Western District News and Views

Nom Com -- creating PRSA leadership sauce

2011-11-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

By Nancy Syzdek, APR

Last weekend, hundreds of PR professionals attended PRSA’s Leadership Assembly in Orlando, Florida to attend to the governance of our beloved association, including the vote on the slate of officers and members of the PRSA Board of Directors for 2012. Like many delegates, I’ve sat in my chair on the Assembly floor and wondered how my distinguished colleagues got their names up there. Don’t get me wrong, the names on the slates have always represented outstanding leadership, an expertise in the industry, and a passion for the profession. But those phrases describe many of PRSA’s members. So, what was the path that set these folks apart?

What’s the Nom Com?

This year, I had the honor of representing the Western District on PRSA’s national nominating committee. The Nom Com is led by chair of the Society next preceding the immediate past chair of the Society’s board. The committee is made up of representatives of each of the 10 PRSA Districts, as well as three representatives of the Section Council, the chair and chair-elect of the College of Fellows, a member of the Past Presidents’ Council. In addition, two members are selected by the chair to serve as representative of our at-large membership. The previous past president and PRSA’s CEO serve as non-voting ex officio members and the process is keep on track thanks to a professional staffer and a professional parliamentarian.

All Nom Com members have to be PRSA members in good standing with either an APR, leadership experience within the society at the chapter, district, or national level, or have at least 20 years of PR experience. In most cases, the people I served with had at least two of the qualifications on that list.

PRSA embraces transparency in its processes including the process for selecting its members. Once all the applications are in they are posted and PRSA’s members are invited to submit letters to the committee in support or against a members’ candidacy. However, strict rules govern the contact between candidates and Nom Com members and disclosures regarding potential conflicts of interest are made during the process. However, some elements of the process, including letters in support or against candidates and the deliberations of the Nom Com process are confidential out of respect for candidates.

How does it work?

You may think that the process begins every spring with the call for nominations goes out from PRSA National. However, the Nom Com has already started planning and reaching out to members in their areas to encourage them to consider national service and to make their application. A series of conference calls are usually held to review the process and answer questions.

Finally, the application deadline hits. Thanks to a recent bylaw change, if PRSA does not receive applications from anyone in a district for that district’s specific seat, the seat temporarily reverts to an at-large position for the length of the term. This year, we had three district-specific seats that became at-large positions.

Prior to the interviews in July in Chicago, Nom Com members review applications and reference letters. A subcommittee develops questions that delve equally into each candidate’s experience and philosophy while leaving room for individualized inquiry.

During the interviews, Nom Com members are sequestered in a Chicago hotel conference room where officer candidates give in-person presentations and delegates are interviewed by phone. After hearing from the candidates, the committee begins deliberations.

How is the slate chosen?

The Committee considers a variety of factors when discussing candidates. Some candidates have made extensive contributions to the knowledge base of our industry through teaching, research, and professional accomplishments. Others have extensive records of dedicated service at various levels of the society. The committee also considers diversity at multiple levels including practice type and area, geographic location, gender and ethnicity. In the end, the goal is to assemble a well-rounded group that will complement the returning Board members, keep the association on track towards its strategic goals and extend (and sometimes challenge) the vision of PRSA’s future.

Is it a done deal?

While the Nom Com will present the slate of officers to the Leadership Assembly this weekend, the process is far from set in stone. In past years, members have been nominated and run from the Assembly floor. It’s rare, but it does happen.

So, how do you get your name on the slate?

There is no single path to national leadership. Some PRSA leaders come through the ranks of Chapter and District Boards. Others find sections to be a great place to hone their leadership skills in the company of peers within their practice type. After their chapter or district leadership is completed, many candidates continue their service on national task forces and special committees. A few candidates choose to focus more on leadership within the industry, but without many specific PRSA roles. Many qualified candidates showed a commitment to serving the next generation of PR professionals through volunteering, mentorship and teaching.

Many candidates apply multiple times before making it onto the slate. Even though an applicant may have past board experience, there are no guarantees of an additional term or a new role. In the end, the committee is looking for the right blend each year, with an eye for the direction of PRSA’s leadership for the years to come.

Who is the ideal candidate for leadership at the national level?

Pulling together the right mix of people for PRSA’s National Board is kind of like making the perfect sauce. You have a general idea of the recipes ingredients, but the ingredients really determine the proper proportions for the prefect outcome. If you’re tomatoes are on the sweeter side, you’ll need to balance with more salt. If the basil’s not as strongly flavored, you may want to boost it with oregano.

Each time you make the sauce, it’s great, but it’s never the same as the last time.

Western District Conference

2011-08-10T20:39:00.001-07:00

Western District Conference is always one of the highlights of my year. PLEASE see below for Katie Coates Ageson's post on one of the highlights of the 2011 Conference in Las Vegas. We are already gearing up for a great event in Colorado March 12-13, 2012. I'm posting here the Call for Presentations -- please review it, share it, consider replying to it.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS 2012 PRSA Western District Conference Denver, Colorado | March 12-13, 2012 Proposal Deadline: Monday, October 3, 2011

We’re pleased to issue this Call for Presentations for the PRSA Western District Conference, March 12–13, 2012, in Denver, Colorado.

About PRSA Western District

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the world’s largest and foremost organization of public relations professionals. Its membership is organized into 10 regions, called districts. The Western District is comprised of chapters from four states including:

California Inland Empire

Colorado

Hawaii

Las Vegas Valley

Los Angeles

Orange County

Phoenix

Pikes Peak

San Diego/Imperial Counties

Southern Arizona

The District is managed by its own Board, which leads efforts within the District to provide helpful support, share resources, and cultivate leadership for the next generation of professionals to head the association and be voices for the PR industry. More information about the PRSA Western District and its programs can be found on the PRSA Western District blog, prwesterndistrict.org.

About the 2012 Conference

The annual Conference is Western District’s largest event, attracting up to 200 public relations professionals. Attendees include owners or partners of small to mid-size firms, independent practitioners, corporate communicators, public relations practitioners working in government and with non-profit organizations and young professionals, all of whom come to the Conference to connect with colleagues and get new ideas and share best practices that can immediately be implemented in the workplace. The theme for the 2012 Conference has not been decided but will revolve around creativity.

Proposal Guidelines

PRSA Western District welcomes proposals from senior public relations practitioners in agency settings or solo practitioners, as well as experts in related fields, including, but not limited to, management, human resources, legal issues and interactive communications. This call for presentations includes two types of sessions:

• Expert presentations (75-minute breakouts).

• Networking breakfast roundtables (45-minute facilitated discussions).The majority of Western District Conference attendees are public relations practitioners with more than 15 years professional experience. Collectively the group has experience in crisis communications, public affairs, internal communications, reputation management and industry-specific public relations (e.g. healthcare, travel and tourism, sports). The most successful speakers:

• Have demonstrated knowledge of challenges faced by small- to mid-size public relations firms, solo practitioners or PIOs.

• Provide “takeaways” that attendees can implement the day they return to their offices.

• Are passionate about their areas of expertise and can inspire audiences to see their business challenges in new ways and take action.

• Avoid sales pitches for their product or services.

Priority will be given to proposals that are visionary, forward thinking and new. Western District Conference attendees are particularly interested in resources and learning opportunities within the following subject categories:

• Advocacy: communicating the role and value of public relations; issues in public relations

• The Business Case for Public Relations!: educating key audiences about public relations’roles and outcomes; demonstrating the strategic value of public relations; research and measurement tools

• Communities: exchange of ideas within the District and respective Chapters; strengthening of relationships within the District, with the media and other partners

• Diversity: champion diversity of thought, cultures, disciplines, ideals, gender and age; benefits of diversity; reaching niche audiences

• Education: lifelong learning; practical and professional guidance; business and management principles

• Ethics: comment on different vehicles on current issues having ethical implications for the profession; topical analyses and case studies

• Excellence: innovation; motivation; emerging trends; maintaining a knowledge-based culture; collaboration; best practices

Application

Provide the following information in a Word document and email your application to kris@krisschindler.com by October 3, 2011. Notification to all applicants regarding accepted presentations will be made no later than December 5, 2011.

Presenter(s) Information: Note: If chosen, presenter’s name, title and organization will appear in conference marketing materials as provided in this application.

1. Name(s)

2. Professional Title(s)

3. Organization/Company Name

4. Mailing Address

5. Phone

6. Email Address

7. Twitter Handle (if applicable)

8. Biography (200 words max.)

9. Website address (if applicable) 10. Event References — List conferences where you have presented (at least three, with topics

provided for each), as well as the name, phone number and email address of a primary contact person at each event. If available, please provide an evaluation form from at least one presentation of a similar type.

Presentation Information

1. Title

2. Description and Content (100 words max.).

3. Three Learning Objectives (“At the end of this session, attendees will know...”)

Would you be interested in presenting this topic as a/an (highlight all that apply):

1. Expert Breakout Session (you present)

2. Networking Roundtable (you facilitate). Roundtable presenters will be selected from those who have applied to present an Expert Breakout Session or from among Western District members who will be attending the Conference.

3. Teleseminar to be conducted at a future date, following the Conference, available through March 2013.

4. Monthly Chapter Program to be conducted at a future date, following the Conference, available through March 2013.

5. Monograph/White Paper

6. Other (describe)

Submit proposals and any questions to kris@krisschindler.com or 720-445-7611.

Please Note: PRSA or Western District does not reimburse presenters for out-of-pocket expenses such as hotels and airfare, nor provide speaker stipends. Presenters selected for breakout sessions will receive one complimentary registration, which includes meals. Tickets for the Carl Kasell event will not be included in the registration but are available for an additional charge. Presenters selected to lead roundtable discussions will be required to purchase a full registration package.

Western District Conference Donavon Roberson on “Unleashing the Power of Culture”

2011-08-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

By Katie Coates Ageson, APR (Orange County Chapter)

No doubt about it, PRSA has hosted events that provided me with valuable information and insights over the years.

In April, I attended the Western District Conference hosted by the Las Vegas chapter at The Venetian Hotel Resort Casino.

If you haven’t ever attended this conference, you have really missed out! The Western District Conference is one of the best-priced events of its type that I have attended. Newport Beach (Orange County Chapter) in 2009, Palm Springs (Inland Empire Chapter) in 2010 and this year’s event, all offered amazing programs, headline speakers and great networking opportunities.

In my opinion, the stand-out speaker of the weekend was Donavon Roberson, then of Zappos, speaking about the company’s culture. Donavon was dynamic, concise, inspiring…

Here are some of the main points he made during his presentation:

Become a student of your customers’ needs. Figure out what your core business is. Your core business may not be as obvious as you think.

In Zappos’ case, you might look at the company and think “shoes.” But they look at it in a different way: Shoes = service and selection = culture and core values = emotional connection = delivering happiness.

How do they get 70 to 75% of their customers to become repeat customers? By feeling empathy for them. To fuel that empathy, they conduct sit-down qualitative interviews as well as surveys, and maintain a presence in the social space so they can listen to what their customers’ experiences are like.

Zappos ownership goes for the long term and ask themselves: What is our legacy? They empower their employees with the freedom to take responsibility to respond to their customers’ needs. If it takes 2-1/2 hours on the phone to find a customer the product she is looking for, so be it.

Donavon’s final point: Inspiration eats motivation for breakfast.

Here’s wishing you an inspired summer. Hope to see you at next year’s Western District Conference.

To view the slides from Donavon’s speech, visit http://slidesha.re/mTwE69.

LA Chapter to Explore Green Communications

2011-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Secrets to Successful Green PR & Marketing

Sustainability Communications: Is Public Relations Delivering on the Green Promise?

Monday, May 16

Half-Day Seminar

7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

General Session and Panel Discussions

Breakfast and Lunch

Plus optional afternoon Breakout Sessions

The Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica

Visit www.prsala.org for complete details.

Co-Sponsored by PRSA Western District

www.prsawesterndistrict.org

PRSA LA Presents Steve Rubel

2011-04-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

The 21’st annual Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium

THE SHIFTING PR/JOURNALISM RELATIONSHIP

Thursday, April 14, 2011

6:15 – 7:00 PM Networking/Reception; 7:00 – 9:00 PM Program

Free admission to all

Presented By

USC Annenberg Public Relations Studies Program and PRSA-LA

Keynote Speaker: Steve Rubel, Director of Insights, Edelman Digital

Steve Rubel, a senior marketing strategist and one of the most influential bloggers in the world, according to Technorati, is charged with helping the Edelman team win new word-of-mouth marketing business as well as developing and executing client programs. He also explores how new technologies are transforming marketing, media and public relations on his well-read Micro Persuasion weblog. Widely viewed as an expert on conversational marketing, he has been named to several prestigious lists, including: Media Magazine's Media 100, the AlwaysOn/Technorati Open Media 100, and the CNET News.com Blog 100.

Rubel’s presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring:

Geneva Overholser, Pulitzer Prize-winning director, USC Annenberg School of Journalism
Geoff Boucher, LA Times pop culture writer and curator of the popular Hero Complex blog
Joel Bellman, Press Deputy and curator of Zev’s Blog, Office of Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky
Steve Rubel, Edelman
Moderated by Jerry Swerling, Professor and Director of PR Studies, USC Annenberg School of Journalism

Cost: Free admission to all

RSVP: annenberg.usc.edu/rsvp

When: Thursday, April 14, 2011; 6:15 PM Reception; 7:00 – 9:00 PM Program

Where: USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, East Lobby

Maps: http://www.usc.edu/about/visit/upc/driving_directions/index.html

Accepting the gavel...finally

2011-04-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

So here we are in April, and our previous Western District Chair, the fabulous Nancy Syzdek, handed over the gavel last December. No more hemming and hawing. It's official; the gavel is now mine. After a few months of focus on administration, such as transferring our bank accounts to our new treasurer, finalizing our contact list (really, why is this so difficult?) and lining our ducks up like so, we are poised for a terrific 2011.

I know this because we've a fantastic group of Board Officers on deck:

Past Chair: Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas Valley Chapter
Chair Elect: Kristin Bonilla, APR, Hawaii Chapter
Treasurer: Keri Funkhouser, Pikes Peak Chapter
Secretary: Julie Smith-Taylor, San Diego Chapter

I appreciate each of them stepping up, and have really enjoyed working with them. There is definitely talent to mine in the Western District. If you would like to meet and mingle with, and perhaps learn a bit from said talent, the 2011 WD conference in Las Vegas promises to be a fantastic event. Nancy Syzdek (conference committee chair) and her team have packed it with learning and networking opportunities. If you've never attended, this is your year! And if you have attended a WD conference before, you know what a valuable experience it is.

It's not too late to sign up for the conference. Don't miss last call. Visit www.prsalasvegas.com to register. Hope to see you in Vegas!

Handing over the gavel

2010-12-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

This year has been one of great challenge and great growth for PRSA's Western District. All of our chapters struggled to keep membership numbers in tact while our members budget cutbacks and job losses. Volunteers were strained be increasing workloads back at the office while keeping the stellar chapter programming and services going.

I'm happy to say that there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. It may be a bit dim and distant, but it is there. As we close out 2010, a few chapters are seeing a rebound in membership and job postings are starting to come through. 2011 chapter boards are having retreats and establishing and/or reviewing strategic plans. Exciting programs are in development for 2011 including the PRSA Western District Conference in Las Vegas April 27-29.

Before I turn the gavel over to next year's chair, I'd like to take a moment to thank this year's Board Officers:

Past Chair: Todd Cooley, Orange County Chapter
Chair elect: Lisa Cutter, Colorado Chapter
Secretary: Kristen Bonilla, APR, Hawaii Chapter
Treasurer: Chris Chesrown, Phoenix Chapter

You all did a great job. Thank you for your service to the District and it's nearly 2,500 members.

I'd also like to thank Karen Bergh and her team from the California Inland Empire Chapter for serving as the hosts of the 2010 Western District Conference -- one of the most successful district conferences to date. You all did some amazing work and provided a great professional development value to those in attendance.

Thanks to Candice Bellittera and the crew at PRSA National for all of their support, including landing a national board member to help us out with this year's QuickStart program.

Finally, I'd like to thank all of the chapters that hosted me for chapter visits this year. I had the honor of visiting eight out of our 10 member chapters, including:

In my travels, I found that each one of our chapters is a gem all unto itself -- different facets, different strengths, different challenges. One of the joys of my role has been to help connect chapter leaders to each other to share ideas, resources, and, sometimes, an ear to vent inevitable frustrations. In the end, I believe we are stronger chapters because of our strong bond and commitment to each other as a district.

Don't worry, you're not rid of me yet. I have my hands full as the 2011 Western District Conference Chair, so I don't plan to sleep until May. I'll also still be around to advise as past chair and serve as the Nom Com rep. However, I'll be in the back seat. It's now Lisa's time to shine.

I can't wait to see what she and the 2011 Western District Board accomplish.

Thanks again for the opportunity to serve as your chair this year. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure.

All the best -

Nancy Syzdek, APR

A Tough Call: PRSA National Assembly Recap

2010-10-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

PRSA held it's annual Leadership Assembly Meeting in Washington, DC on Sat., Oct.16, 2010. Hundreds of delegates from every chapter, section and district gathered to discuss issues facing the society, elect new leadership, review our finances, and explore how we want public relations to evolve.

You can catch the official recap here, but here are some quick highlights.

National dues will remain the same for 2011.
Rosanna Fiske, APR will take the helm as PRSA National President in 2011. Gerry Corbett, APR, will be National President in 2012.
Marisa Valbona, APR, PRSA Fellow (from the San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter) was elected to the National Board of Directors to represent the Western District.
The amendment to remove the APR as a requirement for National Board service. 104 delegates voted in favor of the amendment and 172 opposed the amendment. The APR remains a requirement for national board service.

A member of the Assembly asked for a roll call vote on the amendment (because of a desire to create transparency), but the motion was defeated (many delegates were concerned about the time a roll call vote could take). So, in the interest of transparency, I will explain how I voted and why I voted the way I did.

I voted against the amendment.

It was a tough call. As I've explained before, I believe that if PRSA is going to promote the APR as the professional standard for our industry, those leading the association should be accredited. However, as a chapter and district leader, I have had the honor of serving and working with many professionals that (for one reason or another) are not accredited. These individuals are incredibly talented and serve their clients and companies well and it pains me that they will eventually "top out" in the leadership chain of the industry's leading organization. I have coached, pleaded and begged some folks to get their APRs because I believe our organization could benefit so much from their leadership.

I pulsed the chapters within the district. Some were in favor, some were against. There was no clear majority in either direction. In the end, I had to make a call, as a district leader, about what I thought was best for our membership as a whole.

I voted against the amendment.

I am sorry if you disagree with my vote. I hope that rather than letting this issue become a perpetual division in our organization that we can find a way for us to continue the discussion about what qualities we want in our leadership, what we want the APR to really mean, and what we can do to improve the value of the APR to our members and hiring/contracting authorities.

On a more humorous note, Derek DeVries, a delegate from the West Michigan Chapter, organized the third (?) annual assembly flash mob (because all of this serious business needs to be broken out with a bit of fun). Unfortunately, the tribute's honoree, muckraker Jack O'Dwyer, didn't quite get the joke.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity of representing the Western District at this year's Leadership Assembly. It was my honor and pleasure to serve.

PRSA Western District Fun and Business at the Intnl Conference

2010-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. We're continuing our tradition. The Third Annual Western District PRSA/PRSSA reception will be Saturday, Oct. 16 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Buca Di Beppo (1825 N. Connecticut Ave. N.W.). There will be a cash bar with drink specials and appetizers will be provided by the District.

All PRSA members from the Western District (and their spouses/partners) are welcomed to attend. We will be hosting more than 20 PRSSA students from Arizona State University and San Diego State University who are participating in student conference and/or competing in the Bateman Competition.

For those who would like to stay for dinner, we'll be getting a table at 7:30.

Please RSVP to Nancy Syzdek (nancy.syzdek@jt3.com) by Oct. 14 so we can get an accurate headcount.

We want everyone to have fun, but remember we have business to attend to as well.

