Give Back Through Annual PPRA Volunteer Event April 14

Volunteer for Philly Spring Cleanup Day

Join PPRA as we volunteer for Philly Spring Cleanup Day. This year, we will be helping to clean up the Schuylkill River Banks. We will be picking up litter, sweeping the walkways, repainting bridge abutments, and mulching flower beds. 

Location:  Under the Walnut Street Bridge, 2500 Walnut St., Center City
Date:  Saturday, April 14, 2012 (rain date, April 28)
Time:  9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

If you would like to volunteer, please register at www.phillycleanup.com.  Please be sure to select the project, "Schuylkill Banks Cleanup".

If you have any questions, please contact Caryn Williams, Chair of the Community Service Committee at Caryn_Williams@cable.comcast.com or 215-286-3595.  We encourage interested volunteers to sign up for the event as soon as possible to ensure slots are still available.  Hope to see you there!
    

Remembering PPRA's Nessa Forman

Nessa Forman and I were circus buddies.
Every year, when the circus came to town we were there. I'm not sure which one of us enjoyed the spectacle of the circus more but I do know that we were like a couple of kids as we sat in the audience and gazed on in amazement at the greatest show on earth.
And this year we enjoyed every moment of the show just like every other year. We enjoyed it just as Nessa always enjoyed every moment of her life, even as she was weakened by an insidious illness.
From the moment that I first arrived in Philadelphia (a long time ago) to practice public relations I heard about Nessa Forman. Nessa was an editor at the old Philadelphia Bulletin and she was known as a first rate journalist -- scrupulous, thorough, unflappable, but patient and caring as well. Though she worked right alongside the guys in the tough, deadline-driven world of a big city daily newspaper, Nessa never developed a hard edge. Yes, she was keenly aware of the human condition but, more often than not she merely smiled knowingly at the shortcomings of others just as she routinely poked fun at herself. She never became a cynic.
By the time I got to know Nessa as more than just an acquaintance she had very smoothly transitioned to the world of public relations and assumed the title of vice president of corporate communications and public affairs at WHYY Inc., Philadelphia's public broadcasting outlet.
I was president of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) in 2002 when Nessa was nominated for induction into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame. Nessa was so well-respected and had so many friends that she was voted into the Hall on the first ballot. Then, it was my job to call Nessa and give her the good news. We met for lunch to begin planning her Hall of Fame induction luncheon and that's when a beautiful friendship developed.
Over a period of nearly ten years Nessa and I grew closer. We exchanged stories, shared confidences and enjoyed many good times together. When I was inducted into the Hall of Fame, we became veritable partners. For many years the two of us co-chaired PPRA's annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I have to say that I never could have done the job without Nessa. She did most of the work. I was there just to be with Nessa.
Nessa wouldn't want to be called a pioneer but that's what she was - no question about it.
She was one of the first women to advance to a leading role in Philadelphia journalism and then became a model for all women professionals as a corporate executive. The words "worthy of emulation" were written to describe her. In 2005, the Philadelphia Business Journal named her a woman of distinction. She was all that and more. And she had all of the awards and honors to prove it.
But Nessa remembered the first rule for a good PR person: Have a passion for anonymity. She never, ever promoted herself. She was modest and unassuming. Though she was incredibly smart, quick and diligent, she also found the time to be kind and attentive. Consequently, she had many, many friends who were more than happy to sing her praises. And it's fair to say that in the tight knit world of Philly PR and journalism she was truly beloved.
Sometimes when Nessa and I were together I would vent all my frustrations and/or disappointment with one predicament or another or one personality or another. While never speaking ill of anyone, Nessa would simply laugh and redirect my energies toward more pleasant endeavors . She understood -- and she knew better.
Toward the end, Nessa managed her illness with grace, dignity and, yes -- courage. The closest she ever came to even talking about her predicament was confiding: "This is the hardest thing I've ever done."
Now it will be so hard for me to bid adieu to such a treasured friend. So hard.
And this is unfair -- not just to Nessa but to all of us who loved her and cared about her.
Still, we know we were lucky to call this gracious lady our friend. And, thanks to her, our hearts are full of so many happy memories -- so many cherished moments.

Dan Cirucci is one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field.  He is a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State Abington and a former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association. This piece was first published on his blog at www.dancirucci.com. 

Philadelphia Public Relations Association 2011 kick-off event

Breaking the Ice: A speed-networking event with a twist

Philadelphia Public Relations Association members gathered last week to enjoy
cocktails, enlightening conversation, and the rip and roar of a nearby chainsaw. In the
hands of a skilled sculptor, the power tool tore through more than 600 lbs. of ice, creating
an elegant sculpture for PPRA’s 2011 kick-off event - “Breaking the Ice: A Speed-networking
event with a twist.”

Atop the rooftop deck of The Corner Bar in Center City, members squeezed as
much info as possible into 3-minute conversations for the speed-networking portion of
the evening. Many members took advantage of the very swanky bar/restaurant and
enjoyed the view overlooking the city as the sun began to set.

