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| Thursday, September 9, 2010 |
| - In This Issue - |
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February Meeting - Galvanizing a Grassroots Campaign
Date: Thursday, February 19
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Hilton Garden Inn
8600 Northpark Drive
Johnston, Iowa
Their story is simple. They want to feed the world's hungry. Their story of how they accomplished this is nothing short of amazing.
Last year, Meals from the Heartland (MftH) organized a first-time event that drew 12,000 local volunteers to package more than four million meals for the hungry in Haiti. Organized 100 percent by volunteers, the effort has received national attention, with other states interested in starting their own efforts modeled after MftH.
Join us as Mark Aeilts, one of the founders, shares how MftH galvanized their grassroots program with volunteer recruitment, promotional efforts and event planning.
Please register online at www.prsaciowa.org. If you have questions about the online registration process, please contact the chapter's treasurer-elect, Jarad Bernstein, at 515-280-2040. |
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A Warm Welcome to PRSA’s Newest Members
In an effort to welcome new members to PRSA, each month, we will highlight individuals who have recently joined the Central Iowa PRSA Chapter. This month, we are pleased to welcome the following individuals to our chapter:
- Patricia O'Brien-Edwards
- Sharyl Sauer, Pioneer Hi-Bred
- Scott Stuart, Innova Ideas & Services
- Erica Turner, Hanser & Associates
Current members are encouraged to introduce themselves to these new members at future luncheons or events and make them feel welcome.
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Mark your calendar now for 2009 PRSA Institute, April 10, 2009, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center Education and Research Center. Online registration will be available in early February. Watch your inbox for more!
This year’s keynote speaker is Peter Shankman. An entrepreneur, author, speaker, and worldwide connector, Shankman is recognized nationally and globally for radically new ways of thinking about social media, PR, marketing, advertising, creativity, and just about everything else.
Shankman is the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a boutique marketing and PR strategy firm located in New York City, with clients worldwide. His blog both comments on and generates news and conversation. Shankman’s “Help a Reporter Out” site – more than 50,000 sources strong…and growing – connects media to sources.
Other confirmed speakers include the following:
- Willetta Willis-McGhee, Senior Vice President and Partner, Fleishman Hillard;
- Doug Crichton, Site Director, MixingBowl.com/Meredith; and
- Drew McLellan, Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group.
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Central Iowa PRSA PRIME Awards
It's time again for the PRSA PRIME (Public Relations Institute Mark of Excellence) awards. For complete details about the awards, including award categories and the forms needed to submit entries, please visit the Awards page on the Central Iowa PRSA Chapter Web site. All entries are due by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, and can be mailed or delivered to:
Amy Bentz
Iowa Heart Center
5880 University Ave.
West Des Moines, IA 50266
For 2008-2009 Central Iowa PRSA Chapter Members, the entry fee $35 per entry, while it’s $45 per entry for non-members. Entry fees are non-refundable and must be submitted with entries. There are no discounts for multiple entries. Each participating organization should submit one check (made payable to Central Iowa PRSA) and one payment form listing all entries.
Please contact Amy for more information or with questions. |
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Supporting Our PRSSA Students
Introducing our chapter to potential new members is an extremely important part of any membership-driven organization. While it is essential to invite co-workers and friends to PRSA events, it is also vital that we reach out to the local Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) students and support them as they begin their career paths.
Our chapter is very fortunate to work with three active and award-winning PRSSA chapters. In fact, a total of 82 students are currently members of PRSSA chapters at Drake University, Iowa State University and Simpson College.
This spring, 36 students and 26 chapter members have been matched up in our student/mentor program. I am pleased that so many of you have volunteered to help our students.
As a professional chapter, it is important that we provide all that we can to our student chapters. Many of these students will stay in central Iowa after graduation and will become valuable employees for companies in which we work.
We’d like as many of our student/professional matches to attend the Feb. 19 monthly meeting. I understand class schedules may make attending difficult for some, but it would be great to see many of you there.
This year, our chapter liaisons are Emily Abbas, APR and Claire Celsi (Drake University), Jill Spiekerman-Carrothers, APR and Emily Oliver (Iowa State University) and Allison Hay and Desiree Fletcher-Hayes, APR (Simpson College).
If a liaison asks you to help with a resume reviewing workshop, give a presentation at a chapter meeting, attend a class, etc., please give the request serious consideration. Volunteering to support our students benefits the entire chapter.
Finally, a very big congratulations goes to Jill for being named the national outstanding professional advisor of the year by PRSA! What an honor to receive such prestigious recognition. More about this honor can be read in the article below.
Darin Leach, APR
President, Central Iowa PRSA Chapter
Ph: 284-4747 |
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Receive Free First-Year Chapter Membership with Paid National Membership
Savings Available in February and March
PRSA is offering new members a free one-year Chapter membership when you join PRSA National at the regular price in February and March. Those who are new to PRSA, as well as former members who have been inactive for at least one year, are eligible for this offer.
By joining PRSA, you’ll become part of an elite member network of more than 22,000 public relations professionals. As a member of PRSA you’ll receive the following:
- Access to MemberNet – Use this tool to locate PRSA professionals using the member directory, participate in e-groups, and search PRSA’s editorial database.
