Marilyn Laurie, a past president of Arthur W. Page Society and the first woman inducted to its Hall of Fame, died July 14 after a year-long battle with brain cancer.

In commenting on the news, Bill Margaritis, Chairman of the Page Society, said: "Marilyn is a legend in our field – a very smart, engaging and compassionate person who made an incredible difference to the Page Society and the profession. She was driven to always do the right thing and stood by her convictions and principles. Those of us who worked closely with her will never forget her infectious personality, charisma and kind-hearted spirit. She was one of a kind."

In addition to serving as president of the Page Society, Marilyn chaired the Public Relations Seminar and also spearheaded the Society's Honors Committee that recognizes trailblazers whose service has strengthened the communications and public relations profession.

Marilyn herself was a trailblazer. One of the founders of Earth Day, she was recruited by AT&T in 1971 to create its first environmental policy. She rose through the company ranks to become executive vice president of public relations and brand management and was the first woman to join AT&T's 10-person Executive Committee.

In addition to leading all of AT&T's brand-building, advertising and corporate reputation activities globally, she also chaired the AT&T Foundation, overseeing $40 million a year in grants to educational, social service and arts institutions. After retiring from AT&T in 1997, she founded Laurie Consulting, Inc., which offered branding and public relations consulting to corporations and non-profit organizations.

Marilyn was a native New Yorker and was active in the civic and cultural life of the city. A graduate of Barnard College with an MBA from Pace University, she served as vice-chair of Columbia University and was a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a director of The New York City Ballet and New Visions for New York's Public Schools. She also served on the executive committee of the New York City Partnership.

Marilyn was the recipient of numerous awards. Among her honors: The Women in Communications Matrix Award; the Women in International Industry Award; the Human Relations Award of the American Jewish Committee, and the Women's Equity Action League Award. She was named to the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers and was among the first named to the National Honor Roll of Women in Public Relations. In 2002, she was the first woman to receive the Arthur W. Page Society's Hall of Fame Award.

Other recognition included: "New York's 75 Most Influential Women" (Crain's); Woman of Achievement (Barnard College); "Power 50" (Ad Age); "Star" (New York Women's Agenda); Community Impact Award (Columbia University) and the Hamilton Medal (Institute for PR). She was twice named "PR All Star" by Inside PR magazine.

Marilyn is survived by her husband, Robert Laurie and two daughters, Amy Laurie and Lisa Potts and three grandchildren. A memorial service is planned for September.

Dick Martin, Adele Ambrose, Roger Bolton and other friends and former colleagues of Marilyn have contributed personal remembrances to the Page Society blog. To read these click here.

Grand Prize
Title: Domino's "Special Delivery" Going Viral Through Social Media
Submitted by: Adam Peeples and Christiana Vaughn, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O'Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines how Domino's effectively managed a major breakdown in consumer trust as a result of a video prank posted on YouTube. The company effectively leveraged social media - the same channel used by the pranksters - to transparently communicate the company's efforts to address the situation.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here and here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here and here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

First Prize, Business School
Title: Apple, Inc.: Transparency in Corporate Statements About the CEO
Submitted by: Paul Kim, Jon Lee and Steve Lee, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O'Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines how Apple Inc.'s decision not to immediately and publicly address rumors regarding CEO Steve Job's health had an unfavorable effect on key stakeholders: media, shareholders and Wall Street. The lack of transparent communications and the vague nature of the company's public disclosures about Jobs' health chipped away at the trust and positive feelings that had developed over time. This was particularly important, given Jobs' role at the time as the sole public face of Apple. The lack of transparent communications about this important issue led to public uncertainty which ultimately had an effect on public trust and stock price.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

First Prize, Communications
Title: President Obama at Notre Dame: Maintaining Integrity When Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Submitted by: Elizabeth Riesterer, University of Alabama, College of Communication & Information Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Professor Bruce K. Berger

Abstract: This case study examines Notre Dame's controversial decision to invite President Barack Obama to be its 2009 Commencement speaker and bestow on him an honorary doctor of law degree. This decision called into question the Catholic mission of the university and strained relationships with key stakeholders, including alumni, employees and friends of the university. The case details the actions taken by these stakeholders in communicating their concerns to the university and steps taken by the university to repair relationships once the media controversy had died down.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

