The 2006 Washington PR Woman of the Year Finalists:
Kristen Grimm, President and Founder, Spitfire Strategies
Kristen Grimm is a leader on the Washington public relations scene. She is president and founder of Spitfire Strategies, a public-interest communications firm focused solely on helping nonprofits use smart communications to reach their social change goals. She has built a client list that features the top 10 foundations in the country, as well as mentors her staff and developed a mentoring program at Spitfire that opens doors to talk about personal goals and career growth. Ms. Grimm's proven track record in the public relations field has won her numerous awards and accolades for her outstanding strategic counsel. As a committed member of the D.C. community, she gives her time frequently to women's organizations and participates as a guest lecturer for local students in the fields of communications and public policy at the university level.
Margery Kraus, President and CEO, APCO Worldwide
Margery Kraus, president and chief executive officer of APCO Worldwide, a global consulting firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., specializes in public affairs, communication and business consulting for major multinationals. Ms. Kraus founded APCO in 1984 and has transformed it from a company with one small Washington office to a multinational consulting firm in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Throughout her career, she has embodied the characteristics of a true Washington leader and entrepreneur. She has dedicated herself to educating students, inspiring staff, solving clients' challenges and establishing herself as a role model. She accomplishes this on a daily basis through her tireless commitment to her firm, staff and community.
Marilynn Deane Mendell, President, Win Spin CIC, Inc
Marilynn Deane Mendell, President, Win Spin CIC (Creative Intelligence Consulting), Inc, a public relations marketing consulting firm that specializes in image building/branding, national press coverage, departmental restructuring and innovative ideas. Her clients include architectural firms, authors, national magazines, corporation, and non-profits. An entrepreneur with 30 years experience, Ms. Mendell is a nationally recognized expert in architectural public relations and marketing and just secured the 22nd award for a recent client, Hickok Cole Architects, in less than two years. In addition to the numerous community activities, achievements and awards she has received, Ms. Mendell is known for her uncanny ability to support and mentor young people and help them further their careers.
Refund Policy and Deadline:
As PR professionals we understand that schedules do tend to fluctuate. With this in mind, if you purchase tickets and find you are unable to attend the event, we will offer a full refund up until November 8, 2006 at 5:00pm EST. This is the last day that any refund requests will be granted. If you do not meet the refund deadline, we do allow you to send a colleague or client in your place. Please contact Kiernan at Kiernan.Doherty@mslpr.com or 202-261-2887.
Washington PR Woman of the Year Raffle- A Sneak Peek at the Items
Another highlight of WWPR's Woman of the Year Luncheon is the raffle that benefits our pro-bono client. Last year, thanks to the generosity of those who attended and purchased raffle tickets, we were proud to donate $500.00 to Safe Shores on behalf of WWPR and in our keynote speaker's name.
This year, bring a little extra cash with you and help us increase that donation for our new pro-bono client - Doorways for Women and Families, a resource for abused, homeless or at-risk women and their families. For more information about Doorways for Women and Families, please visit http://www.wwpr.org/pro-bono.htm.
Raffle Ticket Prices: only $4 per ticket OR three tickets for $10- cash or check
Below is a list of the fabulous raffle items that have already been confirmed!
. Gift certificate for a two-night weekend stay (value $750) - The Mayflower Hotel
. Three bottles of MD Wine (value $50) - Coster Communications, Ltd.
. Lunch or dinner at Ramparts Restaurant in Alexandria, VA (value $50) - Ramparts
. Fossil Carbon small face watch (value: $54) - Booz Allen Hamilton
. Portrait sitting for a professional head shot and 1 hi-res digital file (value $500.00) - Carol Clayton Photography
. Hair design appointment with an American Board Certified Hair Colorist (value $250) - ColorWorks Salon in Arlington, VA
. Gift certificate for a personalized stationery order (value $75) - Hitched
. Professional and personal life coaching sessions for one month (value $375) - The JAS Group, Inc
. Weekend getaway bag /stuffed with getaway essentials (value $150) - News Generation, Inc.
