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2009 PRSA-LA
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Rita Tateel
President
The Celebrity Source
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Eric Moses
Vice President
Consensus Planning Group
VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER
Kathleen Dunleavy
Communications Lead Mgr.
West Region, Sprint Nextel
VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY
Kimberly Cohn
Director, Mktg. & Comm.
Easter Seals Southern California
VICE PRESIDENT
Bob Gold
President
Bob Gold & Assoc.
VICE PRESIDENT
Brian O'Connor
Director, Marketing & Public Relations
Cunard Line
VICE PRESIDENT
Alfredo Padilla
Vice President, Corp Comm.
Comerica Bank
Western Market
DIRECTORS
Ron Antonette
PR Consultant
Erik Deutsch
Principal
ExcelPR Group
Holly Ferris
President
Ferris Communications
Gregory Jenkins, APR
Partner
Bravo Productions
Meg Mc Donald, APR
Owner/CEO
Mc Donald Media Services
Josefina Mora
Marketing Director
Playhouse District Association
Sallie Olmsted, APR
Executive Vice President
Rogers & Cowan
Keith R. Pillow, APR
Vice President
Abelson Group, Inc.
Stefan I. Pollack
President
The Pollack PR Marketing Group
Phyllis Tucker
Senior Vice President
Hill & Knowlton
Erika White
Asst. Mgr., Brand Comm.
Hilton Hotels Corp.
ASSEMBLY DELEGATES
Michael J. Furtney, APR, Fellow PRSA
Principal
Killeen Furtney Group
Peter Hidalgo, APR
Chief of Staff
Legislation and Communications
Councilmember José Huizar
Council District 14
Daryl R. McCullough
CEO
PainePR
Dawn McKenzie, APR
Assistant Regional Communications Manager
General Motors Corporation
Ron W. Roecker
President
Enfluence Group
Dawn Wilcox, APR
General Manager, L.A.
Allison & Partners
Denis Wolcott, APR
President
The Wolcott Company
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Resource Links
Job Listings
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Erik Deutsch
Editor
323-851-2455
erikd@excelpr.com
Philip Sokoloski
Assoc. Editor
213-977-8630
L.A. Connect
is published by
PRSA-LA
11271 Ventura Blvd. #514
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818-761-5575
(c) 2009 PRSA-LA
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The Los Angeles Area Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is comprised of more than 500 public relations professionals representing many L.A.-area corporations, public relations agencies, independent practitioners, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.
Our diverse membership benefits from PRSA-LA's educational and networking opportunities, as well as services such as job listings, referral programs, internship opportunities, chapter meetings and other resources.
Milestones
1948
PRSA-LA incorporated as one of PRSA's first five founding chapters. Bob Roberts elected first chapter president.
1955
PRSA-LA hosts the national PRSA Annual Conference. More than 1,100 PR pros attend at the Ambassador Hotel.
1964
PRSA-LA holds the first annual PRism Awards competition and banquet.
1965
PRSA-LA elects its first woman president, Pat Penney.
1970
PRSA-LA Executive Director Barbara Shore is hired to run the chapter's day-to-day operations – a position she still holds 38 years later.
1985
PRSA-LA awards the first Joseph Roos Award to recognize PR professionals who have demonstrated extraordinary community service.
1988
PRSA-LA members Eric Stoltz and Tom Trevett form PRSA's first Young Professionals (YP) section.
1988
PRSA-LA members Eric Stoltz and Tom Trevett form PRSA's first Young Professionals (YP) section.
1989
PRSA-LA awards the first Don Perkins Grant to fund PR services for worthy nonprofit organizations.
1990
PRSA-LA and the Annenberg School for Communication hold the first Kenneth Owler Smith (KOS) Symposium named after the beloved USC professor.
2004
PRSA-LA Board Member Dawn Wilcox, APR stages the first Quality Time with PR Minds event and creates a model program for assisting nonprofits that is emulated by other PRSA chapters.
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Message from the President
Dear PRSA-LA Member,
The PRSA-LA Board of Directors met recently for a strategic planning session where the over-arching theme was maximizing value for our members. Now, more than ever, we are committed to ensuring that the value of PRSA-LA membership far exceeds the cost.
 We have already started by making our popular "At Breakfast With" event series free to members. While other organizations are increasing fees, our Sponsorship Committee is working hard to keep our monthly program fees where they have remained since 2003. We're also expanding our members-only Job Board, enhancing resources on our Web site and expanding business referral and networking opportunities.