Second Prize, Business School
Title: General Motors Corporation: Communicating A New Vision For Survival
Submitted by: Lina Sorensen and Timothy Whitehead, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O' Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines General Motor's (GM) communications strategy around its 2008 appeals for government aid. In particular, the study explores the differences between the company's initial request and its follow-up visit to Washington, D.C. on December 8, 2008. This second trip was literally and optically very different from the first. Arriving for the Dec. 8 meeting via hybrid car (rather than private jet) and communicating its new plan with an enhanced level of sensitivity to public perceptions, GM was better able to convey the urgency of its message and, ultimately, to win the government support it was seeking.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here and here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

Second Prize, Communications
Title: Entirely Comfortable with its Orientation: Subaru's Successful History of Gay/Lesbian Integrated Marketing Communications
Submitted by: Laurie Phillips, University of North Carolina, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
Faculty Advisor: Professor Elizabeth Dougall

Abstract: This case study examines an integrated marketing and communications success story in reaching a key target audience for Subaru: the gay and lesbian community. Subaru has had an unwavering and authentic relationship with the gay and lesbian community for more than 14 years - a period in which sales for the car manufacturer doubled in size. Company outreach included corporate sponsorship of the Rainbow Card (an affinity credit card), followed by gay and lesbian-specific advertising and numerous strategic sponsorships. Considered revolutionary at the time, Subaru's corporate communications efforts are compared with other companies whose interactions with the gay and lesbian community were much less successful.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

Third Prize, Communications
Title: Cornell University H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
Submitted by: Abigail Bedecs and Joonas Niiholm, Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication
Faculty Advisor: Michael Meath

Abstract: This case study examines Cornell University's public information campaign to inform the campus community and public about the potential pandemic influenza threat and the university's plan to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a pandemic. Cornell's plan had six very specific goals ranging from creating awareness about the threat to aiding in the restoration of normal operations.

This case study can be downloaded by clicking here and here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
Teaching notes will be made available to faculty upon request.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I'm very pleased to announce the appointment of Julia Hood to the newly created position of President of the Arthur W. Page Society.

Many of you have worked with Julia over the years, as a reporter, Editor-in-Chief and most recently as Publishing Director of PRWeek and DMNews. She is widely known as a keen observer of the Public Relations business and a recognized thought leader on the many issues affecting our industry.

As you may know, we have decided to elevate the position of the executive director and have given it a new title: President. This is in recognition of the Page Society's growth over the past few years and the increasingly important role we play in advocating for Chief Communications Officers and the value of strategic communications in the business world.

As a result, we believe that the person in our senior staff position should have a stronger strategic function within the organization, serving as a strategic partner to me and the Board of Directors. We also want the new President to be more active as an external spokesperson for the Society.

Julia couldn't be a better fit for this position. She is very familiar with our industry and has cultivated solid relationships with our members. She is a strong leader, a strategic thinker and a talented manager and entrepreneur. Perhaps most important, she is deeply committed to the principles of the Page Society and has exemplified those principles throughout her professional career.

Julia's appointment follows one of the most thorough executive searches in our history. Working with Richard Marshall, a Page member and Managing Director of Korn Ferry who generously donated his services, our search team screened more than 200 candidates and interviewed some three dozen individuals. I would like to thank this team - led by Valerie DiMaria and consisting of Cathy Babington, the late Harvey Greisman, Jim Murphy, Helen Ostrowski, Gary Sheffer and Don Wright - for their excellent work.

I would also like to express my appreciation to Tom Nicholson for his fine service as Executive Director of the Page Society over the past several years. Under Tom's leadership, our organization has grown and prospered, and we are well positioned to face the challenges of the coming decade.

Julia officially takes up her responsibilities on July 12. Please join me in offering a warm Page Society welcome to Julia.

You can find a copy of the press release announcing Julia's appointment and some additional biographical details here.

Arthur W. Page Society, the leading professional organization for Chief Communications Officers, today named Julia Hood, a recognized thought leader in the Public Relations field, as well as an experienced manager and entrepreneur, as President of the organization, a newly created position that replaces the former Executive Director role. The appointment is effective on July 12.

Most recently, Ms. Hood served as Publishing Director of PRWeek and DMNews, both publications of Haymarket Media. In that role, she had responsibility for all editorial and commercial operations and also served as chief brand strategist for both titles. She recently managed PRWeek's successful transition to a monthly print and daily web update format.

