2010 PRSA-LA
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Eric Moses
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Brian O'Connor
Cunard Line
VICE PRESIDENT/ TREASURER
Alfredo E. Padilla
Laureate Higher Education Group
VICE PRESIDENT/ SECRETARY
Josefina Mora Playhouse District Association VICE PRESIDENT
Erik Deutsch
ExcelPR Group
Victoria Lelash, APR
PainePR
Dennis Kaiser
ValleyCrest Landscape Companies
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Rita Tateel The Celebrity Source
DIRECTORS
Stephen Chavez Ketchum
Kathleen Flood MWW Group
Holly Ferris
Ferris Communications
Michael J. Furtney, APR,
Fellow PRSA
Killeen Furtney Group
John Musella, APR
Newhall Land
Negin Kamali
GolinHarris
Kerry Sinclair Chandler Chicco Agency
Tod Tamberg Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Karen White, APR Amgen
Denis Wolcott, APR The Wolcott Company
Robert J. Wolff Bank of the West ASSEMBLY DELEGATES Peter Hidalgo, APR Time Warner Cable
Bravo Productions
Sallie Olmsted, APR Rogers & Cowan
Stefan Pollack
Pollack PR Marketing Group
Daryl R. McCullough
PainePR
Phyllis Tucker Hill & Knowlton
Dawn Wilcox, APR
Allison & Partners
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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 40 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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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
Philip Sokoloski, Editor
213-977-8630
(c) 2010 PRSA-LA
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Greetings!
 | | Eric Moses |
As the year draws to a close, I'd like to recall some of the programming the chapter put on this year and give you an idea of the value of membership in PRSA Los Angeles.
We had several marquee events throughout the year that provided access to some of the most forward thinkers in our profession. Executives who lead communications for Fortune 500 companies and whispered in the ears of U.S. presidents. In July, we hosted a panel discussion with four White House press secretaries. Rarely, if ever, do public relations professionals outside of Washington, D.C., have the opportunity to hear about the strategies behind presidential communications programs. As Dan Schnur, panel moderator and USC professor, said: "A lot of times you do panels like these and you get ... a lot of fun, neat war stories, or you get solid, practical, workable advice. And the really great thing about these four panelists is we got both." You can see excerpts from that event on our website in a video filmed and edited by Spirit Marketing.
Our annual Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium with USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism providef an opportunity to hear from one of the leading strategists in public relations, IBM's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Jon Iwata. And our At Breakfast With... series remains one of our most popular offerings, providing you access to journalists who cover your clients and your companies. We also had a great event, featuring LA Police Chief Charlie Beck.
I hope you've had an enjoyable year. We are currently planning for next year. If you have ideas for speakers or suggestions of journalists you want to hear from during our At Breakfast With... program, please send me an email.
Sincerely,
Eric Moses, PRSA-LA President
Director, Communications & Public Affairs
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
ericmosesprsa@yahoo.com
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Announcing the Winners of the
2010 PRism Awards
46th Annual Awards Program Winners Now Highlighted on PRSA-LA Web Site  Wednesday November 10 brought the 46th Annual PRism Awards Show to Los Angeles, and hundreds of PRSA-LA members were on hand to celebrate the achievements of public relations professionals throughout Greater Los Angeles.
This year's show at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel brought 102 finalists together to compete for PRism Awards and Awards of Excellence in 66 total categories and sub-categories.
The full list of this year's winners is now available. If your firm was honored and you'd like to order additional copies of a winner certificate or award, you may do so before December 10, 2010 using this duplicate order form.
You can also order photos from the award show from AP Images. Photos are now online and the entire collection may be accessed here at AP Images: 2010 PRism Awards Show. Use the search term "PRism" for best results. Event photos are available for purchase at $20 each by contacting Mary Allison, Assignments & Publicity Manager, Associated Press, 213-346-3158 or mallison@ap.org. Photos will be available until Saturday, December 11, 2010.
