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2006 Events
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October event:
Events on a Grand Scale - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Thursday,
October 19
Who could know more about setting up special events on a grand scale than those individuals who coordinate our West Michigan festivals? Join us as we hear from several area experts from the Muskegon Summer Festival, the Grand Haven Coastguard Festival and the Holland Tulip Time Festival on the ins and outs of throwing special events. We will hear about best practices on coordinating volunteers, managing sponsorships, scheduling events and utilizing the Web. There will even be time to ask the experts for tips in coordinating your own special events.
Where:
Priority Health's Holland Office (downtown)
250 East Eighth Street
(Parking is available on Ninth Street)
Holland, MI 49423
When:
Networking/check-in will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the Luncheon/Meeting
will be held from noon – 1 p.m.
To
register, call the WMPRSA hotline at 616-336-0678 or fax to 616-451-3108
or send an e-mail to Sue Ann Clark at admin@WMPRSA.org.
All program reservations MUST be guaranteed with VISA or MASTER
CARD.When you make a reservation we will need your name, company
name, phone number, membership status, cr. cd. number and expiration
date, and the zipcode where you receive your statement.
"No
shows" will be billed. 48-hour notice required for full refund.
Raise
Your Life Sciences I.Q.
Thursday,
Sept. 21
$100
million and counting. West Michigan is making a staggering investment in
building a premiere life sciences corridor. The potential
impact on the region is equally dramatic, forever changing the region’s
business landscape. As the area shifts its base from manufacturing to
life sciences, the transformation affects all companies, communities
and communications.
Public relations practitioners will play an essential
role in connecting with this new economy. That’s why
being “in the know” has never been more important. Tap into the perspectives of some of the leading
forces who are fueling West Michigan’s dynamic change.
Speakers:
- John Van Fossen, Director of External
Affairs, Van Andel Institute
- Linda R. Chamberlain, Ph.D. Commercialization
Director, West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative –
Grand Valley State University
More
details forthcoming!
Gold Sponsor: Pfizer, Inc.
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 21, 11: 30 a.m. (Registration/Networking),
noon
– 1 p.m. (Lunch /Presentation)
WHERE: Grand Rapids University/Press
Club (in the Fifth Third Building), 111 Lyon NW, 10th floor
COST: Member $25; non-member $35;
student $20
PARKING: Park in the Fifth
Third Bank Lot and bring your ticket to the meeting. Get your
ticket stamped for a discount on your parking.
DEADLINE
FOR REGISTRATION IS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, NOON
Seating
is limited – register soon! Call
the WMPRSA hotline at 616-336-0678 or fax to 616-451-3108 or send
an e-mail to Sue Ann Clark at admin@WMPRSA.org.
All program reservations MUST be guaranteed with VISA or MASTER
CARD.When you make a reservation we will need your name, company
name, phone number, membership status, cr. cd. number and expiration
date, and the zipcode where you receive your statement.
"No
shows" will be billed. 48-hour notice required for full refund.
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Good
music, good friends, good cause
How does an evening of picnicking, live music and beautiful sculptures
sound?
Mark your calendars on August 15 for fun, food, philanthropy and
music at Frederick Meijer
Garden's outdoor amphitheater. Sit back, relax and enjoy the
main event, Root Doctor,
a local rhythm and blues band. The band begins at 7 p.m., but if
you haven't had the opportunity to see FMG, come a little early
and take the tram ride at 6 p.m.
Don't forget to bring backpacks full of school supplies to donate
to Grand Rapid Public Schools!
WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids |
WMPRSA
Tech Boot Camp 2006
Get
in the Trenches!
Thursday,
June 15, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the University
Club
Pods,
vods, blogs, vlogs … are you actively involved
in these new media technologies or just mildly curious? No
matter your knowledge or experience level in using
these communication tools, come to hear what it's
all about, how it affects you and your clients/organization
and what others in the GR PR world are doing! (See
below for registration details.)
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“drill sergeants” … uh, presenters:
Apple
Store
New
media specialists Jeff Jacobs and Paxton Bates from
the Apple Store at Woodland Mall in Kentwood and
Greg Calahan from Apple Consultants Network demo
pod- and vodcasting and other cool communications
tools from Apple. It's a tech expo without going
to Vegas!