From 2002-2008, Ms. Hood served as Editor-in-Chief of PRWeek, where she was responsible for all editorial content and also conceived and developed a number of brand extension initiatives, including high profile roundtable events and research projects. Prior to that, she was the San Francisco Bureau Chief and a reporter for PR Week. She also served as Executive Administrator of the National Kidney Foundation and held a number of corporate communications positions in the U.K. She is a frequent commentator on communications topics before industry groups and the media.

"Julia Hood brings the kind of leadership and strategic thinking that will help advance the mission of the Page Society in the years ahead," said Bill Margaritis, Senior Vice President, Global Communications and Investor Relations, Fed Ex Corporation and the current Chairman of the Arthur W. Page Society. "Julia intuitively understands the principles on which the Page Society is based. These principles will be increasingly important as companies and their Chief Communications Officers seek to create more authentic and transparent communications with important stakeholders."

"In many ways, the new president's role is a perfect fit for Julia. Having covered the industry for so many years, she has a deep understanding of all aspects of the communications field and has worked closely with many Page members either as a reporter or publisher. She also has the financial acumen and hands-on management experience of running a successful enterprise. We couldn't be more delighted to have her in this new role."

"I'm honored to be taking on this leadership position at such an important time in Page Society's history," Ms. Hood said. "I am strongly committed to the Page Society mission of elevating the role of strategic communications and of advancing the role of chief public relations officers in corporations. The Page Society is uniquely positioned to drive this agenda - through the example of our members and the Society's active advocacy and education programs."

In the newly created President's role, Ms. Hood will serve as a strategic partner to the Society's Chairman and to the Board of Directors and will also play a more active role as industry spokesperson. She will also be the chief staff executive of the Society, working closely with the organization's elected volunteer leaders in achieving the Page Society's mission and goals.

Ms. Hood succeeds Thomas P. Nicholson, Executive Director of the Page Society.

"I would like to express my appreciation to Tom for his valuable services to the Page Society over the past three years," said Mr. Margaritis. "Under Tom's leadership, the Page Society increased its membership and had record-breaking attendance at Page events, including the Spring Seminar and Fall Conference. We wish him much success in the next phase of his career."

The selection of Ms. Hood follows an extensive search, which involved more than 200 prospects and more than three dozen in-depth interviews by the search team. The search was conducted by Richard Marshall, a Page Society member and Managing Director of Korn Ferry, who provided their search services pro bono for the assignment, under the direction of the Society's search task force led by Valerie DiMaria. Other task force members were Cathy Babington, the late Harvey Greisman, Jim Murphy, Helen Ostrowski, Gary Sheffer and Don Wright.

About the Arthur W. Page Society
The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession. Membership consists primarily of chief communications officers of Fortune 500 corporations, the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies, and leading academics from the nation's top business and communications schools. The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief public relations officers. For more information please visit http://www.awpagesociety.com/site/about/

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For more information contact:

Anuneha S. Mewawalla
212.400.7959 ext. 102
amewawalla@awpagesociety.com

Jackie Burton
646-935-4033
jackie.burton@ketchum.com

Julia Hood is the newly appointed President of the Arthur W. Page Society.

Ms. Hood served previously as Publishing Director of PRWeek and DMNews, both publications of Haymarket Media and the leading titles for the public relations and direct marketing industries. In that capacity, she was responsible for the brand strategy and financial oversight of both publications as well as two editorial and sales teams.

During her tenure as Publishing Director, Ms. Hood led the re-launch of the publications, including the move to a print monthly format for PRWeek and a new web strategy. She also managed awards programs for both brands - the PRWeek Awards and The John Caples International Awards, the only international award program for creative in direct marketing.

From 2002-2008, Ms. Hood served as Editor-in-Chief for PRWeek. There she led a team of 15 people and introduced numerous brand extensions, including the PRWeek Career Guide, the Marketing Management Survey, Regional Forums, and events such as editorial webcasts and marketing conferences.

While at PRWeek, Ms. Hood also served as San Francisco Bureau Chief and was a reporter for the publication in New York City.

Prior to joining PRWeek in 2000, Ms. Hood was the Executive Administrator of the National Kidney Foundation. She also held communications positions in the U.K. with such companies as BAT Industries, Mobil Services and Book Data.

