Still Time to Nominate for Chrysalis Awards

The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Inc. are seeking nominations for the third annual Chrysalis Awards to honor businesses and individuals who have positively impacted the local community.  Considering many FPRA members either work for or represent tourism-related businesses this may be your chance to recognize your company or your peers.

The Award nominations deadline has been extended to 2/24/12, and is open to any local business, regardless of whether or not they are directly a part of the tourism industry. Award recipients will be announced at a jointly hosted Celebration of Business & Tourism Awards Luncheon and Trade Show on May 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers.

Those who wish to nominate a business or individual to receive a Chrysalis Award can visit the Team Tourism section of www.LeeVCB.com. To register for the event, trade show participation or information on sponsorship opportunities please visit the Events section of Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.fortmyers.org.

For questions or further event details, contact either Christine Davlin at the VCB at cdavlin@leegov.com or 239-338-3500; Christine Brosh at the Crowne Plaza at cbrosh@cooperhotels.com or 239-210-2462; or Colleen DePasquale, event chairperson, at colleen@fortmyers.org or 239-332-2930.

Credentialing Corner: Get the Edge – Get Accredited

Advice, recommendations and news you can use from the chapter’s seasoned professionals

By Julia Babair, APR, CPRC

jbabair@comcast.net

In our extremely competitive job market and our struggling economy, it is not just enough to have a college degree. You need an edge to make you stand out among the pool of applicants if you are seeking a new job or if you are trying to get promoted. Accreditation can provide the edge you need. In addition to proving your drive for professional development, accreditation indicates a desire to excel in the public relations field. Accreditation is a marketing tool that can give you the edge as a valuable employee and esteemed asset to a company. Furthermore, it increases your credibility as a public relations professional among your peers and management. Get the edge – get accredited!

APR Trivia February 2012

Q: How much does it cost to apply for accreditation?

A: $385 … but the FPRA state office and the Southwest Florida Chapter both offer $100 rebates to successful candidates, bringing the cost down to $185!

January Lunch Recap: Put Me In Coach!

By Brian Hamman
brian.d.hamman@centurylink.com

LCEC's PR all-star Karen Ryan laid out her game plan for winning the image game at January's luncheon.  Karen shared the template she and her team use as they create a communications plan for everything from an outage to the installation of new office phones.  Here's a sample of the topics covered on the template:

1. Situational Analysis

2. Target Audience

3. Measurable Objectives

4. Implementation

5. Evaluation

You don't want to miss a single meeting this year.  Next month, Pason Gaddis, president and group publisher of Florida Weekly, will join our Chapter on Feb. 7 to share insights on the future of media and newspapers.