In addition, PRSA National is providing members with substantial discounts at FedEx and Office Depot, and is about to launch a health, dental, E&O, and life insurance program for members and their families.
But even with all of these benefits, the best way to gain value from your PRSA-LA membership is to become actively involved in one of our chapter's 22 committees. It's the most effective way to increase your business network, gain new professional skills and develop lasting relationships.
Yes, economic times are tough, but that's all the more reason to keep your PRSA-LA membership active. As the late, great Gregory Peck once said, "Tough times don't last, tough people do."
Rita Tateel, PRSA-LA President
President, The Celebrity Source, Inc.
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19th Annual Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium
Global Recession:
Public Relations Calamity or Opportunity?
Thursday, February 26th @ USC
PRSA-LA and the Annenberg School for Communication at USC are proud to present the 19th annual Kenneth Owler Smith (KOS) Symposium. This year's event will examine the outlook for PR amid the global recession. An all-star panel of experts will discuss what today's tough economic times really mean for PR practitioners and the profession as a whole. Renowned industry analyst and journalist Paul Holmes will deliver the keynote address, and there will be plenty of time for networking before and after the program. Please join us for one of our most prestigious events of the year.
WHO:
Keynote Address:
Paul Holmes, Editor, The Holmes Report
Panelists:
Don Spetner, EVP Corporate Affairs
Korn/Ferry International
Phyllis Piano, VP Corp. Comm., Philanthropy
Amgen
Margery Kraus, President & CEO
APCO Worldwide (and Chair Elect, Council of PR Firms)
Moderated by:
Geoff Cowan, Family Chair in Comm. Leadership
USC Annenberg School for Communication
WHEN: Thursday, February 26, 2009
6:00-7:00 pm Networking Reception & Dinner Buffet
7:00-7:30 pm Keynote address by Paul Holmes
7:30-9:00 pm Panel on Global Recession and PR
9:00-9:30 pm Dessert Reception
WHERE:
USC Annenberg School for Communication
COST:
$35 PRSA-LA Members
$30 PRSA-LA YPs, Associate Members and
PRSSA Students
$50 Non-Members and Guests
RSVP:
Please register by February 24, 2009
Late RSVPs add $10.
* By phone at (323) 461-2372
* By check via mail to:
PRSA-LA, 11271 Ventura Blvd.,
#514, Studio City, CA 91604
(include attendee/company name and email address)
Note: USC Alumni and USC Students should RSVP to
Space is limited, and this program has sold out in the past. RSVP online today!
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L.A. Connect Needs a New Catchphrase
The New York Times proudly boasts "All the News That's Fit to Print." Captain Kirk invites Trekkies to "boldly go where no man has gone before." These are examples of great taglines or catchphrases.
 L.A. Connect – PRSA-LA's eNewsletter – is seeking a new tagline of its own to complement our new masthead (designed by the good folks at Branded Legion), and we're calling on PRSA-LA members to help us come up with something distinctive.
Please send your tagline suggestions by March 15th to L.A. Connect Editor Erik Deutsch at erikd@excelpr.com. We'll announce the winning tagline in the next issue and reward the author with free admission to the PRSA-LA monthly program of his/her choice (a $35 value).
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PRSA-LA Gets Social
As part of our effort to practice what we preach, PRSA-LA continues to expand its Web 2.0 presence on major social media sites. Members are encouraged to use these vibrant online communities to connect with fellow PR pros, share information and become part of the online conversation.
Here's a brief list of social media sites where we have an established presence. If you haven't done so already, why not join PRSA-LA to start putting social media to work for you?
Visit our Facebook group frequently for member updates, photos, videos, etc. Don't forget to check out the discussion board and leave a note on our "wall."
Visit the chapter's LinkedIn group for updates and the opportunity to post questions and connect with fellow members.
 Follow @PRSALA (twitter.com/prsala) and stay tuned for frequent "tweets" about chapter news, as well as live tweets from chapter events.
 Sign up for a Yahoo! ID and click on the purple "Yahoo! Groups" button to join the PRSA-LA group and take part in the discussion.
PRSA-LA has its own channel on YouTube with videos from past chapter events (videos courtesy of PRSA-LA partner iPressroom).
