Alexis will share with us her strategies and tactics on collaboration and partnerships with state, federal and local agencies to get the word out to voters. This is a story you do not want to miss! The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart. And, if you need yet another reason to attend, Dragonfly Café will cater our meeting this month and in January! Deadline to RSVP online is this Friday, November 14. Make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or call Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail her at ccarlton@fau.edu. Remember, the price for the monthly program is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

At the State Board meeting, we heard a couple of great presentations from the Executive Committee members. Vice President of Accreditation and Certification Jeff Nall, APR, CPRC, gave us information on a “kinder, gentler” CPRC exam and process. If you are considering sitting for your CPRC this year, please let me know and I’ll get you all the information you need to know. Also, Vice President of Golden Image Rachel Smith, APR, CPRC, provided us an update on the Image Awards noting that both the Local and Golden Image Awards have moved into the 21st Century! Some of the categories have been updated, changed and created to reflect the new media that we use to communicate our messages including blogs, podcasts and e-newsletters. Once I receive the information from the State, I’ll be sure to pass it along to you so you can start preparing those award winning applications!

Member Notes:

Congratulations to Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, on her recent opportunity to interview Caroline Kennedy at the Get Out The Vote Rally in Port St. Lucie on behalf of WQCS 88.9 FM.

Congratulations to Stacy Ranieri, The Firefly Group, on her recent spotlight in the Treasure Coast Moms Newsletter. Stacy was featured as the very first “Momspiration!” http://www.treasurecoastmoms.com/blogs/2679

Congratulations to Kherri Anderson, Martin County Supervisor of Elections, on the successful election in Martin County last week. Kherri and her co-workers won a Golden Image Award both this year and last.

Congratulations to Fort Pierce Police Department Public Information Officer Audria Moore on her appointment to the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities.

Congratulations to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Stuart Cardiology and Helping People Succeed for their recent selection as Best Places to Work in both St. Lucie and Martin Counties! FPRA members Mark Weinberg, Lauren Anderson and Dale Kostakos are employees of these organizations.

Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Linette

Big Changes...Exciting Times!

2008-11-03T15:35:00.006-05:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

This is an exciting time for us all! The nation is about to elect a new President, we are nearly half way to our membership goal and the Florida Gators crushed the Georgia Bulldogs! Ahhh, life is good! :-)

We are still trying to confirm a wonderful speaker for our November program, but we promise your patience will pay off. So…please RSVP now for the November 18th monthly program focusing on Government Relations ~ “How Did Public Relations Play a Role in the Elections?” Thankfully, the elections will be “history” at that point; therefore the program will examine how our profession played a key role in shaping perceptions and opinions for local, state and federal elections and voter turnout. This event will be held at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart. You can make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Remember, beginning in November, the price for the monthly program is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Immediate Past President and I will be attending the FPRA State Board meeting this Friday and Saturday in Palm Coast. The meeting will be hosted by the Volusia/Flagler Chapter and we will have the opportunity to share our successes with the other Chapters and learn about some of their exciting events and programs so far this year. I’ll give you a complete recap next week.

Adrienne attended last month’s Gold Coast PR Council monthly meeting and had this information to share with us: Presenting at the October meeting were Palm Beach Post Assistant Managing Editor Rick Christie, South Florida Business Journal editor Jeff Zabar, Lynn University Public Information Officer Jason Hughes and Tracy Tilson of Tilson Public Relations. They provided a series of tips related to new procedures since many reporters/contacts are no longer working at area newspapers. Below is a summary of those tips:

Web, web, web, audio, video and photography - Become familiar with all of these techniques to better serve your clients and to provide access of events to local media. Post high resolution jpegs or videos online and reporters can transfer directly from your website. Putting high resolution in an attachment bogs down the entire email system. Reporters are learning to go to websites.

Get your own You Tube account and start thinking about tips your clients can provide in short video clips, with updates, and post on their website. Use this video technique for announcements and other information.

Topics of interest for pitches: Health, Green, Mommy things, Entertainment and the Economy. The Post suggested these topics, while the Business Journal was interested in more traditional business topics, the economy, and unique projects that might benefit businesses.

If you use a blog, identify yourself and reveal why you are blogging, such as presenting a product, discussing issues related to a product or service. Blogs are synonymous with grassroots campaigns. It is better to put your reasons up front than have bloggers find out later. Several people in the audience said they were getting many more page views since they started blogs.