Yes, Sunday morning (Oct. 17) we'll be dropping the gavel at 8:30 a.m. for our last in-person District Board meeting in the Jefferson & Lincoln West Rooms at the Washington Hilton. PRSA National will be providing a continental breakfast and coffee.

Please be sure you have a chapter representative at the meeting on time. We have many things to discuss including spending options for the District's windfall funds. We also need to vote on next year's Board of Directors.

We'll be pushing to wrap the meeting by 9:45 a.m. to accomodate folks with flights home and to allow folks to get over to the PRSSA Speed Networking event that's being coordinated by our own Jane Dvorak, APR, (Soon-to-be) PRSA Fellow.

Call for Entries for PRSA Chapter Diversity Award

2010-09-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Did your chapter put together a diversity-themed professional development event or luncheon this year? Do you integrate diversity efforts into your chapter's culture? Give your planning committees the credit they deserve and get financial support to take your diversity programming even further thanks to PRSA's Diversity Committee.

Up to four chapters will receive a Chapter Diversity Award from the PRSA Diversity Committee at the PRSA 2010 Leadership Assembly luncheon, Saturday, Oct. 16 in Washington, D.C. The award is given to PRSA Chapters that embody and demonstrate key values in diversity as outlined by the mission statement, and that contribute to advancing diversity as seen by submissions of their best practices and/or case studies. These awards will recognize their local efforts, as well as provide further support for continued achievements at the Chapter level. Nominations must be received by Thursday, Sept. 30.

Visit the Chapter Diversity Award Web page to download the application form.

Contact Candice Bellittera with questions.

CyberAlert offering free clipping services to Nonprofits

2010-09-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

CyberAlert, Inc. has announced that it will provide free media monitoring and clipping services to nonprofit organizations as part of its eighth annual "public relations grant" program.

According to the company's news release, a minimum of 15 nonprofits will be selected to receive one full year of services ranging in value from $3,000 to $4,500.

Applications will be accepted until December 31 via the company's online application form.

Thanks to PRSA-LA for sharing this great opportunity with the District.

Speed Networking Session with PRSSA students

2010-09-02T10:25:00.001-07:00

Are you planning to come to the National Assembly and/or International Conference in October? Make sure your travel plans can get you there (or keep you there) long enough to participate in the PRSSA Speed Networking Event on Sun., Oct. 17 from 10:30 a.m.-noon at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

Our former Western District Chair, Jane Dvorak, APR (and soon to be PRSA Fellow), is coordinating event and she needs your help. In fact she needs 24 people to help make this event as successful as it was last year.

"This is not a resume/portfolio session. We’re trying to focus very specifically on networking and the skill set needed to be successful. The session is designed to give students insight on the basics; like the initial handshake to initiating conversation to appropriate follow up techniques."

The event was highly successful last year and is once again returning as part of the PRSSA program.

Have no fear, Jane guarantees that you'll be back to the conference hotel in time to catch the opening keynote speaker. She'll even make sure you get a ride there.

Please contact Jane at jane@jkdjane.com as soon as possible to volunteer your time. If you can't be there, find someone in your chapter who will be at the conference and twist their arm into volunteering.

Free Diversity Teleseminar through PRSA National on Friday

2010-08-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

PRSA's National Diversity Committee is sponsoring a teleseminars on Friday, making it free Publish Postto all PRSA members. Be sure to check it out.

Diversity: A Matter of Gender or Style?

Friday, August 27, 2010

12 p.m. Mountain
11 a.m. Pacific

8 a.m. Hawaii

Can we get a round of applause?

2010-08-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

PRSA National announced its slate of candidates for 2011 leadership positions today. Special thanks to those members of the Western District who came forward with interest in serving at the national level and congratulations to Marisa Valbona, APR, PRSA Fellow (president, CIM Incorporated, La Jolla, Calif.) for securing the slot on the slate as the Director for the Western District. Marisa is from the San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter. The slate will be voted upon at the 2011 National Assembly meeting in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 16. The newly elected directors will join incumbent members of the Board, including our own B.J. Whitman, APR, PRSA Fellow (from the Hawaii Chapter) who serves as an At-Large Director.

An additional round of hearty congratulations is also extended to the following PRSA members from the Western District who will be adding "PRSA Fellow" to their business cards after the induction ceremony this fall:
- Sydney Ayers, APR (Colorado Chapter)
- Jack Berkman, APR (San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter)
- Jane Dvorak, APR (Colorado Chapter)
- Dennis Gaschen, APR (Orange County Chapter)
- Jodi Horton, APR (Southern Arizona Chapter)
- Jeffrey Julin, APR (Colorado Chapter)

I am proud to note that the Western District has more Fellows in the class of 2010 than any other district in PRSA. This is a testament to the tradition of outstanding work, unparalleled expertise and amazing leadership coming from our professional community.

If you know one of these folks, drop them an email to congratulate them on this incredible achievement.

Mahalo PRSA Hawaii

2010-07-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

I'm still shaking some sand out of my suitcase from last week's visit with PRSA-Hawai. What a trip! Sand, surf, sun and some PR thrown in for fun!

I had a great meeting with District Secretary Kristin Bonilla, APR and Duke Gonzales, APR, the chapter's representative to the Western District Board where we discussed the direction of the chapter and how the district and and PRSA national can better meet the needs of this remote chapter.

The following morning, I met with nearly a dozen members of the chapter board and Strategic Advisory Committee. It was great to hear about the amazing success they were having with their awards event even with the tough economy that, like many other chapters, is challenging membership recruitment and retention as well as program turnout.

PRSA-Hawaii is led by some great rising stars in PRSA including Chapter President Nathan Kam and President-Elect Moani Wright-Van Alst. They are making great strides to reach out to prospective members through a program mix of traditional luncheons and professional development programming.

Thursday evening, I had the honor of extending congratulations and best wishes to the chapter on behalf of the Western District at the Koa Anvil Awards. It was a beautiful event and it was great to see all of the outstanding work and individuals who were honored.

Special congratulations to Donda Spiker, APR for winning the Gregg W. Perry Public Relations Professional of the Year award. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to PRSA and the APR program. I personally appreciated your encouraging words to the market's prospective APR candidates. I can personally attest to the fact that it was one of the most challenging and beneficial professional development experiences of my career.

Thanks again to Nathan, Duke, Kristin, Nancy Daniels, APR, and the rest of the PRSA-Hawaii board and chapter for making me feel so welcomed.

Mahalo!

Disney talking Quality Service with PRSA Phoenix on Aug. 4

2010-07-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

PRSA Phoenix is proud to partner with Mesa Community College to bring Disney’s Approach to Quality Service program, presented by the world renowned Disney Institute, to the Phoenix area on August 4, 2010.

A unique one-day event, Disney’s Approach to Quality Service will challenge you to look at your business – no matter what size – in an entirely new light. Showcasing the powerful strategies and business models that are the cornerstones of the Disney organization’s long-term success, you will learn how to apply innovative Disney strategies to your own organization for immediate results. Take advantage of this incredible opportunity and register today.

IMPORTANT: Please use promotional code PRSAMNE to receive $50 OFF PER GUEST when registering. Additional group discounts are available.

TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER GO TO: www.KeysMesa.com
No prerequisite training required.

Enter into PRSA-LA's 2010 PRism Awards

2010-07-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

PRSA-LA announces a Call for Entries for the 2010 PRism Awards, the annual award program which recognizes the very best in strategic public relations programs and tactical execution.

Award categories are open to all public relations practitioners who work in the Greater Los Angeles area or who have completed work for LA-based clients.

Complete details including instructions on how to enter, FAQs and Entry Forms are available online.

Early Savings Deadline (Save $40 to $50 per entry) is Friday, July 23.
Final Deadline is Friday, August 13.

Winners will be announced at the 2010 PRism Awards Show on Wednesday, Nov 10 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel.

Congratulations to Westbound Communications!

2010-06-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

PRSA-California Inland Empire Chapter member firm Westbound Communications brought home a Silver Anvil in June, earning the public relations industry's examplar award for excellence in the field.

The firm was recognized for its work related to the widening of Interstate 215 through San Bernardino as an important application of "stimulus projects" funds made possible by the $100 million American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). Through Westbound's efforts, the project's groundbreaking event received national media attention, as well as the recognition of prominent politicians, as an example of stimulus-funded highway construction projects in the nation.

2011 PRSA National Board and Assembly Delegates Announced

2010-06-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

PRSA National has released its list of candidates for the 2011 Board. The list also includes candidates for At-Large and International At-Large Assembly Delegates.

You can check out the list of candidates with links to their applications on PRSA's website.

Special thanks to Jane Dvorak, APR from the Colorado Chapter and Marisa Valbona, APR, Fellow PRSA from the San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter for stepping forward for the Western District. Best of luck to both candidates.

What's next? The PRSA National Nominating Committee will meet July 30- Aug. 1 to discuss all the candidates. Candidates will be selected from these applicants and put on a slate for the Assembly to vote upon at the Oct. 16 meeting.

Have questions? Please contact the Todd Cooley, APR, the Western District's past chair and Nominating Committee Representative with your questions and input.

Get Presidential Perspectives with PRSA-LA

2010-06-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

"Presidential Perspectives"

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Millennium Biltmore Hotel

6-8:30 p.m.

PRSA-LA and PRSA's Western District are proud to present this premier event featuring current and past White House press secretaries and communications directors. Each will share behind-the-scenes insights about what it's like to communicate across one of the most complex and high profile global stages.

Panelists include:

Camille Johnston, director of communications for First Lady Michelle Obama
Noelia Rodriguez, press secretary to First Lady Laura Bush
Sheila Tate, press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan
David Demarest, director of communications to President George H. W. Bush

Networking and hors d'oeuvres will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dan Schnur, director of USC's Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics.

If you're traveling from out of town, you can get a special rate for a one night stay on July 13 at the Millenium Biltmore Hotel. Call 213-612-1522 and ask to speak with Sara Cameron about the special rate for PRSA-LA's July 13 event.

For more information, please visit the event page on PRSA-LA's website.

PRSA Announces Keynote Speakers for 2010 International Conference

2010-05-20T09:39:00.001-07:00

Join thousands of your colleagues Oct. 16–19 for the PRSA 2010 International Conference: Powering PRogress in Washington, D.C., the epicenter of thought leadership. This year’s Conference features keynote presentations from some of the most influential and respected thought leaders in the areas of social technology emergence, online research, crisis communication and public affairs, including:

Bettina Luescher, chief spokesperson, United Nations World Food Programme, who will discuss:

How critical effective communication is, not only when representing your organization, but also when working to spur the world into action during times of crisis.
How the United Nations handles communications during disasters.
The spotlight placed on the crucial role of public relations and communications practitioners this year as catastrophic events unfolded throughout the world.

Bill Tancer, the world’s pre-eminent expert on online behavior and author of “Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why It Matters — Unexpected Insights for Business and Life,” who will:
Share how he mines the databases of his company, Experian Hitwise, for information on more than 10 million Internet users to determine what people are really doing online and how they use Internet-based services.
Offer a unique perspective on human behavior.
Provide practical insights that can be used in business and life.

Charlene Li, author of “Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead,” co-author of “Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies,” and founder of Altimeter Group, who will:

Lay out a new approach today’s leaders must adopt to maintain a competitive advantage.
Discuss how to leverage and measure the impact of social technologies use on your organization.
Define the characteristics, skills and behaviors of today’s open and engaging leaders, as well as best practices for creating a coherent and effective social media strategy.

Shaping the Debate: Public Affairs Strategies and the Health Care Reform Bill public affairs panel, featuring Paul Anderson, vice president of Communication Strategies and Public Outreach at AARP; Eric Lundberg, grassroots director at WellPoint; Susan Neely, president and CEO of the American Beverage Association; and Douglas Pinkhamm, APR, president of the Public Affairs Council, which will relate discussions to public policy stemming from the health care debate, specifically addressing:

How social media tools were leveraged.
When issue advertising was most effective.
How grassroots campaigns were managed.

Now is the time to sharpen your skills, increase your knowledge and leverage the power of communications. Save $200 when you register by the saver rate deadline of August 27. Additionally, the first 750 Package 1 registrants will receive a free copy of Li’s new book, “Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead,” which you will receive during Conference check-in.

The APR Requirement for National Leadership: The Debate Continues

2010-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, a group of passionate PR professionals has begun to circulate a petition to change PRSA's National Bylaws, removing the APR requirement for Board service. The APR hurdle for PRSA leadership has been a hot issue for many years and regardless of the outcome, I suspect that it will continue to be in the years to come.

Although the District has not yet taken an official position on the matter, as District Chair, I would like to present some of the sides of the argument and open it up for comments and feedback from our members in the District.

Todd Cooley, APR, is the past chair of the District and makes the following case in favor of removing the APR requirement for Board Service.

I think the APR is a useful tool and attaining it is a worthwhile experience. Having said that, I believe the high water mark for it (i.e., the percentage of PRSA members who had it) was in the 1970s.

In other words, I do not believe this will ever really become a true standard for our profession. There are too many high powered people -- CEOs of major international agencies, senior corporate practitioners at Fortune 500 companies, etc. -- who have shown that it is not a necessary qualification for reaching the highest levels of our field. I think we run the risk of making PRSA a ghetto for those people who have it, while much of the rest of the profession moves on. If so, this will seriously reduce the influence of PRSA.

I am more interested in encouraging people from the major firms and large corporations to get involved and contribute to the organization. They help us with contacts, sponsorship dollars, resources and prestige. I also think being the CEO of a $10 million agency with 75 employees is more impressive than having an APR. This was a point Daryl McCullough was trying to make at the Assembly meeting in San Diego. Unsuccessfully, as it turns out.

Personally, I found that going through the process of obtaining my APR to be very useful. Actually having it has done very little to advance my career.

I don't get too involved in debating this issue, especially among my friends in the relatively small world known as "PRSA leadership." But I think it's a disservice to the organization when the lack of an APR keeps top people from getting actively involved in our organization.

Here's a case on the other side of the debate. This is my personal opinion and does not reflect the sentiment of the District as a whole (which I will represent as directed by our Board at the National Assembly this fall).

I agree that there are a number of high-level professionals and talented leaders that should be leading this organization, but can't because of the APR requirement. That situation saddens me.

However, I wish that all of the energy that's put into removing the requirement would be invested in making the accreditation program better and more meaningful. The APR process was a very meaningful one for me and, as a PR professional working in a company filled with certified and accredited engineers, my accreditation has lent credibility to my counsel and my work in general.

There have been points in my career that I advanced in the hiring process because an employer understood the value of the APR and gave accredited candidates a leg up because of it.

In addition, I take issue with having leaders at the top level of an organization that promotes the APR as "The Professional Standard," but don't believe in it enough to become accredited themselves. I worry that changing the requirement will further dilute the value of the APR that I worked so hard to attain and continue to work to promote.

In the end, I don't think the APR requirement is what's holding great leaders from taking the helm at PRSA. It's the APR program that needs to be addressed. And therefore, my personal leanings are toward maintaining the requirement and addressing the deficiencies of the accreditation process.

So, where do you stand on the issue? Feel free to weigh in and share your thoughts.

PRSA National Offers Chapters up to $600 in Speaker Stipends Annually

2010-05-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know that your PRSA chapter has access to $600 in speaker stipends to provide national level speakers to its members each year?

Each chapter is entitled to a $300 stipend to cover travel and/or speaker costs to bring in a member of the Board of Ethics and Professional Standards (BEPS) for a chapter program (a great resource for Ethics month programming in September).

In addition, chapters can receive $300 to cover costs for a speaker from PRSA's Speakers Bureau.

The rules and stipend request process are posted in the Chapter Leadership Toolkit or check with Candice Bellittera (candice.bellittera@prsa.org) at PRSA National for details and questions.

Mark your calendars for Western District 2011

2010-05-05T09:22:00.001-07:00

Yes, we know that we just wrapped on the 2010 conference and we're still typing up a few loose ends, but in PR you can never plan enough or too early.

That's why the Las Vegas Valley Chapter has already begun plans for next year's conference....

PR Renaissance: A Revival of Intellectual and Artistic Public Relations

April 27-29, 2011

Beyond today's economic changes, the cutlure, strategy, and tactics of public relations are changing right before our eyes. The days of the "specialist" are quickly waning and yet we all need to be on the cutting edge of everything.

And we also need to stay true to the classics and core principles that make public relations what it's all about: relationships multidirectional communications, solid tactical skills, ethical and legal considerations and more.

Join us for a veritable PR Renaissance with renewed interest. Classic learning and values will define the next era of public relations thinking.

Sponsorship opportunities are already available. For companies signing on early, there are additional opportunities to increase your reach. Learn more by contacting Lori Bachand, APR or Lauren Henss.

If you're interested in presenting at next year's conference, please contact Diane Gibes or Nancy Syzdek, APR.

So...How did we do?

2010-05-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

The PRSA Western District Conference Survey is collecting responses. Although we sent a link to all of the email addresses we had on file, a few bounced back. So, we're posting it here, just in case we missed you. Please let us know what you think and how we can improve things for next year.

PRSA Western District Quick Start Presentations

2010-05-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here are the presentations from last week's Quick Start Leadership Program. (When you click the link, you will be taken to FileSavr where you can safely download the files.)

Thanks to our speakers for sharing their wisdom and experiences.

A Community You Can Count On: The PRSA National Membership Story with Candice Bellittera

Chapter Strategic Planning with Jane Dvorak, APR and Lisa Cutter

Keeping your Chapter in the Black: Financial Management Strategies and Ideas by Nancy Syzdek, APR and Denis Wolcott, APR

Leadership Lab with Bob Frause, APR, PRSA Fellow

A survey will be going out to Quick Start attendees soon. Please let us know what worked and what we can improve upon for next year in Las Vegas.

Presentations from PRSA's Western District Conference

2010-05-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

You asked for it, and here they are...the presentations from this year's PRSA Western District Conference. Keep checking this post as presentations are being loaded as they are received. If you want to keep in touch with our speakers, click the links on the names to access their Twitter/LinkedIn or bio pages. Company names are also linked wherever possible.

Checking the Pulse of PR with Dan Barber and John Armato, Fleishman-Hillard International

Mastering Social Media Skills with Sally Falkow, Expansion Plus
Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement in PR by Johna Burke, Burelles Luce

Tapping the Power in the Gay and Lesbian Community by David Paisley, Community Marketing, Inc.

Disaster Communications: The American Red Cross Story by Nicholas Samaniego, American Red Cross

Content Marketing for PR Professionals by Paul Roetzer, PR 20/20

Social Media Ethics and Policy in Today's Time-Sensitive World with Ron Smedley, Synergistic Resource Associates
5 Keys to Successful Social Media Strategy in 2010 by Ravit Lichtenberg, UStrategy

Get to the Root of it: How Grass Roots Community Relations Will Deliver Successful Results by Noelle Afualo, CALTROP Corporation

Unleashing the Power of PR: A Contrarian's Guide to Marketing and Communication by Mark Weiner, PRIME Research (Here's his handout as well.)

Twitter Talk: Tweet, Follow and Measure with Serena Erlich, Startup Army

The Challenging Face of Search - Advanced Tips for the Analyst by Bonnie Parrish-Kell, Dancing Rabbits

Everything About Online Newsrooms by Pete Codella, APR, Codella Marketing

Mastering Web Video Strategy for PR by Mike McDougall, APR, Bausch & Lomb

The Sunrise Powerlink Project with Laura McDonald (San Diego Gas & Electric), Chris Wahl (Southwest Strategies) and Buz Schott (Capitol Strategies)

If you're looking for a visual recap, be sure to check out the pics from our in-kind sponsor and official photographers, Mod Photograpy as well as this fun slide show from OCPRSA's Ted Nguyen.

Thanks again for coming. See you next year in fabulous Las Vegas!

WDC Day II

2010-04-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

Another great day at the conference. Here are the highlights:

Dan Schnur from USC's Unruh Institute of Politics, gave a great presentation about how the "ipod" age has made us more connected, yet more isolated in society. He pointed to the need to PR to use social media tools and other PR strategies to encourage civil discourse in society.
Mike McDougall, APR (@mikemcdoug) challenged us to find new ways to build video into our outreach, from including short sound bites into key staff biographies. (The hilarious videos he shared are included in his presentation, which we'll be posting next week).
The panel from The Sunrise Powerlink Project took a cute approach to talking about their Silver Anvil Award-winning campaign, thanks to their teammate Megan Rickey's win on The Amazing Race.