Ms. Hood has spoken frequently to groups of marketers and communicators on such topics as integrated marketing, social media and corporate reputation. She has also commented on these issues on CNBC and CNN.

Ms. Hood has a MA in journalism from New York University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Connecticut. She lives in Connecticut with her family.

Game-changing Strategies to CEO Perspectives: Culture as a Competitive Advantage

Having a strong culture today is increasingly critical to an organization's success. It is what defines and differentiates an organization and what can help an organization springboard ahead, or flounder. In short, an organization's ability to create value through its people rests upon its corporate culture. The Chief Communications Officer is poised to play a critical role in building and sustaining culture -- in aligning internal culture with constantly evolving external realities, and in using culture to drive an organization's success, inside and out. This is particularly crucial given the business environment in which we operate where organizations must be change adaptive in order to be successful.

The Arthur W. Page Society's 27th Annual Conference will examine why the CCO is uniquely positioned to be the organization's "Curator of Culture." From stories on company turnarounds to game-changing best practices to CEO strategies, the conference will provide valuable advice to CCOs on how they can add significant value to their organizations.

Join us September 26-28, 2010 for "Being Indispensable: CCOs As Curators of Culture" at the Terranea in Palos Verdes, California!

Registration is now open for this annual signature event from the Arthur W. Page Society. To register online, click here. Online registration in quick and easy.

If you would prefer to email, fax or mail your registration, click here to download a printable registration form.

For your travel and planning purposes, the conference commences at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 26 and concludes at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 28. The Terranea hotel is located south of L.A. on the Palo Verdes Peninsula and is approximately 25 minutes from LAX and Long Beach Airports.

To make hotel reservations, call the Terranea directly at (310) 265-2770. The Page Society has negotiated a favorable room rate of $265 (ROH room) per night plus taxes. Be sure to mention Arthur W. Page Society.

By E. Bruce Harrison

Earth Day reminds me that its source was nurtured by a future icon of corporate communications.

Marilyn Laurie had never before put on a news conference. She had no way of knowing what this one would turn into. The young mother of two children, tired of sitting out the activism of the Sixties, Laurie simply knew that this cause - environmental cleanup - was right for her, and she knew enough about special events from her brief previous experience with advertising copy writing, that you needed to generate media with a news conference. She could not have imagined that on the day of the event, she would be on a platform facing a sea of people - estimated at a quarter of a million crowded into Union Square - standing between Paul Newman and New York Mayor John Lindsay, responding to dozens of reporters, from all the papers, TV and radio, Time and Life magazines. The date was April 22, 1970. Marilyn Laurie had helped New York City launch its first Earth Day. She could not have dreamed that the event she volunteered to publicize would make her the co-founder of an enduring international institution, and would put her on a personal career path as a corporate communications leader.

Birth of Earth Day

In Washington, D.C., a year earlier, the idea of Earth Day had been conceived by a political patron in much the same way that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had envisioned the first Independence Day - a broad, public display of commitment to a central, unifying idea. For the founding fathers, the idea was freedom from foreign rule. For U. S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Democrat of Washington State, it was about the environment.

Nelson in 1969 had announced that Earth Day, beginning in 1970, would be a grassroots demonstration of public concern. It would condemn waste and pollution. Revering Rachel Carson's plea in Silent Spring seven years earlier, the observance would swell the common cause to save nature from human harm. With Nelson's congressional clout and with a prominent green activist, Denis Hayes, as the coordinator, Earth Day would thrust environment to a forward position in the national political and social agenda.

In a book of personal memoirs about the Sixties¹, Laurie told the authors that her decision to get involved came on a Saturday morning in late 1969 while scanning the Village Voice. "The (environmental) movement was just exploding around us," Laurie recalls of her experience. "I just came in off the wall. I was looking for something to help with, and I found a cause. Or the cause found me."

Her husband Bob had brought the Voice home to show her the ad he had placed for his commercial art studio. She looked at his ad - and something else caught her eye. It was a small classified item about a public meeting to plan something called "Earth Day." Her thought was that here was something new that interested her - and that it was time for her to get out of the house and see if she could get involved. "I said to my husband, 'Look, this meeting is this afternoon. I'm going to go. Stay with the kids. I'm going to go.'"

