IABC Houston Articles RSS Feed

Call for Entries: 2010 PRSA Houston Excalibur Awards for Excellence

Hattie Horn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00:00 GMT

The Excalibur Award is the most prestigious local award a public relations professional can receive. Gold, Silver and Bronze Excalibur Awards will be presented to talented public relations professionals in dozens of categories. Visit the PRSA Houston website for more details and to download the call for entries package.

11-Mar-10 9:00 AM

Kodak's Chief Marketing Officer to Speak

Theresa Parker — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Forbes Magazine calls him the celebrity CMO. Advertising Age says, “a new style of CMO has arrived.” He’s been described as a chief marketing officer on steroids.

Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company, is equally at home in the boardroom and on the Internet. He tweets regularly; in fact, he’s one of the top ten C-level executive twitterers in the world. When he’s not online, Jeff runs Kodak’s Marketing, Brand Management, Market Development, Public Relations and Public Affairs.

Join the Houston Interactive Marketing Association for A Digital…A Brand…A Marketing Transformation luncheon on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at the Intercontinental Hotel to hear how Kodak successfully transformed itself into an innovative leader in digital imaging.

IABC members can attend the luncheon at the HiMA member rate of $40. Nonmember rate is $55. Click here to register and take advantage of this unique opportunity.

24-Feb-10 9:00 AM

IABC/Houston, You're Invited: Engaging Audiences in Changing Times

Merrisa Turner — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:00:00 GMT

IABC/San Antonio invites members of the Houston chapter to attend a workshop featuring Houston's own Suzanne Salvo.

The Communication Revolution: Engagement Audiences in Changing Times
Monday, March 1
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Led by three of the nation's leading communications experts, the workshop will address the new challenges each of us face each day:

The revolution in social media – Ron Shewchuk
The revolution in visual communications - Suzanne Salvo
The revolution in corporate creativity – Steve Crescenzo

Houston members can attend at the local SA-IABC member rate for the workshop and also take advantage of discounted pricing at Staybridge Suites Sunset Station. Anyone interested should e-mail SA-IABC President Becky Bridges: bbridges@sachamber.org for details.

18-Feb-10 8:00 AM

Bronze Quill Call for Entries Coming Soon! Simply. The Best.

Hattie Horn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:00:00 GMT

IABC Houston believes that getting recognized for outstanding work shouldn’t be challenging. So we’re rewriting the rules for the 2010 Bronze Quill Awards competition. No more three-ring binders or cumbersome entry criteria!

Watch for a streamlined call for entries in February and an online process to make entering the competition easier and less time consuming.

Mark your calendar for these important dates:

Tips for Submitting a Winning Entry Webinar (free): Feb. 24, 2010
Early-Bird Deadline*: March 1, 2010
Entry Deadline*: March 15, 2010
Procrastinator Deadline*: March 29, 2010
Awards Dinner: June 3, 2010, at The Parador

Get the recognition you deserve. Simply. The Best.

25-Jan-10 4:00 PM

Last Week to Save on an IABC Membership!

Robin Leeder — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:30:00 GMT

Time is money, so act fast! Right now—just til the end of February—you can save money on a new IABC membership or on the renewal of a lapsed membership.

For this month, IABC is waiving the application fee. You’ll save $40 ($30 for Internet enrollments, which are already discounted $10). On top of that monetary benefit, you’ll gain a vast network of colleagues, professional development opportunities, and a wealth of international resources, all for less than $1 a day.

To read what IABC membership can do for you, go to http://www.iabc.com/about/membership/ and select What Membership Provides. It's an excellent value!

There’s never been a better time to become a member of IABC. For more information on IABC membership, contact Robin Leeder.

25-Jan-10 9:30 AM

400-Plus Years of IABC Membership: Longevity and Success

Mara Soloway — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT

by Mara Soloway

Several of IABC/Houston’s recent membership anniversaries help explain why the chapter is so successful. Counting the January anniversaries of 10 or more years, these members have been with IABC/Houston for a total of 442 years. That’s an abundance of experience, persistence, talent, determination, achievement and risk-taking in one group.