. We are still negotiating additional raffle gift items!
Special Thanks to the 2006 PR Woman of the Year Sponsors
WWPR would like to recognize and thank the sponsors of our 17th Annual Washington PR Woman of the Year Awards Luncheon. With the support of our sponsors we are able to recognize the dedication and achievements of three extraordinary women in the public relations profession. This year, sponsor dollars reached the highest amount ever in the history of WWPR.
Benefactor Sponsors
The Capital Buzz- Learn the territory, tips and tools you need to navigate and survive working in Washington as a communications professional, from the Boss Ladies, a team of five experienced entrepreneurs who run their own communications-related businesses. Their businesses: Core Association Services, Don't Get Caught, Inkwell Duck, Professional Solutions and News Generation.
MultiVu/PR Newswire- MultiVu, a PR Newswire company, provides unsurpassed broadcast and multimedia production and global distribution services to organizations that want to reach the media, financial community, general public and other key audiences with their visual and audio messages.
VMS- For nearly 25 years, VMS has provided corporate executives and marketing, public relations and advertising professionals with unsurpassed news media monitoring, advertising monitoring and analysis solutions and powerful Integrated Media Intelligence solutions.
Patron Sponsors
BurrellesLuce - is the global community's leading media monitoring organization and provides the highest caliber coverage of news and information.
Buzz Media - is a company committed to the highest standards of professional PR services and the philosophy of having fun while working.
Comunicad is a multicultural marketing communications firm, specializing in public relations, advertising, segment research, and brand promotions.
News Broadcast Network - is the largest privately held broadcast PR company, offering a comprehensive range of services and capabilities.
North American Network is an award-winning professional, independently owned and operated radio broadcasting agency.
Porter Novelli is one of the world's leading public relations agencies, with offices in all major markets.
PRofessional Solutions, LLC founded in 1994, is the Washington metropolitan area's first and only public relations temporary services agency.
WWPR October Brown Bag Luncheon-
WWPR Members Visit NPR Headquarters
October's Brown Bag lunch provided an exciting opportunity for WWPR members and friends to take a tour of the National Public Radio (NPR) headquarters. Upon arriving in the NPR lobby, the tour guide showcased the facilities used for operations and radio production. The tour also included a glimpse into the line-up for Morning Edition, which garners more than 12 million listeners daily. In a multitude of studios, NPR provides space for programs to be recorded and broadcast throughout the day. Agreements between NPR and its member stations are not the typical affiliate and network relationships-they allow member stations the freedom to choose their programming and do fundraising for support. The last stop on the tour was NPR's control center where members viewed feeds from bureaus around the world as they were programmed for air.
After the tour, members sat down with Andi Sporkin, NPR's Vice President of Communications. Sporkin offered a frank perspective on how to pitch programs at NPR. She described how each program has different specifications for deciding which stories to air. However, there are some similarities across programs that help improve press release readership and client air-time.
Sporkin covered the following topics:
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E-mail is the most efficient way for producers to receive press releases. Many note that faxes and phone calls are not useful to them.
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Know the format and style of the show you're pitching. Research the types of guests they have had in the past and learn what type of stories they like. Also, learn their timeline (most of the shows require more than a week in order to book stories).
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Don't send press releases to the communications department and ask them to be forwarded on to the right person.
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If you have samples of work (books or past interviews), send them on to the producers so they will have an idea of the type of interview you are pitching.
NPR programs are interested in stories with a national angle for broadcasting around the country.
Sporkin discussed the popularity of the NPR podcasts. NPR was one of the pioneers in podcasting and enjoys a healthy audience for each of their feeds. NPR has recently gone through a major expansion program, now offering news to Americans from bureaus around the world. While many media outlets are suffering and shrinking, NPR continues to grow and reaches new listeners everyday. It has become the main source of news for millions of listeners worldwide.
