Save the Date! - November SWFL FPRA Chapter Luncheon

Sign Up Today for November's FPRA SWFL Chapter Luncheon!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Join your FPRA chapter at their new luncheon location - The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bell Tower Shops at 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers.
Click here to register now!

Price: $20.00 for members, $25.00 for non-members and $10.00 for students

Date: November 5, 2013 

'Tis the Season for Holiday Story Pitches!

Join us on Tuesday, November 5 and find out five stories the media wish you would not send their way during the holidays-- and five tips for generating solid November and December story pitches for your clients and organizations.

Our media panel consists of TV and newspaper professionals, including: Tammy Ayer, the News-Press Media Group; Darrel Lieze-Adams, Waterman Broadcasting; and Lois Thome, WINK News.

Reminder: This is our first luncheon meeting at our new location, the Crowne Plaza Fort Myers at Bell Tower Shops.

Our Panelists:

Tammy Ayer is editor of Grandeur Magazine, part of the News-Press Media Group.

She came to Fort Myers to work with the News-Press in June 2002, first working as night city editor for four years.

Since then, she has advanced to Lifestyles editor and is entering her third season as Grandeur editor.
 

Darrel Lieze-Adams serves as the Executive News for Waterman Broadcasting (NBC2 and ABC7).

He has been with the station since 1997.

During his tenure at Waterman Broadcasting the station has won four National RTNDA Edward R. Murrow's for Investigative Reporting.
 

Lois Thome joined WINK-TV in 1992 and since then has garnered many awards and recognition including:

The Best News Anchor in Southwest Florida, the Phi Delta Kappa Lay Person of the Year, the Quill Pen Award from the Florida Association of School Administrators, and the Library Advocate of the Year by the Southwest Florida Library Network.

I Can't Live Without - October 2013

My goals and objectives. After my annual performance evaluation, I print them out and post them where I see them daily. That way even on the worst days when I feel as though I've accomplished nothing but minutia, I can still see the big picture and feel successful.                             

Betsy Clayton, APR, Programs Chair

October Member Spotlight - John Rowland

John Rowland is the General Manager of VizMarket – a highly sophisticated Smartphone app which contains 9 years worth of meticulous detail on businesses, professionals, organizations within Lee & Collier County.  Among other ambitious goals, VizMarket seeks to help local companies and non-profits take advantage of the rapidly growing trend of Mobile Marketing.  With a soon-to-launch website portal, area professionals can instantly reach thousands of SW Florida residents and visitors at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.  A centralized Events calendar is also being built, and will aggregate every type of event in the area, allowing PR agents and others to easily post events.  The app will also capitalize on existing online campaigns by linking to specific URL’s, creating a viral effect that can catapult the marketing efforts of any company.  As a member of 12 chambers of commerce, multiple real estate boards and other local associations, VizMarket is poised to become the area leader in one of the most exciting marketing trends in the world.

Prior to his current position, John spent many years in Boston and New York City as an I.T. professional, helping companies take advantage of the latest advances in technology to become more efficient and grow their client base.  With a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, he not only understands the “bottom line” of a company, but also what it takes to achieve a substantial return on investment, especially when it comes to incorporating technology into PR and marketing.

John and his wife of 6 years are full time residents of Bonita Springs.  In his free time, John enjoys listening to jazz and reggae music, playing guitar and watching old movies.  He is an avid supporter of anti-human trafficking efforts and hopes to someday open a shelter to house rescued victims.  He has a relentless passion for helping non-profit organizations achieve their goals, and allows them to utilize VizMarket at no charge.

PRU #DunkCity Panelist - Francesca Donlan, Communications Manager, Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau

Francesca Donlan is communications manager for the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. She spent most of her career working as a journalist for newspapers throughout the country including spending almost 10 years at The News-Press. She graduated from Rutger’s University and received her master’s degree in journalism at the University of Missouri. She is married, has two children, and is hosting an exchange student from China this year.

PRU #DunkCity Panelist Seth Soffian, Staff Writer, The News-Press

Miami native Seth Soffian, a staff writer at The News-Press since 2000, graduated from the University of Florida in 1996 (a good year) with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and minor in business administration. Seth covered Gators sports for The Independent Florida Alligator student newspaper before going on to work at the Palatka Daily News and Ocala Star-Banner, where he covered horse racing and the equine industry. Seth primarily covered local, regional and national golf news at The News-Press before taking over the FGCU beat full time as the university and its athletic programs continued to grow. Seth has freelanced for a number of regional and national publications and won numerous state and national writing awards. He most recently won the Associated Press Sports Writers’ top explanatory writing award in the 30,000-75,000 daily circulation category for a group of stories detailing the pervasive undercurrent of homophobia in women’s sports. Seth and his wife, Shannon, live in Fort Myers with their five children.

September 2013 APR Trivia

1. Question: How many APRs does the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association have (as of September 2013)?

A.   5

B.    26

C.    31

D.   45

Answer: C. Our 31 APRs join more than 4,300 active public relations professionals worldwide who have earned the prestigious APR designation.

Congratulations, Heidi Taulman, APR!!

Heidi Taulman, APR, of the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) recently earned professional public relations accreditation, and received the designation of Accredited in Public Relations (APR).

Taulman joins the more than 4,300 active public relations professionals worldwide who represent an elite group of highly skilled professionals committed to practicing with exemplary ethical standards, including 31 in southwest Florida.

Taulman is the executive director for Lee Building Industry Association Builders Care, Inc. where she worked for seven years coordinating completion of more than 150 projects to provide no-cost emergency home repair and renovations services to needy, elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged homeowners. In addition, Taulman serves in leadership roles with several local organizations, including the Southwest Florida Chapter of FPRA and ArtFest Fort Myers. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from Florida State University.

To earn accreditation, candidates must pass an oral presentation and rigorous written examination administered by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), which is an alliance of eight national and statewide professional associations dedicated to furthering the field of public relations and the development of public relations professionals. FPRA is a member of the UAB.

The Florida Public Relations Association is dedicated to developing public relations practitioners who, through ethical and standardized practices, enhance the public relations profession in Florida.  For more information on the Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association, visit www.fpraswfl.org.