2013 - Page 7 of 11 - Clairemont Communications

PRSA’S COUNSELORS ACADEMY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Q&A WITH KEN JACOBS

May 15, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Counselors Academy, Professional Development, Public RelationsCounselors Academy, Counselors Academy Conference, networking, PR, PR Agency, professional development, PRSA, PRSA's Counselors Academy, Public Relations, Public Relations Conferences2 Comments

Meet Ken Jacobs, Principal and Founder of Jacobs Communications Consulting in New York City. Ken boasts over 25 years of experience and will be bringing the laughs as he helps out on the Welcome Committee at this year’s Conference. For insights from Ken and more about his experiences with the Counselor’s Academy keep reading!

Getting to know you…

Name: Ken Jacobs

Agency: Jacobs Communications Consulting, LLC

Position: Principal

First job in PR: Assistant Account Executive, Dudley-Anderson-Yutzy Public Relations, New York, NY

Your insights…

Most loved thing about being in PR: Having a positive impact on the businesses of my clients (the owners and leaders of public relations and communications agencies), helping their teams build their skills, and assisting my coaching clients become better leaders and communicators.

Best source for breaking PR news: PR Week Online

Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Build your career network while you’re young, before you need it!

About Counselors Academy…

Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: The relationships with the wisest group of communications counselors I’ve ever met in 30 years in the business. I know that I can call any of them, and get rock-solid counsel. The only thing greater than their wisdom is their generosity in sharing that wisdom.

Role on the planning committee: This year I’m working on the Dine-Around and Welcome Committees, but I believe that part of my role on each planning call is to get the group laughing!

Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: Each year I get a keen understanding of the challenges agency owners and leaders face, what keeps them up at night, if you will. Since I see part of my job as helping them get a better night’s sleep based on my counsel, this understanding is priceless.

Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: No question, the Sixties-themed party celebrating Counselors Academy’s 50th anniversary, at the Asheville Spring Meeting in 2010. I can’t imagine anything topping the outfits, the dancing, and Abbie Fink and friends channeling The Supremes! But we’ll give it a try in Austin!

Counselors Academy Member Spotlight Blog Series:

Our very own Dana Hughens is the PRSA’s Counselors Academy Conference Chair for the 2013 conference June 9-11 in Austin, Texas. As conference chair, she has the privilege to work with other members of the conference planning committee, which consists of senior-level PR counselors and agency owners from across the United States and Canada. We caught up with these PR pros to find out their secret to success and what they love most about Counselors Academy.

Clairemont Communications Sweeps InSpire Awards with 18 Wins for Excellence in Public Relations

May 14, 2013January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsAwards, Blogaward winning PR, InSpire Awards, NCPRSA, PR Awards, PRSA2 Comments

Clairemont Communications Sweeps InSpire Awards with 18 Wins for Excellence in Public Relations

— Raleigh PR Agency Recognized Amongst Best in State by the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America —

Raleigh, N.C. – May 14, 2013 – Clairemont Communications, a full-service public relations and marketing communications firm, won 18 InSpire Awards – a record number for the Raleigh-based agency and the most given to any organization – at the 2013 InSpire Awards hosted by the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Margot Horgan accepts one of Clairemont's seven Best in Category Awards. — Margot Horgan accepts one of Clairemont’s seven Best in Category Awards.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than having our successful client campaigns recognized as examples of exceptional quality by our PR industry peers,” said Dana Hughens, chief executive officer, Clairemont Communications. “Bringing home more Best in Category Awards this year is an extra thrill!”

Modeled after PRSA’s Bronze and Silver Anvil Awards, the InSpire Awards and are open to all public relations, communications and marketing organizations and professionals in the state. Members of the Portland Metro Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America judged this year’s entries. Clairemont won the following:

Bronze Awards:

Best in Category and Awards of Excellence:
- Media Relations – Triangle Family Services’ 10^th Annual Gingerbread Benefit
- Social Media – Thomasville
- Creative Tactics – Railinc
- Press/Media Kits – Triangle Family Services’ 10^th Annual Gingerbread Benefit

Award of Excellence:
- Media Relations – Newland

Honorable Mentions:
- Social Media – Briar Chapel’s Best Buddy Contest
- Research/Evaluation – Briar Chapel’s Best Buddy Contest

Silver Awards:

Tracy Lathan accepts one of the 18 InSpire Awards presented to Clairemont Communications.

Best in Category and Awards of Excellence:
- Community Relations – Briar Chapel’s Best Buddy Contest
- Events/Observances – Triangle Family Services’ 10^th Annual Gingerbread Benefit
- Internal/Employee Communications – Railinc

Honorable Mention:
- Integrated Communications – Briar Chapel

“We chose to work with Clairemont Communications based on the agency’s track record for producing results-driven, creative campaigns that integrate various communications disciplines,” said Patrick O’Neil, director of corporate communications, Railinc. “Because of this, we are proud that our work together received Awards of Excellence and Best in Category designations in the Creative Tactics and Internal Communications categories.”