In case you missed it, the November edition of The Pro is hot off the “presses.” Thanks to Misti Guertin, APR, and Sarah Starr for their efforts and determination in developing and producing such an awesome newsletter!

Finally, congratulations to Laura Kelley, APR, Chairman of the Indian River Council, as she wrapped up the four-part Public Relations Professional Development series in Vero Beach on October 29. In partnership with the Cultural Council of Indian River County, the community service project was a complimentary series aimed at bringing a basic understanding of the value of PR using the RACE formula. Also, a special thanks to our presenters: Bev Paris of Paris Productions; Pat Austin-Novak, APR, of Pat Austin Consulting; and Anne Satterlee, APR, CPRC, of the City of Fort Pierce.

Be sure to vote (if you haven’t already) and have a wonderful week!
Linette

All Alone in the Blogosphere

2008-10-27T09:36:00.006-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter!

Why hasn't anyone been brave enough to comment on this blog? I’m starting to feel lonely out here in the blogosphere. Some of you have e-mailed me directly, but feel free to comment. We all might learn something from it! :-)

There were a couple of interesting articles in this weekend’s Palm Beach Post related to public relations and the media. I thought I’d pass them along to you. Thank you to Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC for pointing out the first article.

Public Relations jobs continue to thrive in a variety of businesses
http://hotjobs.palmbeachpost.com/resources/stories/jobs_pr_main.html

Post, Scripps papers share some stories
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2008/10/26/a7f_sharing2_1027.html

As a follow up to our very successful October program on blogging, Facebook and LinkedIn, the Treasure Coast Chapter now has a group set up in both Facebook and LinkedIn. Feel free to check out the groups and become a member of each. We'd love to have you join!

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1034807&trk=hb_side_g

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=35757026484

The November 18th monthly program focusing on Government Relations ~ “How Did Public Relations Play a Role in the Elections?” We are still trying to finalize our speaker, as our first confirmed presenter had to cancel. However, with the elections behind us at that point, the program will examine how our profession played a key role in shaping perceptions and opinions for local, state and federal elections and voter turnout. This event will be held at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart. You can make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Remember, beginning in November, the price for the monthly program is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

Over the past month or so, I’ve been trying to notice if any of our FPRA members have been pictured or mentioned in the local newspapers. I am sure I’ve missed some, but here are a few that have caught my attention! The October 2nd edition of the Indiantown News had a lovely article about Habitat for Humanity of Martin County with a photo featuring new member Tracy Henke of First Bank and Trust of Indiantown as a tax credit sponsor. The cover of the October 6th Palm Beach Post Notable section featured a photo with Kendall Clifford of The Firefly Group on it promoting the Le Bal Masque supporting United for Families. That same issue featured a photo of Judy Cruz promoting the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ National Philanthropy Day reception. Also on October 6th, “Luminaries Seen At…” featured the FAU Football Kickoff event with a photo of Programs Chair Cara Carlton Perry, Treasure Coast Campus University Relations Director. The October 13th edition of Luminaries again spotlighted the AFP National Philanthropy Day reception with another photo of Judy Cruz. The Sunday, October 19 Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper featured a nice article on Romina Colombo, new account executive at BB Jones Communications. And finally, the October 20th edition of Luminaries featured Louise Murtaugh, Executive Director for Molly’s House, and news of her recent newsletter award, as well as Lauren Anderson, Marketing Director for Stuart Cardiology, on news about the staff’s participation in the Lee National Denim Day. Great work and wonderful community news by all! If you see one of your fellow FPRA members featured in any publication, feel free to forward the information to me as I would hate to miss something very important! Thanks.

Have a great week!
Linette

One More Tool in the Communications Toolbox

2008-10-20T12:51:00.006-04:00

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

What an exciting program we had last week! Nearly 60 people attended the LinkedIn, Blogging and FaceBook for Dummies event held last Tuesday at the Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West. Felonice Margasak, Scott Samples and Bryan Beaty each did an outstanding job, especially considering they each had only 15 minutes to give an overview and breakdown on the topics they covered. The presenters showed how to create a profile, join groups and promote themselves and their organizations while controlling the message they need to get out. As Scott Samples so aptly said, “It’s just one more tool in the communications tool box!”

