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: 

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.

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.

Introducing Dennis Winkler, Co-owner of Winkler Public Relations in Houston, Texas. Dennis  has been achieving great things in PR for 35 years and will assist with planning the dine-arounds for the 2013 Counselors Academy Conference. Keep reading to find out a little more about this Texan:

Getting to know you…
Name: Dennis Winkler

Agency: Winkler Public Relations

Position: COO and co-owner

First job in PR: Director of PR and Assistant Director of Development and Alumni (I also taught English),  Brother Martin High School, an all boys Catholic high school in New Orleans – a great first job!

Your insights…

Most loved thing about being in PR: There are so many great things to love about PR – the most stimulating is working with clients on media or crisis communications issues and watching their immediate feedback of accomplishment when interviews and crisis situations go well! It is the next greatest sense of pride and fulfillment to that a parent feels when your own child succeeds.

Best source for breaking PR news: As a news junkie, I tune in constantly to news radio and have a television playing in the office – but now that is “old school”. Today Twitter is a constant source of breaking news. Does anyone else panic when Twitter is over-loaded, such as during Super Bowl XLVII media day?

Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Remain eager to learn and adapt! The Public Relations business is changing, and we must be the ones leading change for our clients. At the same time, find a mentor who will share successful PR principles because the core principles remain.

About Counselors Academy…

Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: I continue to be in awe of the successful members of Counselors Academy and that they so openly share and assist each other with knowledge and issues. It is such an honor just to be around these successful PR pros. Every year during Spring Conference I feel like I am in my favorite college class soaking in every bit of knowledge I can from the best professors!

Role on the planning committee: The past two years, Spring Conference has been scheduled in cities where my wife and business partner, Kathy, and I spend considerable time. Thus, we offered to assist with planning events. This year we hope to have a role in the “dine-around” program to introduce our colleagues to some of the uniquely Austin culture. Our son Adam, who is the CBS affiliate (KEYE TV) weekend sports anchor in Austin, is providing great “ATX” insight!

Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: As great as the speakers and content are during every conference, the one-on-one discussions and the relationships established are the most valuable and lasting benefits of each conference.

Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: I do not know how we could ever top the overall setting in Cabo San Lucas (my first conference, which certainly adds to the allure of Cabo). My favorite individual moment was at the New Orleans conference watching all the PR professionals do the “second-line,” the New Orleans traditional funeral parade to the sounds of a marching jazz band.

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.

Say hello to our next blog series guest — Aaron Blank, President at the Fearey Group in Seattle, Washington. Aaron has been with the Fearey Group since 2005 and supports the marketing team for the 2013 Counselors Academy Conference. Keep reading to find out more about Aaron and his PR experiences!

Getting to know you…
Name: Aaron Blank

Agency: The Fearey Group

Position: President

First job in PR: Asst. Account Executive, Edelman

Your insights…

Most loved thing about being in PR: Most loved thing is the fact that we can communicate messages to so many people at any given time. As for working for an agency, it is the mix of industries that keeps me going. I can be working in healthcare one minute, then real estate the next, and then a crisis for a publicly traded company comes in the door. Every day is different.

Best source for breaking PR news: Social media

Number one recommendation to new PR professionals: Gain experience at a public relations agency and get to know the ropes. Doing so will help you down the road.

About Counselors Academy…

Most valuable aspect of being a Counselors Academy member: The network of individuals who have gone through what you have or are experiencing.

Role on the planning committee: Support marketing efforts

Best thing about the Counselors Academy conference: The wealth of knowledge about running a firm or practice is priceless.

Most fun memory of a Counselors Academy conference: Eating turtle soup at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans while joined by CA colleagues from around the country.