More than 140 people attended the Arthur W. Page Society's 23rd Annual Conference, held October 22 - 24 at the Ritz-Carlton resort in Sarasota, Fla. With the theme of "Counseling the Corporation in Kaleidoscopic Change", the conference brought together nationally and internationally recognized thought-leaders to examine, interpret and experience the kaleidoscope of changes in the marketplace, business and the communications profession.

Upholding the Principles from within the Kaleidoscope

The conference opened on Sunday with a warm welcome by Page Society President Roger Bolton. He encouraged attendees to take full advantage of the opportunities offered at the event for learning and networking with peers.

Conference chair Maril MacDonald further introduced the theme of this colorful and interactive event. Just as the view changes with each turn of a kaleidoscope, organizations also continuously change in today's dynamic business environment. MacDonald said the conference was designed to help participants identify and respond to the changes that emerge with shifts in stakeholder compositions and expectations, leadership and employee dynamics, geography and culture, market demands and competitive pressure. She explained that this year's event also focuses on how to "remain calm, patient and good-humored" amidst change, chaos and uncertainty.

Speaking of Good Humor

The day's keynote speaker was Gil Schwartz, executive vice president of Communications at CBS Television. He is also a best-selling author and Fortune magazine columnist (a.k.a. Stanley Bing) who writes with insight and humor about the inner working of corporations. Schwartz brought his humor with him to the Page Society conference with an entertaining presentation about his experience in serving as a chief corporate communications officer.

In his presentation entitled "Counseling the Corporation? It's the Work of Warriors", Schwartz said he believes communications is perhaps the most misunderstood and under valued profession. He admitted that he sometimes finds it hard to remain calm, patient and good humored. "It is war out there," he said. "Fight it like one."

Perspectives from the Office of the CEO

The second day of the conference began with a presentation entitled "Leading Change" by Glenn Tilton, Chairman, President and CEO of UAL Corporation and United Airlines.
Since joining the company in September 2002, he has provided leadership through the aftermath of 9/11, bankruptcy, and a massive restructuring effort. In February 2006, the company emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under which it had been operating since December 2002, the largest and longest airline bankruptcy case in history.

Tilton stressed the importance of having one cohesive message throughout the turnaround process. The corporate communications professionals worked closely with the legal team to ensure that messages were clear and truthful. He said, "I cannot over-estimate to you how it important it was to us to have that coherent one-voice message throughout this entire experience."

Next on the agenda was Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP, with a presentation entitled "Globalization: Implications for Corporate Communications and Public Relations". He shared his views on the consolidation of communications services into a few global networks, the impact on companies and consultancies, and his vision for communications in the next decade.

He said the two main things on his mind when he wakes up in the morning are how to best seize the markets in China and how to embrace the rise of new technology. He says that WPP is pursuing an aggressive growth strategy in China and elsewhere in Asia. Regarding the rise of new technology, he said, "Stand by for more technology changes. New revolutionary technology is on the way."

Perspectives from Detroit

In the final morning session of the day, the audience heard from Anne Stevens, former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Americas Division, Ford Motor Company. She provided insight into some of the competitive challenges of the domestic auto makers in Detroit and the personal challenges she faced as the first female executive vice president in Ford Motor Company.

Stevens discussed the Page Principles and how they benefit companies and leaders who practice them. She said she believes that networks like the Page Society are important sources for developing "professional durability". According to Stevens, "Business isn't easy. It is key and critical to not only have stamina; it's about physical and emotional durability."

Awarding the Best

At the annual awards luncheon, the Arthur W. Page Society honored excellence in the profession. Three awards were presented.

The 2006 Hall of Fame Award was presented to Charlotte R. Otto, global external relations officer of The Procter & Gamble Company. Created in 1984, the Hall of Fame award is the Society's highest recognition, honoring a leading senior-level communications executive for career achievement and outstanding contributions to the profession that help advance the role of the Chief Communications Officer. Click here to read her acceptance speech.

