The monthly newsletter for the
Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter of PRSA - February 2007

February Meeting Preview
Norfolk Tides: Changing Brands After 40 Successful Years

Our February speaker is Dave Rosenfield, general manager of the Norfolk Tides. His topic is "Changing Brands After 40 Successful Years." The Norfolk Tides affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles starting this season marks the end of 38 years with the New York Mets, which was the longest Triple-A/Major League relationship in baseball history.

The new franchise partnership will be the largest Hampton Roads sports story in 2007. Challenges associated with changing almost four decades of consistently marketing a single brand are compounded by a large base of customer (fan) loyalty to and acceptance of the product. The new parent organization recognizes the formidable task and is offering Major League assistance through this period of transition in Hampton Roads. Every public relations person will recognize multiple classic case studies evolving from this opportunity.

Mr. Rosenfield will answer questions from the floor after his presentation.

January meeting recap - Emergency Communications

January's chapter meeting featured Bill Ginnow, MS, RPh, program manager of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System, which covers all 17 jurisdictions of Hampton Roads. Mr. Ginnow gave an eye-opening talk about disaster planning in our area and how we can prepare ourselves and our families before disaster strikes.

Mr. Ginnow's slides from his presentation "Emergency Communications in Hampton Roads," are available here (PDF, 6.6mb).

Did you know that there are free resources available to help you prepare for a disaster? The Virginia Department of Emergency Management provides a host of training opportunities related to preparing for natural and manmade threats. Click here for more information about this invaluable training program.

From the President
by Becky C. Lawson, APR

It's just a couple of days into the new year and I'm writing my second article for the chapter newsletter and haven't yet attended the first meeting of 2007, so it's hard for me to get into the groove of things. But, I'm going to take a stab at it.

My topic for this article is fellowship. Most people connect the word fellowship with religious organizations. That's where I hear it the most. At my church we're always having a lunch so that we can join in fellowship with one another or we want to increase fellowship opportunities.

So, what is fellowship? Webster's dictionary defines it as, "a friendly relationship; the condition or fact of having common interests, ideals or experiences." As I see it, we as members of the Hampton Roads chapter of PRSA, have a common interest, ideals and/or experiences. When we get together for monthly luncheons, we refer to our fellowship time as networking, but it's really fellowship. It's when we take time to share with our fellow chapter colleagues about our job, work projects, personal trials and tribulations, etc. It's a time when we get to know each other better.

Before I joined the board, I rarely came early enough for the luncheons to participate in the 'fellowship/networking' time from 11-11:30 a.m. I was always rushing to just make the meeting. But once I made the commitment to get to the meetings early, I really came to appreciate it. This is the time I had to meet people and find out what was going on in their lives. I didn't look at it like it was a chore because I was a board member. I saw it as a real opportunity to connect with members. And, what I got out of it was the ability to really know the membership of our chapter.

For me and most members, networking is the number one reason for being a member of our association. If you're not coming early enough, you're missing out. So, when you are penciling in your calendar for the PRSA meeting for the month, plan to leave your office in time to get there by 11 a.m. You'll be glad you did.

Looking forward to my fellowship time this year!

Plus, check out my blog at http://www.prsahr.org/wordpress/.

Focus on Leadership - Sid Bridge, APR

Full name: Sidney Bridge
I really don't have a middle name and few people have called me "Sidney" and lived.

Hometown: I'm from Richmond, originally. Now living in Norfolk.

Family/Pets: My wife and I have three daughters and we're expecting our fourth kid in July. Prayers for a boy will be accepted as the pinkness is absorbing my house. We're also over-run by Barbie Dolls in various states of disrepair. I'm just ready for someone who plays with toys that kill. My family also puts up with my cat, Tommy the Cat. She's a hateful ball of black fur that loves only me. Maybe it's because I named her Tommy the Cat.

What brought you to Hampton Roads? I kind of ended up here. Unlike most of my friends, after four years of college, I suddenly graduated. I followed my family to Hampton Roads and clawed my way into my first job.

How long have you been in the PR field? Nine years.

Current position: President of The Sid Agency

What do you like to do on a day off? When you start your own agency days off are few and far between. Some of the things I dream of on days off include spending time with my family, working on my 1968 Oldsmobile, playing bass guitar with some of my musician friends, and wasting time playing my Atari 2600. Actually, scratch the part about the Atari. I do that at work.

What has been your most memorable PR challenge? Since I started The Sid Agency, however, I would have to say my greatest challenge has been one of my most interesting clients - the boxing promoter. The client put Riddick Bowe under contract to make a comeback fight at the Norfolk Scope. I immediately set up public appearances, charitable donations, and an advertising plan. Riddick promptly began complaining about a shoulder injury and disappeared for two months. In the course of those two months, I initiated discussions with Mike Tyson's manager, generating another flurry of publicity (good and bad), which officially ended when Tyson got arrested again. Now Riddick has shown willingness to fight and a tentative date of March 23rd has been set. We're starting all over again, but this time I'm suggesting we handcuff Riddick to the railing at the Scope.

Who do you most admire? Bloom County's Bill the Cat. He once coughed up a hairball on Paul Shaffer.

