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e-Newsletter: Internal Communications
3/2008
Welcome to the official newsletter of the Greater Spokane PRSA Chapter. Past issues can be found by going to www.prsaspokane.org and clicking on the "Newsletters" link.
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Breakfast Meeting: Friday, Mar. 7
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Join us on Friday, Mar. 7 at 7:30 a.m. in Cataldo
Hall on the campus of Gonzaga University for the joint PRSA/MarCom
breakfast meeting. This month's meeting will focus on internal communications. Join our guest speaker, Dan Kolbet, communications specialist at Avista Corp., as he discusses how Avista keeps its many employees in touch through their internal communication strategy. Kolbet will describe the variety of communication tools he uses, and look at the local utility’s plans for the future. A former editor at the Spokesman-Review, Kolbet also has provided communications and marketing expertise to Spokane Transit Authority, People to People Ambassador Programs, and Rings and Things. You can view Dan's rebranded Avista View newsletter or see what his e.VIEW emails look like.
RSVP and save money by registering online for the breakfast. Go to www.spokanemarcom.com and click under “Upcoming Meeting” to RSVP. Attendees can pay online, or just register and pay at the door. Also note the NEW
breakfast meeting costs: $10 for students and members who RSVP, $13 for
members at the door and non-members who RSVP, and $15 for non-members
at the door. To take advantage of the RSVP discount, you must RSVP by Monday, Mar. 3.
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Breakfast Mtg. Parking Reminder
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Remember, PRSA members may park at their lot for free at any upcoming PRSA/MarCom breakfast meeting. The Knights of Columbus building is located at 302 E. Boone Ave., one block West of Cataldo Hall.
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Your Greater Spokane PRSA board of directors have been diligently working on a strategic plan for the past few months. During this process, we have interviewed a number of chapter members, held brainstorming sessions and made many revisions to a draft strategic plan. Now, it is time to take this draft document to the membership and get your feedback. We're inviting each of you to take a moment out of your busy schedule and join us for an hour and a half focus group session. This is your opportunity to learn about the strategic plan and share your thoughts. After all, this chapter's purpose is to serve you, the membership -- so we want to hear from you! Please join us on either Tuesday, March 4, from 4:30-6 p.m. or Wednesday, March 5, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Both sessions will be held at the Desautel Hege Communications offices in
Spokane. RSVP online by Friday, Feb. 29 by clicking one of the following links:
As a special thank you, each participant will receive two tickets to a Sunday performance of the Spokane Symphony, courtesy of the Symphony.Looking forward,
Lance
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This year's Day on the Job event is right around the corner! Chris Bieker will be contacting all of you who have volunteered to mentor a student in the next few weeks. Each of you will be matched with a local college student whom you can arrange to provide a job shadow for -- at your convenience! Day on the Job offers the opportunity for students to spend a day
shadowing communication professionals to glimpse insights into the
working environment. This year, students and professionals will choose
a mutually beneficial date between March 7 and April 4, 2008 to
complete the job shadow. The job shadow may still be done on April 4 at
the regular breakfast meeting.
The April breakfast meeting will highlight the Day on the Job event.
The professional panel presentation for students will immediately
follow the April breakfast meeting in Gonzaga's Cataldo Hall. Students
shadowing their professionals on April 4 will start after the panel
presentation. Special thanks to our sponsors: Desautel Hege Communications and Avista Corp.!
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New board members and chapter officers elected
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Congratulations to Sue Shields of West Valley School District and Alison Moerschell of Rocky Hill & Knowlton for their election to the board of directors! In addition, this year's officers have been selected:
- Annie Matlow of the Spokane Symphony, secretary/treasurer
- Michelle Galey of the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing, president-elect
- Lance Kissler of Pacific University, president
Your board members volunteer their time to ensure quality programming, networking activities and professional development opportunities throughout the year. In addition, they foster relationships and provide support to the local PRSSA chapters.
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WSU Murrow Symposium, Apr. 3
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The WSU Murrow Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 3 in Pullman, WA. For information about the event, please go to www.wsu.edu/murrow Desautel Hege Communications will be hosting a workshop that day at the symposium. If you are interested in the workshop or carpooling to the event, please contact Sara Desautel at 509.444.2350 or e-mail sarad@desautelhege.com
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District Conference: May 7-8, Portland
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Why not contact a few of your Spokane PRSA or workplace colleagues
and carpool to the North Pacific District Conference in Portland? Registration is now open and is as low as $175!
The Communicator’s Conference is an annual professional development conference held each spring in Portland for area, senior-level communications professionals. The North Pacific District of the Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA) and the Oregon Columbia Chapter of the International Association
of Business Communicators (IABC) host the event, which will attract
more than 200 professionals in Alaska, central and northern California,
Oregon, Utah, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. For more information, visit www.pdxcommconf.org
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Crisis Communications Offer
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The Academy of Crisis Communications will be held on March 25, 26, 27 in New Orleans. March 25 teaches you the strategies, psychology and tactics for a successful crisis communications plan. March 26 and 27 gives you an opportunity to actually write and complete a crisis communications plan. Special offers available:
- An additional $100 discount is being offered to members of IABC and PRSA who attend the one-day only program on March 25. Rather than paying the $295 advertised price, you only pay $195.
- Additional discounts are being offered for those who want to write and complete their crisis communications plan on March 26 & 27.
Please call Gerard Braud at 985-624-9976 for more information. These discounts are not being advertised on the web. For full details, visit www.crisiscommunicationsplans.com You can also download the registration PDF at: www.crisiscommunicationsplans.com/downloads/CrisisWorkBraud.pdf
If you are associated with a school, please visit: www.schoolcrisisplan.com
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The board of directors met on Friday, Feb. 15 to discuss the next steps in the chapter's strategic planning process. Two dates have been set for members to participate in focus groups. After the focus groups have been completed, the board will incorporate feedback into a final document and present it to the membership for approval. Also discussed was new board member roles and positions for the year, plans for the Day on the Job event and the PRSSA scholarship. Board of directors meetings occur every month, usually 1-2 weeks following the monthly breakfast meeting. If you have questions or feedback for a board member, please contact any of us at your convenience.
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Have a story idea for the Spokane PRSA newsletter? Send your article, announcement or shameless plug to Lance Kissler by the 15th of the month. Contact:
Lance Kissler
lkissler@pacificu.edu
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