Featured Members of the Month
WWPR Members Honored at PR News' PR People Awards
WWPR Members, Carolyn Tieger and Jessica Pantages were honored by PR News at the PR People 2006 Awards on November 2 at the National Press Club. Tieger, 2005 Woman of the Year, was honored as Public Affairs Executive of the Year. Pantages, 28, is one of the 15 PR Stars to Watch Under 35 Years Old. All the winners are profiled in the All-Stars issue of PR News, which is available at www.prnewsonlne.com or by contacting clientservices@accessintel.com.
Congratulations, Carolyn and Jessica!
~ WWPR highlights the achievements of an extraordinary member in each newsletter. If you would like to nominate yourself or another WWPR member who has gone above the call of duty - either within the profession or WWPR itself - please send an e-mail to info@wwpr.org with the candidate's name, a paragraph explaining the member's accomplishments, and your name and contact information. We will notify you before the next e- newsletter if your candidate is selected. ~
DOORWAYS FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES: TWO EASY WAYS TO HELP
Help the Homeless Walk - November 18
On Saturday, November 18, at 9 a.m., please join the staff and volunteers from Doorways for Women and Families, WWPR's pro-bono client on the National Mall for the 16th annual Help the Homeless Walkathon.
Proceeds from the event will directly benefit Doorways. You can register online at www.helpthehomelessdc.org or you can register on the day of the event. Event day registration begins at 7 am on the Department of Agriculture lawn at Jefferson Drive between 12th and 14th Streets, NW. The cost is $25 for adults ($30 if registering on event day) and $15 for youth ages 25 and younger; the registration fee includes a "Help the Homeless" t-shirt and cap. The walk will start on 9th and Madison Streets. When registering online, we urge you to designate your registration fee for "Doorways for Women and Families - TACTS."
Walkers are encouraged to take Metro, which will open at 6 am on the event day. The closest stops are Archives/Navy Memorial (Yellow or Green lines); L'Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, or Blue lines); or Smithsonian ( Orange and Blue lines).
Save the Date - Crate&Barrel Sale, November 29
On Wednesday, November 29 from 6-9 pm, come to an exclusive event hosted at the Crate&Barrel store in Clarendon benefiting Doorways for Women and Families, WWPR's pro-bono client. Start or finish your holiday shopping, buy gift certificates, and have a great time while helping a great cause. Tickets are just $20, and 100% of the ticket cost and 10% of all sales from the evening will directly benefit Doorways' programs. There will be delicious refreshments and great door prizes! To purchase a ticket, please visit the Doorways web site at www.doorwaysVA.org/events/crateBarrel.cfm.
*For more information about Doorways, please visit www.doorwaysVA.org.
For more information about assisting with the pro-bono committee, please contact co-chairs, Lauren Lawson at LawsonLaurenL@yahoo.com and Sarah Wayne at SarahEWayne@gmail.com.
JOBS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
NPCA Media Relations Manager
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the nation's leading national park advocacy organization, seeks a hard working, self-motivated, experienced Media Relations Manager to join successful PR team. Plan, implement, and evaluate regional public relations campaigns, including material preparation, pitching and placing stories, and event planning. Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Communications, Journalism, or related field preferred, five to seven years public relations experience, team player, and strong writing and organizational skills required. Experience working for a nonprofit a plus; passion for the national parks a requisite. Send cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample to: NPCA, 1300 19th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036, Attn HR; email hr@npca.org or fax 202-659-0650. Visit our Web site www.npca.org. No phone calls please. NPCA is an EOE.
GYMR Account Supervisor/Managing Supervisor and Vice President
GYMR has two career opportunities available: Vice President with eight to 10 years public relations experience, including PR agency experience at a senior level. Account Supervisor/Managing Supervisor with at least six years public relations experience, including experience being in, or working with, a PR agency. Both positions should demonstrate understanding and knowledge of a range of medical and health issues, as well as have experience working with the pharmaceutical industry and/or federal agencies. Send inquiries to careers@gymr.com. For more information, visit www.gymr.com.
Save the Date!
The Holiday party with IABC, FCN and MING is Thursday, December 14 at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City.
If you would like to volunteer for the Marketing/Communications committee, or to write feature articles for the e-newsletter, please contact Debbie and Carla at info@wwpr.org
