February 2005 eNews

This edition of PRSA-St. Louis Chapter eNews could be sponsored by you or your favorite vendor with exposure to more than 800 St. Louis area public relations specialists. See "Sponsorships" for more information.

What's in this issue?
1) Upcoming luncheons, Pro-Am Day
2)  Get a Taste of PRSA and Save $65 on new membership
3) Know Your Chapter Members - on sight
4) Meet new Members, Renewals
5) Chapter opportunities - For professional growth, recognition
6) What Others are doing - Programs, Volunteers

1)  Upcoming luncheons, Pro-Am Day, Seasoned Sharings
Don not let the term Pro-Am scare you away from the upcoming PRSA luncheon, Feb. 25 at Saint Louis University.  This has nothing to do with golf.  The luncheon is part of the annual day-long workshop at SLU, which brings in more than 100 college students, from a four-state area.  The luncheon is usually 50/50 with participating students and our normal crowd of PRSA members and friends.  Former radio/TV newsman, Jeff Rainford, chief of staff for St. Louis mayor Francis Slay, will be the luncheon speaker - with information and tips good for you and those who covet your jobs.  For more information and to register go to City Hall and PR Challenges.  If you would like to help with the student program, see the Pro-Am Day 2005.  Also see Programs for information on upcoming luncheons. The March 16 luncheon, to be sponsored by Burrelle's/Luce, will focus on the wisdom gained and lessons learned from some of the area's top "seasoned" PR pros.  That luncheon will be back at the Junior League.

3) Know your PRSA-St. Louis Members On Sight
           
From left to right:  Cathy Dunkin, The Standing Partnership; Beth Fagan, Brown Shoe; Judy Jasper Leicht, Washington University in St. Louis; Melissa Lackey, The Standing Partnership; Pete Le Blanc, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Marcia Levy, St. Louis Jewish Book Festival and Timothy Sommer, Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

4) Meet Your New Members, Renewals

Say Hello to our newest St. Louis area members
Jacyln D. Fisher, Sr. Writer, Internal Communications, Enterprise Rent-A-Car +
Thomas F. Keller, Director of Public Relations, Logan College of Chiropractics
Peter Le Blanc Jr., Sr. Writer, Enterprise Rent-A-Car +
Jessica N. Martin, Sr. News Editor, Washington University +
Iris Salsman, Principal, Salsman Lundren Public Relations
Angela M. Schaefer, Sr. Writer, Internal Communications, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Timothy F. Sommer, Mgr., Employee Communications, Enterprise Rent-A-Car +
Jeryldine Tully, Editorial Director, Webster University
Grant Walker, Coordinator, Marketing & Communications, Southern Illinois Healthcare (Carbondale, Ill.)
_{+ Pending payment of local dues}

And Welcome Back These Renewing Members
Alan W. Akerson, University of Missouri-St. Louis; Melissa L. Barreca, APR, Ameristar Casinos; Corey Barron, Children's Hope International; Trudy C. Barthels, Ascension Health; Gary F. Barton, APR, Consultant; Jody Capdeboscq, Commerce Bank; Deb Carpenter, Webster University; Kathleen M. Cook, The Boeing Company; Merri Cross, Gundaker Commercial Group; Dawn DeBlaze, DeBlaze & Associates; James Donaldson, MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.; Amanda Gioia, MasterCard International; Arthur Hoffman, Hoffman Creative, Inc.; Gayla J. Hoffman, APR, Gayla Hoffman Associates; Rita Holmes-Bobo, APR, Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.; Caroline Kanyago-Lwali, Hautly Cheese Company; Patrick W. Maloney, City of Saint Louis; Karen K. Marshall, APR, Monsanto Company; Ann Nicholson, Washington University School of Law; James O'Donnell, OÕDonnell Communications; Kathleen Reznikov, Ladue School District; Beth Rusert, Mariz, Inc.; Burt St. John III, APR, USPS; Victoria Ann Stamps, APR, Stamps Communications; Mark L. Sutherland, Joyce Meyer Ministries; Lane Talburt, APR, Fellow PRSA, Talburt Communications; Judy Taylor, Taylor'd Communications; Karen Thomson, APR, Youth in Need; Steve Turner, Solomon/Turner.