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MEMBER NEWS
"3 Cheers" for Bravo Productions
 Long Beach-based Bravo Productions – a full-service corporate event planning and production company – has landed contracts to stage three signature events for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater L.A. (BOMA/GLA), including the organization's annual awards gala at the Beverly Hilton. According to Partner and PRSA-LA Board Member Greg Jenkins, APR, the company will also produce the annual awards banquet in Washington DC for The United Group (TUG), which represents distributors of janitorial, industrial packaging and foodservice products nationwide.
Pollack Promotes Pier Centennial
 The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG) has been retained to promote The Santa Monica Pier Centennial Celebration, which will include a kick-off event and a series of free public events that pay homage to memorable moments in the pier's history. As part of the campaign, the agency will also help raise awareness about the pier's role in everyday life and the city's economic development.
Padilla Featured in PRWeek
 PRSA-LA Board Member Alfredo Padilla was featured prominently in the Jan. 26th edition of PRWeek in a cover story about how financial service institutions are reaching out to diverse communities. The story includes a large photo of Alfredo in his downtown L.A. office at Comerica Bank, where he serves as VP of corporate communications. Alfredo is also past president of the Hispanic Public Relations Society (HPRA). The story is available on PRWeek's Web site (requires registration).
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"The State of the State of PR"
Video Highlights
It has become a tradition for PRSA-LA to kick off each new year with the popular "State of the State of PR" event. This year's edition held on Jan. 27th drew a large crowd of corporate, not-for-profit and agency professionals. The panel discussion was moderated by LABJ Editor Charles Crumpley, and featured some of L.A.'s most influential PR practitioners including Keisha Brown (LAGRANT Communications), Richard Kline (Occidental Petroleum), David Olson (Abernathy MacGregor Group) and Chris Ender (CBS Television). PRSA-LA extends a special thank you to iPressroom.com for sponsoring the event and creating the highlight video that can be viewed on PRSA-LA's Web site.
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Calling PR Pros with 5+ Years of Experience
APR "Class of 2009" Now Forming!
Have you thought about pursuing accreditation in public relations? If  you have five or more years of paid work experience in the PR profession, you're a candidate to earn the APR (Accredited in Public Relations) designation. Earning the APR is a uniquely rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. It's an opportunity to sharpen your craft and distinguish yourself as a professional.
The first step is to request an application from the PRSA-LA Accreditation Committee and submit the completed form along with a non-refundable payment of $385.00 to cover the application and testing fee. Once accepted by PRSA National, you'll have one calendar year to: 1) study suggested review materials, 2) attend PRSA-LA's optional-but-highly-recommended prep classes (scheduled for mid-2009), 3) participate in an oral Readiness Review with APR peers from our chapter, and 4) schedule and take the written exam at an approved regional testing center.
To request an application and receive first-person insight from a member who passed the exam in 2008, please contact Sallie Olmsted, APR, PRSA-LA Accreditation Committee Chair at solmsted@rogersandcowan.com. In the subject line please put "APR Application – [Your Full Name]".
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 Mark Your Calendar
April 8
At Breakfast With…
Healthcare Media
April 22-24
Western District Conference
Newport Beach
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Welcome New Members
PRSA-LA welcomes the following new members:
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Meet PRSA-LA's New Board of Directors
Your 2009 PRSA-LA Board of Directors is busy providing leadership on your behalf. You can meet these hard working volunteer men and women by clicking the link below. Board members with committee liaison responsibilities are listed along with their contact information. Please feel free to communicate your suggestions, ideas and/or interest in getting more involved to the appropriate board member.
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Western District Conference Surfs into Newport Beach
 Cowabunga! It's time to hit the surf and join fellow PR pros from across the Western US as PRSA's Western District Conference comes to the Newport Beach Hyatt Regency April 22-24. This year's theme is "Making Waves," which is appropriate given the event will feature thought-leaders such as Peter Shankman (the "big kahuna" behind HARO) and brand/marketing expert Peter Leinberger. So grab your boogie board and plan to attend! More info is available on the conference Web site. |
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 Do you or a colleague have professional news to share? Did you get promoted or receive an honor or award? Did your agency win new business? If so, let us know so we can share the good news with your fellow PRSA-LA members.
Please e-mail info to L.A. Connect Editor Erik Deutsch at erikd@excelpr.com or Assoc. Editor Philip Sokoloski at psokoloski@filmlainc.com.
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