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2009 PRSA-LA
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Rita Tateel
President
The Celebrity Source
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Eric Moses
Director, Comm. & Public Affairs
Occidental Petroleum
VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER
Kathleen Dunleavy
Communications Lead Mgr.
West Region, Sprint Nextel
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
Erik Deutsch
Principal
ExcelPR Group
Holly Ferris
President
Ferris Communications
Gregory Jenkins, APR
Partner
Bravo Production
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
President & Principal
Caddy Marketing & Communications, Inc.
Stefan I. Pollack
President
The Pollack PR Marketing Group
Kerry Slaughter
Chandler Chicco Agency
Phyllis Tucker
Senior Vice President
Hill & Knowlton
Robert J. Wolff
Corporate Communications
Bank of the West
ASSEMBLY DELEGATES
Michael J. Furtney, APR, Fellow PRSA
Principal
Killeen Furtney Group
Peter Hidalgo, APR
PR Consultant
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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L.A. Connect
is published by
PRSA-LA
11271 Ventura Blvd. #514
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818-761-5575
prsala@aol.com
www.prsala.org
Erik Deutsch
Editor
323-851-2455
erikd@excelpr.com
Philip Sokoloski
Assoc. Editor
213-977-8630
(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.
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.
2003
PRSA-LA holds its first IPG (Independent Practitioners Group) Meeting.
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.
2008
PRSA-LA Celebrates its 60th Anniversary with the largest gathering of past presidents in the chapter’s history. More than 20 past presidents chronicle their recollections about the history of the chapter.
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| Greetings!
 Talk about an award-winning performance…
As we approach the annual PRism Awards banquet on October 22nd, I’m happy to report that PRSA-LA has received the highest number of award entries since 2003. Despite the tough economy, we had an impressive 16% increase in entries over last year alone!
The PRisms recognize the very best in public relations practice in the greater Los Angeles area. Based on the number of entries, it’s clear that local PR pros understand such recognition is more important now than ever.
PRism Award finalists will be notified in the next few days, and the full list of finalists will be published soon on the PRSA-LA Web site. Even if you didn’t submit an entry, you can still make a big splash at the banquet by becoming a PRism sponsor (click here for sponsorship info).
I hope to see you on October 22nd!
Rita Tateel, PRSA-LA President
President, The Celebrity Source, Inc.
PRSA@CelebritySource.com |
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Don’t Miss PRSA-LA’s 2nd Annual Social Media Seminar
Sept. 24th, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
@ The Olympic Collection
 Tickets are still available for PRSA-LA’s 2nd Annual Social Media Professional Development Seminar, which will be held Thursday, September 24th at The Olympic Collection in West L.A.
This year’s event will feature an amazing roster of speakers, including Emanuel Rosen – author of The Anatomy of Buzz, and Peter Shankman – founder of Help A Reporter Out (HARO).
More information is available on the PRSA-LA Web site.
Last year’s seminar sold out, so RSVP Today!
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| PRSA-LA Web Site Gets Behind-the-Scenes Makeover
 While it retains the same overall look and feel, PRSA-LA’s Web site (www.PRSALA.org) has undergone a comprehensive makeover to improve its back-end framework, content management system, security features and search engine optimization. These behind-the-scenes changes also set the stage for a range of future enhancements.
Some of the immediate hands-on benefits include the ability for members to change their log-in password. There’s also a new section where members can create and update their personal profile – complete with photos and company logo.
Kudos to the volunteers who helped test the new site!
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| PRSA-LA Members Can Save Big on EPPS’ Twenty4Seven Conference
 PRSA-LA has teamed with EPPS (Entertainment Publicists Professional Society) to offer our members discounted admission to the Twenty4Seven Conference on Wednesday, October 21st.
This one-day conference will explore how technology convergence is changing entertainment publicity, as well as what’s on the horizon for "Hollywood 3.0." Leading experts from studios, networks, agencies and a range of media outlets will share their tricks of the trade and strategies for success.
Through a special arrangement, PRSA-LA members may attend the conference at the discounted EPPS member rate. To take advantage of this offer, use discount code "ASRP" on the registration form. |
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PRSA International Conference Comes to San Diego (Nov. 7-10)
Register before Sept. 25th and Save!
 It’s not often that the PR industry’s largest annual gathering lands in our backyard. But that’s precisely what will happen when PRSA’s 2009 International Conference comes to San Diego Nov. 7-10.
The conference is a once-a-year opportunity to network and learn alongside the industry’s best and brightest. With more than 80 professional development seminars, you’ll get the information you need to become a better PR professional and take control of your future.
So what are you waiting for? Register for the conference by September 25th to take advantage of special early-bird pricing!
For more information, visit the PRSA national Web site. |
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| MEMBER/AGENCY NEWS
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@filmla.com.
McKenzie Moves to the Windy City; Joins MS&L
 PRSA-LA Board member Dawn McKenzie, APR recently announced that she and her husband Mike will relocate to Chicago at the end of this month. The Detroit native (and hot air balloon enthusiast) is leaving her job as assistant communications manager for General Motors’ West Region to begin a new gig at Manning, Selvage & Lee’s office in Chicago. Dawn will serve as a senior account supervisor in the corporate practice, where she will lead campaigns for Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and DeVry University. Dawn credits her PRSA network with helping land the perfect job. We’ll miss Dawn, and we wish her well!