In addition to the awards for best PR strategies and tactics, the chapter honored Don Spetner, Executive Vice President at Korn/Ferry International, as PRSA-LA's PR Professional of the Year for 2010.
Other special award winners were: - Hyundai Motor America as Corporate Citizen of the Year
- Princess Cruises as PR Team of the Year
- Ketchum earned the President's Award for winning six PRisms
- Edelman took home the Best in Show PRism
- PRSA-LA's Executive Director Barbara Shore was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for her 40 years of service to the chapter.
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A Taste of What You Missed
Latest "At Breakfast With..." Event Offers Key Insights on Working with Lifestyle Journalists  If you weren't at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles the morning of Wednesday, November 3rd, you missed out on key insights shared at PRSA-LA's latest At Breakfast With... (ABW) event, which featured a panel of five top travel journalists covering the travel and lifestyle industry. The panel featured Jane Engle, Assistant Travel Editor, Los Angeles Times; Kira Coplin, Managing Editor, 944 Los Angeles; Jeff Miller, L.A. Editor, Thrillist.com; Margot Dougherty, Contributor, Los Angeles Magazine & Conde Nast Traveler and David Keeps, Los Angeles Correspondent, Travel + Leisure. The panel was moderated by Daniel Guerrero, Director of Communications at Visit Newport Beach Inc. Among the valuable insights offered by the panelists were six key principles of pitching in the digital age, recounted here by copywriter Andrew Hindes, PRSA-LA member and president and founder of The In-House Writer: - Know Thy Outlet: Thrillist.com, a 2 million-subscriber travel email newsletter specifically for men, often gets pitches from resorts about their spa treatments for women.
- Get to the Point: "I don't need to be entertained, I need to know what your pitch is about," said Engle of the Los Angeles Times.
- A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words: Good images, even preliminary artist's renderings, can play a key role in whether a destination gets covered or not. Avoid sending out a press release or media kit with just a single photo.
- Social Networking is a Mixed Bag: Although travel journalists regularly use Twitter and Facebook for tips, friends' recommendations have credibility corporate accounts lack.
- Exclusives Rule in the Internet Age: Being the first to break a story -- even a soft news item like the opening of new hotel -- is a coup. Mass email pitches and news wire feeds aren't often read.
- Sometimes, Client Egos Work Against You: A well-written pitch might not dazzle a client like a sit-down meeting with a journalist, but it has a better chance of getting their news published.
Each monthly ABW event features a monthly breakfast panel of media representatives in various specialty areas. Members and non-members are welcome, so watch for a new calendar of events to be posted in early 2011.
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Attention Employers!
PRSA-LA Job Listings
The job listings section of PRSA-LA's Web site is a great resource for reaching qualified PR professionals seeking employment. Listings are free to post, and remain on the site for 30 days (renewable upon request). Click here to post a job.
Members check out the new jobs opportunities at Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Wonacott Communications, J Public Relations, Blaine & Associates and Calibra Pictures. If you need assistance accessing the site, contact prsala@aol.com.
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 Team Up for Holiday Mixer
RSVP by TODAY, November 30 to
"Ring in the Holidays"
and network with other PR professionals
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You're invited to celebrate the holidays with the Los Angeles Chapters of Public Relations Society of America and the Hispanic Public Relations Association as the two team up to offer a fabulous holiday mixer this coming Thursday! Don't miss this last opportunity of the year to network with LA PR professionals and those who support our industry.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
La Fonda Supper Club
2501 Wilshire Blvd.
RSVP by November 30th, to enjoy:
- Scrumptious Food
- Live Mariachi Music
- Great Networking
- Limited Hosted Bar
- Raffles
This event is FREE to all PRSA-LA and HPRA-LA chapter members. A $10 cover applies for all non-members and member guests. Valet parking and adjacent lot parking is available for $5-$7.
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MEMBER MILESTONES
Congratulations to John Musella, APR
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 | | John Musella, APR |
John Musella is a guy who follows through. Whether it's developing PRSA-LA's Facebook and Twitter accounts as the first board member assigned the lead chapter's social media, or making good on a promise (to himself & challenge by his friends) to run a 12K and half marathon, John is true to his word.