 Keith
Brophy
The
president of business development at leading Microsoft
consulting firm NuSoft Solutions speaks on blogging
– the good, the bad and the future. Keith,
based in West Michigan, has authored several technology
books and was named by The Grand Rapids Press
as one of the region’s “Ten to Watch”
for the 21st century.
Brian
Burch
The
public relations specialist and chief blogger for
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park of Grand
Rapids speaks on how blogs and podcasts introduce
new audiences to the gardens, expand reach and keep
visitors and members in the know as they tour the
gardens’ amazing exhibits – in person
and virtually.
Bryan
Lewis
Partner/founder
of Fusionary Media, Brian has more than 13 years’
experience working in new media. Fusionary is a
full-service interactive/Web design agency in Grand
Rapids that helped to bring such “tech goodies”
as blogging and podcasting to Meijer Gardens.
Charlie
McGrath
Partner
and creative/Internet director for Structure Interactive
in Grand Rapids, Charlie has worked on interactive
projects and guided SI into Web development. In
addition to his work for SI, he has been involved
with projects for Disney and Mattel. Want an overview
of what technology is right on and what’s
overkill? He’s got it.
PDBconnect
Co-founders
Bob Dentzman and Flip Mulliner of Grand Rapids-based
PDBconnect have driven on both Wall Street and the
Information Superhighway … now, with their
Virtual Management Presentation technology, they
help to put publicly and privately held companies
in the fast lane. Think of it as a DVD + PowerPoint
+ Flash = presentations on steroids. All you need
is a "rock star CEO" … and you're ready to
go! (Curious? You've got to attend the June
15 meeting!)
Roll
up your sleeves:
WHEN: Thursday,
June 15 (networking and product demos start at 11:30
a.m.; lunch and program begin at noon)
WHERE: Grand
Rapids University/Press Club (in the Fifth Third
Building), 111 Lyon NW, 10th floor (ballroom)
COST: Member
$25; non-member $35; student $20 (cost includes
lunch – and we promise it will be better than
C-rations!)
DEADLINE
FOR REGISTRATION IS MONDAY, JUNE 12, NOON
Seating
is limited – register soon!
To register, call the WMPRSA hotline at 616-336-0678
or fax to 616-451-3108 or send an e-mail to Sue
Ann Clark at admin@WMPRSA.org.
All program reservations MUST be guaranteed with
VISA or MASTER CARD.When you make a reservation
we will need your name, company name, phone number,
membership status, cr. cd. number and expiration
date, and the zipcode where you receive your statement.
"No
shows" will be billed. 48-hour notice required for
full refund.
Take
our tech survey!
Take this quick
survey between now and June 9 even if
you're not a member of WMPRSA – all
answers are anonymous – and learn the
results at the June 15 WMPRSA meeting. Your
answers will help us to bring you a great
presentation! Note: If the link above doesn’t
work, then click on this:
http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB22558A8AXLR
powered by:
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| Win
an iPOD!
Attend the June 15 meeting, throw your business
card into the hat – win an iPOD! …
and get ready for great tunes wherever you
go this summer!
– iPOD donated by Seyferth Spaulding
Tennyson Inc.
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Member Mixer -
now with Ad Club & AD2!
Thursday,
June 8 at 6 p.m. at The Woods,
downtown Grand Rapids
Please join the Ad Club of West Michigan,
AD2 of West Michigan and WMPRSA for an informal
gathering of our industry comrades and a relaxing
evening of wit and wisdom. Network converse,
learn from industry veterans, or just enjoy
great drink specials and complimentary appetizers
with friends, both old and new. All Advertising,
Public Relations, Marketing and Communication
Professionals, and students are invited to
come and check it out - even if you are not
yet a member. Click here
for the invitation.
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Publicity
Hound: How do
you promote your media expertise? - May 26
The media flock to experts. They interview them.
They put them on the covers of magazines. They feature them on
TV shows like "60 Minutes" and "Nightline"
and on hundreds of radio shows on National Public Radio and in
your own community.
Joan Stewart, a.k.a. The Publicity Hound, is a publicity
expert who will share the secrets of how to position yourself
and your clients as experts so the media start flocking to you
too. Joan, a former editor of three daily newspapers and a weekly
business journal, has accepted and rejected thousands of story
ideas from experts, so she knows the kinds of sources the media
seek out, and the kinds they ignore.