Laurie learned a lesson about political activism. Fervor requires discipline. At least 400 people showed up for the advertised launch gathering. There was little order in the meeting and nothing accomplished except agreement to meet again the following week, which drew half the crowd as the first meeting. "Again, there was no plan, no real action," said Laurie, but the meetings continued. Finally, a handful - Laurie remembers only about five people - took over, volunteering to take on specific assignments, and staying with it until the job was done. Laurie agreed to handle the public relations. Her idea of a news conference was to invite every possible celebrity from show business, music and politics, in the hope some would say yes and the media would come to cover them. She was amazed when so many great people signed on, pledging to appear, to speak, to sing or make music. "Mayor Lindsay... recognized that this was a better thing to be in front of than to be either behind or against," said Laurie, "and he responded accordingly." Singers and actors - Pete Seeger, Paul Newman - showed up. To Laurie, it seemed that "everybody that we asked came"!

Volunteer Activist to Dedicated Executive

Laurie came to understand that, in her words, "leadership goes to those who are willing to go the distance" - and the former stay-at-home mom was about to enter a long professional journey. As a result of the success, which subsequently included working with the Mayor's Council on the Environment to encourage recycling, and creating a New York Times special supplement for Earth Day's first anniversary, Laurie was asked to head an environmental program at AT&T. Her involvement as a volunteer in what would become the nation's most active sociopolitical issue had put Laurie on a distinguished corporate career path. She would go on to discharge broad responsibilities as the first female senior vice president of AT&T, heading a 500-person global communications operation, subsequently becoming AT&T's Executive Vice President for Brand Strategy and Public Relations, chairman of the AT&T Grants Foundation, and a member of AT&T's 10-person Executive Committee.

Recognized today as one of New York's "75 Most Influential Women," Laurie heads a consulting firm on corporate public relations strategies including social responsibility.

Bruce Harrison consults from Washington, D.C., and may be followed on Twitter. This article is excerpted from his book, Corporate Greening 2.0.

¹From Camelot to Kent State: The Sixties Experience in the Words of Those Who Lived It, 1987

A case study examining Domino's response to a video prank that compromised consumer trust in the Domino's brand has been awarded Grand Prize in the Arthur W. Page Society's 2010 Case Study Competition, sponsored by the Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations. The objective of the Case Study Competition is to promote practical applications of corporate communications as a critical management function.

Adam Peeples and Christiana Vaughn, students at the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business, received recognition this year for best overall submission for their case study: Domino's "Special Delivery" Going Viral Through Social Media. The study examines how social media platforms have changed traditional communications processes and the impact these networks have on corporate communications and corporate reputation.

The two students will be presented with a $5,000 check at an awards presentation during the Page Society Spring Seminar dinner at The Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York City, April 8, 2010. Professor James O'Rourke will also be honored at the dinner as the faculty advisor for the winning submission.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, there were two first-place winners from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Alabama, two second-place winners from the University of Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina and one third-place winner from Syracuse University. Each winner was awarded a cash prize.

This is the Page Society's eighth-annual case study competition designed to strengthen awareness among business, communications and journalism students of communications and corporate reputation issues.

"This year's case studies highlight the importance of clear and transparent communications - and, indeed, many of the principles upon which the Page Society was founded - in managing a company's reputation," said Bill Margaritis, Chairman of the Arthur W. Page Society. "As evidenced by the Domino's case, these principles are even more important given the growing influence of social media. We congratulate the team from Notre Dame and all the winners in this year's competition."

Robert Grupp, Institute for PR President and CEO, added, "The 2010 case study submissions examined the importance of corporate communications during a time of increased economic uncertainty. We applaud all the winners of this year's competition for their timely contributions to building the body of knowledge in this important area."

All case studies were evaluated on the basis of relevance and timeliness, as well as the significance of the business problem and the effective use of the seven Page Principles, which the Page Society embraces as the core principles that guide the actions of public relations practitioners.

The Winning Entries

Grand Prize
Title: Domino's "Special Delivery" Going Viral Through Social Media
Submitted by: Adam Peeples and Christiana Vaughn, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O'Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines how Domino's effectively managed a major breakdown in consumer trust as a result of a video prank posted on YouTube. The company effectively leveraged social media - the same channel used by the pranksters - to transparently communicate the company's efforts to address the situation.

