The Professional July 06pdf

July 2006

THE NEWSLETTER OF CENTRAL WEST COAST CHAPTER OF FPRA

The Jessica Lunsford Case : A 30-day Media Event “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” -Maggie Kuhn

Tuesday, July 18, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Marina Jack’s Restaurant • 572 Marina Plaza • Sarasota RSVP by Tuesday, July 11 to www.cwcfpra.com with PayPal Prepay or RSVP to 953-FPRA The Jessica Lungsford case was part of a flurry of child abductions that gripped the nation in 2004-2005, touching closest to home with the abduction of Carly Brucia here in Sarasota. The same familiar intense media coverage settled on Citrus County one and half years ago, while local and national media and a small community searched for answers about a 9-year-old missing girl named Jessica. The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Office worked in crisis communication mode the entire time, with the life of the little girl always at the forefront. The case would turn into one of America’s worst abduction and murder cases in recent history. Citrus County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Ronda Hemminger Evan, APR, will share those 30 days with our chapter on Tuesday, June 20. Read more about Rhonda’s background on page 2.

Discover Your PR Power at the 68th FPRA Annual Conference Register now for the 68th FPRA Annual Conference on August 6 – 9 at the Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton to ensure discounted hotel and conference rates, as well as PR power. This year’s conference, Discover the Power of FPRA, couldn’t be more on the mark. This annual event brings PR professionals throughout the state together for three days of incredible networking and ground-breaking presentations. Take a sneak peak at some of the presentations designed to harness your PR power. • How PR & Passion Rule at Harley-Davidson, Segway and the University of Florida Joseph Hice, Jr., APR, Associate VP, Marketing & Public Relations, University of Florida • Bringing PR to the CEO Level – Whatever you do, do it on purpose Dr. Bob Parkinson, Northwestern University • A Case Study – The Terri Schiavo Case Panel Session Craig Waters, Dir., Public Information, Florida Supreme Court Mike Bell, VP, Center for Philanthropy, Hospice of the Florida Suncoast

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Visit us on the Web at www.cwcfpra.com

2005 - 2006 Central West Coast Chapter Board of Directors

About Our July Speaker - Ronda Hemminger Evan, APR Evan has been a public information officer for the Citrus County Sheriff ’s Office since 1999. She’s a University of Florida graduate (PR ‘93) and former editor of a weekly newspaper. Prior to starting her career at the Sheriff’s Office, she served as an executive director for theAmerican Cancer Society and a communications director for the United Way of Marion County. She been married for 11 years and has a two-year-old daughter, Natalia.

President Chrissy Kruger-Gruendyke, APR The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 359-5700 [email protected] President - elect Tom Nunan, APR Consultant, 379-5544 [email protected] Immediate Past President Wendy Parker, APR Florida Swimming Pool Association, 952-9293 [email protected] VP Membership Susan Blake Consultant, 544-8077 [email protected] Secretary Erin Duggan Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau 955-0991 x. 208, [email protected] Treasurer Suzanne Dameron Starr Communications, 925-1155 [email protected] Accreditation Chair Ellen Simon, APR Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, 917-1499 [email protected] Fundraising Steve LeBlanc LeBlanc Studios, Inc., 362-8888 [email protected] Image Awards Jennifer Moss, APR Harmony Healthcare, 952-9070 [email protected] Newsletter Editor Amanda Eyer Tropics Software Technologies, 955-1234 [email protected] Publicity Chair Jessica Hays, APR KSC Advertising & Public Relations, Inc., 906-1555 [email protected] Special Projects Chair Dee Zulauf, APR Sarasota County Technical Institute, 924-1365 [email protected] Web Site Editor Jessica Moats GravityFree, 927-7674 [email protected] Community Service Chair Bramble Buran Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, 955-8187 [email protected] FPRA State Office Co-Executive Directors Christopher M. Carroll, APR, CPRC Cheray Keyes-Shima, APR, CPRC Phone: 941-906-1555

PR Power at the 68th FPRA Annual Conference continued from page 1

The full list of conference sessions along with additional conference information can be found online at www.fpra.org And remember, you must make your hotel reservations for the Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton at (904) 271-1100 by July 7 to ensure discounted hotel rates. Also, be sure to register by July 14 to receive the discounted conference rate.

Top 10 Countdown ‘Reasons to Attend State Conference’ by State Counselors’ Network Chair Kathy Giery, APR, CPRC

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES MEMBER RATES BEFORE JULY 14

AFTER JULY 14

Full Conference $495

$575

Single Day $325

$375

NON-MEMBER RATES BEFORE JULY 14

AFTER JULY 14

*Full Conference $650

$700

*Single Day $400 $425 *$150 of non-member registration will apply toward 2007 membership dues for qualified professionals who apply by Nov. 1, 2006.