Clairemont Communications devises communications strategies that utilize traditional communications and social media to help clients achieve business objectives and improve the bottom line by influencing purchases, persuading stakeholders and influencers, and defining brands. Clarity in vision + the promise of monumental results = Clairemont Communications.

Photo Credits: Ashley McCray Photography (Thank you Ashley for also sponsoring NCPRSA InSpire Awards!)

Clairemont client, Patrick O'Neil, accepts an award and takes a selfie. (We love our fun clients!) — Clairemont client, Patrick O’Neil, accepts an award and takes a selfie. (We love our fun clients!)

Going Batty in Austin with PRSA’s Counselors Academy

May 14, 2013January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Counselors AcademyCAPRSA, Counselors Academy, PRSA1 Comment

Okay, okay, the theme for the 2013 Counselors Academy conference is in fact Get W.E.I.R.D. in Austin: Wired, Entrepreneurial, Imaginative and Results-Driven, but if you go for the conference June 9 – 11, you might also want to get batty while you are there.

Let's get batty in Austin, June 9 -11. — Let’s get batty in Austin, June 9 -11.

Did you know that Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America? It just so happens that our conference takes place during prime bat watching season when up to 1.5 million bats will be living under the Congress Avenue Bridge. Each night as the sun is setting, they fly out from under the bridge in search of insects to eat right out of the air.

Yes, this does sound a little weird, I’ll admit. And as someone who has always had a fear that a bat is going to want to nest in my hair, I was extremely creeped out by the thought of this. However, I was convinced to witness it a few years ago, and I’ll go ahead and say it is an Austin can’t-miss!

Our conference hotel is within walking distance of several prime bat viewing locations. If you want to get weird AND batty in Austin, ask the hotel concierge for tips on the best places and times to see these interesting little creatures and unofficial Austin ambassadors. See you in Austin in a few weeks!

PRSA’s Counselors Academy Member Spotlight: Q&A with Tom Garrity

May 13, 2013January 31, 2023 Margot HorganBlog, Counselors Academy, Professional Development, Public RelationsCounselors Academy, Counselors Academy Conference, networking, PR, PR Agency, professional development, PRSA, PRSA's Counselors Academy, Public Relations, Public Relations Conferences3 Comments

Introducing Tom Garrity, President at The Garrity Group Public Relations. As co-chair for the Conference planning committee, Tom will be side by side with Dana to provide assistance throughout the conference. Keep reading to learn more about Tom’s career and public relations insights!

Getting to know you…
Name: Tom Garrity

Agency: The Garrity Group Public Relations

Position: President

First job in PR: Director of Communications for the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau (1994)

Your insights…

Most loved thing about being in PR: Having a passion to counsel clients through challenging times; making the complex simple; helping clients to be successful.

Best source for breaking PR news: Twitter

Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Find a mentor, someone who has “been there and done that” to complement your passion for public relations.

About Counselors Academy…

Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: Iron sharpens iron, the ability to talk about firm operations, industry trends, new business development and client service in a safe environment.

Role on the planning committee: I am a co-chair for the Conference planning committee working to help secure keynotes. However, my key role is to keep Dana smiling by providing conference assistance when possible.

Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: The professional development. Senior level discussions take place here, we all speak the same “PR Firm Owner” language.

Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: It is a memory captured in a formal picture. A group of us, dressed in 1970’s attire (it was a themed CAPRSA Dinner), saw there was a high school prom. We decided to commemorate the evening by getting a formal group picture taken by the official “prom photographer.” The picture is in my office and fun memories of the evening are engrained in my mind.

Counselors Academy Member Spotlight Blog Series:

How is Juggling like Managing a PR Agency?

May 9, 2013January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Counselors AcademyCAPRSA, PR, PR Agency

The better question is, “How is juggling NOT like managing a PR agency?”

When I was in Austin in January for a planning session for our upcoming PRSA’s Counselors Academy Conference, I took some time to walk around and enjoy the weirdness the city is known to embrace. As I watched this amazing juggler, I thought about what it takes for PR agency owners and leaders to keep all the balls in the air each day. It’s no cake walk!

Fortunately, there’s Counselors Academy to help you hone your juggling skills. First, let me say that it is the relationships I’ve made through this organization that are the biggest asset to me in running an agency. I depend on my Counselors Academy friends on a weekly (sometimes daily!) basis for support, advice and in-market support throughout the year. The fact that Counselors is part of my world year-round makes the annual conference so exciting!

It’s so wonderful to get to see my trusted colleagues in person AND to meet each new attendee who shows up as a newbie only to walk away as “one of the group” just a few days later. We gather to learn how to better our teams, our client work and our businesses through sessions like “Building the Best Place to Work” by Starr Baker and Kelly Womer, “Transforming Your Agency: How Change Inspires Creativity” by Indra Gardiner and “Managing Your PR Agency as a Business” by Darryl Salerno.

Anyone juggling the management of teams, clients, new business and other aspects of a PR agency should consider attending this year’s conference in Austin, June 9 – 11. If you have questions about the conference, feel free to leave them in the comments section or email me direct at d@clairemontcommunications.com or ring my mobile at 615-294-1886. Hope to see you there!