If you want to review the play-by-play action, check out the twitter feed at #prsawdc. Stay tuned, we'll be sending out the evaluation survey and posting the presentations next week.

Congratulations to the California Inland Empire Chapter on a fabulous job with this year's conference. Next year's hosts, the Las Vegas Valley Chapter, has a big job ahead. Speaking of which, mark your calendars for next year's conference April 27-29, 2011 at The Venetian Hotel and Resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

PRSA Western District Conference off to a great start

2010-04-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

The PRSA Western District Conference is off to a fantastic start. Here are some of the highlights from the sold-out event.

Ten PR pros learned more about making their chapters even better at PRSA's Quick Start Leadership Program. (Thanks to our presenters for sharing their wisdom!)
The Western District Board meeting went very well, with nine out of our ten chapters sharing ideas and supporting through challenging times.
Thanks to gale-force winds, the Conference opening reception had been moved indoors, but it didn't deter the fun. The food and drinks were almost as good as the networking.
At the opening session, Dan Barber and John Armato from Fleishman-Hillard International did a great session on the new pulse of PR. It was great to hear that the core concepts of the profession.
Some of our breakout sessions were standing room only. Social media topics were popular. We discussed Octomom, LGBT outreach, and grassroots community building.
Our luncheon speaker, Mark Weiner, talked about the difference between value and ROI in PR and more.
We talked about how social media resources are becoming sources for journalists, but tried and true PR based sources are still relevant.
We debated the role of PR staff in developing content for social media forums.
We talked about the Motrin Moms controversy and the lingering impacts on the company's online reputation.
And then Pete Codella sang.

If you're looking for the presentations from today's session, have no fear. They are coming. We'll get them up next week. In the meantime, be sure to follow the #prsawdc stream on Twitter for the latest and greatest news and discussions from the conference.

Get a sneak peak at the WDC 2010 Conference Program

2010-04-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Want a sneak peak at the full descriptions and speaker bios for the conference? Looking for information about where to eat and what to do while you're in Palm Springs?

Check out the conference program*. You'll get a hard copy when you check in, but if you need more detail in advance, this is a great place to start.

*When you follow the link, you'll be taken to the FileSavr, the service the District uses to host our files online. You'll be able to download the file there for free and without sharing any of your personal information.

The PRSA Western District Conference 2010 has sold out!

2010-04-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

We are expecting 135 PR professionals at this week's gathering at the Palm Spring Riviera Resort and Spa.

Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the planning committee from the California Inland Empire Chapter and our great sponsors.

I wish you all safe journeys. I can't wait to see you all there!

See you in Palm Springs!

2010-04-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night, I'll be packing up and driving down to Palm Springs to get an early start on the preparations for the 2010 PRSA Western District Conference.

We've met our attendance targets for both the conference and the pre-conference Quick Start program. The planning committee from the California Inland Empire Chapter, headed by chapter president Karen Bergh, has done an outstanding job pulling this conference together and they have great reason to be proud.

I hope you'll join us for the pre-conference reception 5:30-7 p.m. Wed. evening. Networking is one of the most valuable components of this conference, so don't miss it!

Special thanks to Fleischman Hillard, the 2010 Presenting Sponsor and all of this year's conference sponsors, for helping us bring this amazing professional development opportunity to the region.

I hope you all have safe journeys and we'll see you there!

It never fails...

2010-04-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Just as soon as we send our materials to print for this year's Western District Conference, PRSA National releases new logo standards.

In case you missed it, we went from this....

to this.....

Oh well. Fortunately the change isn't all that drastic and it's likely that only the true PRSA die-hards will notice. Did you notice the change? Does this affect your chapter logo? How do you like it?

Chapter Presidents-elect: Register Now for Leadership Rally

2010-04-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Make sure your chapter's president elect holds their space at this year's PRSA Leadership Rally on June 4-5 in New York City.

PRSA National provides a $550 stipend to help offset travel expenses and they've negotiated a great deal with the hotel to help your money go a little further. Many chapters set aside funds to help offset additional costs, so be sure to check with your chapter treasurer for details.

Learn more about this year's rally, which will include networking opportunities, tips and tools to make your chapter presidency successful and a closing session from social media expert, Deirdre Breckenridge, co-author of Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.

Chapter Leaders Love Quick Start

2010-03-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Are you on the fence about attending the Quick Start pre-conference program at the 2010 PRSA Western District Conference? Here's what some past attendees had to say about their experiences as past programs:

When I first started volunteering with PRSA in 2006, I had no plans to seek a leadership position. For me, it was simply a privilege to be asked to help with a committee. The 2008 Quick Start program put me on right track to assume leadership roles in the chapter as well as my job. As a result, I’ve had the opportunity serve as chapter president and have been promoted to a new position at work overseeing alumni chapters and clubs, hundreds of volunteers, and building new and exciting ways to engage the university’s target audiences.
Amy Bouchard Brooks, President, PRSA-Las Vegas Valley Chapter

The Quick Start program … [was] an invaluable experience in planning to assume the presidency of our chapter this year. Not only did I get to meet and network with a lot of the other chapter leaders, we also shared our stories of success and failure, the challenges our individual chapters are going through in the current economy, and creative ideas of how we’re addressing the changing needs/demands of the public relations professional. It helped me realize that while Hawaii may be the most isolated PRSA chapter on Earth, there are things we are doing well and areas where we could improve. I also learned a lot about the role of the Western District and the resources it provides to help our chapter succeed. Attending the Quick Start really put things into perspective and enabled me to plan better for 2010. I highly recommend it to everyone moving into a leadership role.
Nathan Kam, President, PRSA-Hawaii Chapter

If you missed the agenda, here it is.

Dessert and beverages will be provided. Please register by Friday, April 23 to save your spot, but don’t delay – space is limited.

Note: This is a separate pre-conference session with a registration fee of $35 per person and registration is handled separately from conference registration. When you register for the conference, be sure to add Quick Start to your cart. If you've already registered for the conference, you can go back to the registration system and register for Quick Start only.

Don't miss the Western District Quick Start Program

2010-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

Are you a committee chair, chapter leader, or just thinking about taking a more active role with the country’s largest PR association? Then don’t miss this great learning and networking opportunity.

National Board Member Bob Frause, APR, PRSA Fellow, is coming to Palm Springs specifically for this Quick Start program. You'll learn about how to make the most out of your experience for your chapter and your career.

Here’s a brief look at the program we have planned:

Welcome, introductions, and orientation to the Western District with Nancy Syzdek, APR, Western District Chair

We're Here to Help: PRSA National Overview and Resources with Candice Bellittera, PRSA National Chapter/District Relationship Manager

Chapter Strategic Planning with Lisa Cutter (past Colorado Chapter president and Western District Chair-elect) and Jane Dvorak, APR (past Colorado Chapter president and former Western District Chair)

Keeping your Chapter in the Black: Finding New Revenue Streams and Financial Management Strategies with Denis Wolcott, former Western District Chair and Nancy Syzdek, APR

PRSA Leadership Lab with Bob Frause, APR, Fellow PRSA, PRSA National Board Member from the North Pacific District

About our speakers:
Nancy Syzdek, APR, is the current chair of PRSA’s Western District. No stranger to PRSA leadership, she’s served in more than a dozen regional and chapter roles. As much as she loves her PRSA work, she has to pay the bills. She’s currently in charge of corporate communications for defense contractor, JT3 LLC in Las Vegas and juggles freelance writing projects after her kids go to bed.

Candice Bellittera is in her third year as the Chapter/District Relationship Manager at PRSA National in New York City. With more than 100 U.S.-based chapters and 10 districts, she’s seen, heard, and helped with nearly every chapter management and leadership issue there is to have.

Lisa Cutter is the chair-elect of the Western District. A former Colorado Chapter president, Lisa has nearly 20 years of PRSA experience to share. For the last 12 years, Lisa has run her own independent practice, Cutter Communications where she focuses on strategic and crisis communications for external and internal audiences; media and community relations; creative partnerships; positioning and messaging.

Jane Dvorak, APR, is a former Western District Chair and Colorado Chapter President. She has also served as a National Delegate At-Large. Her charismatic charm and fabulous sense of humor has driven her success as a one-woman PR force majeure with her independent practice, JKD & Company, where she helps clients with strategic planning, media relations, special events Web site coordination, and more.

Denis Wolcott, APR is a past Western District Chair, past president of PRSA's Los Angeles chapter chapter and last year was co-chair of PRSA’s financially successful International Conference. . With more than 15 years of successful public- and private-sector campaigns under his belt, he started his own company in the midst of his Western District tenure. He specializes in issues such as water, energy, real estate, local and statewide community outreach, coalition building, crisis communications, financial and investor relations, social media, and green/carbon footprint/sustainable initiatives.

Bob Frause, APR, PRSA Fellow, is new to PRSA National’s Board of Directors this year, but he’s no stranger to leadership in the association. He’s been an active leader in the Puget Sound Chapter as well as several other leadership roles, including the 2008 Chairman of the College of Fellows, and Chairman of Board of Ethics and Professional Standards, a role he maintained for 10 years.

Dessert and beverages will be provided. Please register by Friday, April 23 to save your spot, but don’t delay – space is limited.

Note: This is a separate pre-conference session with a registration fee of $35 per person and registration is handled separately from conference registration. When you register for the conference, be sure to add Quick Start to your cart. If you've already registered for the conference, you can go back to the registration system and register for Quick Start only.

Western District Conference Early Bird Registration Extended to March 18

2010-03-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

In order to allow more folks to take advantage of the discounted pricing on this outstanding program, we've extended the early registration deadline to March 18, 2010.

Don't miss out on a great lineup of speakers and the best regional networking opportunity that PRSA has to offer.

Register online today.
Conference Admission (Before March 18):

$185.00 PRSA and PRSSA Member (Early Bird Rate)
$225.00 Non-Member (Early Bird Rate)

Conference Admission (After March 18):

$225.00 PRSA and PRSSA Member
$255.00 Non-Member

Conference Hotel Rate at the Riviera Resort & Spa:$169.00 per night (rate valid through March 28, 2010) Upgraded Room and Great Views! Hotel Rate Promo Code: Public Relations Society of America

Don't Miss the PRSA Leadership Rally

2010-02-23T12:38:00.001-08:00

If you are a chapter president-elect, don't forget to reserve your spot for this year's PRSA Leadership Rally June 4-5, 2010 in New York City.

PRSA National provides a $550 stipend for each chapter to send one representative. Check with your chapter treasurer, as some chapters offer additional funds to send the next generation of leadership to learn how to make their chapters and districts even better.

I've had the opportunity to attend the rally as the Las Vegas Valley Chapter's president-elect and then last year as chair-elect of the Western District. The resources, learning and networking were a tremendous help during my tenure as a chapter and district leader.

And it's June in New York. How can you beat that?

For more information, touch base with Candice Bellittera, PRSA's Chapter/District Relationship Coordinator.

Silver Anvil Deadline is Fri., Feb. 26

2010-02-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

Time is running out! The 2010 Silver Anvil Final Deadline is this Friday, February 26. It’s not too late to enter your best work for a chance to win a Silver Anvil, the icon of the public relations profession. Don’t miss this opportunity to demonstrate your excellence and be recognized among your peers — not to mention your potential clients.

Visit www.prsa.org/awards by this Friday, February 26 to enter. Don’t delay!

Increase your odds of winning by preparing an entry that demands attention. Be sure to access:
The video of PRSA’s “Anvil Thinking: The Route to Award-winning Work” Workshop.
Winning Silver Anvil case studies.
Detailed category descriptions.
Tips for preparing your entries.
Entry guidelines and checklist.
The Anvil FAQ.

Don't Miss the Early Bird Deadline for WDC 2010!

2010-02-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

PRSA WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE
April 28-30, 2010 Palm Springs, CA – EARLY BIRD DEADLINE MARCH 1!

“An Oasis of Opportunities” awaits you at the 2010 PRSA Western District Conference.

Keynote speaker Mark Weiner, CEO of PRIME Research and author of “Unleashing the Power of PR” is sure to provide valuable insights to help you navigate your organization through today’s real-time media landscape.

In addition, a full-line up of speakers and terrific workshops will offer insights and new ideas on:

Mastering Web Video Strategy for PR

Strategic Social Communications

Community Marketing

Crisis Communications

10 Ways Social Media will Change in 2010

Social Media Ethics and Policy

Content Marketing for Public Relations Professionals

Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement in PR

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to meet West Coast media contacts from major networks, magazines and blogs – as well as network with industry professionals from throughout a five-state region.

The conference will be held at the Riviera Resort and Spa April 28-30, 2010. A special hotel rate of $169 per night is available through March 28, 2010. (Promo Code: Public Relations Society of America)

Early-bird conference registration is available through March 1, 2010.
$185.00 Member Conference Admission - early

$225.00 Non-Member Conference Admission - early

$255.00 Non-Member Conference Admission - after March 1, 2010

$225.00 Member Conference Admission - after March 1, 2010

This year’s conference is sponsored by the California Inland Empire Chapter, one of the ten Western District Chapters.
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(Thanks to Western District Treasurer, Chris Chesrown for putting together this great promotional message.)

Welcome Imperial County!

2010-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the newly renamed San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter of PRSA on their acquisition and name change and welcome to the newly affiliated members.

Here's the release from the chapter:

PRSA San Diego Chapter Expands to Include Imperial County

Due to tremendous interest and participation by the community of public relations practitioners in Imperial County in pursuing the highest professional standards, the San Diego Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has successfully petitioned to extend the boundaries of its jurisdiction to include Imperial County.

The chapter will now be known as the San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter of the PRSA, effective February 1, 2010.

“PRSA San Diego has worked very hard over the last six months to formally incorporate Imperial County into our chapter boundaries,” said Sara E. Wacker, APR, chapter president. “The members and prospective members in Imperial County have long awaited the opportunity to be associated with a local chapter. I’m very pleased that we will be able to extend our reach and make local membership available in the Valley. These individuals have much enthusiasm and creative ideas to continue to help our chapter and the local industry mature.”

Individual public relations practitioners in Imperial County have been active PRSA members for many years without a local Chapter to provide ongoing career development, networking, and accreditation programs, or recognition through participation in awards competition. Three individuals in El Centro are currently Accredited in Public Relations, and several individuals have received Bernays Awards for professional excellence.

“The extension of this chapter into Imperial County is a measure of the growth in the professional practice of public relations that we are experiencing in the Valley,” said Bill Gay, APR, Media and Community Relations Director of Imperial Valley College. “Several months ago, we began an informal organization of local practitioners to foster continued professional education. Members of PRSA San Diego have been very helpful in this endeavor.”

Gay has been added to the Chapter Board of Directors as its Imperial County membership representative. He has been an active participant in Chapter activities for several years, including a leadership role in the Accreditation program.

The San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter of PRSA is the only organization in San Diego/Imperial Counties that is solely dedicated to meeting the professional needs of the public relations professional. As an individual membership society, the benefits of membership in PRSA are designed for, and delivered to individuals. Many resources are included in membership dues, and some are available at a reduced member fee.

It should thaw by then, really.

2010-02-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

PRSA is looking for presenters for this year's International Conference. Yes, the capital city is under a blanket of snow right now, but barring a true ice age, they should be out of the freeze by October.

If you're interested in strutting your stuff, um, I mean sharing your knowledge with fellow PR professionals, be sure to submit your proposals to the conference organizers by Feb. 23, 2010 (please note the deadline changed due to the inclement weather back east).

Also, be advised that the early bird rate for the International Conference expires on March 1. Save yourself $200 (if you're a PRSA member) and get your registration in.

Yes, I realize the conference hotel, nor even the keynotes have been announced. Yes, it may seem like you're being asked to board a plane without knowing it's destination. But keep in mind the longstanding tradition of outstanding speakers and incredible venues of years past. Chances are, it'll be a great show that you won't want to miss. So, why spend $200 more than you need to?

Chapter Visit News: Sunny San Diego

2010-02-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

This week, I had the pleasure of tagging a chapter visit onto a regularly scheduled business trip to San Diego. Chapter President, Sara Wacker, APR gathered a group of leaders from her Board around a breakfast table at MaryJane's in the Gaslamp district (where everything on the menu is fattening and gloriously delicious) where we talked about the news, successes and challenges for their chapter.

If your chapter planning an anniversary celebration or commemoration, be sure to touch base with these folks. They had an outstanding outreach campaign that's kept them out on the local speaking circuit months after the anniversary year has ended.

Like many chapters in the District, San Diego is losing members, largely due to the economic downturn. However, they'r enot waiting for an upswing to make things better. They've worked to incoporate PRSA members from the neighboring Imperial County into their chapter. I'll let Sara tell you more about the effort in her own upcoming post).

Thanks so much to Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR, April Bolduc, Kim Edwards, Bey-Ling Sha, APR and Sara for their hospitality and dedication to PRSA's members in San Diego. Many of them will be joining us in April for the Western District Conference. So, be sure to keep an eye out and meet them.

PRSA's Western District: What Do We Do?

2010-01-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

Often times, when I introduce myself as PRSA's Western District Chair, I get a puzzled look and the question, "So...what is the Western District?" First, I give them the 30-second elevator speech about how the Western District is the grouping of 10 PRSA's chapters in four Western states, I explain that the District's role is to support the chapters and their leaders.

The next question is usually, "How?"

Well, that's a great question.

The Western District supports our chapters through leadership development programs like the annual Quick Start program where we bring in leaders from within the association to help chapter leaders learn more about managing volunteer organizations including programming ideas, organizational dynamics, finances, and their futures as leaders in PRSA and the public relations industry.

We also support chapter leaders by holding quarterly conference calls for chapter officers with similar functions. So, the membership folks from all 10 chapters get together every three months to share ideas, raise issues, and help problem solve. The same goes for awards chairs, presidents-elect, presidents, programming folks, and so on. These calls are where great ideas are shared, such as:

Offering teleseminars, which would cost members $250 each to listen in at their respective desks, for $10 or less as a group "brown bag lunch" event

Helping local nonprofits with a "Quality Time with PR Minds" day where they get free PR counsel from local senior-level practitioners

Setting up a regular rotation for awards judging (a source of a few grey hairs for any awards chair) among similarly-sized chapters in the District

We support the PRSA members in the District as well. Each year a chapter within the District plays host to the annual Western District Conference, a two-day professional development conference that provides one of the best educational and networking values for PRSA members. Conferences of this caliber and length come with a hefty pricetag. We offer the opportunity for only $185 (if you're a PRSA member and register by March 1, 2010).

We also support the chapters and our members through the $200 stipend that's available to each chapter in the district. Chapters can use the funds for professional development programming, networking events, awards events, and more. All that's required is that they list PRSA's Western District as a sponsor and link back to our site in any online promotions. In many cases, chapters have less than 200 members, so they're getting the $1/member dues they pay back in spades.

One of the most important functions the District serves is as a connection between PRSA National and the chapters. Prior to the digital age, our distance from the home office in NYC left many members feeling a bit distant from the folks who were calling the shots at HQ. On the flip side, the folks back at HQ needed an extra set of eyes and hands to help chapters along through the rough patches that are an inevitable part of volunteer-managed organizations.

Even though teleconferences, Skype, Twitter and such have us all uber-connected (some would say over-connected), the District is still a relevant human connection for PRSA. That's why a part of the my job is to coordinate visits (or at least conference calls) with all of the chapters' leaders to assess their successes, challenges, and suggest resources to help them reach their goals.

As this year's chair, I plan on making it to as many chapters in person as I humanly can. It's not for the frequent flyer miles (a nice side-bonus, through), it's because I really believe in the importance of "being there" to make the real connections that are often lost in electronic communications these days. So beware, if you're in a Western District chapter, I'm coming to a town near you.

The Western District is not a governing body. We are not "big brother" or "big sister." We are not here to tell chapters how they should be run.

We are idea sharers. We are supporters. We are cheerleaders. We are pothole finders and fillers.

