January PRSA Media Breakfast

New Year – new hot location for the media breakfasts! Please join us for the first PRSA media breakfast of the year where we will be hearing from some of the Northeast Valley’s top publications including Scottsdale Airpark News Magazine, So Scottsdale Magazine, Scottsdale Health Magazine and the Scottsdale Republic while enjoying a scrumptious breakfast from Paradise Bakery. Each panelist will talk about how their publications are evolving in 2010 – new editorial opportunities abound! They will also discuss how they are marketing their editorial content in the social media world and have plenty of time for questions and networking. If you, your brand, your clients or your company have any ties to the Northeast Valley, this event is for you.

Panelists include:

• Kimberly Hudley, editor of Scottsdale Airpark News Magazine
• Michelle Glicksman, editor of So Scottsdale Magazine and Scottsdale Health Magazine
• Reporter TBD, Scottsdale Republic

Date: Thursday, January 14 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Location: Paradise Bakery at Gainey Village – 8777 N. Scottsdale Rd. in Scottsdale

Cost: $15 for members, $20 for non-members who RSVP in advance. $20 for members, $25 for non-members at the door.

You can register here.

Best Places to Work

Congratulations to four of our fabulous clients, each of whom has been named among the Phoenix Business Journal’s annual “Best Places to Work” honorees:

• Western National Bank was named a Best Place to Work in the category of micro companies;
• Grant Thornton LLP and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale were both named Best Places to Work in the category of small companies; and
• Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino was named a Best Place to Work in the category of large companies.

The Phoenix Business Journal is right on the money – our clients ROCK!

Notre Dame – Failure to Communicate (at appropriate time)?

With the traditional and online news media still chomping at the bit for every ounce of Tiger Woods gossip they can squeeze out of every nook and cranny, the sports media is starting to talk about another possible reputation crisis in the making – Notre Dame, and its decision to hire/announce Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly as the new Irish head coach…right before the Cincinnati football banquet where he would be lauded as a hero…where he had to tell his team – undefeated this year after starting the season unranked – he wouldn’t coach them in their big Sugar Bowl debut later this month.

Any public relations person worth his/her salt should be following the communication strategy of Kelly and Notre Dame these next few days – it has it all!

• Wide-eyed (okay, wide-shouldered) college kids from Cincinnati feeling abandoned and betrayed – very publicly;
• Accusations of Notre Dame throwing around money yet again to try to hide the fact they are no longer a force in the BCS; and
• Doubts the hiring will even matter – or that Notre Dame ever will again.

As a life-long Notre Dame fan and native of South Bend, I am rooting for the Irish through this time, but I certainly see that the Notre Dame communications department has their hands full. What do you think is the best move for Notre Dame in these next few days?

PRSA Holiday Mixer 2009

This morning we HMAers walked into the office a little tired from the FABULOUS Phoenix PRSA holiday mixer last night.  Originally scheduled at the (outdoor) pool and bar at the Hotel Valley Ho, our party was moved into a swanky seventh-story penthouse that overlooked Camelback Mountain.  Not too shabby!

The guests enjoyed yummy drinks and snacks like sliders (which were more like full size burgers – yum!), and people got silly with the party favors at each table.  During announcements, current Phoenix PRSA president Karl Gentles closed out the year with a healthy report for our chapter, and handed the reins over to incoming president to our very own Abbie Fink.  Event organizer Kari Mather gave away prizes for the raffle, in which proceeds will go into the PRSSA scholarship fund.

All in all, the party was a bubble-blowing, glove-wearing, hot tub-filling, sparkly top hat-wearing good time.  It was a great way for Valley PR pros to unwind, enjoy the company of friends and colleagues and close out a great year for the Phoenix chapter.  Now, on to 2010!

Many thanks to Kari for organizing such a fantastic event, and to everyone who could attend!

For more pictures from the mixer, click here.