- Public Relations Strategist and Public Relations Tactics – Receive these quarterly and monthly publications to read up on new developments in our industry.
- Search and Post Jobs – As a member, you have access to a national public relations job bank, as well as the Central Iowa’s job bank, to search for new jobs and post jobs that are available within your organization.
- Professional Development Opportunities – You can choose from a variety of tele-seminars, on-site seminars and conferences, as well as on demand programming, to enhance your public relations skills throughout the year.
T o join online, visit www.prsa.org/membership/freechapter.html. Be sure to use the promotion code “CHAP2009” to secure your savings, and select Central Iowa Chapter 025. You can also download an application online or submit a request to Emily Oliver, Membership Chair, at emilyo@iowacreditunions.com. For questions, please contact Emily at 515-221-3015. |
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APR Prep Course Planned for Fall 2009
The Central Iowa Chapter of PRSA will offer the 12-week APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) course this coming fall. The series of classes help prepare chapter candidates for the APR Readiness Review and computerized-based accreditation exam.
“The Central Iowa PRSA Chapter has one of the most respected APR preparation programs nationwide,” said Jennifer Perry, APR Director for 2007-2008. “Our coaches are an excellent group of current APRs who have an invaluable knowledge base to share.”
The course is facilitated by accredited chapter members and focuses on areas most important for accreditation, including planning, publics and public opinion, research, communication theory, law and ethics, and information technology.
The course fee is $40 for Central Iowa PRSA members and $50 for members of chapters outside Central Iowa.
The curriculum is used nationwide by PRSA chapters and other regional and national professional groups. It was developed in Central Iowa by Henry Milam, APR, now retired from Drake University, and Ferne Bonomi, APR, Fellow PRSA. Bonomi revised the course to fit the new Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations launched in 2003 by the Universal Accreditation Board, of which she is a member.
For more information about the APR, visit www.prsa.org (click on Professional Development/Accreditation). For questions or more information about the fall preparation program, contact Jennifer Perry at 515-241-5283. |
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Iowa PrAM Conference
PRSA members are invited to attend the second annual Iowa Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing (PrAM) conference this Friday, Feb. 6. Join communications professionals from around the area to learn about creativity, emerging technologies and motivation at the “Jazz it Up” conference.
“Jazz it Up” will be held at the Bessie Meyers Auditorium at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration is $50 per person, which includes the conference, lunch and parking.
Featured speakers include the following:
· Abe Goldstien of Trillix Marketing Group and Heather Woody of Heather Woody Inc. (keynote)
· Dr. Scott McLeod of Iowa State University
· Sarah Albertson of ME&V
· Breck Breitsprecher of DMACC Foundation
· Karmen Wilhelm of Cedar Rapids Alliant Energy
If you are interested in attending, please contact Alex Simon or visit the PrAM Web site for registration information.
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PRSA Recommends!
 The PRSA Professional Resources Center offers extensive resources designed to serve your professional needs, including an instructive and insightful selection of books offered to members at special rates. These publications include practical guides by PRSA Professional Development presenters, including Ann Wiley, James Lukaszewski, Joan Gladstone and Angela Sinickas.
One book on the “PRSA Recommends!” list is “New Strategies for Reputation Management: Gaining Control of Issues, Crises and Corporate Social Responsibility” by Andrew Griffin. This book explores the very important area of corporate communications and aims to delve into the most recent techniques and practices used in the public relations industry. It demonstrates how our approach to crisis and issues management needs to change in light of terrorist threats, corporate scandals and major disasters – and it examines the different ways various countries/companies handled these threats.
Visit the PRSA Bookstore and Marketplace for additional titles. Online ordering is available at the PRSA Store and Marketplace for PRSA Members; non-members please contact the PRSA Store at 212-460-1459 or resources@prsa.org to complete your order. |
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Highlighting Member Accomplishments or Achievements
In an effort to recognize accomplishments of PRSA members, we will share this information on a regular basis. Accomplishments can include anything from receiving a promotion, changing jobs, obtaining a degree or designation, as well as announcing weddings, births, etc. To share your accomplishments, please contact Melany Stonewall. This month, a special congratulations goes to Jill Spiekerman-Carrothers, Alexson Kane and Erin Wendt.
 Jill Spiekerman-Carrothers, APR, was awarded the 2008 Dr. F.H. Teahan National Chapter Award for Outstanding Professional Advisor by PRSSA. She is the professional advisor for the Iowa State University PRSSA Chapter and was nominated for the award by the chapter’s students. The annual Teahan National Chapter Awards are considered the Society’s most prestigious awards for chapters, as a chapter may only submit one entry per category every other year. To mark the honor, the chapter was presented with a trophy and $200 by the national association.
Alexson Kane has recently joined Strategic America as Public Relations Assistant Account Manager where she helps promote Strategic America’s clients, holds media training sessions and builds and executes creative strategies.
Erin Wendt and her husband welcomed a new baby girl, Harper Annie, to their family on Jan. 4. Erin is Public Relations Coordinator at Blank Children’s Hospital. |
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