During our teleseminar, which will be like a telephone
conference call, you will learn:
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Why it's important to become an expert, and
then promote your expertise
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Where to find a valuable document--for free--that
will explain the 6 levels of expertise and how to achieve each
level
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Where to begin a publicity campaign so you
do the important legwork that will pay off months later
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How to create a "Top 25 Media Hit List"
of your key media contacts who are in the best position to help
you
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The Number One thing journalists will expect
you to do before they agree to cover you
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How to pitch story ideas so you hit every journalist's
hot button
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When you want the media to write about you,
and when you want to write articles yourself
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Why "how to" articles written by
experts help them sell a product, service, cause or issue
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Joan's favorite fun things to do for getting
publicity (there's something here for everybody!)
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The easiest way imaginable to get into big national
magazines over and over again
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The one thing you must NEVER do during your
publicity campaign so you don't embarrass yourself
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More ways to build relationships with the media
so you stay on their radar screens
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Q&A sessions.
Attend this informative session from your own desk and using your
own telephone. However, you will still need to register in advance.
A phone number and code will be emailed to you the day before
the teleseminar.
WHEN: Thursday, May 25 at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Teleseminar. Attend from
your own desk and with your own telephone.
COST: Member $15; Non-member $20; Student $15
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| 21st Annual
PRoof Awards - April 17 The 2006 PRoof Awards competition
is West Michigan's representative competition for creative excellence
in public relations. Sponsored by the West Michigan Public Relations
Society of America (WMPRSA), the awards honor excellence in the
profession and cultivate the highest standards in the industry.
The competition is open to any individual, company or organization
engaged in the creation of public relations campaigns and projects.
PRoof Awards may be entered in 11 campaign categories and 10 single,
project-specific categories. Entries must incorporate strong public
relations objectives and philosophy, and meet the highest standards
of performance, production, presentation and execution. Gold and
Silver winners from each budget division, in each category will
receive a commemorative PRoof Award. Judges' feedback will be available
to those who enter.
2006 Award winners |
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| WMPRSA's
Annual "Meet the Media" Breakfast - March 13
Join the WMPRSA for its annual "Meet the Media" breakfast.
We have assembled some of the top news directors and editors representing
broadcast and print media covering the greater Grand Rapids market.
We're having breakfast at the Press Club in Grand Rapids, followed
by an engaging panel discussion where you'll hear - straight from
our panel member's mouths what, how and when they like their news.
We’ll also get their opinions on embargoes, deadlines and
more! Sign up today! Space is limited!
Our panel includes:
WOOD Radio - Rich Jones, news director
Rich Jones leads the award-winning WOOD Radio News Department
in Michigan's second largest city. Rich joined Clear Channel-Grand
Rapids in November of 2001 after nearly three years as Assistant
News Director at WSJM, St. Joseph. Prior to that Rich anchored morning
news at WAOR/WNIL in Niles, Michigan. Rich developed his passion
for news as a teenager and decided to pursue a career in broadcasting.
He's a graduate of Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts in Southfield,
Michigan, and credits the Specs staff with giving him the skills
needed to succeed in the business.
WOOD TV8 (NBC) - Patty McGettigan, news director
Patti McGettigan has been the News Director at WOOD TV Grand Rapids,
Michigan for the last 5 years. She has worked at the station for
the last 10 years, first as Executive Producer, then as Assistant
News Director. McGettigan has spent much of her career here, as
this is her second tour at WOOD. She also worked at WOOD in the
early 90’s as a producer. Other career stops include WWMT
in Kalamazoo, WILX in Lansing and WTAE in Pittsburgh. Her husband
is a stay at home dad for their 2 children, 7-year-old Mollie and
4-year-old William.
WXMI TV17 (FOX) - Tim Dye, news director
Tim Dye has been the news director at Grand Rapids Fox-affiliate,
WXMI-TV since 1988. Prior to that he worked as the assistant news
director at WOOD-TV, the managing editor at WNEM-TV in Saginaw,
a news producer at WOTV-TV and as news director at WKBZ-AM. He graduated
with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Broadcasting and Journalism from
Central Michigan University in 1984. Tim and his wife have three
children.
WZZM TV13 (ABC) - Tim Geraghty, news director
Tim Geraghty joined WZZM as news Director in 2004. Prior to WZZM,
Geraghty was Vice President / News Director at WTVJ-TV, the NBC
O & O in Miami, for the past four years. He was part of the
management team that moved the station to 1st place. He joined WTVJ
in 1993 and has held a variety of management and producing positions.