First Prize, Business School
Title: Apple, Inc.: Transparency in Corporate Statements About the CEO
Submitted by: Paul Kim, Jon Lee and Steve Lee, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O'Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines how Apple Inc.'s decision not to immediately and publicly address rumors regarding CEO Steve Job's health had an unfavorable effect on key stakeholders: media, shareholders and Wall Street. The lack of transparent communications and the vague nature of the company's public disclosures about Jobs' health chipped away at the trust and positive feelings that had developed over time. This was particularly important, given Jobs' role at the time as the sole public face of Apple. The lack of transparent communications about this important issue led to public uncertainty which ultimately had an effect on public trust and stock price.

First Prize, Communications
Title: President Obama at Notre Dame: Maintaining Integrity When Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Submitted by: Elizabeth Riesterer, University of Alabama, College of Communication & Information Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Professor Bruce K. Berger

Abstract: This case study examines Notre Dame's controversial decision to invite President Barack Obama to be its 2009 Commencement speaker and bestow on him an honorary doctor of law degree. This decision called into question the Catholic mission of the university and strained relationships with key stakeholders, including alumni, employees and friends of the university. The case details the actions taken by these stakeholders in communicating their concerns to the university and steps taken by the university to repair relationships once the media controversy had died down.

Second Prize, Business School
Title: General Motors Corporation: Communicating A New Vision For Survival
Submitted by: Lina Sorensen and Timothy Whitehead, University of Notre Dame, Mendoza School of Business
Faculty Advisor: Professor James O' Rourke

Abstract: This case study examines General Motor's (GM) communications strategy around its 2008 appeals for government aid. In particular, the study explores the differences between the company's initial request and its follow-up visit to Washington, D.C. on December 8, 2008. This second trip was literally and optically very different from the first. Arriving for the Dec. 8 meeting via hybrid car (rather than private jet) and communicating its new plan with an enhanced level of sensitivity to public perceptions, GM was better able to convey the urgency of its message and, ultimately, to win the government support it was seeking.

Second Prize, Communications
Title: Entirely Comfortable with its Orientation: Subaru's Successful History of Gay/Lesbian Integrated Marketing Communications
Submitted by: Laurie Phillips, University of North Carolina, School of Journalism & Mass Communication
Faculty Advisor: Professor Elizabeth Dougall

Abstract: This case study examines an integrated marketing and communications success story in reaching a key target audience for Subaru: the gay and lesbian community. Subaru has had an unwavering and authentic relationship with the gay and lesbian community for more than 14 years - a period in which sales for the car manufacturer doubled in size. Company outreach included corporate sponsorship of the Rainbow Card (an affinity credit card), followed by gay and lesbian-specific advertising and numerous strategic sponsorships. Considered revolutionary at the time, Subaru's corporate communications efforts are compared with other companies whose interactions with the gay and lesbian community were much less successful.

Third Prize, Communications
Title: Cornell University H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
Submitted by: Abigail Bedecs and Joonas Niiholm, Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication
Faculty Advisor: Michael Meath

Abstract: This case study examines Cornell University's public information campaign to inform the campus community and public about the potential pandemic influenza threat and the university's plan to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a pandemic. Cornell's plan had six very specific goals ranging from creating awareness about the threat to aiding in the restoration of normal operations.

About the Arthur W. Page Society
The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession. Membership consists primarily of chief communications officers of Fortune 500 corporations, the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies, and leading academics from the nation's top business and communications schools. The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief public relations officers.
For more information please visit http://www.awpagesociety.com/site/about/

About the Institute for Public Relations
The Institute for Public Relations is a global, independent non-profit foundation headquartered at the University of Florida. It bridges the academic and professional communities supporting public relations
research and mainstreaming this knowledge into practice. Further information is available at http://www.instituteforpr.org.

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For more information contact:

Anuneha Mewawalla
212.400.7959 Ext. 102
amewawalla@awpagesociety.com

Eric Kim
646.935.4179
eric.kim@ketchum.com

Arthur W. Page Society, the leading professional organization for Chief Communications Officers, will present "Becoming Indispensable to Your Organization" a two-day professional development conference that will bring together thought leaders from the private sector and academia to provide corporate communication officers with best practice approaches for increasing their value within their organizations.

Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) today face the added pressure of steering their organizations through a period of unprecedented uncertainty – characterized by severe economic distress, consumer distrust and tarnished reputations. "Becoming Indispensable to Your Organization" will deliver real world insights into how CCOs can successfully advance their organization's agenda and thereby expand their contribution to the organization's ultimate success.

