Just a reminder that if you have not done so, please click here to participate in the FPRA Space Coast Chapter member survey. It has been a few years since we’ve surveyed our members, so your responses are extremely important.

Just a few minutes of your time will help our next slate of officers and board members to plan events, programs and professional development opportunities for the next year. You can remain anonymous if you prefer. Each and every response is very helpful! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call Linda Herridge 321-867-4611.

Our annual FPRA Community Leaders for Literacy Corporate Challenge Spelling Bee is almost here.

Wed., August 20, 2008
Florida Tech - Gleason Auditorium
5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Spectator Admission: $5
Food and refreshments
Proceeds will benefit the Rolling Readers organization

Each year our chapter holds this fun event to raise funds for a very worthwhile organization in our community - Rolling Readers. The money buys books and materials for their educational programs that help those in need of reading instruction.

Form a team and have some fun! (don’t worry, its group spelling). Or come and cheer on your favorite organization. For more information call Ann Colchin at 321-452-9242. Download an entry form here>

Wow…a great forum today with Karen Breakell, APR, from Nemours. Terrific case study information and perspective from a senior level practitioner that all of us can take back to our respective jobs. Her summary of Nemours entry in the Orlando marketplace challenged her (and the entire communications team) with a wide range of issues demanding a wide range of strategies. Remember her critical points for us:

1. Make sure that your work is helping the leaders in your company fulfill their business goals.
2. Make sure that you establish solid relationships with key individuals such as legal counsel, who may be working on the same issue from another perspective.
3. If you work with vendors, make sure the relationship is one of true partnership: that you each are working hard to fulfill goals and EACH win credit for success or failure.
4. Use data to help you in both external and internal efforts to solidify your core messages and support your recommendations.

Thanks to all of you that dedicated time to your professional development today and supported this program. See you next time!

Mark your calendar for a fun event at state conference Monday night, August 4, at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee. The Florida Public Relations Association Education Foundation Annual Scholarship Fundraiser helps provides scholarships to deserving students (and is always a fun time!).

50 Years of Florida Tech History Ready Soon for Your Coffee Table

From it’s humble beginnings as the “night school for missile men” as it was dubbed by Time magazine, to one of the top Southeastern colleges, according to Princeton Review, Florida Institute of Technology celebrates its 50th birthday in 2008. To commemorate the occasion, the limited edition coffee table book, No Small Dreams: Florida Institute of Technology, 1958-2008, by Jay Wilson, is now available for
pre-order.

The chock-full-of-photos book takes readers from the university’s first donation: 37 cents in bar change, given to founder and first president Jerome P. Keuper, to what the vibrant, 130-acre Melbourne campus encompasses today. From early classes in rented spaces to an institution poised to expand facilities 20 percent in 2008-2009, Wilson tells the remarkable story of Florida Tech in crisp prose and archival photos.

Reservations are now being accepted for No Small Dreams, which will be ready for distribution this fall. The cost of $45 includes shipping and handling. For more information, contact the Office of University Communications at 321-984-2974 or visit the website at http://411.fit.edu/coffeetable.

Congrats to the Space Coast Chapter members who were listed among the 100 Most Influential Business Leaders in Brevard County - featured in the May issue of Space Coast Business.

Kimberly Agee, Economic Development Council
Kimberly Eye, Economic Development Council
Mike McBride, McBride Woodbridge Marketing
Natalie Sellers, APR, Parrish Medical Center
State President Suzanne Sparling, APR, United Way of Brevard
David Waters, United Space Alliance

Also featured in the issue was an article on public relations by Geo Ropert, APR, President-Elect, and photo of member Alecia McCoy, United Way of Brevard, at a LEAD Brevard event.

The May Member Newsletter is here! Download here

It’s that time of year again to nominate fellow members of the Space Coast Chapter in recognition for their contributions to the chapter during this past year. Winners will be honored during the annual Roast & Toast event on September 12.

Download the form here that outlines the criteria and awards, and e-mail your completed form to Linda Herridge. For questions call 867-4611.

To help the chapter be more “flexible” and manage our information better, we’ve moved from a traditional website to a new blog format. It might take some getting used to for some of you that might not be regular blog readers:

• The most recent post of information will be right here on the homepage. As the items are posted it will stack in date order and also be filed in a corresponding category area to the right.
• Since there is no such thing as a calendar for a blog right now (yes, believe it or not, there’s a technology void for that item) so until we get a custom one done that will work for us, look under “Programs & Events” to the right for programs, mixers and events - separated by category.

As time goes on and we see what we need, we’ll be able to easily adjust the sections and formats to fit! Check back often and let us know of any news or info that you like to see added to the site.

Florida Public Relations Association
70th Annual Conference
August 3 – August 6, 2008
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center

The Annual Conference is the Florida Public Relations Association’s premier professional development event. Each year members of FPRA, as well as other PR Professionals around the region, join together for 3 days of professional development. The annual conference is one of the most anticipated events of the year and brings together professionals with a common goal — to enhance their career through professional development seminars, vendor presentations, and networking opportunities. By offering experts on a variety of industry-related topics, FPRA’s goal for the conference is to present concepts and tactics that our members can immediately apply to their own jobs.

Find out how to reach more than 200 of the state’s top public relations professionals through Annual Conference Sponsorship.

Each year members from our chapter attend the event and not only get some valuable professional development, but have fun spending time with each other. Join us this year! Get prices and information and download the registration form here>

The conference will be held at the fabulous Gaylord Palms Hotel - Orlando
Visit their site here>