Trust Report
A new report from the Arthur W. Page Society and the Business Roundtable Institute on Corporate Ethics, "The Dynamics of Public Trust in Business - Emerging Opportunities for Leaders" specifically addresses the current crisis of trust in business. For a handout on the Report, click here.
The report also launches the Project on Public Trust in Business, in which the Page Society and the BRT Institute will partner with other organizations on a long-term strategy to build and sustain public trust in business.
This timely document summarizes the discussions and recommendations developed over the past year in joint meetings with CEOs, communication leaders, academics and other thought leaders. Our plan is to reach out to business media and send the report to a wide variety of organizations involved in education and business ethics.
The task of rebuilding trust in our business institutions is both daunting and essential. It is difficult for any single business to build trust if the public has a general mistrust of all businesses. The report includes recommendations on how we can work together to rebuild trust in corporate institutions, and I believe we each have a role to play in helping the organizations with which we work to take the necessary steps to begin that journey.
We are not claiming to have developed the definitive answer on this subject, but rather a platform for dialogue and collaboration. Our hope is to create a vibrant discussion on the issue and to stimulate actions which will accelerate the process of building public trust in business. We hope that you will be an integral part of that discussion.
Sincerely,
Maril Gagen MacDonald
President, Board of Trustees
The Arthur W. Page Society
For an Executive Summary, click here.
To order copies of the Trust Report click here.
To read the press release about this new report that launches a major collaborative effort to identify emerging opportunities for leaders, click here.
For press coverage on the Trust Report, click here to view BusinessWeek.com video coverage. For Economist.com coverage click here. Watch an interview with PRWeek here.
NEW YORK REGIONAL MEETING
The Arthur W. Page Society and the Council of Public Relations Firms cordially invite you to a jointly sponsored Breakfast Briefing, "The Powerful Convergence of Strategy, Leadership and Communications" on July 22 in New York.
Theme: The meeting will focus on the highlights of a new research study of 163 CEOs, senior strategists and communications professionals and will examine corporate strategy and the role of communications in its success or failure. The research is co-sponsored by Forbes.com, FD, Council of Public Relations Firms and the Association of Strategic Planners. A robust discussion on the implications for businesses and for communications professionals will follow.
| Date: | July 22, 2009 Registration and networking breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Presentation: 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. |
| Venue: | The Penn Club of New York 30 West 44th Street, New York, NY |
Moderator: Peter Debreceny, Strategy Execution Consultant, Gagen MacDonald
Panelists:
- Chris Atkins, Vice President, Communications, Standard & Poor's
- Ray Jordan, Corporate Vice President - Public Affairs and Corporate Communication, Johnson & Johnson
Research Highlights: Neil Benedict, Senior Vice President, FD
Cost: Meeting fee and breakfast - $38
Space is limited - so reserve a spot soon. To register, click here.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Council of PR Firms at 877-773-4767.
CHICAGO REGIONAL MEETING
The Arthur W. Page Society and the Council of Public Relations Firms cordially invite you to a jointly sponsored Breakfast Briefing, "The Powerful Convergence of Strategy, Leadership and Communications" on July 14 in Chicago.
Theme: The meeting will focus on the highlights of a new research study of 163 CEOs, senior strategists and communications professionals and will examine corporate strategy and the role of communications in its success or failure. The research is co-sponsored by Forbes.com, FD, Council of Public Relations Firms and the Association of Strategic Planners. A robust discussion on the implications for businesses and for communications professionals will follow.
| Date: | July 14, 2009 Registration and networking breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Presentation: 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. |
| Venue: | The Chicago Club 81 East Van Buren Street, Chicago, IL |
Moderator: Maril MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Gagen MacDonald
Panelists:
- Mark Bain, Global Director of Communications, Baker & McKenzie Global Services LLC
- Greg Elliot, Senior Vice President - Human Resources and Administration, Navistar
- Gary Ross, Director, Corporate Communications, CDW Corporation
- Lucy Reilly Fitch, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, BAE Systems, Inc.
Research Highlights: Betsy Neville, Senior Managing Director, FD
Cost: Meeting fee and breakfast - $38
Space is limited - so reserve a spot soon. To register, click here.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Council of PR Firms at 877-773-4767.
2009 Spring Seminar Video
2009 Annual Conference Preview Video
Registration for 2009 Annual Conference Now Open
Defining and activating a company's values, and then turning these values into pervasive behavior can be challenging at any time. But at a time when the nation is engulfed in an economic tsunami, this can be particularly difficult.