5) Chapter Opportunities for Growth/Recognition
Accreditation Classes
Anyone interested in getting their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) or in facilitating an accreditation class (must have APR accreditation) please contact Karen Thomson at kthomson@youthinneed.org or call at 636-946-0101.  The accreditation classes are being planned for this spring.

APR Study Programming: Planning Terminology and Structure (Teleconference)
2 p.m.- 3 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005. This session is designed to give you an overview of planning terminology and experience in organizing the function of public relations and gaining acceptance for a professional approach. Material presented in this session relates to several of the knowledge, skills and abilities areas to be tested in the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations. You'll learn how to: distinguish among goals, objectives and strategies; determine the difference between process objectives and outcome objectives and describe strategies, tactics, tools and activities that lead you to your objectives. Session leader:  Steven L. Lubetkin, APR, Fellow PRSA, Fleet Boston Financial Corporation.  Contact Karen Thomson at kthomson@youthinneed.org or call at 636-946-0101 if you'd like to sit in.

"Call for Papers" from PRSA HQ
Interested in presenting a paper for the 2005 PRSA International Conference in October?  Check out www.prsa.org/callforpresentations. Deadline for submissions by e-mail is 4 p.m., Feb. 14.

Membership Committee Volunteers Needed
Join with your Membership Committee in promoting our chapter. We are looking for volunteers to help with such activities as follow-up calls to new members, orientation, recruitment and more. ItÕs a great way to get to know more people in the chapter. Contact membership co-chairs Jim Braibish, APR at (314) 835-9883 or Rob Staggenborg, APR at (314) 985-6097.

Mentoring Opportunity
PRSA St. Louis is gearing up for another semester mentoring students at SIU-Carbondale.  Communicating through e-mail, this program allows students to learn valuable knowledge from practitioners in a variety of industries.  We currently need mentors for the 2005 spring semester.  Please contact Michelle Mason at 314-569-7100 or mmason@millenniumcom if you are interested in participating.

6) What Others are Doing (Program), More Volunteer Opportunities
Not-for-Profit Looking for a Board Member
A St. Louis not-for-profit organization is looking for a PR person to serve in a board capacity and to help direct PR for the organization.  They are looking for someone who wants to be "hands on" with the organization.  It's a great opportunity to volunteer your time to assist a worthy organization that has a significant impact on our community. Contact Barb Pierce at bpierce@millenniumcom.com or at 314-569-7100 for details.

New Dow Jones St. Louis Bureau Head
Greg Edwards, an editor at the Belleville News Democrat, is the new Dow Jones St. Louis Bureau Reporter. He replaces Desi Hanford, who relocated to Chicago. Edwards is heavily tuned in to daily analysts' reports but also interested in learning more about St. Louis companies from local players. His work will closely shadow that of Hanford in terms of companies that he will cover. He can be reached at greg.edwards@dowjones.com.  (Thanks to NIRI for this information.)

PR Newswire Reschedules demo
Due to illness, the PR Newswire Media Room demo sessions scheduled for Jan. 13, 2005 will be rescheduled to Thursday, Feb. 24.  For more information contact Steve Werner, PR Newswire-St. Louis Bureau 314-854-1353.

Writing Extravaganza! - Feb. 18, Sheraton Clayton Plaza
IABC-St. Louis invites you to a Writing Extravaganza! Feb. 18 at the Sheraton Clayton Plaza. The five-hour seminar and luncheon features University of Missouri-Columbia professor of journalism Don Ranly and members from the St. Louis Post Dispatch and Writing with Clarity.  Morning sessions include: Reinventing Print and Refrigerator (Service) Journalism with Ranly.  A writing panel - Ken O'Quinn, Dick Weiss and Ranly - will speak at lunch. You can attend the full session or the luncheon only. Register online at www.iabcstl.org. For more information contact: Jen Ohlendorf, 314-863-4994