The 2006 Distinguished Service Award went to E. Ronald Culp, senior vice president and managing director of the Midwest operations of Ketchum. This award recognizes an individual who has helped strengthen the role of public relations in our society by devoting themselves to services that help build and nurture the profession. Click here to read his acceptance remarks.

The 2006 Page Principles Award was presented to AT&T Inc. for its massive communications response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Accepting on its behalf was Selim Bingol, senior vice president, Corporate Communications, AT&T Inc. This award recognizes an outstanding demonstration of effective corporate communications and the application of the Page Principles, which are the seven communications management concepts upheld by the Page Society.

The Collision of Ideas

The afternoon session included a lively presentation and spirited discussion led by Frans Johansson, Managing Director, Medici Capital Management and author of The Medici Effect. Frans Johansson provided an energetic explanation about how the intersection of ideas from different fields and cultures can ignite an explosion of extraordinary new innovations. He provided examples from across the globe of ground-breaking inventions and ideas that came about through a collision of different perspectives, fields and knowledge.

Conference attendees then tested his theory and methodology in "game-changing" break-out sessions designed to generate innovative ideas for solving current challenges facing companies and chief communications officers.

Following his session, Johannson kindly signed copies of his book, The Medici Effect, for participants.

Shifting Patterns: The Digital Divide to One Economy

Rey Ramsey, CEO of One Economy Corporation, shared the story of his organization's fight against poverty, using technology to help those who are cut off from the economic mainstream, helping them get connected and start creating assets. His organization changes the lives of low income people by empowering them with technology-based resources. He says the goal is to help people help themselves.

One of the vehicles his organization is working on is the first Public Internet Channel, which will be a bilingual online destination that provides expert information on a range of issues from public emergency services to health issues.

Ramsey encouraged the audience to challenge some of their own stereotypes about low income communities. He said they are "just like us" and share "the same dreams, same goals and same aspirations." He said, "No one grows up wanting to be a passive recipient of a social program or wanting to live in public housing.

Chickens, Pigs and Water Buffalo

The final night of the conference included a reception on the beach at sunset, a gourmet dinner, some impressive displays of musical and dancing talent by Page members, and important decisions regarding livestock purchases.

The livestock activity was the culmination of The Kaleidoscope Project, which was initiated by the Annual Conference Planning Committee in the spirit of making a positive impact in a world of kaleidoscopic change. Instead of receiving a traditional welcome gift at the conference, the attendees were offered the opportunity to give the gift of hope - by allocating that portion of the conference budget and making additional personal contributions to Heifer International, a non-profit humanitarian assistance organization.

Since 1944, Heifer International has worked to end world hunger and protect the earth. Through livestock, training and 'passing on the gift,' Heifer has helped seven million families in more than 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training, or skills to another family in need. For more information, click here http://www.heifer.org/

Following spirited discussions at each table about which animals represented the best investment, the attendees donated a total of nearly $9,000 for Heifer International to use for the purchase of livestock for families in need around the world.

Goals and Progress Reviewed at Annual Business Meeting

Roger Bolton presided at the annual business meeting held on the final day of the conference. He reviewed the goals and progress of the organization during 2006 and talked about the objectives for the year ahead.

Treasurer Nancy Hobor reported that the Society continues to have a good financial position and encouraged members to support the organization through sponsorship.

On behalf of the Nominating Committee, Rich Jernstedt announced that the Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to re-elect President Roger Bolton to another term as the leader of the organization, beginning January 1. The committee also recommended the slate of candidates for the Board of Trustees Class of 2009, which was approved by the membership. The following are renewing trustees:

Helen Ostrowski, Porter-Novelli
Peter Debreceny, Allstate Insurance
Nancy Hobor, Grainger
Ken Sternad, UPS
Don Wright, Ph.D., Boston University
Tom Martin, ITT Industries
Bill Nielsen, Johnson & Johnson (retired)

The new trustees are:
Jon Iwata, IBM
Margery Kraus, APCO Worldwide

The presentation materials from the Annual Business Meeting are available here.