We're the Western District and we're here to help. Really.

What in the world is the Western District?

2010-01-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

Way back in the day, the Public Relations Society of America decided to organize it's membership into 10 regions, called districts. The hope was that these regional groupings of chapters would provide helpful support, shared resources, and leadership cultivation for the next generation of professionals to head the association and be voices for the PR industry.

So, the Western District was created and now includes 10 chapters from four states including:

The Board
The District is managed by its own Board, which elects its officers each year at a meeting the International Conference. The 2010 Western District Officers are:

Chair: Nancy Syzdek, APR (Las Vegas Valley Chapter)
Past Chair: Todd Cooley, APR (Orange County Chapter)
Chair-Elect: Lisa Cutter (Colorado Chapter)
Treasurer: Chris Chesrown (Phoenix Chapter)
Secretary: Kristen Bonilla, APR (Hawaii Chapter)

The remaining Board members are representatives of the 10 member chapters within the District. In many cases, the representatives are current or past presidents. In other cases, chapters opt to have presidents-elect participate. In addition to the designated representative, all Assembly Delegates and PRSA members within the District are invited to participate, although each chapter receives one vote. (If you would like to participate in the call, please contact me for the meeting information.)

The Board meets monthly by conference call with the exception of our two in-person meetings each year - one at the Western District Conference (traditionally in April or May) and one at the International Conference (traditionally in October or November).

So that's briefly what we are and who we are. Stay tuned for the next pressing question...

"What in the world do we do?"

Here's to good news in 2010 -

Nancy Syzdek, APR
PRSA-Western District Chair

Conference Invite

2009-03-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to our initial online advertisement for the Western District Conference.

http://www.westerndistrictconferenceinvite.com/

Extracurricular Activities

2009-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

People planning to attend the Western District Conference (http://www.westerndistrictconference.com/) should seriously consider a long weekend in Newport Beach. The leisure opportunities here are amazing.

We have something for almost every taste -- from top amusement parks (Disneyland, California Adventure, Knott's Berry Farm) to some of the world's best shopping (Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza).

Like sports? The Angels will be hosting the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night, followed by three games against division rivals Seattle Mariners. If you're more into the yachting scene, the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race begins on Friday, April 24.

Enjoy cinema? The Newport Beach Film Festival opens Thursday night (April 23), and the Pacific Symphony will be screening the original 1925 version of "Phantom of the Opera," accompanied by a symphony orchestra and pipe organ, April 23-25.

If country music is more your style, check out the Stagecoach Festival, which will be held in the Palm Springs area that weekend. Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Reba, the Charlie Daniels Band and even Kid Rock (!) will be among the performers.

These are but a few of the options available to those considering a little "R&R" after the mind expanding stimulation of our conference. I'll share a few more suggestions in a future post.

TC

2009 Western District Conference

2009-03-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

Planning is moving full speed ahead on this year's Western District Conference, which will be held in Newport Beach April 22-24. We have a killer line-up of speakers, who will be discussing issues ranging from digital trends and social media to crisis communications and mommy blogging.

And at $195 for PRSA members, the conference is a real bargain, too!

Look forward to seeing you in Newport Beach!

PRSA Western District 2009

2009-02-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

"Ride the Wave" to Newport Beach, CA, on April 22-24 for the 2009 PRSA Western District Conference.

Go here for the details. Keep watching the Web site for updates as more and more exciting, informative speakers are added.

Thanks for the memories

2008-12-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

So long.

As your 2008 chair, I was extremely grateful to work with a very talented, smart and dedicated group - our Western District Board of Directors. Your thoughtful counsel and careful debate about important topics were refreshing and allowed the Western District to advance in many ways. I also want to thank other chapter representatives who filled in on occasion to give us the news of what is happening in your part of the world.

Local chapters, I believe, are much better off because of our hard work.

A few highlights of 2008:

1. A great Western District Conference in Tucson. The Southern Arizona chapter, assisted by the Phoenix chapter, held an information-packed conference. The best indicator of success? The large number of attendees who said they can't wait for the next one. This "win" was accomplished by some serious blood, sweat and tears.

2. Affinity Groups. The Western District conducted calls among key areas of chapter leadership and operations: treasurers, Web sites, programs and professional development, APR, awards and more. Chapter leaders from these areas gathered by phone periodically to share successes, challenges and to brainstorm. The results were many: practical advice, new ideas and general networking to benefit individual chapter operations.

3. Policies and procedures. It never hurts to have these, or review the ones in place. We are now operating with better guidelines in the areas of selecting future Western District conference locations and how and when to invest our meager cash reserves.

4. Students. The Western District led efforts in 2007 to create a task force examining how better to reach out to students - our future public relations professionals - who may not be attending an accredited university. The task force, which included three representatives from the Western District, filed its report with several recommendations that we hope will be acted upon in 2009.

There are many more accomplishments. If you are a reader of this blog, you will know them.

Again, all my thanks to the wonderful board, to our executive team (Todd, Nancy, Mary and Casey) for your patience and understanding, and to Candice at National for her assistance.

All the best and may your holidays be warm and memorable.

October meeting minutes

2008-12-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
Oct. 26, 2008, 8:30 a.m. EDT
Marriott Renaissance Center, Detroit

Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status (X=in attendance, O=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (X)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, San Diego, Treasurer (X)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (O)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (O)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (O)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (O)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (X)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (O)
Daniel Rhoades, Orange County, Director-At-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (X)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (X)
Sara Wacker, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (X)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National, Chapter Liaison (O)
Amy Hennessey, APR, Hawaii, Chapter Representative (X)
Gina Seamans, APR, Colorado, Chapter Representative (X)
Rita Tateel, Los Angeles, Chapter Representative (X)
Derek Danziger, APR, San Diego, Chapter Representative (X)
Chris Wall, San Diego, Chapter Representative (X)
Marcus Ginnaty, APR, Orange County, Chapter Representative (X)
Mary Bagnull, Colorado, Chapter Representative (X)
Marie T. Montgomery Nordhues, APR, Orange County, Chapter Representative (X)
Donald P. Kirchoffner, APR, Fellow PRSA, Colorado, National Board Member-elect (X)

Opening
Denis Wolcott called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. Introductions were made around the table. He thanked those who attended the Western District dinner the previous evening, which included more than 20 students from the District.

Minutes
There were no changes to the minutes from September. Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR moved to approve the minutes. Don Miles seconded. The minutes were approved.

Treasurer’s report
Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR reviewed the financial report.
A $200 stipend check was issued to the Colorado chapter. Six chapters have applied for the stipend. Four chapters have not yet applied for their stipend. Chapter representatives were reminded to take advantage of this program. For further details, please talk to Denis Wolcott or Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR.
The District has a current balance of $18,716.29.

Draft Investment Policy
A draft investment policy for the Western District was distributed the week prior to the meeting. Denis Wolcott explained the background on the policy. He asked the Board to review the policy and come back with feedback at the next Board call.

Nancy Syzdek, APR suggested that the membership of the Finance Committee be specified before passage. Given the current market conditions, Mary Schmidt-Krebs suggested that we invest in a short-term, interest bearing account, such as a CD.

Don Miles, APR, PRSA Fellow, pointed out that investment strategy is not our membership’s expertise and suggested that the revenues that we’re looking to invest be returned in services to members within the district.

Upon further discussion, Don Miles, APR, PRSA Fellow, moved that the District invest $10,000 into a CD at the highest bearing interest available for one year or less. Rita Tateel seconded the motion. Upon further discussion, the motion was amended to grant authority to the Treasurer and District Chair to select the investment firm and location that made the best sense for the District. The motion, as amended, passed unanimously.

Chair update
Denis Wolcott gave a report from the previous day’s National Assembly. Highlights included a discussion on licensing and certification, a strategic planning exercise, and the election of the 2009 Board of Directors. He then reported on his recent chapter visit to Pikes Peak with National Chair, Jeff Julin, APR. He will be going to Denver to visit the Colorado chapter in November and then to Las Vegas in December.

Don Kirchoffner, APR, Fellow PRSA joined the meeting. Jeff Julin, APR, stopped by the meeting and gave his feedback on the conference and the District. Michael Cherenson, APR, also stopped by and gave his perspective on the assembly and discussed the plans for the 2009 National Conference in San Diego.

PRSSA Affiliate Task Force
Denis Wolcott reported on the PRSSA Affiliate Task Force. He will forward the report to the Board.

Western District Web Site
A few years ago, the Western District Web site was shifted to a blog format. He suggested shifting the minutes and other static information to the regular web site format. The Internet chair from the Orange County chapter has indicated an interest in helping the district with the site redevelopment. There may be a fee involved. Denis Wolcott intends to bring this up in the November call for further discussion.

2009 Board Elections
Denis Wolcott reviewed the slate for the 2009 Western District Board. Daniel Rhoades moved to approve the slate. Gina Seamans, APR seconded. The motion was approved unanimously.

Western District Conference
2009 Conference
Daniel Rhoades handed out postcards for the chapters to share with their members. He will send out additional cards in batches to the chapters using the addresses on their website. If that is not the best address to send them to, please let Daniel know. Todd Cooley, APR asked the Board to help to heavily promote the conference. There will be a promotional package, including a video component, going to chapters in the coming months. He also noted that the conference dates were switched to facilitate those who would like to stay the weekend. The Board meeting will be on Wed., April 22 in the evening.

Future Conference Planning
A task force met to discuss how future chapters were selected for hosting the Western District Conference. A recommended policy was distributed. Denis would like to discuss it further at the November meeting. At this point, Inland Empire has indicated an interest in hosting 2010 in Palm Springs, but will need significant support from the Los Angeles and Orange County chapters.

Past President Rhoda Weiss, APR, PRSA Fellow stopped by to suggest the Board consider National leadership. Denis added that the District has an obligation to support the San Diego chapter for next year’s National Conference.

Affinity group calls
Denis skipped the Affinity group call reports due to time constraints. He asked that call facilitators be prepared for updates on the November call.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – (495 members) – Gina Seamans, APR, reported they held a “PR Boost” event to reach out to nonprofit organizations. The chapter is celebrating its 50th anniversary. They did a “50 for 50” campaign in which they asked each member to give $50 to support students for the next 50 years. More than 100 members and students helped out at the DNC Convention this year. It as so successful that the Convention and Visitors authority has asked them to help with another large event coming to Denver last year, which promises to be larger than the DNC Convention. Their turn at hosting the Western District Conference was so successful that their membership asked for a similar event to be held annually. They will be offering a half-day professional development event in conjunction with their luncheon. The chapter is also changing the timing of their awards program to match up with PRSA National’s Silver Anvil awards. Colorado just updated their Web site and has a social media taskforce. They are planning their board retreat in December where they will focus on chapter strategic planning. They are changing their scholarship, which currently subsidizes student attendance at the National Conference, into a local professional development event for students to help them prepare for the workforce.
Hawaii – (104 members) – Amy Hennessy, APR, reported that they had a program on a tobacco cessation campaign, which was not as well attended as they had hoped. Their Web 2.0 program, held earlier this year, was the biggest they had all year. They are also working on their Web site. They are very proud of **, the PRSSA national president , who is from Hawaii.
Inland Empire – (approx. 83 members) - There was no one representing Inland Empire for the meeting.
Las Vegas – (135 members) – Tom Bradley reported the chapter’s Pinnacle Awards is in November. The number of entries is ten less than last year and follows what seems to be a downward trend. They had a half-day multicultural communications professional development event, which was well attended and positively received. They want to make it an annual event. They are planning their 2009 slate and having challenges recruiting a new Vice President of Finance.
Los Angeles – (575 members) Rita Tateel reported on a new media seminar they recently held with more than 100 in attendance. The annual awards banquet will be in November. Their entries are up and the event is exceeding their very conservative projections. She attributes the success to the outstanding volunteers in their chapter. Their sponsorship went so well because of their chair, who will be the 2009 Los Angeles Chapter representative on the Western District Board, They posted the finalists on their website and think that may attribute to their high attendance numbers. They are partnering with the Red Cross on a training program to help their members assist the Red Cross in disasters, etc. Rita will be serving a second term as chapter president since her president elect was transferred to another market.
Orange County – (320 members) - Marcus Ginnaty, APR, reported they are keeping their dues the same ($75). Orange County brought about 25 students to the International Conference this year. They had their community service event, which was a tremendous success, as was their diversity event, for which they received an award at yesterday’s Assembly luncheon. Their November event is about cause marketing featuring the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Leisa Brug-Kline will be taking over as chapter president next year.
Phoenix – (320 members) - Chris Chesrown reported the chapter chose to not raise dues. Their Copper Anvil Awards were recently held and went well. They are having a Board retreat and a new strategic plan. There are a lot of changes in their media market that resulted in dozens of layoffs and there are lots of reporters looking for jobs.
Pike’s Peak – (80 members) - Don Miles, APR, PRSA Fellow, reported they had a good year, they are having challenges getting Board leadership. He thanked Denis and Jeff for their visit. Their financial situation is also tough because their membership largely comes from nonprofit and government sectors. Most members have to pay their own way for membership, chapter dues, or events. The cost for the APR is also a barrier for their members to pursue accreditation.
San Diego (300+) - Sara Wacker, APR, reported they had their annual awards ceremony on Oct. 16. They are excited to be hosting the International Conference in 2009. They will be showing a video at the conference luncheon on Tues. They had three members inducted into the College of Fellows last night and one member received the “Educator of the Year” award. They are having a “Quality Time with PR Minds” event to help local nonprofits. Their Nov. luncheon will feature the editorial team at the San Diego Union Tribune. The chapter just increased chapter dues by $5 and is working on slate for 2009 officers. San Diego is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a chapter. Another one day APR jump-start program is coming up soon. She will share info with other chapters to share with prospective candidates. They also just launched a new Web site.
Southern Arizona – (94 members) - Elaine Nathanson, APR, PRSA Fellow, reported on their succession planning process. Each Board member was responsible for recruiting their immediate replacement for 2009 and those who could take over in 2010. They have all of their positions filled with the exception of APR chair. Their biggest concern is bringing in new APRs. Average event attendance is 30.

Final Questions/comments
Denis Wolcott thanked the president-elects for coming. There will be another call before the end of the year. He will follow up to make sure the rest of the calls happen before the end of the year.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m. (Pacific), The next meeting will be on Nov. 20 via teleconference.

Is social media killing PR?

2008-11-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

Seems the Bay Area folks are enjoying quite a debate on this question.

Check out a Forrester analyst's views and the nearly 50 comments so far to his blog posting.

San Diego here we come

2008-11-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

The Western District is proud to have the 2009 PRSA international conference in San Diego.

Lock in the date now. Nov. 7-10, 2009. You know it will be an incredible event with dynamic speakers and the best professional development.

What would you do with $250?

Sign up before March 2, 2009, and save $250 off the registration for San Diego.

No online registration form is ready, yet. So, to register and save $250, you need to fax in a form with payment. (We will post a registration form soon on the Western District Web site).

Call 1-800-350-0111 now to get registered.

Board meeting Nov. 20

2008-11-18T15:26:00.001-08:00

The next Western District board meeting is Thursday, Nov. 20. See Denis for the agenda.

Detroit out-performs the market

2008-10-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

OK, so a side trip to the PRSA international conference in Detroit won't help you with your battered 401(k), but a few days in Motown probably will help take your mind off the up and down Dow.

Heck, I'm still depressed over the Dodgers failing to whip the Phillies.

On Sunday, October 26, 2008, the Western District board of directors will have its second in-person meeting of the year. The agenda is full. So, below is a preview of some items up for discussion Sunday. See you there.

Investment policy

The proposed policy is a guide for investing extra capital that has built up over the years. It is mirrored after the investment policy used by national. When good times return, the policy will help direct our investment plans. For now, however, the safest home for our more than $10,000 in reserves will be a CD or money market. With policy in hand, the board can seek a financial consultant to provide advice and help us invest. One question before the board will be what we do with the returns.

Western District Conference operating policy

The annual Conference has been a huge success. The conference packs in a ton of some of the best professional development sessions you'll find in the country. And, public relations professionals benefit from constant networking and building lasting relationships.

However, the conference needs an operating policy to help guide the District and hosting chapters. Hosting a conference can be very demanding for a chapter, but also provide a great source of revenue and exposure. We also need some rules or guidelines in how to select a host chapter, and to outline what support the District can provide the host chapter to ensure a meaningful and financial success for both the chapter and the District.

The proposed policy before the Board is the product of an experienced, professional task force that closely examined the issues and offered a strong set of solutions and recommendations. And, a special area of this blog or the Western District Web site will be set aside to post best practices, surveys, helpful tips and other useful information for future hosting chapters.

Web site

As it happens at the chapter level, it's time to examine a possible update of the Western District Web site. The Western District leadership blog that you are reading is not, in my opinion, the logical place to post minutes, treasurer reports, best practices and upcoming events. A blog has a different purpose, mostly offering informal discussion like this. The blog was created, in part, to make it much easier to post this kind of information. But, now, the technology exists to do the same on a Web site.

Of course, a redesign will come at a cost. We will weigh the benefits of launching our own design, or see what national has to offer in its plan to provide a universal Web site template to chapters and districts. National is set to announce this template during Saturday's Assembly session. A third option may be buying a collaboration software package to reform the Web site to that kind of operating platform.

On to Detroit!!

SAVE THE DATE: 2009 Western District Conference

2008-10-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

The highly popular and professionally rewarding Western District will make its 2009 stop in "the OC." Block you calendars now for a trip to Irvine.

April 22-24, 2009 at the beautiful Newport Beach Hyatt

Western District Chair Speaks Out on Spokeswoman's Resignation

2008-09-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

Denis Wolcott, current chair of PRSA's Western District and past president of the PRSA's Greater Los Angeles Area chapter, went on camera Monday to discuss the sudden resignation of Metrolink spokesperson Denise Tyrrell following the train authority's quick disclosure that its engineer was at fault in Friday's (Sept. 12) head-on train crash that killed 26 and injured 135 commuters.

Public Relations professionals are expected to adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public. Ms. Tyrrell's boss, Metrolink CEO David Solow, told reporters Monday that he authorized her to disclose that the engineer was at fault and had ignored a red signal to stop. Denise gave the news last Saturday, in a stunningly quick less than 24 hours after the crash. Metrolink felt it had to answer the nagging question: "How could this happen?"

However, the National Transportation Safety Board, which likes to take control of how information is disseminated in deadly transportation crash investigations, quickly responded to Metrolink's disclosure, saying it was premature to assign blame. On Sunday, the Metrolink board of directors, a politically appointed body, met in private and later issued a statement essentially agreeing with the NTSB that it was premature to assign blame.

Although not all of my interview with Los Angeles TV station KTLA Channel 5 was aired, I did stress the importance of an organization’s board, executive office and public relations staff working in concert when it comes to public communications and that public relations professionals clearly need to be part of the decision-making process at the highest level. I also cited the importance of an organization making a timely and full disclosure of authenticated information.

Denise Tyrrell also gave an exclusive on-camera interview to KCAL-TV, a local CBS affiliate, here.

Here's the background:FROM THE LA TIMES...
" Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell called the agency's chief executive to make an unusual request."I asked him to allow me to make a statement to rebuild public trust," she recalled, "and I told him we had to be honest and upfront about what happened."David Solow, she said, "agreed" with her plans to publicly acknowledge Saturday that a preliminary investigation showed the Metrolink engineer ran a red light before the commuter train plowed into a Union Pacific freight train.Her teary comments and surprising candor elicited a flood of encouragement from Metrolink staff members and commuters from as far as London and Vietnam.By Monday, Tyrrell had resigned her $86,000-a-year post amid intense criticism from Metrolink officials and federal investigators who called her public comments premature and inappropriate.But Tyrrell, 55, has no regrets."When you have loss of life, spinning is unacceptable," she said."

Watch the video which includes a PRSA comment for Denis Wolcott, chair of PRSA's Western District and past president of the PRSA's LA Chapter.

