Spring Break from the Blog

Hello FPRA Treasure Coast!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great week,
Linette