Lee Anne Snedeker, who is Senior Vice President of Global Membership Development for IABC Headquarters, is impressed by this longevity:

“Our longtime members are the very foundation of IABC. Their commitment to the association demonstrates their rock-solid allegiance to the profession, to the other members, and to excellence in the field. We are both grateful and humbled by the devotion shown by so many Houston members,” she says.

Our January 442-year club:

57 years Downs Matthews, ABC

38 years Beverly Freeman, APR

36 years Susie McMichael, ABC

35 years Marvin Brown, ABC, APR

33 years Anne Ribble, ABC, APR

32 years Ben Wheatley, ABC, APR and Helen Fischer, ABC

29 years Peter Poulsen, ABC and K Smith Leonard, ABC

25 years Tracy Torma

24 years Mark Singer

22 years Pam McConathy and Theresa Parker

18 years Pat Schroeder, ABC

10 years Sarah Palmer

Congratulations on your staying power. And thank you for your contributions to IABC/Houston. Your success encourages newer members that they can achieve it as well.

21-Jan-10 10:00 AM

Tidbitz

Denise Allen Zwicker — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker [DZ1], writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“While many members have embraced Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, MemberSpeak, IABC’s original online discussion forum, is still buzzing with activity.”

[Link to CW article, January-February, pg. 7.]

19-Jan-10 8:00 AM

Volunteer of the Month - Jason Ray

Merrisa Turner — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Name: Jason Ray

Company: Joined Alcon Laboratories and moved to Ft. Worth in January 2010; formerly with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals in Houston for nine years

Title: Manager, Internal Communications

Hometown: Burleson, Texas (suburb of Fort Worth)

Education: Bachelor of science degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University

My line of work is: Corporate communications, investor relations and community affairs

I got into my line of work because: I enjoy developing communications materials, personal interactions with employees and clients, as well as dealing with the public … and Lexicon was the first company to hire me out of college!

Career landmarks: Developing and executing corporate communications and investor relations strategies at Lexicon; developing annual reports; leading Lexicon’s community affairs activities and speaking to local university students; most recently joining Alcon Laboratories

Goals: To oversee the corporate communications function at an organization

I’ve been an IABC member since: January 2009

My contributions to IABC/Houston include: Insider newsletter editor

I belong to IABC because: It’s a diverse group of business and communication professionals with similar interests

My favorite IABC events are: New member breakfasts, board meetings

I think everyone should be an IABC volunteer because: It keeps you involved and provides access to other experienced communications professionals

When not working for a living: I enjoy spending time with my wife and our 9-month-old son, traveling, watching TV and movies, hunting, backpacking, home improvement projects.

People who know me would say: Friendly, good-looking (at least my wife says so), good sense of humor, hard working, optimistic

18-Jan-10 8:00 AM

The Fans Know Best: Building On-Line Brand Communities, What Works & What Doesn’t

Jason Ray — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:15:00 GMT

There’s a deafening buzz around online customer communities – but do they affect sales or other relevant outcomes? Dr. Utpal Dholakia of Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business (JGSB) shares his marketing research to help us tell fact from fiction.

Dr. Dholakia’s presentation, “Customer communities as marketing programs: Promises and pitfalls,” will cover

The current marketing environment (spending cuts, social media buzz, role of traditional programs)
Benefits of online communities
Case studies of successes and failures
Limitations and pitfalls
Steps in launching an online community
Using a Facebook fan group: results from a controlled experiment

Speaker: Dr. Utpal Dholakia
Dr. Dholakia is William S. Mackey, Jr., and Verne F. Simons Distinguished Associate Professor of Management, JGSB, Rice University. His teaching areas include choice behavior, customer retention, e-commerce, marketing research, pricing and distribution. Dr. Dholakia’s research interests lie in studying motivational psychology of consumers and online marketing issues such as virtual communities and online auctions. He also studies relational aspects of consumer behavior.

