Thank you all who attended the January social and luncheon!  We had great attendance at both events and we hope you’ll continue to participate and find value in the programs we’re offering this year.

Our annual PRSA PRIME Awards are due Friday, March 2 and I hope you’ll consider submitting an entry for the great work you did in 2011.  You can see an entire list of award categories and download an entry form on www.PRSACIowa.org.

In addition, if you know of any students or professionals who are seeking scholarships to advance their education, please encourage them to apply for our Central Iowa PRSA Scholarships.  We’re giving away a $1,500 student scholarship and $1,000 for professionals.  The deadline to apply is Feb. 17.

Lastly, I want to encourage all PRSA members to review and update your contact information by logging into MYPRSA on the National PRSA website.  We pull this information from Nationals and upload it into our local database on PRSACIowa.org to ensure our records are accurate.

I look forward to seeing you at our next luncheon on Feb. 23.

Thank you,

Emily Caropreso
President, Central Iowa PRSA Chapter
emilyc@iowacreditunions.com
Twitter: @emilycaropreso
515.221.3015

The Iowa State Fair’s Successful Planning Efforts to Put Safety First

Date:                 Thursday, Feb. 23
Time:                11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location:          Iowa State Fairgrounds
                           Varied Industries Building
                           Conf. Rm. A
                           E. 30^th St & E. University Ave
                           Des Moines, Iowa

For many, the Iowa State Fair is known for producing a number of fond memories year after year.  So when a violent fight occurred right outside of the fairgrounds in 2010 that garnered national attention, Fair officials knew it was time to enhance their security efforts to keep the nearly one million people who visit the Fair each year safe and to continue providing them with only great memories.  This task, however, proved to be no small feat, as much planning, organizing and coordinating of people had to be done. 

Join us as Gary Slater, CEO and Manager of the Iowa State Fair, shares their communications plan for increasing security at the fair and how they worked with law enforcement and the media to ensure fairgoers would feel safe and the plan would be successful.  In addition, Gary will discuss how they handled last year’s crisis of cancelling the Sugarland concert after the Indiana State Fair stage collapse and how they were able to assure concertgoers that the stage the Iowa State Fair uses is safe.

And, what would a luncheon about the Iowa State Fair be without fair food?  Attendees will be able to enjoy some traditional fair foods, along with non-fair food options as well.    

Please register online at prsaciowa.org by Friday, Feb. 17, 2012.  If you have any questions regarding online registration, please contact treasurer-elect Amanda Byers.  If you have special dietary needs, please contact Melany Stonewall. 

Attention APRs: You can receive 1.0 of Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) for attending monthly meetings.

Professionals can get scholarships too!

Pursuing an advanced degree? Studying for your APR? Hoping to attend the PRSA National Conference?  Wanting to attend more monthly luncheons?  Interested in funding to help with any of these?

Then don’t miss the Feb. 17 scholarships deadline for the PR professionals:

• $500 education scholarship for advanced degree. Complete this scholarship application.
• $500 professional development scholarship. Could be used for attending PRSA national or chapter events, APR study program or application, national or chapter dues, etc. Be creative! Complete this application for the professional development scholarship.

Students are also eligible for a $1,500 education scholarship. If you know any PRSSA students who would be interested, please encourage them to apply for the Ferne Bonomi and Dr. Henry Milam Undergraduate Scholarship. (Students will need to complete this scholarship application.)  

All scholarship applications are due Friday, Feb. 17, 2012.  Mailing information can be found on the applications.  If you have any questions, please contact Jeanine Mixdorf, APR, at 515-235-5376.

2012 PRIME Awards Explore. Learn. Discover.

Whether you are a corporation, agency, nonprofit association or other firm or business, the PRIME Awards are designed to honor exceptional public relations activities from a diverse mix of businesses, industries and backgrounds throughout central Iowa. With a winning entry, your company will enhance its professional reputation and create a competitive advantage by allowing you an opportunity to share your achievement with clients and customers.

With nearly 20 categories to choose from, there is one or more that is sure to fit your recent work.

For complete details about the 2012 PRIME Awards and to download the entry form, please visit the Awards page on the Central Iowa PRSA website.

All entries are due by 3 p.m., Friday, March 2, and can be mailed or delivered to:

Kelley Crosbie
AKC Marketing
8711 Windsor Parkway Suite 4
Johnston, IA 50131

For more information, contact Kelley Crosbie or Jamie Bagenstos.

Central Iowa PRSA Institute 

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, for Institute. This year's planning committee members are:

• Dawn Buzynski, Two Rivers Marketing (Chapter President-Elect)
• Darin Leach APR, USDA
• Kelly Bruhn APR, Drake University
• Lisa Lacher, Strategic America
• Pat Howard, SE Polk Schools
• Megan Feld, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines

Keep watching the newsletter for more information in the coming months. 

Top Five Take-A-Ways from January’s Luncheon

Thanks to everyone who was able to attend January’s Luncheon.  Robert Haus, Vice President of Public Affairs for PolicyWorks, shared with those in attendance how to communicate in the midst of a crisis and provided examples of those in the public eye that have done it well and could have done it better.  His continuum set Justin Bieber at the top end of the scale, as an example of how to handle things well, and put Herman Cain at the bottom, as an example of how not to handle a crisis.  As Governor Rick Perry’s Iowa Chairman, Haus used Perry’s 53-second debate gaffe as an example of the middle ground.  His top five take-a-ways were:

1. Identify the potential crises.
2. Have a crisis team in place and ready to go.
3. Have a crisis plan, and test it.
4. When a crisis hits the fan, engage.
5. Don’t rely on anyone else to tell your story for you.

Upcoming Webinars

As a benefit, members now have free access to live and on-demand webinars through PRSA.  Some webinars coming up in February are:

• Feb. 14: Getting Ready for the Readiness Review
• Feb. 16: Creating Your Own Measurement Dashboard
• Feb. 21: Demonstrating the Value of the Work You Do – Part 1
• On Demand: Preparing for the Unexpected

Click here to find more training opportunities of interest.

February 2012 Membership Promotion

February is the perfect time to sign up to be a member of PRSA.  When a new member joins PRSA National during February and uses promotion code FEB12, they will receive a free one-year membership to the Central Iowa PRSA Chapter.  For further information, check out this promotional flier.  This free Chapter offer is open to new members and reinstating members who have been inactive for at least one year and rejoin as regular members.  (Associate and renewing members are not eligible).  Sign up today!

Associate members can get in on the good deal as well.  Graduating students can graduate from PRSSA to PRSA for only $60 and discover all of the tools, research and networking opportunities that PRSA has to offer.  Just enter the promotion code AM12 when signing up to receive the New Professionals membership.  To learn more, view this flier.

Looking for a New Career Opportunity?

Each month, we highlight several communications/marketing job openings that are posted on the Job Bank portion of Central Iowa PRSA Chapter’s website.  Here are this month’s featured positions:

• Media Relations Assistant Consultant, Principal Financial Group
• Creative Team Member, Flynn Wright
• Public Relations Account Executive, Hanser & Associates
• Communications Specialist III – Video Production, Iowa State University
• Public Relations Specialist, Trilix

Please visit the PRSA Job Bank for position details and application information.

A Warm Welcome to PRSA’s Newest Members

In an effort to welcome new members to PRSA, each month, we will highlight individuals who have recently joined the Central Iowa PRSA Chapter.  We are pleased to welcome the following professionals to our chapter:

• Amber Reed                     
• Jim Reische, Grinnell College
• Nik Rule, Musco
• Kristin Sunde, Trilix

Current members are encouraged to introduce themselves to these new members at future luncheons or events and make them feel welcome.