After the meeting, Erick Gill, St. Lucie County PIO and Communications Chairman, e-mailed me this link on using YouTube to reach a demographic not necessarily reading the newspaper or watching television news. Check it out!
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=28625

Also, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, Immediate Past President, forwarded a story on NPR called, “The Calculated Risk of Blogging.” From NPR: Every time bloggers hit publish they risk being sued for copyright infringement, invasion of privacy or defamation. While the risk seems small, groups like the Media Bloggers Association say frivolous lawsuits are chilling free speech in the blogosphere. So MBA founder Robert Cox has helped start insurance for bloggers in an attempt to protect against costly litigation. http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/10/03/06

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the November 18th monthly program focusing on Government Relations ~ “How Did Public Relations Play a Role in the Elections?” We are still trying to finalize our speaker, as our first confirmed presenter had to cancel. However, with the elections behind us at that point, the program will examine how our profession played a key role in shaping perceptions and opinions for local, state and federal elections and voter turnout. This event will be held at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart. You can make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu. Remember, beginning in November, the price for the monthly program is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

Deck the halls and put on your Santa caps, FPRA, AdFed and AFP will join forces to mix and mingle holiday style at the newly opened Port St. Lucie City Center on Tuesday, December 9th from 4-7 p.m. Stay tuned for more details!

A special Thank You goes to Laura Kelley, APR, Chairman of the Indian River Council, who will conclude the Council’s four-part Professional Development Series on Wednesday, October 29 in Vero Beach. In partnership with the Cultural Council of Indian River County, this community service project is a complimentary series aimed at bringing a basic understanding of the value of PR using the RACE formula. Additionally, special thanks to the FPRA professionals who presented during the series including Laura Kelley, APR, Bev Paris, Pat Austin-Novak, APR, CPRC and Anne Satterlee.

Have a great week!
Linette

Life After 40!

2008-10-13T09:34:00.003-04:00

Hello and Happy Monday!

Well, I guess there is life at “40” (I celebrated the big day yesterday!) and I am very excited to let you know that our monthly meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, over 40 people are planning to attend! That is almost double our normal attendance! A timely topic, fantastic presenters, exceptional promotion and excellent coordination all helped build the number of attendees and I want to thank all who have helped promote and organize this meeting. See you tomorrow!

**BREAKING NEWS** The Board of Directors understands that this is tough economic times for everyone ~ whether private, non-profit or government ~ everyone is feeling the financial pinch. In an effort to make that financial burden less, the Board voted to lower the price of monthly business meetings ~ without lowering the quality of speakers or lunches! Beginning in November, the price for the monthly program is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. The Board is researching other cost-cutting measures for the membership this year, all the while, raising the level of service and professionalism offered. How exciting is that?!?

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the November 18th monthly program focusing on Government Relations ~ “How Did Public Relations Play a Role in the Elections?” With the elections behind us at that point, the program will examine how our profession played a key role in shaping perceptions and opinions for local, state and federal elections and voter turnout. This event will be held at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart. You can make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu.

It’s hard to believe the Holidays are upon us…but be sure and mark your calendars for the ultimate holiday mixer on Tuesday, December 9th from 4:30-7 p.m. when FPRA, AdFed and the Association of Fundraising Professionals join forces to mix and mingle holiday style at the newly opened Port St. Lucie City Center. Watch this blog and newsletter for additional information and details. Thanks to Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, for coordinating this event.

It’s never too early to start planning for the 2009 FPRA Annual Conference and the Annual Conference Committee is already hard at work preparing for the event. Karen Smittle, APR, Annual Conference Chair, has sent the following information that I’d like to share with you regarding the 2009 FPRA Annual Conference.

Location: Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, Florida
Date: August 9–12, 2009
Registration Fee: $595/person

The hotel set up a web site for our conference (2009 FPRA Annual Conference Reservations), so you can begin registering now! Room prices are tiered, starting as low as $145/night. By the way, if you make your reservations now, one night will be charged on this year’s budget if you'd like to spread the cost out over 2008 and 2009. Just an idea to pass along to your employers.

We’ve already secured our first speaker, Peter Shankman, creator of HARO (Help A Reporter Out). Peter provides PR professionals with a list of stories that reporters are researching so the PR people can pitch to the reporters. His current readership is 33,000 PR professionals! Check him out at www.shankman.com.