Arthur W. Page Society's 26th Annual Conference, "Values Under Stress" will examine the challenges to sustaining values, as well as the approaches to preserving values during times of severe stress. We will bring you strategic insights from chief executive officers, ethicists, non-governmental organizations and the media on the critical role communicators will have to play, when confronted with extreme pressure on all parts of the company.
Join us September 13 -15, 2009, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, Ill.
For a sneak preview, click below.
To register online, click here.
To download a printable registration form, click here.
To make your hotel reservations, please call the Four Seasons Hotel directly at (312) 280-8400 and mention the Arthur W. Page Society for a special discounted rate.
Page Member Notes
June 9 2009
MEMBER NEWS
Maril MacDonald, president, Arthur W. Page Society and chief executive officer, Gagen MacDonald recently authored an Op-Ed in PR Week titled, "Influence, not control, has become the key to success" where she notes that the globalization and digitalization have drastically impacted the communications climate and questions if the communications industry has evolved sufficiently to meet the new challenges. "While in the past we have emphasized the preeminence of "staying on message," in the future our top priority will be building communities by enabling conversations and facilitating relationships," says MacDonald. To read the full article, click here.
At the Digital Impact Conference co-presented by Cision, LexisNexis, Public Relations Society of America and PR Newswire on April 30 - May 1 in New York City, Aedhmar Hynes, chief executive officer, Text 100 Public Relations, presented the keynote address "Selling Social Media to the CEO - Translate New Mediums to Bottom Line Growth." Hynes explored how just as a company's overall approach to communications must be driven by its larger business strategy, effective social media initiatives should always be aligned with the needs of the business first.
John Budd, chairman and chief executive officer, The Omega Group, was moderator for the National Association of Corporate Directors' New York Chapter panel discussion on May 1 titled "Is Director Credibility Imperiled?" The panel examined director credibility; its unique leverage on board respect; identifying its subjective sources and the risks of sustainability. Budd is author of 11 non-fiction books on business issues and editor of a bi-monthly newsletter dealing with issue management.
Bill Doescher, president and chief executive officer, The Doescher Group, Ltd. has been awarded the Philip Dorf Award by the New York City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The award recognizes leadership in guiding and inspiring the careers of young and entry-level public relations professionals and in perpetuating the highest standards of the profession in a selfless role as a mentor. Doescher was presented the Dorf award at the Big Apple Awards dinner on May 21 at the Rainbow Room in New York City.
Steve Dishart, managing director, corporate communications - Americas for Swiss Re, presented at the "Symposium on Reputation: Trust Me? Rebuilding Business Credibility" hosted by Pfizer Inc in association with the Council on Communication Management in March this year. His presentation titled "Managing Trust in Trying Times" explored the top challenges for CEOs due to the financial crisis, the need for incorporating all available challenges for communication as well as the tactics that can be employed to deal with the internal and external communications aspects of the crisis. Dishart emphasized, "Communication and trust are as important to reputation as value for money" and "Building trust inside the company communicates trust to those on the outside." The full presentation is available here.
Jim Murphy, chairman & chief executive officer, Murphy & Co. & chair, PR Coalition also presented at the "Symposium on Reputation: Trust Me? Rebuilding Business Credibility" and elaborated on the Public Relations Coalition's 2003 Recommendations Findings which stress adopting ethical principles, pursuing transparency and measuring trust. To view the full presentation, click here.
The German portal communicationcontrolling.de recently interviewed Frank Ovaitt, president & chief executive officer, Institute for Public Relations, about the Institute's current activities in the field of public relations measurement and evaluation. "Academics and practitioners need to understand each other better and work together toward establishing true professional standing for public relations... Yet too many public relations practitioners are not familiar with our research base, and too many academics choose their research projects with little understanding of what matters in the real world," says Ovaitt. The full interview, "Future Trends in Evaluation - Interview with Frank Ovaitt, IPR" can be read here. Ovaitt is one of the keynote speakers at the First European Measurement Summit that will be held June 10-12 in Berlin, Germany.
Bob DeFillippo, chief communications Officer, Prudential Financial, Inc. would like to know if you could recommend someone for the position of Director, Communications at his department. Prudential Financial, Inc. is a multinational financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Reporting to the Vice President, Digital Media Team, this position will be responsible for designing, creating and implementing new communications technologies, techniques and programs that help deliver information to specific audiences inside and outside the company in direct and customized ways utilizing digital and social media. The successful candidate will have experience with successfully creating and executing digital media strategies, messaging and editorial content and a demonstrated ability working with social media websites and media outlets. If you know someone who would be a good candidate, please contact DeFillippo at bob.defillippo@prudential.com or (973) 802-4149.