What is the most valuable feature of being a PRSA HR member? How could I pick just one thing? Networking with other practitioners is essential and our meetings provide the best forum, our programming is first rate and I never would have achieved accreditation without the help of our accreditation committee.

Currently PRSA HR leadership role(s):At-large board member and chair of the Media Directory committee.

Get Organized in 2007!

Like losing weight and quitting smoking, getting organized is quickly becoming one of the most popular New Year's Resolutions.

It is reported that the average executive loses six weeks per year retrieving misplaced information. Eighty percent of filed paperwork is never referenced again. And, a disorganized person spends 10-20% of their day looking for lost items. Shocking!

In an effort to make our office and home lives more efficient, here are some tips on conquering and minimizing paper build-up.

• Go on a paper diet by reducing the amount of paper that comes in. A shredder is a great way to keep your paper to a minimum.
  
• Home office paper shredders are easy to find and are designed to fit underneath or next to most desks. Many of them are even small enough to be portable or double as a standard wastebasket.
• Make sure to keep your shredder in an easily accessible place.
• The shredded paper can be recycled.
• Shredding your papers protects against identity and idea theft.
• A shredder can kick up a lot of dust, so keep it away from printers.
• Only shred paper and beware of staples and paperclips.
• A paper jam can overheat the shredder and cause a power surge. This can harm your other office electronics - like your computer - so keep the shredder plugged into a separate outlet and always use a surge protector.
• You should shred any documents that may contain Social Security numbers, birth dates, your mother's maiden name and any account numbers or online passwords.

Sources: http://www.neattv.com and http://www.weorganizeu.com

The Liberty Bell (newspaper) Awards needs your help!

The Liberty Bell Awards are presented to the Army's Northeast Region installation newspapers based upon design, layout and quality of writing and illustrations. Of the Region's 28 installations, 10 will submit their newspapers for evaluation. Regional winners move on to the world-wide Department of the Army newspaper competition. Between 50 and 100 stories/photos will be submitted for evaluation. Volunteers are needed to help judge the region's competition. Currently, the plan is to conduct the competition at the Holiday Inn Select, Norfolk Airport before and after the Feb 7 PRSA HR chapter meeting (two hours before and two hours after our meeting.... If you're interested in being a judge, even for one hour, please contact Sandy Goss at gosss@monroe.army.mil or 757-788-2321.

News From National

Become a member and save with a "Taste of PRSA" promotion Join National PRSA for $225 in February or March 2007 and National will waive the $65 initiation fee! For more information about membership in either National PRSA or our local chapter (local dues are additional), please contact either membership co-chair Jennie Burge at jennie.burge@cox.net or Christine Dwyer at cdwyer@cbh.com. Membership information is also available online at www.prsahr.org.

Member Milestones

Felicia W. Blow, APR, director of public relations and marketing for the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA), has received the Public Relations Society of America's Citation for Meritorious Service to the organization. Felicia received the citation for her active participation on PRSA's national nominating committee. She also has served on other national PRSA boards.
As SPSA's PR and marketing director, Felicia has served as the solid waste management authority's spokeswoman. She also originates and designs programs and consumer materials intended to heighten public awareness of the organization's services to more than one million customers in South Hampton Roads and western Tidewater.

Harry Kenyon, APR, recently joined VDOT Hampton Roads as public relations manager. Harry previously was the Public Works information specialist for the city of Chesapeake.

PRSSA News

Share your expertise and earn APR points at the same time! Budding public relations majors in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications and members of the PRSSA Hampton University Chapter are reaching out to you. Volunteer as a:

• guest speaker
• "professor for a day"
• seminar panelist
• major-mentor

Or invite a student to shadow you for a day. Contact Rosalynne Whitaker-Heck at rosalynne.whitaker-heck@hamptonu.edu for class times and dates. LET'S MAKE A PRSSA-PRSAHR CONNECTION!

APR classes to begin soon

PRSA HR will soon be offering a 10-week APR preparation course, which helps prepare candidates for the readiness review panel and APR exam. Stay tuned for specific dates and location information!

Putting a face with a name is easier than ever with PRSA Hampton Roads' online membership directory, complete with members' contact information and photos. Don't have a headshot? Don't worry-- have your picture taken at an upcoming chapter meeting! Plus, if you get your picture taken, you can enter to win 50% off the registration fee for next month’s meeting!

Congratulations to Carolyn Cuthrell with Christopher Newport University! Carolyn will receive 50% off February's meeting registration fee for having her picture taken at January's meeting!

If you do have a photo that you would like to submit for the directory, please e-mail it to webmaster@prsahr.org

Treasurer's Report- December 2006
Rosalynne Whitaker-Heck,APR, Treasurer
December Income: $2,598.12
December Expenses: $2,128.02
Year-to-date Income: $25,489.03
Year-to-date Expenses: $31,210.50
Total Assets: $13,040.58

Deadline for submissions for
the March issue of News & Views is
February 7, 2007.

News & Views is published monthly for members of the
Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter of PRSA.

Feedback please! Your opinions are important. Please e-mail questions, comments, suggestions, story ideas or concerns about News & Views to Jennie Burge.

Miss an issue? Visit our archives collection.

Listings for the job bank should be sent to Karen King, APR.

Changes in membership information should be made in the Chapter's online Membership Directory.