The 2009 Community Leaders for Literacy, a Corporate Spelling Bee was held last Thursday at FIT. Congrats to the first place winners were the Brevard County Libraries team (David McMurrin, Jennifer Moton, and Gary Russell).

Congrats also to the winners of the second place trophy, the Brevard County Bar Association team (Michael Holliday, Tiffany Crews Loris, and Maureen Monaghan Matheson).

Proceeds benefit Rolling Readers Space Coast, Inc., and the work they do in our community to reduce illiteracy.

Thanks to all or our teams:
ASRC Aerospace
Brevard County Bar Association
Craig Technologies
Eau Gallie Rotary Club
Fiserv
Florida Tech
Florida Today
Port St John Public Library
Rolling Readers
United Way of Brevard County

Team ASRC (including our own Denny Meneghelli) thinks about the word before spelling.

The Eau Gallie Rotary Club laughs in relief after spelling correctly!

Ann Hunt and Suzanne Sparling of Team United Way.

Are you in need of some quality professional development? Would you like to attend FPRA state conference but just are not financially able?

Because we value quality professional development, the board of directors for the Space Coast Chapter voted to provide one conference scholarship to an active, deserving member of our chapter with a professional level membership (i.e. this is not for associate members whose primary job is not public relations).

To apply for consideration to receive a conference scholarship, all you have to do is send a letter that outlines the following:

1) A short paragraph about you and your job — what your role involves and what your public relations duties are in your work.

2) A paragraph about your past experience with regard to conference: have you been before? what did you find most beneficial? How does attendance help you in your job? If you haven’t attended, why is the main reason you want to go?

3) The conditions surrounding your financial need.

Send your eligibility letter to:
Amelia Woodbridge
McBride Woodbridge Marketing
150 Coconut Drive, Indialantic, FL 32903

Deadline: June 15, 2009
Recipient will be notified by July 1, 2009

Questions: call Amelia Woodbridge at 837-1000.

Make plans to attend the June Professional Development Program

The Difference Makers! Winning Communication Practices of High Performing Organizations
Special Guest: Ron Hess, Motiv8 Communications

As organizations concentrate more on improving operational efficiency, they expect employee communication to contribute in valuable ways to bottom-line results. Ron Hess, President of Motiv8 Communications, will discuss 10 employee communication practices that separate high performing organizations from mediocre ones, accompanied by meaningful tips and eye-opening stories and real examples of how communicators can get in the game and accelerate winning through effective, focused organizational communications.

Motiv8 Communications is a full service employee communications consulting firm based in Port Orange, FL, south of Daytona Beach. Motiv8’s clients include numerous well known companies and government organizations. Ron Hess served 27 years in corporate communications and managed internal employee ommunication programs at leading companies such as GE, Eaton, Internatinal Paper and Watson Wyatt. Ron is a frequent speaker and writer on employee communication topics.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009
11:30 am Networking; Noon Program
Holiday Inn Viera — Wickham Road and I-95
$20 Members and Students, $25 non-members
Lunch options: Chicken Florentine with Rice Pilaf; Cheese Manicotti w/Marinara

RSVP: Katherine Sonn, 722-4440 or sonncenturyoaks@cfl.rr.com by Friday June 12
PLEASE INDICATE FOOD OPTION WITH RESERVATION

Make plans now to include “PR on F.I.R.E.” in your summer schedule: Foundation, Innovation, Reputation, Education.

The Tuesday lineup is full of professional development and networking opportunities, beginning with corporate social responsibility (CSR) and wrapping up with a “PR Under Fire” panel discussion, featuring public relations professionals from various industries. 2009 Dillin Keynote Speaker, Eugene Campbell, Vice President of Community Relations and Minority Business Development for Walt Disney World Resort will start the day. This presentation will focus on the Foundation and Reputation components of F.I.R.E. as Eugene talks about Disney’s comprehensive, integrated approach to corporate responsibility. He’ll also talk about how the company addresses crucial issues related to the environment, community, workplaces, product development, and other factors that shape stakeholder perceptions.

Interested in International CSR? Join Leticia Solaun, International Public Relations Liaison for CH2M HILL, for her presentation One Size Does NOT Fit All: Cultural Influences in CSR Decision Making.

Or join Joe Curley, APR, CPRC, and learn the ten strategies you need to earn a position on the management team at his presentation, “PR is Not Always Loved by Management: Here’s How to Get the Romance Started.”

Wendy Cobrda and Amy Hebard, founding partners of Earthsense, LLC will Educate us on Green Public Relations and Marketing. Following their presentation, you’ll have the opportunity to hear about Green Printing and Paper from Wayne Dennis, Corporate Director of Sustainability for Mac Papers, and Kathy Paiva of FidelityPress.

And back by popular demand are the Counselors’ Network Roundtable lunch discussions. Our seasoned professionals will facilitate discussion about hot public relations topics.

We’ll wrap up Tuesday’s professional development with a panel session you won’t want to miss: “PR Under Fire.” What do you do when your employer, or you personally, are suddenly the focus of the community’s and the media’s attention? Here from public relations professionals as they talk candidly about their experiences in addressing challenges they’ve faced in their respective industries, how they have responded to those challenges, and how they continue to demonstrate the value of public relations and the bottom line return to their employers. Moderated by Suzanne Sparling, APR, FPRA Past President, panel members are Jack Levine, 4Generations Institute (non-profit); Lauri-Ellen Smith, APR, PIO for Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department (government); and Deirdre Breakenridge, President, PFS Marketwyse (agency).

Register now! The deadline for early registration is July 19, 2009, and the deadline for hotel reservations at the FPRA discounted price is July 9, 2009.