Also, from our Immediate Past President, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC:
The Treasure Coast Chapter will be coordinating the annual Florida Public Relations (FPR) Education Foundation fundraiser at annual conference this year. The fundraiser is on Monday, August 10, 2009 at the Boca Resort in Boca Raton. The 2008 conference raised $15,500, with $10,000 coming from the fundraiser and $5,500 being donated throughout the year by individual FPRA chapters.

The job for our chapter is to find auction items, especially unique ones. At this point, we need a few chapter members to serve on the committee, to be chaired by Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC. The annual conference committee is using the theme “PR on FIRE” and hopefully, we can come up with something related to that theme. Please notify Adrienne if you’d like to help out at (772) 341-3845 or adrienne.moore7@gmail.com.

Have a great week!
Linette

A Message from the Cruise Director

2008-10-06T09:06:00.005-04:00

Good morning Treasure Coast,

Fresh from my cruise on the Disney Wonder, I feel like the FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter's Cruise Director. Navigating through membership renewals, monthly professional development programs and communication efforts, it is an exciting and interesting voyage that I am pleased to be on with all of you. And sometimes, like the photo, I just feel like Goofy ~ see the next paragraph for more information on that!

In our excitement and eagerness to plan the year’s programs and other events, we failed to notice that the November program was scheduled on Veterans Day. As many people will be off for the day and it’s just plain unpatriotic, we’ve rescheduled the November program to the following week. It is now scheduled for Tuesday, November 18th at my office in Stuart. The program is focusing on “How Public Relations Played a Role in the Elections?” With the elections over, the program will examine how our profession played a key role in shaping perceptions and opinions for local, state and federal elections and voter turnout. This event will be held at the South Florida Water Management District’s Martin/St. Lucie Service Center located at 780 SE Indian Street in Stuart.

There is still time to register for the October 14th program as well ~ Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogging for Dummies! Make your reservations and pay online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling the Programs Chairman Cara Perry at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu.

A quick reminder about the newsletter…if you have anything to submit, please do so as soon as possible to Sarah Starr of the VNA in Vero. Her e-mail address is sstarr@vnatc.com.

Congratulations to Dale Kostakos, of Helping People Succeed, for making the September 29th edition of Luminaries’ “In the Limelight” featuring the 2009 Art for Living Calendar. Also, congratulations to Joyce Levi, the Emerson Center’s liaison to the Florida Humanities Council, who was pictured in Luminaries for her work on the speakers’ series.

Our Immediate Past President, Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC, has joined the Gold Coast PR Council in West Palm Beach. Their monthly meetings may be of interest to some of our members who work in Palm Beach or Martin Counties, so I am passing along their information. The Tuesday, October 21st meeting is called: URGENT CHALLENGES: How PR Professionals Can Survive & Thrive in a Rapidly Changing Media Market. It’s a panel discussion moderated by Jeff Zbar, columnist for the South Florida Business Journal and panelists include: Rick Christie, Assistant Managing Editor of The Palm Beach Post; Jason Hughes, Director of Media Relations at Lynn University; and Tracy Tilson, President of Tilson PR. Additionally, they will distribute a new list of “Who Now Covers What” from the Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel. Times, locations and cost can be found on their website: http://www.blogger.com/www.goldcoastprcouncil.com.

Have a great week!
Linette

Watching the Pieces Fall Into Place

2008-09-25T13:52:00.004-04:00

Good morning Treasure Coast,

Thanks for all the patience and kind feedback last week while attempting to launch the blog. I guess the third time was the charm!

As you saw last week, not only did we launch the blog we distributed the first Chapter newsletter of the year. Thanks so much to Misti Guertin, APR, of Regan Communications and Erick Gill of St. Lucie County for their efforts in getting out the newsletter. Misti redesigned the entire newsletter and did a beautiful job. The feedback from the membership ~ and from the FPRA Executive Committee and State Board members ~ was fantastic. We are well on our way to Chapter of the Year! I can feel it…the enthusiasm and teamwork is outstanding! If you missed seeing the newsletter, check it out on our website: http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/. Feel free to submit information by October 1 to Sarah Starr of VNA at sstarr@vnatc.com for the next issue.