Geraghty is familiar with the West Michigan market since he worked
at the CBS station in Kalamazoo in the early 1990’s. He is
a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia.
The Grand Rapids Press - Nancy Crawley, business editor
Nancy Crawley is the Grand Rapids Press business editor and has
been involved in business news coverage for many of her 19 years
with the Press.
She leads a team of five business reporters and numerous freelancers
who cover West Michigan. Before coming to Grand Rapids, she was
an assistant professor in journalism at Ferris State University;
business editor at the Lansing State Journal; and assistant city
editor at the Battle Creek Enquirer. She holds a masters degree
in financial journalism from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s
degree in history from the University of Michigan honors program.
Grand Rapids Business Journal - Kevin Murphy, staff writer
Kevin Murphy is a staff writer for Gemini Publications, publisher
of the Grand Rapids Business Journal and Grand Rapids Magazine.
Kevin grew up in the Kalamazoo area, and earned a BA in English
from Kalamazoo College. In more than a decade in the media business,
Kevin has worked for one radio station, one production company,
two television stations and six newspapers. He has written news
for print and broadcast, as well as doing just about everything
else it takes to turn out a newspaper, newscast, radio show or animated
video. Kevin works with the Press Club of Grand Rapids, serves on
the board of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center, and is a volunteer
English teacher at the Hispanic Center of West Michigan.
WHEN: Thursday, March 23 (Breakfast at 7 AM,
program begins at 7:30 AM)
WHERE: Grand Rapids Press Club, 111 Lyon NW,
Suite 1025
COST: Member $25;Non-member $35; Student $20
A special thanks to this month's Gold Program Sponsor:
Come, listen and learn. Sign up today!
Deadline for registration is Monday, March 20 |
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| Michigan’s
West Coast – A regional perspective on tourism, conventions
and economic development - February 16
Join us for an exciting and in-depth look at Michigan’s West
Coast and how the successful campaign has attracted thousands of
tourists, businesses and organizations to Grand Rapids, Muskegon,
Holland and Grand Haven since its launch in 2003. You’ll hear
first-hand from leaders at the Kent County/Grand Rapids Convention
and Visitors Bureau about the importance of regional collaboration
and marketing communications in positioning Michigan’s West
Coast as an attractive place to live, work and play.
Our speakers will address
- How the Kent County/Grand Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau
packages Grand Rapids to businesses and organizations throughout
the nation to encourage them to host their next trade show, convention
or event in Grand Rapids.
- How the opening of DeVos Place has impacted Michigan’s
West Coast and put us in a new niche.
- From sandy beaches to wooded parks and from world-class golf
courses to one-of-a-kind festivals, what is it that attracts tourists
to Michigan’s West Coast?
- What do visitors say about our region when they leave?
- What tools does Michigan’s West Coast provide to business
leaders and site-selection consultants to help aid their decisions
to choose Michigan’s West Coast as their next location.
- With more than four million visitors to the Michigan West Coast
Web site (www.michiganswestcoast.com) in 2005, how is the site
maintained and inquiries fulfilled? What other tools are used
to measure the campaign’s effectiveness?
Speakers:
Steve Wilson, President, Grand Rapids/Kent County
Convention and Visitors Bureau
Janet Korn, Marketing Director, Grand Rapids/Kent
County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Kathleen Ponitz, Director of Marketing, ProgressiveAE
and Vice-Chair of the Grand Rapids CVB Board
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006
Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.
The presentation will begin at noon with discussion until approximately
12:50 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session.
WHERE: Watermark Country Club
5500 Cascade Road
Grand Rapids, MI
COST: $25 for PRSA Members, $35 for Non-Members, $20 for Students.
Your cost includes salad, entrée and dessert.
Come, listen and learn. Sign up today!
Deadline for registration is Monday, Feb. 13.
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Help inspire the next
generation of PR Professionals - January 19
Share your expertise, tips and career anecdotes with students who
are currently studying Public Relations. Activities include:
• Resume, portfolio reviews
• Networking
• Interview tips
• Career possibilities
Refreshments (pizza and beverages) will be served.
Kirkhof Center, room 204
noon-2 p.m.
Sponsored by:
- Grand Valley’s News and Information Services Office
- Office of Multicultural Affairs
- GVSU Public Relations Student Society of America
- West Michigan Public Relations Society of America
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