“I spoke with people I would never had a chance to otherwise meet.” said Beth
Archer, PPRA chairperson, “This was a great way to start off the year and I’m so excited
for the next event!”

Chris Lukach, 2011- 2012 PPRA president, welcomed the newly elected
executive board and thanked Meredith Avakian, vice president for programs, and her
team, including Lindsay Bues and Robert Johnson, social programs co-chairs, for their
hard work.

PPRA 2011 Annual Meeting: Meet The Mayor

Join us at the beautiful Stotesbury Mansion in Rittenhouse Square as we celebrate another successful year of PPRA!

Our special guest speaker will be Mayor Michael A. Nutter, who will be accompanied by his Chief Spokesperson Mark McDonald and his Director of Communications Desiree Peterkin Bell. We’ll hear directly from the Mayor and his staff about lessons learned over the past three years and the value of public relations in running the city. We also will get a glimpse into his plans to maximize opportunities in the future.

In addition, we will honor our Fast Track and Dr. Jean Brodey award winners, say thank you to our outgoing president Beth Archer, and induct our incoming president Chris Lukach and PPRA's 2011-12 Board of Directors. It’s a celebration you won’t want to miss!

Date:
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Time:
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Registration/Networking Cocktail Reception
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Program

Location:
Stotesbury Mansion
1923 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Registration Fees:
$45 for PPRA Members
$60 for Non-Members
$25 for Students
$5 additional fee for walk-ins 

Want to register? Click here and visit the PPRA event registration page. 

PIFA Created an Army of Bloggers

An army of bloggers took the city by storm to promote PIFA

Photo Credit , George Widman    

How do you get the word out about 135 events over a three-week time period? Create an army of bloggers. That’s what Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) did.

PIFA is inspired by the Kimmel Center and they incorporated partnerships and collaborations with hundreds of artists, organizations and individuals from around the globe. It was nearly impossible to ignore the presence that the inaugural PIFA had in our city recently (4/7/11-5/1/11). No, I am not referring to the giant Ferris wheel or aerial dancers on Broad Street last Saturday for the PIFA Street Fair, I am referring to the non-stop social media presence that PIFA had on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and approximately 30 blogs!
 
Nina Zucker Associates, local boutique public relations firm, represents PIFA and worked closely with Dafni Comerota of the Kimmel Center on the PIFA campaign.They were given the challenge of reaching a broad audience to include a younger crowd that doesn’t typically get involved in the arts and cultural community.

“Out of that challenge, we tapped Ed Salvato, a journalist and social media specialist who was brought on board to oversee social media strategy and create the campaign. As a result, the blogger army was born,” Nina Zucker, President of Nina Zucker Associates and member of PPRA’s Hall of Fame, said.

Reaching a broad diverse audience, many types of bloggers were included: mommy bloggers such as Frugal Philly Mom, arts bloggers, gossip bloggers such as Philly Chit Chat, as well as other local Philadelphia popular blogs including my own independent blog, Always a Brunette. Bloggers from Canada, France and the UK were also part of PIFA’s army of bloggers.

PIFA created its own Twitter handle, Facebook page and YouTube channel so that the bloggers could post their links onto the different platforms. The hashtag #PIFAphilly was trending on Twitter several times prior to the festival as well as during the festival.

PIFA’s army of bloggers certainly helped draw in the crowds with over 100,000 people visiting the Kimmel Center Plaza for the Eiffel Tower light shows two times each night and 150,000 attendees to the Street Fair on Broad Street.

The tremendous success, “Was a result of the fact that we merged traditional media and PR/marketing tactics with new and social media efforts,” said Zucker.

When Salvato was asked if he would include an army of blogger again if he had the opportunity to work with PIFA in the future, he simply answered, “Absolutely.”
 
This blog post was written by Nina Scimenes. She has been an active PPRA member since 2005 and is currently a part of the Hall of Fame Luncheon committee. After graduating from Cabrini College with a Communications degree in 2006 Nina went on to do PR at various organizations and now she is the temporary Marketing Manager of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. This year Nina has also been a PR Consultant for Rock to the Future, a local non-profit that is benefiting from pro-bono PR from PPRA members. When she is not immersed in PR work she is blogging on her new blog, Always a Brunette, and training for her next triathlon. Last year she completed her first triathlon in Philadelphia and is brave enough to go back from more including a swim in the Schuylkill River.

Hospitality Leaders discuss the "State of the City"

I attended the “State of the City: See What’s Developed” presentation/panel discussion on Tuesday, April 26, expecting to find out what new developments are happening in the city (i.e. new hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc.) While I did learn about those, I learned something else, just as, if not more important. I learned what these new developments in the hospitality industry mean to the region’s economy by creating jobs for its residents and generating billions of dollars in economic impact.

The program was presented by the Center City Proprietors Association (CCPA) and Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB). It was sponsored by these two organizations, as well as the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, PPRA, and the Philadelphia Business Journal and was held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

More than 200 people attended the panel discussion, which was moderated by Craig Ey, editor of the Philadelphia Business Journal. The panel consisted of Jack Ferguson, president & CEO of PCVB; Meryl Levitz, president & CEO of Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC); Ahmeenah Young, president & CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority (PCCA); and Alan Greenberger, FAIA, deputy mayor for planning and economic development and director of commerce, City of Philadelphia.