August 2008 minutes

2008-08-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
August 21, 2008, 10 a.m. PDT

Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status
(X=in attendance, O=absent)
Denis Wolcott Los Angeles, Chair (X)
Todd Cooley, APR Orange County, Chair-Elect (O)
Nancy Syzdek, APR Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (X)
Casey DeLorme, APR Southern Arizona, Immediate Past Chair &
Nominating Committee (O)
Lisa Cutter Colorado, Director-At-Large (X)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (X)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (O)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (O)
Daniel Rhoades, Orange County, Director-At-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (O)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak Director-At-Large (O)
Sara Wacker, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (O)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National Chapter Liaison (X)

Opening
Call to order at 10:10 a.m. There was some confusion about the call start time.
Minutes
Denis asked for any corrections to the meeting minutes from June. Daniel indicated that some names needed correction. Nancy will make the changes and Denis will post the corrected minutes on the Western District Blog and share with PRSA National.
Treasurer’s report
Mary reviewed the financial report:
• The latest 2008 budget will be changed to break out the revenues collected for the Quick Start
program.
• The balance is just above $18,900. However, if all anticipated expenses are paid, it will leave this year’s budget about $1,000 in the red (reflecting the $1,000 shortfall in revenue anticipated from the Western District conference).

July and August revenues and expenditures, noting that Southern Arizona chapter sent check of
$2,36.92 covering the 50-50 split of net proceeds from the conference plus repayment of the
$1,000 loan to the chapter. Denis noted that WD agreed to cover 25% of the costs incurred by
Tucson chapter to hire an accountant to file the annual IRS long form. The WD event pushed
Tucson’s annual revenues above the IRS threshold amount, preventing the chapter from filing the less-costly IRS short form. July expenses included reimbursement to Chris Chesrown for
attending national PRSA leadership rally on behalf of district.
• The proposed investment plan. The board agreed with initial recommendation to put $10,000 into an investment account, leaving between $5,000 and $8,000 for ongoing chapter needs. No
decision was made on the ultimate goal of the investment plan, but it was recommended that
funds be invested soon and a goal can be determined later. Denis and Mary will prepare a full
recommendation for the entire board to review and approve.
Chair update
Denis provided the following report:
• Positive chapter visits with Inland Empire and Hawaii.
• The Student Affiliate Task Force will soon file its report to the national board with a series of
recommendations that will come before the Assembly in Detroit. WD board members indicated
strong support for PRSA chapter mentoring of affiliate members in their markets due to a large
number of PR students not attending accredited universities.
• Board members were reminded to book their flights and hotel rooms for the international
conference and WD board meeting in Detroit. A WD board dinner site will soon be chosen. The
board was reminded that it’s WD tradition to invite PRSSA Students from the Western District to attend the dinner and for local chapters to sponsor the students’ dinner. Denis said he will select a nomination committee for 2009 WD board seats.
• The WD blog will be redesigned to make it easier for Affinity Groups to post notes and best
practices.
Western District Conference
Daniel Rhodes provided an update for the 2009 WD conference, saying a new hotel (Newport Beach Hyatt) and date (April 22-24) have been selected. Denis reminded the board of the need to select a 2010 location. Possible choices could be Inland Empire (with assistance provided by LA and OC chapters), Las Vegas, or Pikes Peak (with assistance from Denver).
Affinity Group Calls
a) Treasurer group (Mary) – The group was disbanded because the need was being met by the
national treasurer’s leaerserv. They will have one or two calls before the end of the year.
b) Programs and professional development (Todd) – Todd was not on the call.
c) Membership (Lisa) – They did their call. Lisa will be pulling together the notes, but most chapters participated. Many good ideas were shared. Everyone is having challenges recruitment members and current members to serve as a membership officer.
d) Accreditation (Sara) – Sara was not on the call.
e) Web site (Denis) – National will be announcing a new initiative on the website and developing
templates for chapters to use. Candice says the templates should be available in 2009. More
information will be available in the coming weeks and at Assembly. She will share information as
it becomes available. San Diego just launched their new website this week.
f) Awards (Nancy) – The last call was Thurs., June 25. Most chapters were represented. They
discussed calls for entries
g) President-elects (Daniel) – The last call was in mid-July, but participation has been small (3-4 officers on each call). He got some recommendations on QuickStart for next year.
h) Presidents (Denis) – The last call was on June 10. It was a good opportunity for them to take a breather and evaluate where they were at the mid-year point. Denis floated the requests for WDC hosts in 2010. There will be one or two more calls before the end of the year.
Chapter Highlights
Colorado – Their biggest focus has been on the Democratic National Convention, where they are
proving 120 volunteers to the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Gold Pick ceremony is coming along well. Some of the awards were lost and members were accommodating to allow people to resubmit. They are partnering with the Denver Press Club on a golf tournament. They are planning a large program this fall where they will be voting on their board and additional chapter service awards along with a professional development workshop.
Hawaii – They are at 107 members. They had their awards program last month and it went quite well with a record number of entries. One candidate made it thorough their readiness review and one new applicant is starting the process. Their next luncheon will be on social media. They are expecting nearly 100 people – one of their largest luncheons ever. They held a mid-year Board meeting to review goals and they are on track. They also went through chapter bylaws and will continue those discussions this afternoon. Amy Hennessy and Melissa Chang will be at Assembly. One of them will represent the chapter at the Western District Board meeting.
Inland Empire – They are at 83 members with 11 prospects. The have a workshop in October focusing on social media with Brian Solis. They are exploring teleconferences for Board meetings because of the cost of gas.
Las Vegas – They are looking for judges for their Pinnacle Awards. Judging will be Oct. 18-19 and LVVC will pay travel and a stipend. Please contact Kassi Belz (kassi@massmediacc.com) for more information. They are planning a multicultural PR professional development event with PR Newswire and Western District. (They will be sending the information/request to Denis and Mary for the stipend.).
Information will be shared with chapters when details are finalized. They had three candidates pass the readiness review and expect a few more to start this fall. One member will be inducted into the College of Fellows in October.
Los Angeles – Denis reported their awards event is coming on Nov. 6 and they have more than 100 entries. The website has been updated and now included video. They have also created a facebook page. They are planning a joint event with the local marketing association at the LA Times. They will be sending seven delegates to the Assembly in October. They had a great joint event with Orange County and Inland Empire that went very well. They are also planning their “Quality Time with PR Minds” event for non-profits to plug into local PR professionals for advice. They have four APR candidates in progress at this time.
Orange County –Orange County has their third annual diversity conference on Sept. 18. He invited everyone to share information with his or her chapter members. The chapter’s scholarship program sponsors students to attend the International Conference.
Phoenix – No one from the chapter was on the call.
Pike’s Peak – No one from the chapter was on the call.
San Diego – They are at about 300 members. They are having their big summer social/fundraiser tomorrow at the racetrack, They will be having their awards program on Oct. 16. Their three-week APR prep program will be in September. The editor of the San Diego Union Tribune will be coming in November. They have three new Fellows and launched a new website.
Southern Arizona – No one from the chapter was on the call.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:42 a.m. (Pacific). The next meeting will be on Sept. 18. Denis
will send a calendar announcement that will reflect everyone’s time zone.

June 2008 Minutes, Approved

2008-07-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes (DRAFT)
June 18, 2008, 10 a.m. PDT

Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status
(X=in attendance, O=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (O)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (X)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona,
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (O)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (X)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (O)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large, (X)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (X)
Daniel Rhoades, Orange County, Director-At-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (O)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (X)
Sara Wacker, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (O)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National, Chapter Liaison (X)

Opening
Todd Cooley, APR opened the meeting at 10:13 a.m., as Denis was on vacation. He welcomed all of the attendees.

Minutes
Todd Cooley asked for any corrections to the meeting minutes from May. Daniel Rhoades moved to approve the minutes and Nancy Daniels seconded. The minutes were approved. Todd will pass the minutes on to Denis who will post the corrected minutes on the Western District Blog and share with PRSA National.

Treasurer’s report
Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR reviewed the financial report.
· Only two expenses and no revenue.
· The balance is just over $17,000.
· She is starting to research long-term financial investment strategies. She expects to have a more comprehensive report next month after talking to Denis.
· Nancy Daniels, APR asked if the situation with Southern Arizona re: the 50/50 split from Western District Conference. The topic was tabled to the next meeting.

Chair update
The chair was not present to give an update.

Western District Conference
Daniel Rhoades reported that their ideal dates were not available at their venue. So, an alternative date April 15-17 is being floated. This is the week after Easter, which may be a boom for some attendees, but a hindrance for others. The group had no substantive objections to the date, so Daniel will move forward with booking the dates at the Newport Beach Marriot. It is directly across from a major retail center, Fashion Island, and in close proximity to shopping, restaurants, and the art museum. There is an airport shuttle and the airport is only 15 minutes away. Most rooms have ocean views. The cocktail party will be on the Sunset Terrace. Daniel thanked Todd Cooley and Lisa Brug Kline for their assistance in planning this conference and securing the venue. They will be moving forward with programming and sponsorships.

Leadership Rally
Chris will be giving a report on the next call.

APR Roadshow
Sara Wacker, APR, reported that it was offered on the affinity call. Chapters are exploring their budgets to see if it’s feasible. She will be following up with the chapters to gauge interest.

Affinity Group Calls
a) Treasurer group (Mary) – They had a small group on the May 28 call. They discussed payment gateways, investment policies, and chapter finance manuals among other issues. The next call will be July 31.
b) Programs and professional development (Todd) – The first call will be in July before the next Western District Board call.
c) Membership (Lisa) – She had computer issues and will be re-contacting chapter reps to reassemble the contact list for membership chairs.
d) Accreditation (Sara) – Sara was not present (at that point) to give an update. (see the APR Roadshow section of the minutes for additional information)
e) Web site (Denis – Denis was not present to give an update.
f) Awards (Nancy) – The next call will be Thurs., June 25, at 11 a.m. (Pacific)
g) President-elects (Daniel) – The group talked about Board development, leader development, and the leadership rally. The next call will be in mid-July.
h) Presidents (Denis) – Denis was not present to give an update.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – The chapter is at 482 members. They have a business outreach program in the works to create relationships with the business community to explore joint programming. They are offering their help to the organizers of the Democratic National Convention. They are pulling together some expert lists to help increase their profile in convention media coverage. They are having challenges in coming up with judges for their awards programs. Amy Johnson, their president, is hoping that PRSA national can set up a matching program for this purpose. Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Orange County has set up a small group for this purpose. The Colorado Chapter will be transitioning their e-newsletter to a new medium and using a task force. They have found that a task force approach is a good way to engage senior-level practitioners who may not have time to a regular chapter committee.
Hawaii – Nancy reported that they had to delay Denis’ chapter visit due to a scheduling conflict. They have their annual awards event in July. They are revamping their website as well. They are holding a mid-year planning meeting and bylaw review in July.
Inland Empire – No one from the chapter was on the call.
Las Vegas – Tom reported that Las Vegas is change the format of their November awards event to a cocktail reception. Nancy reported that the APR program is doing well and Readiness Reviews are scheduled for July 19.
Los Angeles – They just had a fantastic professional development event on new media. The chapter membership is at 575, plus they serve 100 PRSA members who are not specifically affiliated with the chapter. They are planning a professional development event with representatives from the area’s sports teams in conjunction with the Orange County chapter.
Orange County – They just had their awards events last week, at which Todd Cooley won a distinguished service award. They had a cocktail reception this year as well and it worked well for them. There was more socializing and networking than before. He recommends the chapters consider it for their programs. They are planning a politics program in July featuring representatives from the Obama and McCain’s campaigns and encouraged PRSA members in driving distance to come.
Phoenix – No one from the chapter was on the call.
Pike’s Peak – No one from the chapter was on the call.
San Diego – Sara reported that their chapter’s June program focused on politics as well and they had a larger than usual attendance. The City of San Diego won the professional team of the year award. Their next meeting, “How to fill your pipeline in a down economy,” will be in July. Their awards will be in October. They welcomed a new APR and four candidates get through the Readiness Review. They are assisting their current APRs on maintenance paperwork. They are also redeveloping their website and including self-editing and content management software.
Southern Arizona – No one from the chapter was on the call.

Final Questions
It was asked if Denis was planning to set up a protocol to post the affinity call notes. Todd will follow up with Denis and one of them will get back to the group.

Lisa Cutter asked if the time of the call could be reevaluated because of the constant conflict with Colorado’s monthly meeting. It was the consensus of the group that the time worked, but a different day would be better. Todd will follow up with Denis and let the group know before the next meeting.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.
The next meeting date will be announced soon. Denis will send out the agenda and conference call information.

Minutes May 2008

2008-06-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes (Final)
May 21, 2008, 10 a.m. PDT
Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status
(X=in attendance, O=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (X)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (O)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (X)
Casey DeLorme, APR Southern Arizona, Immediate Past Chair &
Nominating Committee (X)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (X)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (O) – joined at 11:00am
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (O)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (O)
Daniel Rhodes, Orange County, Director-At-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (X)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (O)
Sara Wacker, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (O)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (X)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National Chapter Liaison (O)
Mary Davis, So. Arizona Chapter President (X)
Lori Bachand, Las Vegas Chapter President (X)
Opening
Denis Wolcott opened the meeting at 10:08 a.m. and welcomed all of the attendees.
Chris Chesrown is filling in for Secretary Nancy Syzdek who is attending a conference.
Minutes
Denis Wolcott asked for any corrections to the meeting minutes from April. Some references
were clarified and Daniel Rodes moved that the minutes from April be approved as corrected.
Mary from San Diego seconded. Minutes were unanimously approved. Denis will post the
corrected minutes on the Western District Blog and share with PRSA National.
Treasurer’s report
Mary Schmidt-Krebs reviewed the financial report.
There were some expenses this period – due to the Western District Conference and Board
Meeting.
• Dues have been received from all chapters.
• Revenues are up slightly due to increases in chapter members.
• Savings/investment account is being considered.
Denis further reviewed WD Conference financial overview upon questions from So. Arizona.
• Denis explained the revenue split from the WD Conference. The $1,000 in seed money
loaned to the So. Arizona Chapter will be returned. Quick-Start revenues will benefit the
District. There will be a 50-50 split of remaining profit between the local chapter and the
District for the conference.
• Concerns were raised that So. Arizona will fall under different tax requirements due to WD
Conference revenues although not all the revenues are actualized by the chapter. The matter
will be taken under advisement.
• Daniel made the recommendation that financial matters – obligations and expectations - for
the WD Conference be fully explained up front.
Chair update
Chapter visits- Denis met with the San Diego Board and the Orange county chapter last month.
Doing wonderful things in both places. Meetings are also planned with Inland Empire, Colorado
and Hawaii. Other chapters will be scheduled.
Leadership Rally- Todd is not available to attend due to a scheduling conflict. Chris will attend
and will participate in the District component, sharing information upon her return.
Western District Program Offering – APR Roadshow – Bey-Ling Sha, APR, from San Diego
Chapter is crafting a proposal and budget to take her successful SD APR preparation course of
four half-day sessions to a one- or two-day program for local chapters in the Western District.
This was discussed on APR affinity group call. Costs are $150 per participant. The preparation
program increases the ability for APR candidates to pass the exam. Sara will send out proposal to Western District Board. APR Affinity group will further develop this proposal and work with
Western District.
Western District Conference
Elaine Nathanson reported that the conference was a great event and Mary confirmed that the
event was a great way to get the chapter to work together in new ways. Denis commended the
work of So. Arizona with cooperation from the Phoenix Chapter.
Affinity Group Calls
a) Treasurer group (Mary) Wed. May 28 – 11a.m. – Next date two months out.
b) Programs and professional development (Todd) – Will plan a call shortly.
c) Membership (Lisa) – Call being scheduled.
d) Accreditation (Sara) – Conducted this week. Interesting that some APR candidates taking test through some local chapters due to being international residents. Candidate pool is strong at many chapters.
e) Web site (Denis) The call was conducted May 8. A great amount of information was shared. It
was discussed that several chapters have redone their Web sites. National may provide some
templates. Revenues are being generated from banner advertising and job listings.
f) Awards (Nancy) – The call was held on April 30 and nine participants from eight chapters
participated. Nancy will post the notes to the blog. The next call will be Wed., June 25, at 11 a.m.
(Pacific)
g) President-elects (Daniel) – Hoping to schedule a meeting late next week.
h) Presidents (Denis) – First one scheduled for June 10 at 11a.m. (Pacific).
Denis thanked everyone who is coordinating the calls.
Affiliate Task Force Update
Denis reported that the PRSSA Affiliate Chapter Task Force is continuing to meet. The group has agreed upon some solutions to issues identified with PRSSA Affiliate Chapters. One of the issues being addressed is that PRSSA Affiliate Chapters don’t have a way to meet other students in public relations education programs. Therefore, PRSSA is creating a Facebook page for the
affiliate members. The Facebook project is seen as a way to connect these students. Denis
explained that the task force is a great way to bring together people with common issues
Chapter Highlights
Colorado – Lisa needed to depart due to PRSA luncheon, but reported that membership remains strong.
Hawaii – Nancy reported that the chapter is working to update its Web site.
Inland Empire – Karen reported that chapter had its Polaris awards. Eric Schwartzman spoke on the art of social media. Chapter recognizes the need for secession planning.
Las Vegas – Lori reported that Nancy is putting together a robust group of candidates for APR.
National office has reached out to Las Vegas as emerging cultural chapter. Working with Hispanic PRwire and will bring some multi-cultural programming to the chapter in the fall, likely mid-October. She will alert the District so anyone can attend if they wish. Went to Pacific Northwest meeting and heard Johnna Burke discuss four generations of media and four generations of media measurement.
Los Angeles – Denis reported that chapter celebrated 60th anniversary of chapter yesterday. The fabulous event featured many past presidents. They turned out from as far back as the 1970’s, to discuss the challenges of their time – both current events and in PR practice. About 150 attended. Interviews were conducted before and after luncheon that will be posted to chapter Web site.
Orange County – Daniel reported that local programs include the changes at local newspapers. Awards banquet is approaching in mid-June. Working on 2009 conference. Thanked Denis for coming out to local Board meeting.
Phoenix – Chapter is moving ahead with new leadership. The chapter has resurrected the Phoenix Award, honoring a local CEO who believes in and strengthens role of Public Relations. This year the honor went to David McIntyre, Jr., president and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Chapter conducted Salary Survey.
Pike’s Peak – no report.
San Diego – Mary reported that the chapter is conducting an awards workshop – a brown bag luncheon on how to submit awards to local program. Also re-aligning the awards to mirror national awards more.
Updating website and event planned at history museum. Appreciate Denis visiting chapter to discuss District. Planning 2008 International Conference – 40th Anniversary of local chapter.
Southern Arizona – Elaine reported that the chapter is recovering from the conference. Chapter is reworking its Web sites and its ease of use. Mary noted that the Primus Awards were held one week before WD Conference. Elaine mentioned how the Affinity calls are helping with awards program. Conducted chapter-wide survey to find out what members want from chapter. PRSATUCSON.COM features handouts submitted from presenters at conference.
Adjournment

Best Practices: Web Sites

2008-06-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Chapters in the Western District are constantly updating their Web sites, creating blogs and posting social media sites -- all to serve their memberships. Below are links to some best practices and past discussions:

Revenue generation ideas
Interactivity
Blogs

Best Practices: Awards

2008-06-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Chapters in the Western District have annual awards events. Click on the links below to get some ideas:

Award categories
Entry prices
Banquet program and speakers

Best Practices: Membership

2008-05-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

Increasing membership at a local chapter can be a daunting task. But rather than invent new ideas, why not look at what has been used successfully?

Membership Success #1

Membership Success #2

Membership Success #3

Membership Success #4

Best Practices: Programs and development

2008-05-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Western District chapters conduct a wide range of programs, seminars and and other professional development events to provide their members with the tools to become better professionals.

Below are links to some of the best practices, do's and don'ts and more

Western District Conference a HIT!

2008-05-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Western District Conference in Tucson, AZ, was out of this world. Literally. And, read below for a special continuing blog discussion.

As usual, the annual conference programs gave us much more than advertised. Attendees were buzzing by the end of the day, saying they received a wealth of useful information to use back at their jobs. Many found new colleagues and connections that undoubtedly will have lasting professional rewards.