Last month, we counted down reasons #10 through #6. This month, we get down to the #4 reason why you must attend FPRA Annual Conference. 5. Motivation and Momentum If this event can’t get you fired up about public relations, then nothing can. That’s all there is to say about that. It doesn’t get any better than this. 4. The Job Hunt Now, don’t use this one when you’re trying to sell the idea to your boss, but it is the best way to hear what’s out there now and down the road. And it’s how you can get your name known - who you are, what you do and what you’ve done. Think of it as a big chamber mixer of PR professionals. The countdown continues with Kathy’s top three reasons to attend state conference in the August issue of THE PRofessional. But don’t wait until August to reserve your spot at the 68th Annual Conference of the Florida Public Relations Association. Register online at www.fpra.org today.

Our Mission: The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida.

President's Message How up to date is your organization’s crisis communications plan? If you haven’t already, now is the time to review and strengthen your crisis communications plan. Hurricane season is here and I guarantee we’ll be forced to break out the crisis plan more than once this year. Perhaps you were like me and already fingered through it while preparing for Tropical Storm Alberto. If you did, how did it look? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself regularly about your organization’s crisis communications plan to ensure you are prepared for the unforeseen: • Is the phone tree up to date? • Is the emergency media list up to date? • Is there a system in place to utilize the web in an emergency situation to update the public quickly? • Is the spokesperson identified and trained in case of an emergency? • Is the plan appropriate for all disasters? •Does everyone on the crisis communications team know what to do? Of course, these are just the basic questions you should ask yourself regularly as the crisis communications expert. Practice is truly the only way to know if the plan actually works in an emergency situation. How can you test your plan, you ask? You could have a table top run through with a facilitator who throws out mock situations for you and your response team to address. Or you could orchestrate an elaborate simulated exercise that puts everyone to the test. The idea is to bring the right people together and continued on page 5 Chrissy Kruger-Gruendyke, APR

PUT IT IN INK The CWC Chapter isn’t taking a summer break from professional development - so don’t you! Add these dates to your calendar now. July 7, 2006 - Deadline to reserve your FPRA State Conference/Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton hotel room at $139 conference rate July 11, 2006 at 11:45 a.m. - Fund Raising Basics for PR Professionals Lunch&Learn Deborah Trimble, Asolo Repertory Theatre Director of Development Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail. Cost is $14 and includes box lunch at on the Mezzanine Reserve on Pay Pal or at 953-FPRA. July 18, 2006 at 11:30 a.m. Monthly Professional Development Luncheon, Marina Jack’s Ronda Hemminger-Evan, Citrus County Sheriff PIO Details on page 1. August 6 - 9, 2006 FPRA State Conference/Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton Sharpen your PR skills and get informed on the latest PR trends August 21, 2006 Monthly Professional Development Luncheon, Marina Jack’s. Installation of New CWC Officers and Board Members (Note date change: this is a Monday meeting!)

Dodging the Spaeth ‘Bimbo Awards’ I recently attended a presentation by Merrie Spaeth, former director of media for President Reagan. In this presentation, Spaeth gave a humorous and effective media training mantra for PR professionals – avoid the ‘Bimbo Award’. The Bimbo Award recognizes dumb public comments made during the year. The nomination criterion for this award requires the speaker to cause the listener to believe exactly the opposite of what is said. The award is a reminder that repeating negative words only reinforces the negative message and destroys the opportunity to convey the right message to the reader or listener. The award was created in honor of the protest of a young lady whose tryst with an evangelist some years ago made news around the world. Her comment, “I Am Not a Bimbo,” became the headline in scores of newspapers. Here’s one of the May 2006 Bimbo Award nominations from the Spaeth Communications Web site. “We’re not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans,” said President Bush, defending National Security Agency’s policy of tracking phone patterns linked to Al-Qaeda. Associated Press, “Bush’s Comments on NSA’s Activities,” May 11, 2006 (He should have said, “This program tracks patterns and respects individuals’ right continued on page 5

Member Spotlight – Bob Leonard

PR Professionals Wanted

When did you join FPRA and why?

The following job opportunities are one of many listed on the CWC Web site at www.cwcfpra.com Visit the site for a complete listing. If your company wishes to post a job notice, send details to CWC Web Site Editor Jessica Moats at [email protected] Please include company name, job description, qualifications required, how to apply for the position and the closing date.