The Rising Influence of the Latino Community

Valuable insight on the growing Latino community across the country was provided by Monica Lozano, Senior Vice President, ImpreMedia LLC, Publisher and CEO, La Opinion and Chairman, National Council of La Raza. She said the Latino community represents "the creation of a new America."

According to Lozano, the country is much more diverse today than ever before and is becoming increasingly Latino and Asian. She explained even though the individual members are from a variety of nations and cultures, the Latino community is emerging with a common identity.

Lozano explained that the Latino community considers the Spanish language media as the most trusted source of information in the country. "They turn to the media because it is relevant to their lives and cultures." She said that only twelve percent of the readers are mono-linguistic Spanish speakers. She also highlighted the growing political influence of the Latino population, which had 9.3 million registered voters in 2004. She said these voters are mostly swing voters without a strong affiliation with any political party.

The Power of Language in Politics and Positioning Strategies

Dr. Frank Luntz, CEO and Chairman of Luntz Maslansky Strategy Research, led a fast-paced and humorous session focused on the power of language and images to influence attitudes and behaviors.

He began by saying that people are anxious about the future. He said 70 percent of Americans say the quality of their lives is better than their parents, but only 34 percent believe the quality of life will be better in the future for their children. "The American culture is uniquely inter-generational," he said. "This loss of inter-generational expectation is gnawing at the American fabric, at the American intellect."

What people really want, Luntz claimed, are fewer hassles, more choices, more money and more time. He advised the participants to keep that in mind as they communicate with their corporate audiences. "You guys need to be talking about the future... and solutions and results... so that you restore confidence."

He said that word choices are very important. As an example of poor wording, he said the letters from CEOs in most annual reports are "horrific". He said that messages should be simple and easy to read, with no more than four sentences per paragraph and the use of bullets and numbering.

He said the most powerful word for the 21st century in the English language is "imagine", because each person has a different perspective. He said that the best communication lets the audiences use their own imagination, such as the current iPod campaign that uses silhouettes of individuals instead of photographic images.

In addition to using the right words, the presentation of messages is equally important, according to Luntz. For example, he said that CEOs should not give speeches from behind a podium, because it gives the impression that they don't know the material and are not open. "Podiums are out," he said. "Podiums are evil."

Perspectives on Politics and Implications for Business

The final session of the annual conference was entitled "Both Sides Now: A Stimulating Discussion and Debate on the National Divide, America's Role in the World, Implications for Leaders and the Upcoming Mid-term Election". It featured two seasoned Washington politicos from both sides of the debate: Michael J. Gerson, Former Senior Policy Advisor to President George W. Bush and Director of Presidential Speechwriting and Joseph (Joe) Lockhart, a Founding Partner with The Glover Park Group and Former Chief Spokesman for President Bill Clinton and White House Press Secretary. The session was moderated by Joan H.Walker, Senior Vice President - Corporate Communications, Allstate Corporation.

Gerson and Lockhart discussed the current national divide, globalization's impact on America's leadership role on the world stage, implications for tomorrow's political and corporate leaders, and their perspectives on the upcoming midterm elections.

Among the topics addressed during the question and answer session was the role that U.S. corporations can play in rebuilding the image of America around the world. Both Gerson and Lockhart agreed that companies can make a difference in repairing the national image. Gerson encouraged companies to "be involved in acts of mercy around the world." Lockhart added that politicians can learn from the effective communications skills of corporate leaders.

Gerson and Lockhart agreed that government isn't the only institution suffering from a lack of public trust. Big businesses, religious organizations and other institutions have been under siege in the last twenty years. According to Lockhart, "People no longer look to big organizations for their cues on personal decisions." He said that presents a problem for corporations, because their employees don't trust them any more. "And that is a great opportunity for greater involvement with your customers... now you have to talk and listen and engage with customers."

Save the Date

As the 23rd Annual Conference came to a close, Peter Debreceny, the chair of the next conference, encouraged participants to save the date for the next year's event. The 2007 Annual Conference will be held September 9-11, 2007, at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, Calif.

Members are invited to click here for more in-depth look at the conference.