One highlight of the April 25 conference was an inside look at the planned May 25 arrival of the "Phoenix" lander on Mars. As public relations professionals, we many times fret about an upcoming event. After countless hours of preparation, one hopes all goes as planned. So, imagine the anxiety before Blaine Baggett, the steady and soft-spoken leader of Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Office of Communications and Education. Blaine gave us a brief history lesson on exploration missions to Mars, both the successes and the failures. This led to an overview of JPL's well-planned public relations effort in advance of the latest attempt to land an exploration craft at the polar region of the Red Planet. You see, the last attempt in this area didn't go so well. JPL never got a signal and the assumption is the craft crashed. Now, in just a few days, JPL will attempt to land anothe craft in the same region using many of the same landing concepts used in the first attempt. Blaine showed us a video detailing a series of complex maneuvers needed to safely land Phoenix after its 10-month journey through space. You can get the full description at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/present/phoenix.html, but let's just imagine putting the brakes to a red-hot missile using parachutes, thrusters, altimeters and gears. The public relations plan? It's a smart one. If the landing goes smoothly, JPL, NASA and others will get applause. Failure? They will get empathy and understanding, not accusations. Those who attended learned how Blaine and his team are expected to make this happen.

The conference was kicked off by the high energy of Dr. Joe Trahan, APR, Fellow PRSA, and a challenge about communications leadership. The rest of the sessions gave attendees a wealth of information on a range of topics. In an amazing 11 hours of programming, we got into the heads of Gen-Y'ers, learned how to conduct PR in Mexico, saw how Southwest Airlines' unwavering commitment to customer service and employee communications helped them escape from a potential regulatory disaster, saw how PR was effectively used to promote the Super Bowl in Arizona and more.

And, in some cases, we should have allotted more time. Such was the case with the "Blogging at Intel" session presented by Bill Kircos and Jeff Moriarty (pictured above). In fact, Bill and Jeff have agreed to keep the seminar going on this blog. All you need to do is post a question to this blog and either Bill or Jeff will respond. This should be fun. Pick their brains. Do it soon, because they may give up reading this blog if no one posts something.

Thank you to our hosts and organizers - the Southern Arizona PRSA chapter with assistance from the Phoenix PRSA chapter. Your hard work is very much appreciated.

Western District Board - March Minutes

2008-05-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
March 26. 2008, 10 a.m. PST

Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status, (x=in attendance, o=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair, (X)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (O)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona,
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (X)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (X)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (O)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (X)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (O)
Daniel Rhodes, Orange County, Director-at-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (O)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (O)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (O)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National, Chapter Liaison (X)

Denis Wolcott opened the meeting at 10 a.m. (PST) and welcomed all of the attendees. He thanked the attendees for their patience with the rescheduled meeting.

Minutes
Dennis asked for any corrections to the meeting minutes from February. Nancy Daniels noted that there was a typo on the Hawaii chapter report (change name spelling to Kristen Bonilla). Nancy Syzdek moved to approve the minutes as corrected. Mary Schmidt Krebs, seconded. The minutes were approved as corrected.

Chair update
Western District Conference
There was no one on the call from Tucson to give the update on the conference. Casey DeLormesaid that he had last heard we had 50 registrations so far. They are hoping to get 150-180. The early bird deadline is Apr, 10. Denis asked that the chapters market this in whatever way possible including at chapter meetings. Colorado is giving a stipend to two members to attend. Denis suggested chapters give members stipends to attend the Quick Start program. Denis asked for attendees to e-mail him as to whether they are attending or sending a representative. The Western District Board meeting will be at 8 a.m. on Sat., Apr. 26. Breakfast will be included. His new e-mail is denis@thewolcottcompany.com.

Affinity Group Calls
Last month affinity group leaders were established last month, but the calls are yet to be set. Todd Cooley has been trying to assemble a list of programming/professional development chairs. He asked each chapter to send them their chapter’s rep tcooley@rsmequico.com. Nancy Syzdek asked for contacts for awards chairs to be sent to nancy.syzdek@unlv.edu. Lisa Cutter volunteered to chair the membership chair call. Send membership contacts to cuttercom@earthlink.net.
.
Denis will send call coordinators some guidelines, objectives, and ideas for their calls. Call coordinators can work with Candice Bellittera to set up calls for the six groups every 2-3 months. E-mail Candice directly at chapters@prsa.org. to set up your call. Denis asked for calls to take place sometime before Western District so call coordinators can report back.

Affiliate Task Force Update
Denis is the co-chair for the task force, which met last month. They are meeting next week and hope to get a quarterly report to the PRSA Board of Directors. He applauded the volunteers participating so far and indicated there are still opportunities to participate. They are hoping to get a recommendation together this summer so it can be ready for the International Conference in October. The charge of the group is to examine ways to expand the affiliate program using lessons learned from the pilot program. They want to provide more support to affiliate members, increase the number of affiliate members, and work with colleges and universities to enhance their public relations curricula. The ultimate goal is to help college groups from affiliate status to PRSSA chapter status. Casey added that the resolution was really to enhance the benefits of affiliate members.

2009 Western District Conference
Daniel Rhodes reported that the Orange County Chapter is pursuing sponsorships and locations for the conference. He wanted to know the Board’s response to shifting the conference from a Thurs.-Sat. format to a Wed.-Fri. conference to encourage more people to stay through the end of the program on Thursday before heading out to enjoy the benefits of the locale. The actual format of the program would stay the same

Lisa Cutter noted that attendance may inevitably dwindle for afternoon sessions, but that may be offset if we’re having morning sessions. Nancy Syzdek noted the appeal of having more weekend time for professionals with families that may want to take advantage of the attractions in the Orange County area. Todd reported that they are trying to set up a package deal with Disney to help attract members.

Daniel reported they are looking at late March or late April (into the first of May) to work around spring break dates. He asked for feedback. There were no objections raised to either option. They will isolate a date so they can announce it in Tucson. They hope to formalize the May date. Denis asked Daniel and Candice to check the calendar with PRSA Board to avoid known conflicts.

Todd asked for programming suggestions to be sent to him (tcooley@rsmequico.com) or to Daniel at (drhodes@homeaid.org) . A theme is yet to be determined.

2010 Western District Conference
Nancy Daniels, APR, brought the idea for the Conference to the Hawaii chapter, which turned down the opportunity. This will be discussed further at the next Western District Board meeting.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – Lisa Cutter reported that they are sending a rep to Quick Start. They had a “shadow” day with at least 20 students participating and attending their chapter luncheon. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary as a chapter and have built programming around it including a joint event with the Denver Press Club honoring Tim Russert on Apr. 13. Frankie Cervantes from PR Newswire is interested in sponsoring this year’s Western District. Denis told her to talk with Kimberly Schmidt in Tucson at 520-770-2043. Lisa is also helping out as media relations chair for her chapter and is hoping to use her chapter members to help staff the press room at the Democratic National Convention.
Hawaii – Nancy Daniels, APR reported that their two Board vacancies have been filled. The PRSSA chapter from Hawaii Pacific University, Brandi Boatner, has been elected president of PRSSA’s national Board. Chapter membership is at about 100.
Inland Empire – No one on the call
Las Vegas – Tom Bradley reported that Las Vegas installed Feedburner to the chapter blog. There is an article on the blog to encourage Western District Conference attendance. The chapter is pushing for committee participation. Nancy reported that the Social Media event co-sponsored by PRSA national and Ragan Communications. A day-by-day report is available on the blog. They are at about 140 members.
Los Angeles – Denis reported that they are having a panel event with the local NBC and Telemundo affiliates. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year and are looking to celebrate a bit at Western District Conferece. They are planning a local multicultural media event. Their website has information on their recent event regarding corporate social responsibility.
Orange County – Daniel Rhodes reported their young professionals group is doing well and setting up a graduation event for soon-to-graduate college students. Their awards event will be in mid-June and looks forward to growing even more. They just launched a newly redesigned Web site (ocprsa.org). The site is very e-commerce friendly and they added a member highlight to the Web site to increase member value. He asked for feedback on the site. They budgeted $5-6K, but they were able to take advantage of a talented Board member to get what would have cost $20K to contract out. They have 300-325 members.
Phoenix - No one on the call. Denis acknowledged the chapter’s outstanding help with the Western District Conference.
Pike’s Peak – no one on the call
San Diego – Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, reported they are revamping their Web site over the next 12 weeks. They just completed an APR three-week study program with 16 members going through, The PRSSA Assembly met in San Diego a few weeks ago. Michael Cherenson, the PRSA Chair-elect, attended and also toured the venue for the National Conference. The host committee had their first meeting last night. Dr. Broom, who co-authored many important public relations texts and is retiring from teaching, will be honored next week. Membership is at 287 and moving up. Mary will be speaking at the San Diego state chapter of PRSSA next month.
Southern Arizona – No one on the call

Treasurer’s report
Beth could not be on the call, but sent out the report with the agenda. The chapters have been billed and revenues are expected to start coming in soon and reflected in the April treasurer’s report. Denis expects that revenue sources to supplement the conference to be discussed at the April meeting, as it looks as though income will not meet expenses this year for a variety of reasons.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m. The next meeting will be at 8 a.m. on Sat., Apr. 26 at the Western District Conference in Tucson. The following meeting/conference call will be Wednesday, May 21 at 10 a.m. PST.

2.26.08 Board Meeting Minutes

2008-04-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
March 26. 2008, 10 a.m. PST

Name, Chapter Position, Attendance Status
(x=in attendance, o=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (X)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (O)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (X)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (X)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (O)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (X)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (O)
Daniel Rhodes, Orange County, Director-at-Large (X)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (O)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (O)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (O)
Mary Davis, Southern Arizona, Chapter President (O)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National, Chapter Liaison (X)

Denis Wolcott opened the meeting at 10 a.m. (PST) and welcomed all of the attendees. He thanked the attendees for their patience with the rescheduled meeting.

Minutes
Dennis asked for any corrections to the meeting minutes from February. Nancy Daniels noted that there was a typo on the Hawaii chapter report (change name spelling to Kristen Bonilla). Nancy Syzdek moved to approve the minutes as corrected. Mary Schmidt Krebs, seconded. The minutes were approved as corrected.

Chair update
Western District Conference
There was no one on the call from Tucson to give the update on the conference. Casey DeLormesaid that he had last heard we had 50 registrations so far. They are hoping to get 150-180. The early bird deadline is Apr, 10. Denis asked that the chapters market this in whatever way possible including at chapter meetings. Colorado is giving a stipend to two members to attend. Denis suggested chapters give members stipends to attend the Quick Start program. Denis asked for attendees to e-mail him as to whether they are attending or sending a representative. The Western District Board meeting will be at 8 a.m. on Sat., Apr. 26. Breakfast will be included. His new e-mail is denis@thewolcottcompany.com.

Affinity Group Calls
Last month affinity group leaders were established last month, but the calls are yet to be set. Todd Cooley has been trying to assemble a list of programming/professional development chairs. He asked each chapter to send them their chapter’s rep tcooley@rsmequico.com. Nancy Syzdek asked for contacts for awards chairs to be sent to nancy.syzdek@unlv.edu. Lisa Cutter volunteered to chair the membership chair call. Send membership contacts to cuttercom@earthlink.net.
.
Denis will send call coordinators some guidelines, objectives, and ideas for their calls. Call coordinators can work with Candice Bellittera to set up calls for the six groups every 2-3 months. E-mail Candice directly at chapters@prsa.org. to set up your call. Denis asked for calls to take place sometime before Western District so call coordinators can report back.

Affiliate Task Force Update
Denis is the co-chair for the task force, which met last month. They are meeting next week and hope to get a quarterly report to the PRSA Board of Directors. He applauded the volunteers participating so far and indicated there are still opportunities to participate. They are hoping to get a recommendation together this summer so it can be ready for the International Conference in October. The charge of the group is to examine ways to expand the affiliate program using lessons learned from the pilot program. They want to provide more support to affiliate members, increase the number of affiliate members, and work with colleges and universities to enhance their public relations curricula. The ultimate goal is to help college groups from affiliate status to PRSSA chapter status. Casey added that the resolution was really to enhance the benefits of affiliate members.

2009 Western District Conference
Daniel Rhodes reported that the Orange County Chapter is pursuing sponsorships and locations for the conference. He wanted to know the Board’s response to shifting the conference from a Thurs.-Sat. format to a Wed.-Fri. conference to encourage more people to stay through the end of the program on Thursday before heading out to enjoy the benefits of the locale. The actual format of the program would stay the same

Lisa Cutter noted that attendance may inevitably dwindle for afternoon sessions, but that may be offset if we’re having morning sessions. Nancy Syzdek noted the appeal of having more weekend time for professionals with families that may want to take advantage of the attractions in the Orange County area. Todd reported that they are trying to set up a package deal with Disney to help attract members.

Daniel reported they are looking at late March or late April (into the first of May) to work around spring break dates. He asked for feedback. There were no objections raised to either option. They will isolate a date so they can announce it in Tucson. They hope to formalize the May date. Denis asked Daniel and Candice to check the calendar with PRSA Board to avoid known conflicts.

Todd asked for programming suggestions to be sent to him (tcooley@rsmequico.com) or to Daniel at (drhodes@homeaid.org) . A theme is yet to be determined.

2010 Western District Conference
Nancy Daniels, APR, brought the idea for the Conference to the Hawaii chapter, which turned down the opportunity. This will be discussed further at the next Western District Board meeting.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – Lisa Cutter reported that they are sending a rep to Quick Start. They had a “shadow” day with at least 20 students participating and attending their chapter luncheon. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary as a chapter and have built programming around it including a joint event with the Denver Press Club honoring Tim Russert on Apr. 13. Frankie Cervantes from PR Newswire is interested in sponsoring this year’s Western District. Denis told her to talk with Kimberly Schmidt in Tucson at 520-770-2043. Lisa is also helping out as media relations chair for her chapter and is hoping to use her chapter members to help staff the press room at the Democratic National Convention.
Hawaii – Nancy Daniels, APR reported that their two Board vacancies have been filled. The PRSSA chapter from Hawaii Pacific University, Brandi Boatner, has been elected president of PRSSA’s national Board. Chapter membership is at about 100.
Inland Empire – No one on the call
Las Vegas – Tom Bradley reported that Las Vegas installed Feedburner to the chapter blog. There is an article on the blog to encourage Western District Conference attendance. The chapter is pushing for committee participation. Nancy reported that the Social Media event co-sponsored by PRSA national and Ragan Communications. A day-by-day report is available on the blog. They are at about 140 members.
Los Angeles – Denis reported that they are having a panel event with the local NBC and Telemundo affiliates. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year and are looking to celebrate a bit at Western District Conferece. They are planning a local multicultural media event. Their website has information on their recent event regarding corporate social responsibility.
Orange County – Daniel Rhodes reported their young professionals group is doing well and setting up a graduation event for soon-to-graduate college students. Their awards event will be in mid-June and looks forward to growing even more. They just launched a newly redesigned Web site (ocprsa.org). The site is very e-commerce friendly and they added a member highlight to the Web site to increase member value. He asked for feedback on the site. They budgeted $5-6K, but they were able to take advantage of a talented Board member to get what would have cost $20K to contract out. They have 300-325 members.
Phoenix - No one on the call. Denis acknowledged the chapter’s outstanding help with the Western District Conference.
Pike’s Peak – no one on the call
San Diego – Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, reported they are revamping their Web site over the next 12 weeks. They just completed an APR three-week study program with 16 members going through, The PRSSA Assembly met in San Diego a few weeks ago. Michael Cherenson, the PRSA Chair-elect, attended and also toured the venue for the National Conference. The host committee had their first meeting last night. Dr. Broom, who co-authored many important public relations texts and is retiring from teaching, will be honored next week. Membership is at 287 and moving up. Mary will be speaking at the San Diego state chapter of PRSSA next month.
Southern Arizona – No one on the call

Treasurer’s report
Beth could not be on the call, but sent out the report with the agenda. The chapters have been billed and revenues are expected to start coming in soon and reflected in the April treasurer’s report. Denis expects that revenue sources to supplement the conference to be discussed at the April meeting, as it looks as though income will not meet expenses this year for a variety of reasons.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m. The next meeting will be at 8 a.m. on Sat., Apr. 26 at the Western District Conference in Tucson. The following meeting/conference call will be Wednesday, May 21 at 10 a.m. PST.

Western District Conference April 25

2008-04-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

Early bird registration ends Thursday, April 10.

"Discovering New Frontiers in PR"

A one-day conference in Tucson, AZ, filled with sessions covering the latest trends and communications challenges. Presenters include nationally recognized experts in social media, reputation management, crisis communications, Hispanic communications and more.

You will not find a one-day conference that offers so much in one day to advance your career and arm you with the techniques and information you need to personally succeed and provide expertise to your clients, your company or your organization.

Click http://www.prsatucson.com to register now.

2.20.08 Board Meeting Minutes

2008-04-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes (FINAL)
February 20, 2008, 11 a.m. PST

Name, Chapter, Position, Attendance Status, (x=in attendance, o=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (x)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County, Chair-Elect (x)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (x)
Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (x)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona,
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (x)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large (o)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (x)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (o)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (x)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (o)
Daniel Rhodes, Orange County, Director-at-Large (x)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (x)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (o)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (x)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (x)
Jennifer Lange, Pike’s Peak, (x)
Mary Davis, Southern Arizona Chapter President (x)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National, Chapter Liaison (x)

Denis opened the meeting at 11 a.m. (PST) and welcomed all of the attendees.

Treasurer’s update
o Since Beth was ill, Denis took the Treasurer’s Report first. Beth said there was no financial activity over the last month. Chapters will be billed for their dues soon. The checking account balance is just under $16,000. The revisions to the budget were made based on the last Western District meeting and subsequent e-mails. Now the district is looking at a more than $200 surplus. She will be investigating an interest-bearing checking account to increase revenue.
o Beth has been in contact with a representative from Smith-Barney who has been working with Orange County and Los Angeles chapters. Trak program is a 60/40 growth to bonds fund. The limit is $10,000. The funds are set aside as a long-term investment and are not easily accessible. Beth thought that removing $10K from the operating account would leave the district with $6000 for annual expenses, which should be plenty to cover the district’s operations. Questions were raised about the types of bonds that were in the profile in light of the country’s current economic issues. The concern was particular to actionable bonds. Beth will follow up with the rep from Smith Barney to check into the bond package options to reduce risk. Chris Chesrown suggested investing in CDs to generate short-term until the investment policy and accounts can be established. Denis will include the investment policy on the next agenda and we will explore the level of risk that is acceptable to the Board.
o Elaine expressed concern about the low sponsorship revenues for the Western District Conference. Denis thought this is a normal part of the conference planning process effort and believes the bottom line will be fine for the conference.
o Denis and Chris will have an offline conversation about shared financial responsibility between the Southern Arizona Chapter and the Western District.
o Mary Schmidt Krebs moved to approve the revised budget. Nancy Daniels, APR seconded. The budget was approved unanimously.

Chair update
Denis will be leaving the Water District to start his new solo venture. He asked for the Board’s patience as he goes through this transition. He will send update

Minutes
The minutes were revised and approved.

Insurance question
Nancy Daniels, APR expressed her appreciation for the speedy response to her questions re: chapter insurance

Scheduling conflict
Lisa Cutter from the Colorado Chapter has a perpetual conflict with the Board meeting and her chapter meeting. The Board agreed to move the meeting up an hour to 10 a.m. PST from March forward.

Affinity Group liaisons
Denis would like each group to hold 4-5 calls each year between chapter officers with like functions to share ideas, lessons learned, and areas of concern, Denis can help with free conference call lines. The following areas have been assigned.
Treasurer group (Beth McRae, APR)
Programs and professional development (Todd Cooley, APR)
Accreditation (Sara Wacker)
Web Site (Denis Wolcott)
Awards (Nancy Syzdek, APR)
If you are interested in leading the Membership call, please let Denis know. Also, please send each conference call coordinator the appropriate contact for your chapter.

Western District Conference Update (April 24-26, Tucson, AZ)
The payment system is live and working. Registrations are coming in. The programming has almost settled. They are securing final sponsorships from about six companies. Early bird registration is available until April 10.