"Chief Communications Officers have a pivotal role to play in helping their CEOs and their organizations capitalize on the opportunities and successfully navigate the challenges of the current environment," said Perry Yeatman, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Kraft Foods and Chair, 2010 Spring Seminar."'Becoming Indispensable to Your Organization' will feature prominent CEOs and thought leaders who will provide insights and practical advice on how corporate affairs and communications professionals can help their organizations thrive while others falter."

Featured at this year's seminar are some of the industry's most sought after speakers including:

• Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO of Avon Products: Jung will share her philosophy of leadership including what she looks for in functional leaders. She will describe the essential role she believes communications plays in being on the leading edge of change.
• David Nadler, Ph.D., Vice Chairman, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.: Nadler will provide his perspective on the changing nature of corporate Boards of Directors and how CCOs can deal effectively with this important stakeholder body.
• Dr. Bob Cialdini, Psychologist, W.P. Carey Distinguished Professor of Marketing and Regents' Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University: Cialdini will discuss how CCOs can learn to influence others and create more personal and functional value.

In addition, the seminar will host an interactive panel discussion with leading executive recruiters who will present their interpretation of bridging organizational needs with CEO challenges and the skills and experiences necessary for the CCO of today.

"Becoming Indispensable to Your Organization" will take place April 08-09, 2010 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The annual seminar is open to Arthur W. Page Society members and their staff and senior-level communicators. For more information, please visit: http://www.awpagesociety.com/events/content/overview/

About the Arthur W. Page Society
The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession. Membership consists primarily of chief communications officers of Fortune 500 corporations, the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies, and leading academics from the nation's top business and communications schools. The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief public relations officers. For more information please visit http://www.awpagesociety.com/site/about/

For more information contact:

Anuneha S. Mewawalla
212.400.7959 ext. 102
amewawalla@awpagesociety.com

Eric Kim
646-935-4179
Eric.kim@ketchum.com

Corporate Vice President - Public Affairs and Corporate Communication
Johnson & Johnson

Ray Jordan is Corporate Vice President, Public Affairs and Corporate Communication for Johnson & Johnson, and is responsible for public relations and corporate communication for the worldwide health care products company. He currently oversees the public affairs responsibilities and activities of the company's widely decentralized family of more than 230 operating companies in 57 countries around the world. He joined Johnson & Johnson in September, 2003, as Vice President Group Communication, where he was senior consulting partner in Corporate Communication, focusing on strategic communications for the Medical Devices and Diagnostics Group.

Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Ray was Vice President, Communications and Information for Pfizer, Inc. where he developed extensive experience in public relations, corporate communication, information resources, and health policy and financial communication, through a wide range of positions with Pfizer over the course of 17 years.

Ray has also served the industry as past chair of PhRMA's Public Affairs section, current chair of the National Pharmaceutical Council's User Group. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for American Communications, and is on the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Public Relations. He is also a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and the Public Relations Seminar Committee.

He is a graduate of Yale University and earned an MBA in marketing and finance from Columbia University. Ray began his career as a reporter for a regional daily newspaper and then made an early career move into finance and systems analysis of business and marketing processes, first with Bristol-Myers, then Dun & Bradstreet, and then in a management consulting company he co-founded in 1979.

Ray and his wife, Karen, have four sons and currently reside in Westport, Connecticut.

Vice President, Communications
Lundbeck Inc.

Sally Benjamin Young is Vice President of Communications at Lundbeck Inc. in Deerfield, IL, which was formed after the acquisition of Ovation Pharmaceuticals by H. Lundbeck A/S in Denmark. In this role, she created the organization's first communications function, leading all external and internal communications, including corporate positioning, branding, product public relations and issues management. In addition, she launched the company's first government affairs function and played a key role in the company's successful integration into the global Lundbeck organization.

Prior to joining Ovation, Sally was Vice President of Corporate Communications at Baxter International where she led a global team responsible for all external, internal and web-based communications for the company. During her tenure, she led the company through a global product crisis and launched its first global threat management program, managed the transition of CEOs and two significant corporate restructurings, oversaw the organization's sustainability program and introduced a new brand platform.