He has published in a number of marketing and management journals and consults with firms in financial services, energy, health care and other industries. “The Fans Know Best,” an article co-authored by Dr. Dholakia, appeared in the Aug. 19, 2009, Wall Street Journal. His article co-authored with Emily Durham, “How Effective is Facebook Marketing?” will appear in the March 2010 Harvard Business Review.

Dr. Dholakia’s academic degrees include a Ph.D. in Marketing and M.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan; an M.S. in Operations Research from Ohio State University; and a B.E. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Bombay.

Location: Omni Houston/Galleria | Four Riverway, Houston TX 77056 | 713.871.8181

Please note EARLY deadline for this event: pre-registration & special meal requests must be submitted by midnight, Sunday, Jan 24.

Parking: FREE parking available at the Three Riverway Garage, located app. 1/2 block behind the hotel. Otherwise, guests may self-park in hotel garage (app. $12.00) or use valet at their own expense.

4-Jan-10 1:15 PM

Keeping it Fresh and Relevant: Meet Karin Knapp

Laura Elsik — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:15:00 GMT

Feeling confident that it was time to start her own business, Karin Knapp, ABC, made the transition from a 21-year corporate communications career to independent consultant in May 2001. How was she to foresee that floodwaters from Tropical Storm Allison would halt area business in June? And with the events of September 11 and the fall of Enron in October, it looked like an ominous beginning for her solo flight.

Today’s economic climate reminds Karin of those months. “I see a lot of the same concerns and fears. Businesses are not sure where things are heading and are hunkering down,” she says.

But to Karin, being a communicator has a definite advantage no matter how the economy is faring: relevancy. “We have the opportunity to sink our teeth into interesting issues—hot topics of the day, of the minute. We get to dive in and quickly become knowledgeable, and we’re lucky to have that kind of profession. Now things are changing more than ever with social media.”

During Karin’s 29 years as a member of IABC, she spent 15 years holding board positions for the Houston chapter, District 5 or international. “Through IABC, I have a strong network of colleagues and friends. It’s nice to have a stabilizing force, no matter what is going on with your job or the economy, of friends who can give you a reality check,” Karin states.

She’s always on alert for professional development topics. A recent Wall Street Journal article about online communities by Rice University’s Utpal Dholakia prompted Karin to call him. The result: for the Jan. 28, 2010, IABC/Houston lunch meeting, the Jones Graduate School of Management professor will present “Building Brand Communities: What Works & What Doesn't.”

Karin thinks the presentation will be provocative. “Professor Dholakia’s talk will be a great way to start the year by challenging your ideas about social media and how to make them work for you and your clients,” she feels.

“We can’t sit on our laurels. We have to keep reinventing ourselves and adopting the latest tools. While social media are important, nothing can replace the body of knowledge you’ve gained the hard way in 20 or 30 years of hands-on experience.”

Follow Karin’s occasional tweets at twitter.com/karinknapp. You can also find her on LinkedIn.

3-Jan-10 10:15 PM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“Despite the best efforts of PR and marketing types, consumers will continue to seize power from those in control, be they dictators, CEOs, PR professionals or marketers.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 21-24

31-Dec-09 8:00 AM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“When we think about social media, we need to realize that we are talking about something that is much more than just a new channel to transmit the same old content. We are actually in a transition period to a different way of doing business.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 16-19

17-Dec-09 1:00 PM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“’We can no longer expect people in other cultures to adopt the way we think and communicate.’ We’ve heard that before, but this book takes us beyond the platitude and gives dozens of provocative illustrations.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 12

10-Dec-09 9:00 AM

THIS WEDNESDAY - Accreditation Kickoff Meeting, Dec. 16

Susie McMichael — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:00:00 GMT

Accreditation is an IABC professional development program. It offers communicators a way of demonstrating to employers, fellow communicators and themselves their ability to successfully manage and perform those tasks essential to effective organizational communication. Candidates meeting all requirements of the program earn the designation Accredited Business Communicator (ABC).