Times for the conference events will be:
Thursday, April 24.
1-5 p.m. - Quick Start
6 p.m. – Reception
Friday, April 25
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. – Western District Conference
Saturday, April 26
8-10 a.m. – Western District Board Meeting

Denis encouraged chapters to help promote the conference.

Affiliate task force update
Denis gave an update on the effort. Denis will give a follow up report after the first task force call tomorrow (Feb. 21). The task force will be looking at enhancing the affiliate program and providing existing affiliates with the support they need to be successful.

2010 Western District location
2009 Conference will be in Orange County. If anyone has thoughts on where it should go, contact Denis. Nancy Daniels will check with her Board, but the expenses of holding it in Hawaii may be prohibitive.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – No one on the call.
Hawaii – Nancy Daniels, APR, reported they are having their chapter meeting today. Kristen Bonilla, their president-elect will be coming to WDC. They have lost their secretary and treasurer this year. The rest of the Board is filling in as best as they can.
Inland Empire – no one on the call
Las Vegas – (147 members) Tom Bradley reported the PRSA/Ragan Communications event in Las Vegas on March 5-7. The chapter will have a table with membership info there. On March 5 they are having a mixer for their committee volunteers to honor and thank them for their service as well as prime them for future Board leadership.
Los Angeles – (600 members) Denis Wolcott announced an event done jointly with USC to attract senior practitioners. The topic will be on incorporating CSR into business plans. They expect presenters from McDonalds, Toyota and other large companies. They are also doing a mentoring program between new professionals and senior-level members. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.
Orange County – Daniel Rhodes talked about the six new APR candidates that they are working with for Readiness Reviews in March. They have four affiliate PRSSA chapters within their area, so they are planning their first event for graduates for all four campuses in May and help them transition into the Young Professionals program. They will be holding their awards event in June. They are looking to grow in advocacy and their website.
Phoenix - Chris Chesrown reported they are taking more of a “cluster approach” to their chapter functions. While it has created more meetings, the communications within the chapter have improved. They are looking to enhance their relationships with other area communications organizations. They are also doing an online salary survey, which includes members of other communications orgs in Arizona. Phoenix is also helping with WDC.
Pike’s Peak – (70 members) Jennifer Lange reported they are working on member retention initiatives and have 9 candidates in their APR program. They will be sending a rep to WDC and looking to improve their website.
San Diego – (280) Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, reported they are having their second luncheon about cause marketing this month. They are looking to swap judge with Portland. They would like to create a long-term partnership or rotation program coordinated by WD or national to avoid the time and energy needed to find a new chapter to exchange with this year. This will be discussed further on the awards affinity group call. They are starting plans for the International Conference and beginning a new session of their APR jump-start program. They will be also evaluating their website strategy. They are investigating ways to honor Dr. Glen Broom, who recently retired from San Diego State University. They are doing cost comparisons with other communications organizations and discovering they are above the local price points. She would like suggestions or ideas on how to vary their programs to become more competitive.
Southern Arizona – (100 members) They are struggling with attendance at meetings, but are holding strong with their members. Most of their focus is on the conference, but they just launched the second year of their mentoring program. They just changed their online payment system and it seems to be working well.

Other business
Chris Chesrown asked if national had a job center. Denis explained what national offers in terms of the job center and resume listings.

Denis Wolcott will include the date for the 2009 Western District Conference on the next agenda.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m. The next meeting/conference call will be Wednesday, March. 19 at 10 a.m. PST.

1.23.08 Board Meeting Minutes

2008-03-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

PRSA Western District Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
January 23, 2008, 11 a.m. PST

Attendance Status
(X=in attendance, 0=absent)
Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles, Chair (X)
Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County. Chair-Elect (X)
Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas, Secretary (X)
Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix, Treasurer (0)
Casey DeLorme, APR, Southern Arizona,
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee (X)
Lisa Cutter, Colorado, Director-At-Large, (0)
Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii, Director-At-Large (X)
Karen Bradford, Inland Empire, Director-At-Large (0)
Tom Bradley, Las Vegas, Director-At-Large (X)
Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles, Director-At-Large (o)
Daniel Rhodes, Orange County, Director-at-Large (0)
Chris Chesrown, Phoenix, Director-At-Large (0)
Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Pikes Peak, Director-At-Large (0)
Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, San Diego, Director-At-Large (X)
Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, Southern Arizona, Director-At-Large (X)
Candice Bellittera, PRSA National Chapter Liaison (X)
Malia Moore, PRSA National (X)
Sara Wacker, San Diego (X)

Denis Wolcott opened the meeting at 11 a.m.(PST) and welcomed all of the attendees. He sent a message to chapter presidents this morning asking for the list of Board members. He also welcomed the new chapter coordinator, Candice, to her new position.

The December meeting was held online, so there were no minutes to approve. Information and comments are posted on the Western District Blog.

Casey De Lorme, APR wished Denis Wolcott well and offered his assistance as needed. Casey will be chairing the Chapter/District Council. He will be working on an effort to continue a scholarship effort to help public relations professionals further their education and to help the chapters have a stronger voice at the district and national level.

Denis reported on the status of the new task force that came out of the resolution at the last National Assembly regarding PRSSA chapter requirements and affiliate members. Denis is co-chair of the task force. More details will be posted on the blog and the effort will be moving this effort forward with help from Casey DeLorme and Jane Dvorak.

Treasurer’s Update
Beth McRae was unable to come to the meeting today but forwarded the budget via e-mail to Board members and attendees. Most of the Western District income comes from fees charged to chapters based on membership totals and from Western District Conference revenues. Denis Wolcott suggested that the district be more conservative in its revenue estimate for Western District (going from $3500 to $2500). Seed money has already been disbursed to the Arizona chapter for expenses to the conference, which will be reimbursed after the conference is over.

In terms of expenses, Denis is checking into whether the website fees were one-time for set up or a retainer for maintenance.

Denis encouraged the chapter representatives to ensure their chapter takes full advantage for the $200 professional development stipend. All that is asked is that Western District be listed as a co-sponsor on the promotional efforts. Chapters should request approval in advance with a message to Denis explaining what event they’d like to use it for.

Denis will follow up with Beth on the budget revisions. Right now we are looking at a deficit for this year’s budget. Denis will work with Beth to revise things and come back with a final budget to vote upon at the February meeting. Denis noted that there is $16,000 is currently in the account, so we will likely be in the black even if this year ends in the red.

The Board discussed whether we should proceed with a deficit budget this year. The general consensus was that we need to at least approach this year with a zero balance. Casey suggested that we look at possible new revenue streams including using teleconference technology to put on Western District-sponsored professional development.

Denis also will work with Beth on chapter investment policies for the district.

WD 2008 Goals
Denis Wolcott would like to focus on a small number of accomplishable goals.
1. Identify regional opportunities for chapters to increase membership through promotions, innovation, diversity, unique programming and professional development session, and strategic partnerships.
2. Continue to foster future chapter and district leadership through our Quick Start program, affiliate meetings and similar initiatives.
3. Identify and create a regional professional development program that can be “taken on the road” among chapters in the Western District.

Denis sought input from the Board and will seek feedback through the blog as to what topics/speakers would be useful/appealing to their members.

Affinity Groups
Help is needed to orchestrate conference calls among chapter Board members to discuss specific areas and programs. The number of calls depends on the topic. Each lead will work with Candice Bellittera to set up the call with participants. Interested folks should e-mail Denis Wolcott to volunteer. Areas include
Treasurer group
Programs and professional development
Membership
Accreditation
Website development and awards programs were suggested additions to the list.

Western District Conference Update (April 24-26, Tucson, AZ)
Denis Wolcott traveled to Tucson to see the venue and is very excited about the conference. Elaine gave some highlights of the program, including a luncheon speaker from NASA. Denis expects a large number of registrations once the program schedule is released. He reminded Board members they are expected to be there for the Board meeting on Saturday morning and the Quick Start program on the Thursday before the conference. He’s also looking for a chair’s golf tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Casey asked chapters to help promote the conference to their members by linking into the site and adding information into their chapter communications (i.e. newsletters), and avoiding schedule conflicts with chapter programming.

2010 Western District location
The 2009 WDC will be in Orange County. The Western District is currently looking for a city to host the 2010 conference. The 2009 International Conference will be in San Diego. Chapters who may be interested should contact Denis.

Chapter Highlights
Colorado – no one on the call
Hawaii – Nancy Daniels, APR, reported that a new Board is in place. Board retreat was last week and new goals are in place. She’s looking forward to great professional development programming this year and plans to make full use of the stipend.
Inland Empire – no one on the call
Las Vegas – Tom Bradley reported their first monthly luncheon on incorporating green strategies into communications. They have an exceptional turnout expected. Their chapter blog has replaced their newsletter and is doing well.
Los Angeles – A board retreat was recently held. The first program of the year – a state of the industry address – will be tomorrow night. They expect a large attendance. They are also planning a series of breakfasts with round tables featuring media groups at agencies around town.
Orange County – Todd Cooley, APR, reported a successful writing workshop with expert Ann Wylie. They were sold out for both the morning and luncheon event. APR classes have started with four candidates. They had five new APRs last year. A Young Professionals group is helping to transition PRSSA students and new professionals to the industry. Their first committee meeting had over 20 attendees.
San Diego – Mary Schmidt Krebs, APR, reported they are looking forward to their second luncheon this year. They will be swap judging with Houston for their awards program. The San Diego chapter will be hosting international conference in 2009. They are working on a modification of the “power hour” where members counsel non-profits on PR strategies that will become a full-day event. They are also going a three-week APR jump-start program.
Southern Arizona – Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow PRSA, reported that their seminar with the media went well with 90 in attendance. They partnered with the newspaper, which was very helpful with the publicity and the chapter handled the speakers and logistics. The event yielded 20 potential new members. They are building a mentoring program as well.
Pikes Peak – no one on the call
Phoenix – no one on the call

What’s Ahead…
Denis Wolcott noted that Casey DeLorme is working to get sponsors for the Western District Conference. If you have members with interests in the Southern Arizona area, please let him know.

Denis will be available to visit all of the chapters this year and would like to talk about the affiliate program Although Denis doesn’t have a repertoire of seminars, he’ll see who he may be able to bring with him to help with programming.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at noon. The next meeting/conference call will be Wednesday, Feb. 20.

A Sunny 2008

2008-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

After another successful year in 2007, the Western District continues its fine tradition of providing outstanding service to PRSA members in one of the more dynamic regions of our country. My special thanks to 2007 President Casey DeLorme for his outstanding leadership and assistance in getting me ready for 2008. And thank you to the 2007 board for its countless hours of effort and leadership. I'm happy to see many directors return to serve in 2008.

This year is already shaping up to be grand in our district.

The 2008 Western District Conference is bursting at the seams with top-notch programs. Mark your calendars now and start making reservations to visit sunny Tucson, AZ. The sessions and the speakers will advance your knowledge and communications leadership in some of the hottest topics facing public relations professionals today. In just a few days, you will see the complete program listing and more event details. Keep checking in for continuous updates.

Also, for those of you aspiring for leadership positions within your chapter or elsewhere in PRSA, make sure to attend the "Quick Start" program at the conference.

2008 Board Meetings

All meetings of the Western District Board are open to all board members and assembly delegates of Western District chapters. Cleck here for the 2008 Western District board meetings.

Affiliate update

As you may know, the Western District led the effort that resulted in a 2007 PRSA National Assembly resolution to explore and resolve an interesting dilemma facing may regions of the country. That is: How to reach out to more college students interested in a PR career.

Many public relations students have the benefit of attending a college or university with a chartered PRSA student chapter (PRSSA). But there are hundreds of students interested in a PR career who are attending non-chartered universities, colleges and even trade/technical institutions. PRSA is to be commended for developing and upholding the standards by which public relations and communications degrees are awarded at more than 200 institutions across the country. It is critically important that our profession is held to the same academic standards as other professions.

Yet, it is important for PRSA to support all aspiring professionals, without jeopardizing the high standards that have been put in place in accredited universities. Last year, students were able to join PRSA as "affiliates." But as we soon discovered, these "affiliate" student members did not receive the benefit of assembly as PRSSA students enjoy at chartered institutions. From a healthy debate at the assembly in Philadelphia, PRSA and PRSSA are redoubling their efforts to reach out to select universities and colleges that have the interest to offer the minimum course requirements for a PR degree. Meanwhile, a task force has been created to examine, among other items, the best way for affiliate student members to meet in groups.

I am co-chair of this task force and look forward to seeking your input. I will keep you posted on the Task Force's efforts in this blog.

The WD Board - 2008

2008-01-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

Your 2008 PRSA Western District Board includes four officers, and representatives

President: Denis Wolcott
President-Elect: Todd Cooley, APR
Secretary: Nancy Syzdek, APR
Treasurer: Mary Schmidt-Krebs, APR
Immediate Past President: Casey DeLorme, APR

DIRECTORS AT-LARGE
Colorado: Lisa Cutter, APR
Hawaii: Nancy Daniels, APR
Inland Empire: Karen Bradford
Las Vegas: Tom Bradley
Los Angeles: Brandy Phillips
Orange County: Daniel Rhodes
Pikes Peak: Don Miles, APR, Fellow PRSA
Phoenix: Chris Chesrown
San Diego: Sara Wacker, APR
Southern Arizona: Elaine Nathanson, APR

Board Liaison: Dennis Gaschen, APR

Dec. Virtual WD Board meeting... right here/now

2007-12-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone’s tight Dec. schedules made it nearly (but not virtually) impossible to hold a WD board meeting. I’d like to wrap any final business we have for the year via the blog.

Actually, let’s make a goal. I’d like each member of our board to add a comment to this post on the blog. If you don’t have a direct question business-wise, then please add a snippet about any activities your chapter wants to brag or complain about. (I know the Las Vegas Valley chapter has concerns about National failing to notify/include them in a big PRSA PD seminar being held there.) If you have a question/topic you don’t want to make public, you can email it directly to me and we’ll address it.

Speaking of, I went back to my 2007 WD board goals list… and I think we nailed them. We even replaced the “what’s news” section of the WD web site with the blog since it contained everything… and remained updated throughout the year. (Speaking of, turns out it took 33 blog posts to run this board.)

And, we caused a little political stir at the National Assembly. That was fun, but there’s more work to do.

Hmm… that’s it. Time to hand the gavel (and the blog login) over to Denis Wolcott. Thank you—each of you—for a great year serving as your chair.

Looking forward to serving as your voice on the Nominating Committee in 2008.

Happy holidays,

Casey

Start Here: A quick guide to this blog

2007-11-08T10:38:00.002-08:00

The left column is a quick index to important topics we've covered. The archive below that give you access to the entire blog. Click directly on the year (2007) to see the blog in its entirety. Click on the month (January, February, etc.) to see just that month's entries.

This Blog sets forth my leadership goals for the year, as well as provides key information, contacts, and meeting minutes. Our WD web site, http://www.prsawestdist.com/, as well as our board email discussion groups complement this effort.

Casey DeLorme, APR
2007 PRSA Western District Chair

10.21.07 Board Meeting Minutes

2007-11-08T10:38:00.001-08:00

Download them here (MS Word format).

Highlights include:

A little celebration of the WD's success in getting the PRSSA resolution negotiated and passed by the National Assembly.
Treasurer's report moved to the Nov. meeting, where we will discuss investment policies Beth McRae (treasurer) is researching
Updating of the WD policy regarding reimbursement of District Chair travel to the WDC and the National Assembly
Election of the 2008 WD board (see two posts below this one)

WDC 08 Explores "New Frontiers" in PR

2007-10-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

2008's WD Conference is set for April 24 & 25 in Tucson.

As a chapter leader, we ask that you:

Distribute the attached electronic postcard (it's a PDF file, so just click here to download it...) then make sure your chapter knows about it.
Let me (casey@getspine.com) know of anyone you're aware might benifit from sponsoring this event... we reach all 25,000+ PRSA members nationally, with a particular focus on the 2000+ WD members in 10 chapters covering 10 states. That's concentration, baby!
Plan on attending... including the "Quick Start" leadership training program which will be held on Thurs., April 23.

PRSA WD Board Passes 08 Board of Directors Slate

2007-10-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

Our minutes from the board meeting held in Philadelphia on Sun., Oct. 21 are delayed because two major players in brining those to you live in San Diego... and had fires to deal with for the past week or so.

However, I wanted to make sure you had the 2008 WD Board of Directors slate, which passed.

Chair – Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles (pictured - and what a great shot with the PRSA logo back there...)
Chair-Elect – Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County
Secretary – Nancy Syzdek, APR, Las Vegas
Treasurer – Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix Chapter
Immediate Past Chair & Nominating Committee – Casey Delorme, APR, Southern Arizona

Director-at-Large – Lisa Cutter, Colorado
Director-at-Large – Nancy Daniels, APR, Hawaii
Director-at-Large – Mr. Chris Bradford, California Inland Empire
Director-at-Large – Brandy Phillips, Los Angeles
Director-at-Large – Daniel Rhodes, Orange County
Director-at-Large – Chris Chesrown, Phoenix
Director-at-Large – Don Miles, Pikes Peak
Director-at-Large – Mary Krebs Schmidt, San Diego
Director-at-Large – Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow, Southern Arizona
Director-at-Large – Tom Bradley, Las Vegas

2007 PRSA Assembly Results

2007-10-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Just like last year, I'm using PRSA's own press release to tell you what passed and what did not...

21 October 2007 PRSA 2007

Delegate Assembly Paves Way for Organizational Review of Society Bylaws

Also, Proposal to Create New Regions for Board Recruitment Fails

NEW YORK (October 21, 2007) - The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has paved the way for a major organizational study of the Society's bylaws. With 99 percent delegate approval at the PRSA's annual Assembly, the resolution posed by the Board of Directors creates a special Task Force to review the current PRSA bylaws. The Task Force, to be drawn from a broad cross section of PRSA members, is charged with drawing up a revised set of bylaws in draft form for consideration of the PRSA 2008 delegate assembly.

Separately, the Assembly voted down a proposal to recast the current Board recruitment process. The resolution, defeated by a vote of 51 to 49 percent, would have created five new PRSA regions from which a director would be selected to serve on the Board with Assembly approval. Defeat of the resolution leaves the current process in place, whereby 10 directors are selected from current PRSA geographic districts. The resolution would have reserved five Board positions for each of the newly proposed regions, with five more designated as at-large.

Three other resolutions also were passed by the Assembly. One establishes a task force to develop a strategic approach to expanding and promoting the affiliate program and to create a plan of action to work with universities and colleges to qualify their curricula under the PRSA Bylaws for a PRSSA charter. The task force is to report on its progress and actions quarterly to the membership and to the 2008 PRSA Assembly of Delegates. Another resolution sets out a roadmap for leadership, which includes establishing a Volunteer Leadership Workshop. A third resolution formally honors, on behalf of PRSA, all Americans who have served in the armed forces, including current active duty, reserve members and veterans.

PRSSA "Associate Chapter" Resolution... v7 Finds Common Ground & Passes Without Debate

2007-10-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

There was a LOT of discussion, negotiation, and debate with the Educational Affairs Committee and Educators Academy, right up to the moment the resolution was presented from the floor... by myself and Joe Trahan, Ph.D. (representing the educators). The resolution made it to version 7 before everything was satisfactory to all parties. Here's the final (a merger of everyone's specific requirements). Jane Dvorak, APR, has asked the National Board to be appointed head of the task force...

NOW THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED

That the 2007 PRSA Assembly of Delegates urges the Board of Directors to appoint a task force consisting of representatives of the Educational Affairs Committee, the Educators Academy, the PRSSA National Committee, and other PRSA members-at-large to develop a strategic approach to expanding and promoting the affiliate program and to develop a plan of action to work with universities and colleges to qualify their curricula under the PRSA Bylaws for a PRSSA charter. The task force shall be directed to report on its progress and actions quarterly to the membership and to the 2008 PRSA Assembly of Delegates.