Thompson Tackles Multi-Lingual Video Projects
 Veteran TV producer and multicultural video specialist Marshall Thompson of PRVIDEO.TV recently completed a series of multi-lingual projects including a Spanish/English video titled "Abriendo Puertas" ("Opening Doors") for the non-profit Families in Schools organization. He also produced news b-roll in English, Spanish and Chinese for the Air Quality Management Districts’ remote sensing program, which aims to reduce excessive tail pipe emissions. These projects are just the latest in a long series of multilingual videos produced by the Malibu-based Thompson, who is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.
Pollack Renews Make-A-Wish Foundation
 For the fifth straight year, the Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG) has been retained by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater L.A. to handle PR for the annual Season of Wishes™ campaign. The Foundation makes wishes a reality for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Founded in 1980, it has grown to become the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 67 chapters in the US and its territories. PPMG helped create the L.A. chapter’s annual Season of Wishes holiday campaign, which aims to raise regional awareness of the Make-A-Wish brand and help grant wishes to every eligible child.
Myers Proposes "Hollywood" Solution to MPTF Retirement Home Squabble
 Julian Myers, APR – the 91-year old dean of Hollywood publicists who recently rejoined PRSA after a 35 year hiatus – is working hard to solve a growing controversy in the entertainment industry. His latest cause is preventing closure of the Motion Picture Country Home, which has served for nearly seven decades as a retirement home and long-term care hospital for aging showbiz professionals. The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) announced in January that it plans to close the facility at the end of this year due to a lack of funding.
Julian is approaching the solution in classic "Hollywood" style, making the rounds with local media to promote an annual fundraiser called "This is Hollywood" that would enlist both sides in the closure debate. The goal is to stage a large-scale event where the stars would come out to take care of their own. Julian hopes the elderly residents (most of whom are his junior) can stick around long enough to see his dream become a reality.
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| Member Milestones
Wilcox Delivers!
 On August 19th, PRSA-LA Board Member Dawn Wilcox, APR gave birth to Kaya Marie Kirtman – the newest member of our chapter’s extended family. The baby with the PR-perfect smile weighed in at 8 lbs., 11 oz.
Given how her story began, perhaps Kaya will one day consider a career in PR. That’s because Dawn met Kaya’s father – NBC Universal VP of Publicity Nate Kirtman – during a PRSA-LA event at the KNBC-TV studio in March 2008. Dawn is on maternity leave through the end of the year from her job as GM of Allison & Partners’ L.A. office. |
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 Mark Your Calendar
September 24
Social Media Seminar Olympic Collection
October 10
Quality Time with PR Minds
Rand Corporation
October 22
PRism Award Banquet
Renaissance Hollywood Hotel
November 7-10
PRSA International Conference
San Diego Convention Center
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| Update Your National Member Profile and Win PRSA Swag!
Updating your job title, areas of specialization and other demographic info via a simple form on the PRSA national organization Web site can earn you some great swag. It will also help the national organization better serve you and your fellow members.
Through the end of September, PRSA will randomly select members to receive gifts, including a $100 Amazon gift card and items from the PRSA Store.
The easiest way to update your demographic information is via the MemberNet section form.
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Featured Company #1
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Send2Press is a service of Neotrope, which was founded in 1983 by PR guru Christopher Simmons. Neotrope is a BBB member and bronze sponsor of the PRSA 2009 International Conference. It’s also a 2009 INC 5000 listed company. New customers receive 10% off their first project.
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Featured Company #2
BizBash Masterplanner is the leading clearinghouse for information regarding events in the L.A. region. For more than 20 years, this indispensable resource has provided a continuously updated 12-month rolling calendar to keep everyone up-to-speed on what’s happening. Its detailed listing information can help you avoid scheduling conflicts and select the perfect date for your event. Many subscribers are PR pros who use the Masterplanner’s robust search engine to also research events, venues, sponsors, organizations and individuals making news.
PRSA-LA members are invited to receive a free one month subscription, as well as a 30 percent discount off the $240 annual subscription price. For more information, please contact Liz Familian: efamilian@bizbash.com / (310) 862-1347.
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| Welcome New Members
PRSA-LA welcomes the following new members:
| Richelle Briasco
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Keshia Dannielle Cain
Northeast Valley Health Corporation
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| Gabrial Del Rio
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Nicole Jordan
Rubicon Project
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Irine Krass
Novom Marketing
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Bonnie Lee La Madeline
Orange
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| Mileska Ivette Ortiz
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Karen Tantzen
Bluebeam Software, Inc.
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| Hyun Tae Yi
Port of Long Beach
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| Wanted: "Resourceful" Volunteers
PRSA-LA Seeks Help with Member Resource Directory
 PRSA-LA is seeking volunteers to help expand the chapter’s online Resource Directory. Produced annually, the Directory provides a comprehensive list of vendors that cater to L.A.-area PR professionals. The time commitment for volunteers is fairly small (just a few hours total). MS Excel skills are a plus. For more information, please contact Kathleen Dunleavy: kathleen.dunleavy@sprint.com.
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