Recently, John made good on another promise; the pledge to earn his accreditation in public relations. "I made a commitment to myself to earn my APR to help further my career and stand out as a PR professional."
So, he participated in the chapter's six APR preparation classes and passed his Readiness Review and exam. He balanced the demands of the APR program with his rigorous schedule by parsing the work out over about ten months.
"Essentially, I applied some project management skills to the process," explained John. "Dividing up the tasks of studying and preparing my case study for my Readiness Review, with a few adjustments along the way, allowed me to create a schedule that worked for me."
John is Director of Communications / Government & Environmental Affairs for Newhall Land, one of the premier community development companies in California with one of the nation's most valuable landholdings. You can find him online at www.MadManPR.com or follow him on Twitter @PRMadMan.
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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 Philip Sokoloski at psokoloski@filmla.com.
GolinHarris' Negin Kamali Promoted to Senior Vice President
 | Negin Kamali
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PRSA-LA Board Member Negin Kamali has been promoted to Senior Vice President at GolinHarris. In addition to her expanded role in the firm's consumer marketing practice, Kamali serves as board liaison to PRSA-LA's Sponsorship Committee, which works to sustain funding support for the chapter's diverse array of programs and activities. Kamali has been with GolinHarris for 10 years, working with clients in the consumer products, travel and wine industries.
Dr. Kirk Hallahan Earns Class-Leading Kudos
 | Dr. Kirk Hallahan, Fellow PRSA
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Kirk Hallahan, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, and former PRSA-LA board member was recently named 2010 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The award was conferred during at the PRSA 2010 International Conference in Washington, D.C., and is given annually to honor a PRSA member who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of public relations education. Hallahan is a professor in the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
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Volunteers Needed: Share Your Wisdom with PRSSA Students
 Do you have wisdom that would benefit future public relations professionals? Have you presented to students before and want a reason to share that same information again with a new audience?
PRSA-LA sponsors six Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapters - Biola University, CSU Dominguez Hill, CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, Pepperdine University and the University of Southern California. All chapters host meetings that feature guest speakers, and they're always looking for professionals willing to visit their campuses.
If you're interested in serving as a guest speaker, please email your name, title, company and topic, and we'll share your interest with the LA-area PRSSA chapters.
For more information on how to support PRSA-LA's student chapters, please contact Holly Ferris at holly@ferriscomm.com or (562)429-6456.
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 Thurs., December 2
PRSA-LA/HPRA Holiday Mixer
La Fonda on Wilshire
Wed., December 15
Young Professionals Event
Details on PRSA-LA YP Blog
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Looking for Project Suppliers?
Find Them with PRSA-LA's Online Resource Directory
Did you know PRSA-LA publishes an online Resource Directory of suppliers that cater to local PR professionals?
The Directory lists and provides links to qualified suppliers in a range of categories. Best of all, you can browse the entire directory right from the chapter's Web site.
If you're a supplier interested in reaching local PR professionals, click here to access the directory registration form. PRSA-LA members are also encouraged to help get the word out by telling service providers about this valuable marketing opportunity.
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Welcome New Members
Kathleen Bush
Weber Shandwick
| Daniel Chou
Weber Shandwick
| Andrew Hindes
The In-House Writer
| Jordan Kaye
The Rose Group
| Hannah Klodt
BLAZE Public Relations
| Elizabeth Lascaze
GolinHarris
| Stephen LoCascio
Michael Russell Group
| Kellie Sue Peters
It Factory Media
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Kristin Joy Robinson
Dye Van Mol & Lawrence
| Schenae Rourk
Resource Solutions of CA
| Emily Jean Scherberth
Symphony PR & Marketing, Inc.
| Cyreeta Sharp
Families in Schools
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Christa Nicole Stewart
Nike, Inc.
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Tayakorn Varnichpun
GolinHarris
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Summer Vernon
Berbay Corp.
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Free Media Monitoring/Clipping for Nonprofits
 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.
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