Specifically included in the task force’s explorations shall be to develop, among other things:

An executable plan for significantly increasing participation in the Affiliate Program, which addresses the services provided to students, as well as the marketing and promotion of this program;
A mechanism whereby Affiliate Program students at the same university or college, as well as in geographical proximity to one another, are encouraged and supported in forming associations with each other to realize the benefits of common interest in public relations, sharing their learning experiences, educational resources, career exploration, and development of professional and peer networks;
A plan for assisting Affiliate Program students in seeking out and benefitting from qualified academic advising and professional mentorship;
A plan for assisting PRSA chapters and practitioners in serving as mentors to Affiliate Program students; and
A plan for leveraging the Affiliate Program and these enhancements to move the schools with notable affiliate interest toward establishing the prescribed courses and other requirements to qualify for officially chartering a PRSSA chapter.

You can view the full resolution as it passed assembly (click here).

PRSSA "Associate Chapter" Resolution Update (Version 3)

2007-09-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Seems like the whole world has gotten into the discussion... even before it hits the Assembly floor. Huge thanks goes out to everyone who is piping in on the conversation. This is how these things are supposed to work. And huge, special thanks to PRSSA's Jenneen Garcia for fielding a TON of calls.

The most recent version (3) of the resolution language is available here. Expect more changes in the next 24 hours.

Successful APR Chair Call

2007-09-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Notes available here.

The leader of the call said it best, so I'll just quote:

Dear Chapter APR Chairs:

We enjoyed a very productive conference call this past Thursday. Attached are some notes from the call that I hope will be helpful.

The participants agreed that we’d like to make this a regular event. We’ll hold the next call in late January with all the incoming and returning APR chair people. We also invite any APR program volunteers and board members at your Chapter to join in.

In the meantime, let’s keep in touch and share our hard won knowledge about what works, and what doesn’t. Don’t forget the tremendous resource we have in UAB Chairperson Marisa Vallbona, APR, who was a wealth of information on our call.

Thanks to all who participated.

Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR
President
Falcon Valley Group
Board Member and APR Co-Chair, San Diego Chapter

9.19.07 Board Meeting Minutes

2007-09-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

Note: Our next WD board meeting will be in person, 7 a.m., Sun. Oct. 21 in Philadelphia (at the same hotel as the National Assembly/International Conference). Continental breakfast provided.

Minutes from our sixth WD Board meeting (teleconference)

Highlights include:

Beth McRae, APR, (treasurer) is researching an investment policy to protect/maximize the money we have in our accounts.

Dave Rickey, APR, National board member and leader of the Governance Committee joined us to preview and discuss this year's National Assembly.

Casey brought us up-to-date on the PRSSA Associate Chapter resolution.

Start Here: A quick guide to this blog

2007-09-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Note: Next WD Board teleconference Sept. 19, Noon, Mountain Daylight Time. Time zone adjustments:

2 p.m. in NYC
12 p.m. in Colorado
11 a.m. in most of Arizona, California, and Nevada
8 a.m. in Hawaii

The "Archive" in the left column is a quick index to the topics we've covered. Click directly on the year (2007) to see the blog in its entirety. Click on the month (January, February, etc.) to see just that month's entries.

Casey DeLorme, APR

2007 PRSA Western District Chair

PRSSA "Associate Chapter" Resolution DRAFT

2007-09-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

I am circulating this widely, as it is truly an effort of PRSA's WD. (click here to see the resolution)

This resolution and the National Assembly will be major topics of our Sept. 19 WD Board teleconference.

Please remember that this is a DRAFT resolution compiled based on discussions and input we have had from all over PRSA, but particularly our WD board. Many more discussions will be had before it is submitted to PRSA's Governance Committee for inclusion at the National Assembly on Sat., Oct. 20 in Philadelphia.

Just in case you hadn't seen them yet, important dates to remember regarding National Assembly:

The International Conference is Oct. 20-23 in Philadelphia, Penn. (See http://www.prsa.org/conf2007/ for details.)

Fri., Oct. 19 (late afternoon) Delegate Reception/Orientation
Sat., Oct. 20 (all day) National Assembly
Sat., Oct. 20 (time TBD) WD Dinner (plan on attending; please also extend the invitation to PRSSA members and students involved with your chapter… we’ll provide a student discount)
Sun., Oct. 21, 7:30 a.m. WD Meeting (sorry about the time… it’s so that our member can make their flights; but we promise better food than 2006)

8.15.07 Board Meeting Minutes

2007-09-04T09:32:00.001-07:00

Note: Next teleconference Noon MST, Sept. 19. Dialing instructions and time zones will be emailed one week prior.

Minutes from our fifth WD Board meeting (teleconference)

Highlights include:

Casey was paragliding during the call. Well, he was at the glider port and suited up... then went paragliding just after the call. (Actual paragliding during the call would have created too much wind noise.)

Five of our 10 chapters have requested the $200 Professional Development stipend from the WD.

Casey will circulate the draft resolution regarding "associate" PRSSA chapters within one week. Final discussions to craft this are taking place. Dennis Gaschen, APR, of the Orange County Chatper and a National Board Member is providing guidance.

7.30.07 Board Update (no teleconference)

2007-09-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

July WD Chair update (provided in lieu of a July teleconference)

Highlights include:

Call for nominations for the 2008 WD Board (go to Jane Dvorak, APR, jane@jkdjane.com or 303.238.3011). Elections will be held Oct. 21 at the WD Board meeting held in conjunction with the National Assembly in Philadelphia.

On that note, important National Assembly dates:

The International Conference is Oct. 20-23 in Philadelphia, Penn. (See http://www.prsa.org/conf2007/ for details.)

Fri., Oct. 19 (late afternoon) Delegate Reception/Orientation
Sat., Oct. 20 (all day) National Assembly
Sat., Oct. 20 (time TBD) WD Dinner (plan on attending; please also extend the invitation to PRSSA members and students involved with your chapter… we’ll provide a student discount)
Sun., Oct. 21, 7:30 a.m. WD Meeting (sorry about the time… it’s so that our member can make their flights; but we promise better food than 2006)

6.20.07 Board Meeting Minutes

2007-09-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Minutes from our fifth WD Board meeting (teleconference)

Highlights include:

Jane Dvorak reported results of the 2007 WD Conference. It exceeded $11K net revenue ($2,500 goes to the WD treasury).

90% of attendees were from Western District
15%-20% come as non-members or other areas
80% from host chapter area
40 additional attendees at lunch from local area
3 students attended and several others attended various events

Casey moving forward on a PRSA National Assembly resolution to encourage PRSSA to amend bylaws to create an "assoicate" chapter designation that allows schools not meeting requirements for an "official" chapter to still affiliate directly with PRSSA.

5.16.07 Board Meeting Minutes

2007-05-23T12:16:00.001-07:00

Minutes from our fourth WD Board meeting (teleconference)

Also, the Colorado Chapter's 2007 WD Conference Wrapup (executive summary version)

Proud note: According to Ty from National, we may have had record attendance for a District board meeting teleconference.

Highlights:

Dues status report (about half the chapters are paid – deadline is may 31)
WDC wrapup executive report from the Colorado chapter [downloadable]
Southern Arizona (Tucson) beginning planning 2008 WDC

“Like Board Positions” calls in progress:

PD and Program chairs – Mary Davis, Southern Arizona organizing
Awards Programs – Gina Seamans, APR, Colorado, organizing
APR Program (Tentatively Sept. 13) - Elizabeth Pecsi, APR, San Diego, organizing

Progress on possible amendment for the National Assembly: to create an associate chapter version of PRSSA, so that schools (including universities, colleges, and community colleges) that do not meet the full curriculum requirements for an official PRSSA chapter—yet have threshold level of student interest—can still have a PRSA/PRSSA-sanctioned campus organization to serve the needs of students who want to explore/pursue a career in public relations.

Case Study: San Diego Accreditation Success Secrets

2007-04-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

The San Diego chapter has generated major success with their APR study program, generating 10 new APRs since March of 2005. So much so that PRSA National has had the leaders of their program teach how at the national level. But it’s ALSO a revenue generator for the chapter--$1,800 since 05! Wow!

The keys to success, as presented by the chapter, are:

Strong support from chapter board
APR committee-driven process
Buy-in from local APRs
Local prep. course covers at least 70% of test content
Creation of community of candidates
Leveraging of candidate pools

See the PowerPoint (click here)—authored by the leaders of their program (contact information appears at the end of the presentation)—outlining just how they accomplished this.

Case Study: Las Vegas Professional Development Policies

2007-04-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas chapter has created significant success—both in attendance and revenues generated—by creating a system and set of rules they follow in hosting the PRSA National teleconferences on behalf of their members. This includes rules for cancellation that ensure they make money on an event, as well as professional diversity among their professional development committee members to ensure interest in a broader array of chapter and business community members (potential attendees).

Among the key points the chapter cites as having made this effort a success over the past few eyars are their commitments to:

Host three teleseminars and one live event during the calendar year.
Charge a reasonable fee that will not limit potential attendees due to budget constraints. We charge $25 for members, $30 for non-members and $35 for all at the door.
Form and manage a professional development committee made up of a diverse group of practitioners from all areas of public relations including government, corporate, higher education, and tourism.
Promote professional development events at least four weeks prior to event through the chapter list-serve, chapter newsletter, and through the professional development event listing on the local chapter’s Web site.
Schedule events at a convenient time (e.g., lunch) and encourage attendees to bring their lunch as a “brown bag” event.
When opportunities allow, pair professional development events with the luncheon. Use the luncheon to cover the broader issues and the professional development event to delve into more tactical and detailed discussions.

The complete case study, including contact information, is available here (click here).

WD Conference 07 Recap

2007-04-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

The April 12 1/2-day Quick Start leadership program drew 15 attendees representing all 10 district chapters. Coverage included advice on rising through the PRSA leadership ranks, particularly in the value of gaining leadership and political experience, as especially mentors, as discussed by Jeffrey Julin, APR, and PRSA Chair-Elect. Program details are available in an earlier post (click here). (Picture shows Elizabeth Pecsi, APR, our District Secretary, with Jeff Julin, APR.)

The April 13 full-day conference program drew 180+ attendees. Key topics:

PR As a Strategic Business Weapon presented by David Moll of Webroot Software and Patrick Ward of 104 West Partners
Great Brands are Built from Inside Out presented by Diane Gage Lofgren of Kaiser Permanente
Culture of Creating Business luncheon keynote by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, focused on Denver’s Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA)
Great Brands Built from Inside Out presented by Stan Pera, CEO of New America Consulting Group and HIS Ministries
The Art of Sales: PR in the Retail Market presented by Warren Chaumont, PR & Marketing Consultant
Facing the Nation presented by Mike Perini, direct or public affairs for NORAD and US NORTHCOM
When Art Speaks! behind-the-scenes tour of the Denver Art Museum

Western District Annual Meeting (one of two meetings the board holds in person--the other held at the annual International Conference). Meeting minutes are available (click here).

Final financial details are being tabulated, but the picture is definitely good. As the sponsoring organization, $2,500 of the revenue goes to the Western District. The host chapter keeps any revenue beyond that—and Denver did an excellent job. (Two notes for chapters considering hosting: 1. This is a big fundraising opportunity. Your chapter does the work of organizing/hosting the conference, but you get a large, ready-made audience, which attracts sponsors. 2. To host the conference, all you have to do is have your WD board rep. tell the WD board and we'll add you to the list.)

On that note, a huge thank-you to the Colorado (Denver) Chapter for hosting this year's conference, particlarly the "rock star" trio of conference organizers (in order pictured) Gina Seamans, APR, Jane Dvorak, APR, and Amy Johnson.

The Southern Arizona Chapter (in Tucson) hosts the 2008 conference.

4.14.07 WD Board Meeting Minutes

2007-04-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

Minutes from our third WD Board meeting (in person at the WD Conference).

Highlights include:

Presenting of the "rolling pin" gavel to Jane Dvorak, APR, for her service as 2006 chair
Discussion of stipends available to the WD and chapters
WD Conference post-mortem (2008 will be in Tucson, Ariz.)
Chapter Highlights ("One Brag/One Bitch")
Chapters pooling resources for bigger PD programs
National reviewing strategic and business planning

3.21.07 WD Board Meeting Minutes

2007-04-19T15:23:00.000-07:00

Minutes from our second WD Board meeting (teleconference).

Highlights include:

WD Conference update
WD Chair Initiatives for 2007
Chapter Highlites ("One Brag/One Bitch")

2.28.07 WD Board Meeting Minutes

2007-02-27T09:32:00.001-08:00

Minutes from our first WD Board meeting (teleconference).

Highlights include:

Discussion of efforts to improve Intra District communication
WD benefits to chapters
Discussion on sending a bylaw/policy change to the 2007 National Assembly
WD Conference update
New chapter "best practices" case study effort (will appear in this blog)
Re-starting the "Like Board Member" teleconferences

Getting Bearings: Quick Start Leadership Training April 12

2007-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

Who: Current and incoming PRSA Western District chapter leaders (including ALL chapter board members and aspiring leaders)
What: The Western District’s annual Quick Start Leadership SeminarWhere: Denver, Colorado
When: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, April 12
Where: Dever's Curtis Hotel (same hotel as the Western District Conference , one day prior)
Cost: $15 (a screaming deal, considering what you’ll take away from it)
Contact: Please contact Casey DeLorme, APR, Western District Chair directly at casey@getspine.com or 520.406.9334 to reserve your seat (space is limited).

The Quick Start Leadership Seminar prepares up-and-coming leaders to take the reigns. The program is designed to equip chapter leaders—presidents, presidents-elect, board and committee members, and the aspiring alike—with the key tools they need to effective lead a chapter (or any other organization). It’s the best elements of the PRSA National's leadership training program tailored specifically for the WD.

Topics covered include:

What Leaders Do: A framework for effective leadership (PRSA chapters or otherwise).+ What has National done for you lately? Getting bearings on National’s offerings.+ Conquering Chapter Financials: No, really, you can, too.
Succession Planning: Securing your legacy by nurturing the next leader generation.
The Invisible Map: Grasping PRSA’s District- and National-level leadership tracks

Additionally, current and aspiring chapter leaders will meet & network with their counterparts from all 10 WD chapters.

Chapters: Take Advantage of Us

2007-01-18T11:49:00.001-08:00

Everything the WD provides its member chapters is for naught if you don't take advantage of it. Here's the short list for chapter leaders. Start with these five items:

Collect your $200 professional development stipend. Every chapter in the WD gets this annual stipend as a seed fund for professional development workshops, whether they are the PRSA National teleconferences or a PD effort of your own making. All we ask is that you let everyone know the WD helped sponsor it. For details, contact the WD treasurer, Treasurer, Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix Chapter, at beth@mcraeagency.com.
Send rising leaders to our annual Quick Start leadership training program, which is held in conjuntion with the WD Conference in April (see the post below).
Encourage members to attend the WD Conference by marketing it within your chapter (see the post and "save the date" postcard below).
Have your leadership participate in WD leadership meetings (a complete downloadable listing of dates/times/locations appears in the post titled MY Goals/Board Meeting Schedule.)
Connect with your sibling chapters. This Blog, our regular teleconferences, and my communiques (sent directly to your board via email) will be used to provide abbreviated "best practices" and "case studies" so that all WD chapters will know where to borrow those ideas--and make them their own. Consider it "wheel reinvention prevention".

You should also take a look at the more detailed "Primer 3: What does a WD dollar buy you?" post below.

Get Thee to the 07 WD Conference

2007-01-18T11:48:00.002-08:00

The 2007 WD Conference happens April 13 in Denver (hosted by the Colorado chapter).

Communications professionals at all levels and specialties will benefit from the conference's professional development and networking opportunities. Enjoy Denver’s great hospitality and attractions while learning from business and communications executives who are a BIG deal in the Western United States. Conference sessions will focus on a variety of communication issues faced in the technology, healthcare, military, retail, manufacturing and cultural arts industries.

The WD's Quick Start Leadership Program for PRSA leaders will take place the afternoon of April 12 (just prior to the conference). All chapter leaders – especially presidents and presidents-elect – are encouraged to attend. This program helps new and experienced leaders develop their skills at heading and managing a board of directors.

Download the "save the date" card (.pdf format) here. Watch this space for updates as conference details are released.

MY Goals/Board Meeting Schedule

2007-01-18T11:48:00.001-08:00

"Pick one thing." It's the smartest piece of leadership advice I've ever received. Deceptively simple, yet the key to serving as the volunteer leader of an organization. "...countless issues need to be addressed, but you are only one leader. There will be others. Leave something for them. Do one thing well."

Thus, after discussing this with my fellow leaders, reviewing the "PRSA District Strategic Plan" discussed in the Blog post below titled Primer 2: What the h*** does a PRSA district do?, and drawing on my own insights as a PRSA leader, I have elected to focus on District-level communication.

The WD has long been a strong advocate for its members within PRSA. As you can see by the services listed in previous posts to this Blog, as well as by my predecessor's goals (at the end of this post), we provide some fantastic services to our member Chapters.

I want to ensure that:

Our member Chapters and individual members are aware of these resources AND taking advantage of them (or at least giving us feedback on why they are NOT taking advantage).
That the WD is serving as a conduit for members trying to connect and have an effect at the District and National levels of PRSA.

I intend to accomplish this by:

Maintaining regular communication with all chapters within the WD and with National, including placing resources and archived information at everyone's fingertips.
Keeping the best of the existing communications technologies and experimenting with/incorporating new techologies when they can improve the existing (such as this Blog).
To accomplish both 1 & 2 with a focus on two-way communications so that the WD serves as both an ear and a voice (an advocate) for its members at the National level.

This Blog is my first volley and will remain central to this effort. More intiatives will follow, each detailed in the Blog as we progress.

The second volley is our regular calendar of Board discussions and meetings, which you can download here.

I hope that you will join me for (and participate, at least as a voice) in that journey.

-----

Jane Dvorak's's 2006 WD Chair goals:

Increase the professional development opportunities throughout our district through our $200 PD stipend, Western District Conference and exploring other potential collaborations for regional programming.

Successfully implement a Quick Start program for current and prospective District leaders as part of our Western District Conference weekend.

Encourage Chapter-to-Chapter networking and sharing of ideas through our district listserv, conference calls and sharing of best practices.

Establish systems/processes for our conference, professional development opportunities and national resources to better assist our District volunteers with projects and provide Chapters access to resources.

Top Voices: WD members = National board members

2007-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

Just to brag a little (and show that the WD is no slouch), both our 2007 PRSA National Chair & CEO (Rhoda Weiss, APR, Fellow PRSA) and Chair-Elect (Jeffrey P. Julin, APR) hail from the WD. Dennis Gaschen, APR, a past WD Chair, also serves as a Director on the National board. We're also all over PRSA's committees at all levels.

In short, we got "pull" in a Society that hails from all corners of the country (and, now, corners of a few others). Your 2007 WD board is the proud caretaker of the WD's traditionally powerful voice ensuring that its members concerns and wishes are heard throughout the Society.

See the full PRSA National Board of Directors here.

Who's driving this thing? The '07 WD BoD

2007-01-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

As elected at our in-person meeting following the November 2006 PRSA Assembly in Salt Lake City, the 2007 PRSA Western District Board of Directors:

Chair – Casey Delorme, APR, Southern Arizona Chapter
Chair-Elect – Denis Wolcott, Los Angeles Chapter
Secretary – Elizabeth Pecsi, APR, San Diego Chapter
Treasurer – Beth McRae, APR, Phoenix Chapter
Immediate Past Chair – Jane Dvorak, APR, Colorado Chapter

Director-at-Large – TBD, California Inland Empire Chapter
Director-at-Large – Gina Seamans, APR, Colorado Chapter
Director-at-Large – Melissa Chang, APR, Hawaii Chapter
Director-at-Large – Pete Codella, APR, Las Vegas Chapter
Director-at-Large – TBD, Los Angeles Chapter
Director-at-Large – Todd Cooley, APR, Orange County Chapter
Director-at-Large – Chris Chesrown, Phoenix Chapter
Director-at-Large – Don Miles, APR, Pikes Peak Chapter
Director-at-Large – Marisa Vallbona, APR, San Diego Chapter
Director-at-Large – Elaine Nathanson, APR, Fellow, PRSA, Southern Arizona Chapter