On another communications note, the Chapter made the business section of the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers on Saturday, Sept. 20th thanks to the efforts of our Communications Chairman Erick Gill and his fellow committee member Mark Weinberg of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. So far, this duo has written and released three press releases for the Chapter. I suspect we’ll be seeing more and more coverage in the media regarding our events and projects. Way to go guys! The Chapter was also recognized and congratulated during the morning news on WQCS 88.9 FM on Wednesday, Sept. 24th thanks to the efforts of Adrienne Moore, APR, CPRC.

The Board held a Strategic Planning meeting on Friday and made some ambitious plans for this year. Thanks to the Board Members who participated and shared their ideas and efforts for our Chapter.

Membership renewals are underway. Our new Membership Chair, Nancy McCarthy, APR, has set a Chapter goal of 83 members this year. We reached our goal of 75 members last year, and with determination and persistence, I'm sure we can reach this ambitious goal. If you know of a potential member, please forward the information to Nancy at nsmccarthy@yahoo.com and she will follow up.

In an effort to bring the Chapter to a new level of professionalism and continuity, we’ve opened a P.O. Box in Stuart. The new address is FPRA-Treasure Coast, P.O. BOX 2678, Stuart, FL 34995. Thanks to Debi Malcomson, Riverside Bank, for coordinating this effort.

Congratulations to Krista Garofalo, director of communications and marketing, and Judy Cruz, vice president of resource development of the United Way of St. Lucie County. They made the Monday, Sept. 22nd edition of the Palm Beach Post’s Notables showcasing the United Way’s donation from the St. Lucie Mets! Good job!

Don’t forget to RSVP online for the Oct. 14th monthly business meeting ~ Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogging for Dummies! This should be an exciting and fun event where everyone will get the opportunity to explore the world of social networking as three local public relations professionals share the basics of creating and maintaining a blog, developing a Facebook group, and establishing a LinkedIn profile. Social networking is quickly becoming an effective means of viral marketing and communication that opens the door for increased exposure for you, your business, your clients and your events. The cost is $20 for FPRA members and $25 for non-members. The reservation deadline is Oct. 9. Make your reservations online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/ or by calling Programs Chairman Cara Perry, director of University Relations at FAU Treasure Coast Campus, at (772) 873-3339 or e-mail at ccarlton@fau.edu.

Bryan Beaty, President-Elect, will be in charge of the Chapter this Thursday-Sunday as I will be on a Disney Cruise celebrating the big 4-0 with my family! If you need to reach him, please contact him by e-mail at bbeaty@ircc.edu or at (772) 462-4804. Remember, together we can build a network of professionals and put all the pieces of the puzzle together to form a great Chapter. When we all work together, anything is possible. Thanks for your continued support and enthusiasm.

Have a great week!
Linette

Welcome to FPRA Treasure Coast Chapter's BLOG!

2008-09-19T11:06:00.000-04:00

Hello and welcome to my first blog! Like many of you, I've heard about blogging over and over again, but never tried it. I hope you'll enjoy receiving weekly messages from me via this blog and hope this inspires you to try blogging for yourself!

Just a couple of quick items to start off your week, since the Installation Ceremony on Sept. 9th and even before that, many people have been working very hard to make the 2008-09 FPRA Treasure Coast year great. We want to bring VALUE to you, the members, in many different ways. Value for your dollar, value for your time and value for your profession. Together, we can build a network of professionals and put all the pieces of the puzzle together to form a great chapter. The goal for this year is to be Chapter of the Year! If we all work together, anything is possible.

Don't forget to join us for the first professional development opportunity this year for our monthly business meeting on October 14th at the IRSC Schreiber Center in St. Lucie West called, "Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogging for Dummies." Three experienced professionals, Bryan Beaty, Felonice Margasak and Scott Samples, will guide us through this unchartered territory on the web with hands-on experiences and opportunities. You don't want to miss this event! Register and pay online now at http://www.fpratreasurecoast.com/.

Speaking of websites, have you checked out your Chapter's website recently? You will be amazed at how wonderful and beautiful it is. Thanks so much to Global Design, Inc. and Linda Probst for all of the hard work that went into this awesome site. Check it out and come back often as new content is constantly being added! This past week, we added photos from the State's Annual Conference and Golden Image Awards Ceremony, the Chapter's Installation Ceremony and the first PR Workshop hosted by the Indian River Council. You'll also find this year's calendar of events, so you can mark your calendars for the entire year and never miss an exciting event hosted by the Chapter.

That's it for now. Have a blogtastic week!

Linette Trabulsy