Client Spotlight – W.J. Maloney Plumbing

HMA client W.J. Maloney Plumbing Co., Inc. has been racking up recognitions left and right!  The company has recently received several important designations:

• Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) certification, meaning the company is at least 50 percent owned and controlled by a woman.  The WBE certification is an incentive program to ensure woman-owned firms have an equal opportunity to participate in city of Phoenix projects. 
• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification, which means the business is owned and controlled by a person or persons belonging to designated minority groups or by women.  The company is certified in the following specialties: commercial plumbing, process piping, mechanical piping and as a supplier of plumbing materials.
• The company was recognized by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) as a vital contributor to the acceptance of the CityScape project in Phoenix as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Site.  The company is the first and only Arizona plumbing subcontractor to contribute to the attainment of VPP Star Site status by a general contractor.  Approval into VPP is ADOSH’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved excellent occupational safety and health.

In addition, the Arizona Business Gazette recently ran a great profile of company president Kathryn “Kitty” Maloney-Langmade.  We’re proud to have such a great company as a client.

2010 Predictions

David Landis, president of Landis Communications Inc. in San Fancisco (a member of the Public Relations Global Network), poses this question to other members of the PRGN: “What’s new for 2010?”

HMA’s own Scott Hanson weighs in.  Read the blog post here.

CLEAN TEENS CAN CA$H IN

It’s time for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Arizona Affiliate’s third annual video contest – “REPRESENT IF YOU’RE ABOVE IT!”  The contest gives teens across the state a chance to create a project that highlights the skills and talents that help them stay above the influence of drugs and alcohol – whether it is playing sports, singing or showing off the next great recipe.  Previously a video contest, this year’s contest includes a category for still photography as well.

“REPRESENT IF YOU’RE ABOVE IT” is designed to give teenagers, school districts and media departments a unique and educational way to discuss tough issues.  This year’s contest not only includes videos but still photography as well.

The contest is open to residents of Arizona between the ages of 12 and 18 at the time of entry.  Entrants can start by visiting www.PartnerUpAz.org/contest to find the entry form, rules and information about the contest.  All entries must be postmarked by midnight on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010.  The grand prize winner in each category will be awarded $250 and the runner-up in each category will receive $150.

Last year dozens of teens participated in the program, with the grand prize awarded to Andrew Madrid, Wesley Ollerton, Lawson Neilsen and Kyler Lee, students from St. Johns High School in St. Johns, Arizona.  Last year’s winning video is available for viewing on The Partnership’s website, www.PartnerUpAz.org.

The contest is sponsored by the Phoenix Coyotes and Phoenix Suns.

Tell all the teens you know to enter their projects for a chance to win!

Giving Back

The Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) recently held its annual charity luncheon and raffle, in which proceeds are donated to a local organization.  This year, Save the Family Foundation of Arizona was the selected beneficiary of the event.  Proceeds from raffle ticket sales were donated to the organization, whose mission is to help children in homeless families by treating the whole family with programs to break the negative cycles of poverty, abuse and homelessness.  Pictured here: AAED holiday luncheon committee members Melinda Hinkson (far left) and Christine Ulibarri (second from left), along with John Ulibarri (far right), present a check for $3,444 to John Lamkin, Andrea Sok and Kyle Hamblin of Save the Family.  For more information visit www.savethefamily.org.  

House of Broadcasting Museum

The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of NATAS and the House of Broadcasting co-hosted their holiday mixer at the House of Broadcasting Museum in Scottsdale.

The museum features a tremendous collection of all kinds of photographs, awards, cameras, editing and lighting equipment.   There is also costuming and classical memorabilia from Buck Owens, early news attire from Mary Jo West, Marty Robbins, Frank Pollack, Karl Eller, Tom Chauncey and others.  I happened upon former Good Morning Arizona stalwart Dan Davis, in cardboard living color!

The Museum is free to the public. It is located at 7150 E. Fifth Ave. in Scottsdale.  The hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, except holidays. It is closed on Sunday.

The House of Broadcasting Museum is a passion for, among others, long-time Valley media buyer Mary Morrison.

It is definitely worth visiting.

Appreciating What You’ve Got

As a guest blogger for Steve McKee’s FindYourNerve.com, Abbie writes about the nerve of appreciation at a small agency.  Read her post here.