A communications strategy expert with nearly 30 years of experience managing award-winning healthcare marketing and communications programs for corporations, agencies and non-profit organizations, her experience spans pharmaceuticals, managed care, risk management and hospitals for such organizations as G.D. Searle & Co., Caremark International, Boots Pharmaceuticals and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

She was named by PR Week magazine in 2000 as one of the nation's top 50 corporate healthcare public relations professionals and by Modern Healthcare magazine in 2002 as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare.

Ms. Young is past president of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development of the American Hospital Association. She also serves on the Board of Directors for CommunityHealth, a Chicago-based health clinic providing free care to the uninsured, on the Board of Overseers of the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and on the Board of Trustees of the Arthur W. Page Society.

Senior Vice President - Global Communications
SAP AG

As senior vice president of Global Communications for SAP AG, Herbert Heitmann leads all communications activities for SAP stakeholders around the globe, including investors, customers, partners, employees, and the general public. He is also responsible for the corporate reputation building and management. In his role, Heitmann acts as an advisor to Henning Kagermann, CEO of SAP AG, regarding all aspects of communications strategy.

Heitmann has more than 15 years of experience in corporate and public communications. He has a wide range of past experience in the public and private sector, from research and development at leading corporations including Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Henkel, to a political advisory role in Germany's parliament. Throughout his professional career, Heitmann's main focus has been on driving effective communications among very diverse stakeholders.

Heitmann joined SAP in 1998 as a speechwriter for Hasso Plattner (an SAP co-founder and currently chairperson of the SAP Supervisory Board) directly from the German Parliament where he served as a political consultant on technical, educational, and scientific issues. He played a strategic role in several political campaigns and cross-party negotiations, for example, on issues ranging from the future of nuclear power in Germany, to the European Space Station and the creation of Germany's first law on genetic engineering. He also participated in an exchange program with the United States Congress.

Prior to his tenure in the German government, Heitmann worked as a chemical engineer, responsible for paper products design optimization at P&G; the automation of consumer testing at Henkel; and efficiency gains in the gold refinery process at Johannesburg Consolidated Investments.

Heitmann is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, a professional association that aims to strengthen the management policy role of senior communications executives and is also an associate of the European Round Table of Industrialists, where he heads up their communications task force.

Heitmann earned his doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Dortmund, Germany.

Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Corporate Communications
Waste Management, Inc.

Barry H. Caldwell is responsible for leading Waste Management's government affairs, corporate communications, and community relations and public sector services activities. Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is a FORTUNE 200 company with revenues of approximately $13 billion and 50,000 employees.

Barry joined Waste Management from CIGNA Corporation, the Philadelphia-based health insurance and retirement products provider, where he was Vice President, Government Relations. Before CIGNA, he was Vice President, Federal Affairs for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Before that position, he worked for United States Senator Arlen Specter, first as counsel to the senator and later as his Chief of Staff. Caldwell began his career as an attorney with Kutak Rock & Campbell and then Cole Corette & Abrutyn, both Washington, D.C. law firms.

Barry serves on the boards of Keep America Beautiful, the nation's leading community improvement network, and the Environmental Industries Association, the trade association for the private waste services industry.

Barry holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and a juris doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

CEO,
Echo Research Ltd.

Sandra Macleod, Chief Executive of leading global research firm, Echo Research, has more than twenty five years' experience in communications and reputation analysis and evaluation.

Author and lecturer across five continents, Sandra has contributed to books on professional accountability and corporate responsibility.

Cited as 'among the 100 most influential people in PR in the last 21 years', Sandra is the first international Board Member and Trustee of the Institute of Public Relations (USA), a Fellow of the Institute of Public Relations (UK), Freeman of the City of London Guild of Public Relations, Member of the Market Research Society, Editorial Advisor to the Corporate Communications Journal, and Companion of the Chartered Institute of Management. She has also served as Board Member of the DTI's Business Links and is on the Board of the Finance and Performance Review Committee of the Prince of Wales' International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF).

With 165 employees and analysts in offices in Europe and North America, and research centres across Asia and South America, Echo works for a quarter of the FTSE and Fortune 100 companies, and also has clients in the Public Sector and NGO community. Providing objective and thorough media content analysis and stakeholder studies, Echo Research is on the Register of Expert Witnesses.

ISO-accredited and a full participant in the United Nations Global Compact, Echo has increasingly focused on the challenges of corporate social responsibility and corporate governance, with a particular emphasis on helping its client base to understand the views and impact of key stakeholder groups.