If you are a professional communicator, IABC's accreditation program is a means by which you can gauge your career progress. The ABC following your name tells your peers, current and prospective employers and, perhaps most importantly, you, that you have successfully completed this challenging program.

If you are interested in learning more about accreditation – or are ready to begin the process at the kickoff session – please contact Susie McMichael, ABC, Accreditation Chair, or 713-260-0716. You can also learn more about accreditation at www.iabc.com/abc/.

3-Dec-09 9:00 PM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“Here’s another way to dig out great stories: Give employees video cameras and turn them loose. Again, you’ll get crap and you’ll get gold. The trick is to bury the crap and display the gold.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 10-11

25-Nov-09 9:00 AM

THIS THURSDAY - HCA Big Huge Holiday Mixer

Jason Ray — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Mix and mingle with IABC and other professional organizations that make up the Houston Communications Alliance at the fourth annual holiday mixer! Free entertainment, free buffet and cash bar.

Event Details

Thursday, December 3, 2009

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Location

Courtyard on St. James

1885 St. James Place
Houston TX 77056
Phone: (713) 621-0555

Contact

Susan Farrell, Event Coordinator

(832) 251-2727, EXT. 707

RSVP at tad@branditmarketing.com.

25-Nov-09 9:00 AM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“The most popular format [for a podcast] appears to be an interview. That’s because two voices on a show are much more interesting than one. It also opens up the possibility of creating content around several angles while keeping to an overarching theme.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 8-9

17-Nov-09 6:00 PM

Communicators Got Their Ducks in a Row at Southern Region's Conference

Beth Miller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

It’s been a few weeks since the IABC Southern Region's Conference, Align '09, concluded after attracting more than 220 communicators to Houston.

All came to get their communication ducks in a row, and their evaluations indicated their missions were accomplished. Among the migratory flock, 158 were IABC members from 28 chapters including Trinidad, Jamaica, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Surprisingly, nearly one-third of the attendees were nonmembers who are now planning to become members. Visit the Align ’09 site to view photos of the networking, presenting and sharing among attendees.

Participants had a wide choice of content from five presentation tracks on Leadership, Employee Communications, Marketing and Branding, Public Relations and Social Media. With 35 different presentations, it was easy for attendees to personalize their schedule and take away the tools and techniques they needed to align their career for future success. Any presentation with Social Media in the title drew crowds.

In fact, a chief complaint was that many attendees found it difficult to choose. Some of them just flew between sessions, speed learning.

World-class presenters brought expertise learned in national and international communication initiatives. Keynote speakers included co-founder of Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Brock Wagner; President and CEO of Imperial Sugar Company, John Sheptor; and University of Houston President Dr. Renu Khator.

The conference was a role-model for social media campaigns as it adopted various new communication tactics for promotion. IABC websites, Facebook and Twitter reached out to the communicator ducks together long before the conference started. Align '09 attracted 105 communicators on Facebook and still has 161 Twittering ducks.

Align '09 received positive responses from the participants. During the three-day conference, more than 300 tweets were sent before, during and after events. A keynote speech video got 165 clicks on YouTube. Several attendees, such as Debbie Richards, Beth Miller, and Jon Swanson, have already shared what they leaned on their blogs.

Keep the IABC Southern Region Conference Align ’09 experience going. Just include #align09 in your Tweets about communications.

12-Nov-09 11:00 AM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“IABC’s new Executive Accreditation Seminar, scheduled for 21-26 March 2010, will allow you to focus on the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) process and exam in a single week, and to develop your communication leadership abilities in one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations: Royal Roads University in British Columbia, Canada.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 4

11-Nov-09 11:00 AM

Tidbitz from CW Magazine

Jason Ray — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:00:00 GMT

by Denise Allen Zwicker, writer

Communication World tidbits for instant use

“When we were all creating Facebook accounts, I decided to have two—one for the part of me that’s an editor and manager, the other for the part that’s deeply involved in yoga.”

CW article, November-December, pg. 3

3-Nov-09 4:00 PM