Some of the things that I took away from the presentation were:

• The Convention Center and its expansion is a major catalyst for generating economic impact to the city and creating jobs.
• A dozen city organizations are in discussions about developing a collaborative “Hospitality University”  to train the next generation of frontline hospitality workers.
• Hospitality and tourism has replaced manufacturing as one of the dominant “industries” in the region.
• Give people a reason to come to Philadelphia (new attractions, more meeting space) and they will come. Philadelphia is an affordable destination and an attractive place to live, work, and play.
• Philadelphia has 30 jobs for every 100 residents as compared to San Francisco, with more than 70 jobs for every 100 residents, and Washington has 115 jobs for every 100 people.

The moral of the story? Hospitality means jobs: whether its entry level, mid-level or executive; from cab drivers, to hotel staff, to those of us PR types who help promote Philadelphia as a world-class destination.

The presentation was followed by a tour of the newly expanded center. All I can say is WOW! It’s “ginormous!” Looking out of the windows over Broad Street, I can just imagine what it will be like once the Lenfest Plaza is completed!

This blog post was written by PPRA member, Ellen  Kornfield.  Ellen is a former communications manager for the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. She is currently a communications/PR consultant and can be reached at ekornfield@gmail.com. 

Mobile Technology: Changing the Way We Do Business

On March 3, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce hosted a Mobile Technology event held at the Hub Meeting & Event Center in Center City. Professionals from various industries gathered to learn more about emerging trends in the wireless technology sector.

The keynote speaker, Vivek Kundra, U.S. Chief Information Officer, spoke about closing the technology gap. He discussed the Obama administration’s priorities concerning mobile technology in the coming months. He cited statistics that indicated that there has been a rapid growth of mobile devices. This growth has created a global consumer that often uses their wireless device as a primary connection to the Internet.

One priority of the administration has been to promote entrepreneurism and innovation. Kundra talked about working with startup companies in Silicon Valley and their cutting-edge thinking in mobile application development. Their focus is working with American start-up companies to make sure we remain competitive in the global economy.

Kundra went on to identify more trends to follow such as consumers moving to one device for personal and professional use and the money saving strategy of moving files to cloud computing. He sited some interesting numbers: more than 350,000 apps for the iPhone and more than 150,000 for the Android platform are on the marketplace today. Even with all these application, new ones are being developed at an astounding speed.

He spoke about faster and more ubiquitous networks, cheaper and more powerful processors and in the future, billions of sensors becoming part of a hybrid Internet. I have to be honest, the future he talked about sounded so cool! In addition, some of the other Obama priorities include providing at least 98 percent of Americans with access to 4G high-speed wireless and pouring $3 billion into a wireless innovation fund.

Public relations professionals need to keep up with the emerging trends and ways to reach their target audiences. New gadgets are rolled out constantly, the mobile consumer will continue to access their information via a wireless device, are you reaching them?

This blog post was written by Amanda Walsh. Amanda Walsh has a passion for integrated communications, social media and emerging technologies. She joined the public relations and marketing agency, Furia Rubel, in 2008 as a dedicated blogger and social media strategist. In 2010 she was promoted to Account Coordinator. Whether she’s using social media outlets to spread the good news about clients, conducting media outreach to regional publications or bloggers, or expressing opinions concerning industry news on Furia Rubel’s ThePRLawyer blog, Amanda is energized by all aspects of integrated communications. She can be found on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal: A Breakfast For Words

On February 25, Nicholas Torres and Tine Hansen-Turton shared with PPRA their collaborative, social creation, the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal (PSIJ). The PSIJ is a progressive journal that highlights social innovations in the Greater Philadelphia area, by elaborating on the principles that create, uphold, and reform social transformations.

Soon to be a household name in Philadelphia, with nearly 5,000 views daily of the site; this online phenomenon was an idea created by the co-founders, after completion of their Eisenhower Fellowships.

While the journal is published online four times a year, the inspiration and collection process is a year round effort. Torres and Hansen-Turton credited the community members of the organization, whose significant contributions enabled much of their success. The majority of their 80 and growing volunteer base is comprised of young and entrepreneurial leaders given the opportunity to nominate, advocate, inspire, and even blog about the social changes in Philadelphia today. Anna Mira King, Sales and Marketing Executive of PSIJ, elaborated describing their volunteers as an expanded insight and wealth of knowledge to the rapidly evolving city.

The next issue of Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal will include sections on: Arts & Culture; Food Industry Production and Health; Energy; and Violence.

Volunteering with the PSIJ was highly encouraged. To learn more about the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, click here.

This blog post was written by Leslie Cottle. Leslie has been a PPRA member since 2010 and is a 2009 Corporate Communication graduate from The Pennsylvania State University.  She is currently working as a Researcher Associate for Diversified Search, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can find Leslie on Linkedin at http://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliecottle.