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

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!

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!

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...

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!

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

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! Woo hoo! If you have an idea for an auction item, please contact Adrienne at adrienne.moore7@gmail.com.

Have a great week!
Linette

And Now A Word From The President-In-Training

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

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!

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!

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!!

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!

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!"

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

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?

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!

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