By Mike Lesczinski
President, PRSA Capital Region
Public Relations Manager, Excelsior College
The past year has been a phenomenal one for Capital Region PRSA. Outgoing President Rob Puglisi did a remarkable job leading the chapter as we built upon the success of previous years and continued to push the envelope in terms of our professional development programs and networking opportunities.
In March, Forbes’ Bruce Upbin traveled to Albany for a presentation on new media followed by a private breakfast with a handful of members. In June, our “Speeding Pitching” event attracted almost twenty local media representatives and forty practitioners, achieving so much positive feedback that we’ve decided to place it permanently on our program schedule.
And of course, in November, we once again hosted the PRSA District Conference, welcoming nearly two hundred practitioners from across the northeast in Troy, New York for the daylong event.
As I take the reins from Rob for 2013, I look forward to working with a board of directors comprised of both returning veterans and fresh faces looking to give back to the local public relations community.
We’ve begun to sketch out programs from the coming year and brainstorm new initiatives based on your feedback. One of the most popular suggestions has been to provide more consistency in terms of the program schedule. Well, we couldn’t agree more!
I’m pleased to announce that our workshops will be held on the THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH unless otherwise noted. You can plan on our Summer Barbeque to be held at Prime in Saratoga in July and our visit to Giants Camp to happen in August. In addition, our Empire Awards will be back in November 2013, so start keeping track of your work now!
We’ll be looking to incorporate more “hands on” workshops and to continue to bring in dynamic, nationally recognized speakers (as our budget will allow). Your PRSA membership dues are an investment in your professional development and it is on us to help deliver that value. Your best bet, as always, is to follow us on social media and visit our event calendar and blog for updates on program topics, presenters and registration information.
These are just a few of the new initiatives I’ll discuss during my “State of the Chapter” on January 29 at Treviso at Mallozzi’s. As you know, due to scheduling conflicts with the Northeast District Conference, we had to roll the 2012 Empire Awards into our January Annual Meeting to create one fantastic evening!
This is great news for you! Now you can help ring in the New Year with drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a delicious Treviso dinner, learn about what’s to come for 2013, and help celebrate the “best of the best” public relations campaigns and projects of 2012. Below is a list of all of our finalists.
So please register for the event to get it on your calendar and I look forward to seeing all of you come January 29 and throughout the coming year!
2012 EMPIRE AWARDS FINALISTS – Who Will Take Home a Trophy?
AARP
Restoration of Funding for the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Program
(Public Affairs Campaign, Non-profit)
American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey
Ban the Teen Tan NY
(Public Affairs Campaign, Non-profit)
Corning Place Communications, on behalf of the NYS Professional Fire Fighters Association
Ordinary New Yorkers Doing an Extraordinary Job
(Public Affairs Campaign, Non-profit)
Corning Place Communications, on behalf of The PBA of New York State
Declaring Independence Requires a Strong Voice: The PBA of New York State
(Integrated Campaign)
New York State Association of Counties
NYSAC 2012 Advocacy Campaign
(Public Affairs Campaign, Non-profit)
Pierce Communications, on behalf of MVP Health Care
MVP Health Care Welcomes Home Abby Wambach
(Public Affairs Campaign, Non-profit)
The Community Hospice
Voice of Hospice Newsletter
(Newsletters)
United University Professions
If Only I Had Gotten Into SUNY
(Integrated Campaign)
United Way of the Greater Capital Region
Uniquely United – United Way Nonprofit Resources E-Newsletter
(Newsletters)