I joined last fall because I’m fairly new in town and I needed to network. Several people recommended FPRA. Can you describe what you do at Bolen and any recent projects? Bolen is a marketing and consulting firm providing marketing communications, PR, direct response and advertising services. I think of it as a virtual agency. I’m primarily a content developer. I strategize with clients and do the copywriting for whatever pieces are appropriate for their product/service and target market. I have a significant background in high-tech, so that’s the industry I focus on. I’m subcontracting to the Be Creative agency on a multi-page insert for Airline Business magazine. The account is Shepherd Systems in Bradenton. They develop data mining software for the airline industry. Over the past year and a half, I’ve done the copywriting on eight different projects (newsletters and advertorials) for them. Another project is a volunteer commitment with 82 Degrees Tech. I’m currently working on the inaugural issue of an enewsletter that will be distributed soon. I’m also working as the liaison between 82 DT and the Young Technology Alliance for the Sarasota /Manatee Technology Conference on Aug. 31, 2006. Can you give us more detail concerning your background? I have a bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston University and a master’s degree in marketing from Rensselaer Polytech. I spent over 20 years in marketing at tech companies. Most of that was in Boston at Digital Equipment Corp. and EMC, but I also worked at GTE in Dallas for a couple of years. For a good portion of those 20 years, I sat across the table from PR and ad agency people… either listening to their pitches or working with them on campaigns. Are there any tips you learned from the other side of the table? There are two individuals who stand out in my mind… a young guy from a direct mail agency, and a woman from a PR agency. They both were professional and creative; and they knew their respective disciplines well. They did their homework and walked into every meeting with a plan - not on paper, but in their heads. They knew what they wanted to accomplish, what they wanted to communicate, what they wanted input or feedback on and what commitments they wanted to walk out the door with. Learn more about Bolen Communications at www.bolencomm.com

External marketing manager needed at Cypress Gardens of Sarasota and Cypress Gardens at Palmer Ranch. The warm, inviting hospitality of our senior adult communities offers assisted living and memory care services. The external marketing director will market both communities. Duties include 80 percent external sales with the balance in event planning, sales and data entry. Requirements: • Three years external sales experience, preferably in the health care industry • Excellent follow-up and computer skills E-mail resume to Diane Cornish at dcornish@ cypresscommunities.com or fax (941) 921-0264 Communications manager needed for the Florida Swimming Pool Association. Responsibilities include managing the monthly newsletter, semi-annual magazine, brochures and marketing materials. Requirements: • Strong editorial and writing skills, including effective interview and reporting skills • Ability to coordinate projects from development to distribution • Strong organization and multi-tasking skills • Budgetary management, vendor selection and negotiation • Four-year degree in marketing or public relations and 5+ years of relevant experience Send resume and salary history to: Wendy Parker, APR Florida Swimming Pool Association 1718 Main Street, Suite 303 Sarasota, FL 34236 Fax: 941-366-7433

President’s Message

Dodging the ‘Bimbo Awards’

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train. That way you’ll know what to do when things are happening too fast to think.

to privacy- unless you are calling terrorists.”)

While preparing for a natural disaster like a hurricane is extremely important, there are other types of emergencies to consider. What about legal, confrontational or personnel issues? Are you prepared to deal with emerging concerns so they don’t become emergencies?

• Use acknowledgement questions instead of repeating the negative statements. For example, “Yes,” “No,” “That hasn’t happened,” “That’s not exactly accurate” and “Let me put that in perspective.” Don’t fall into the ‘repeat and deny’ trap.

Ronda Hemminger Evan, our July luncheon speaker, knows the value of a solid crisis communications plan. As PIO for the Citrus County Sheriff ’s Department during the Jessica Lunsford abduction and then murder case, Ronda served as the spokesperson addressing national media and the terrified public. Her experience is helpful to us all as we continue to strengthen our own crisis communications plans. I look forward to seeing you there!

Spaeth offered these tips for training company executives on avoiding future Bimbo nomination nods.

• Avoid industry jargon words that muddy your message. • Develop a list of ‘good words’ ahead of time that capture the true nature and vision of your organization. • Collect a library of actual anecdotes that demonstrate your ‘good words’. An anecdote for a ‘caring’ hospital was a recount of a patient who was moved to donate a generous sum of money after a positive hospital experience. His wife requested Jell-O from the hospital cafeteria. When the patient’s nurse heard the cafeteria was out of Jell-O, the nurse gave the woman one out of her own lunch box. These anecdotes can also be used to inspire internal public relations. • Benchmark your CEO’s media performance with a mock interview. Does he appear engaged in the interview? (Tip: be sure he appears engaged before the interview begins – cameras may be rolling and a clip of your CEO yawning could give the wrong impression.) Does his physical appearance portray the organization in a positive manner? Hopefully these tips will keep your company out of the Bimbo spotlight. And should you run across any worthy nominations, be sure to share by submitting them to www.spaethcom.com

FPRA / AdFed Member Mingle Social at the Southgate Gourmet

(from r-l) Event organizer Susan Hicks, Precise Communications, networks with potential FPRA/AdFed member. (from l-r) Ryan McAfee, Kelly O’Brien, both with Clarke Advertising & PR, Allison Fogt; The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Mary Lanaux; Clarke Advertising & PR.

(from l-r) CWC Membership Chair Susan Blake; Blake Public Relations Consulting Group, Patti and Tony Halstead; Lighthouse Studio.

Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association PO Box 15381, Sarasota, FL 34277 www.cwcfpra.com