Elliot Schreiber has launched a Center for Corporate Reputation Management at the LeBow College of Business, Drexel University. It is the first such center at a U.S. University focused on the "systematic analysis, planning, organizing, and management of the activities, processes and behaviors of an organization to foster positive perceptions of value, vis-à-vis competitors, that enhance organizational effectiveness and success." Members of the Advisory Council of the Center include Page Society Members Blair Christi, Cisco; Christa Carone, Xerox; David Nicoli, AstraZeneca; and Joan Wainwright, Tyco Electronics. Other members of the Advisory Council include Dominic Mercuri, CMO of TD Bank Financial Corporation, Toronto; Michael Watras, chairman of Straightline; and Rick Konrad, managing partner, Value Architects Asset Management. The Center is the newest of the Centers of Excellence at LeBow, joining the Sovereign Center for Strategic Leadership, the Center for Corporate Governance, and the Baida Center for Entrepreneurship.
Several Page Society members participated in a panel discussion titled "The Great Reputation Crisis - And how to Respond" organized by New York University and IPREX and hosted by Makovsky + Company as part of the IPREX Annual Meeting in New York on May 15th. Moderated by John Byrne, executive editor/editor-in-chief of BusinessWeek.com, the panelists included Steve Dishart, managing director, corporate communications - Americas for Swiss Re, Carl Folta, executive vice president, corporate communications, Viacom, Harvey Greisman, senior vice president and group executive, worldwide communications, MasterCard, Gary Sheffer, executive director, corporate communications and public affairs, General Electric.
The panel stressed commitment to corporate reputation. "Good governance and ethics are now the top drivers of corporate reputation," observed Greisman. He explained that MasterCard works diligently to generate trust and goodwill among its consumer constituents. Noting that the economy is in a "reset" Sheffer stressed that the economic conditions present an opportunity for a "communications reset." He explained the importance of "humanizing" GE beyond the balance sheet and earnings report in his company's communications efforts adding, "Communications have become much more strategic and the company's story needs to be told in a complete way." Folta noted, "The overall downturn in market has caused a lot of our reputation to be damaged. I think this is a pause before the next phase of the economy and our reputation will come back." Dishart said, "There are a lot of things that are working. We need to educate our regulators, our employees about what is working."
The panel also discussed the importance of social media. "It is a mistake to view the social media as a strategic objective, it is more of a tactic," said Greisman. "It is an important tactic to directly engage important audiences." Sheffer sees social media as a means to remind various audiences of the company's scope. He noted that GE Reports, which is a company news channel, helps provide a full picture of the company by highlighting various aspects of it.
Kim Hunter, president and CEO of Lagrant Communications authored an Op-Ed in PR Week titled "An effective strategy in the battle to find diverse talent" where he emphasizes that to ensure that diversity in the workforce prevails, the industry needs to devote efforts to recruiting, developing, and retaining talented minorities. Hunter enumerates several methods for doing so including partnering with multicultural trade groups and schools with a high population of diverse students, developing mentorship programs specifically targeting prospective multicultural employees and creating internal programs or universities that will enhance the skills of their ethnic minority staffers. To read the full article, click here.
Chris Atkins, vice president of communications, Standard & Poor's participated in the recent "Measurement Roundtable 2009: Defining value" in New York. When asked what he sees as the biggest changes in traditional PR measurement over the past couple of years, Atkins explained, "When you start looking at the tactical aspects of measurement, whether it's in the blogosphere, mainstream media, or survey of audiences, [etc], you can get really hung up on the specifics of what you learn and lose sight of the overall picture, which is particularly difficult when you're going through a rough patch as we have been. It's tempting to get hung up on the blogger that won't leave you alone or the reporter who keeps scratching away at the open wound." He stressed that it is important to step back and focus on the big-picture and where the problem lies and if it is something we can counter through other communications channels. "Frankly, that's a difficult thing for people in a resource-constrained environment to do," adds Atkins. To read more, click here for the full PR Week feature.
PAGE SOCIETY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
We thank all the members who joined us for the National Summit Page One Teleconference on May 13. In addition to a discussion of forums as an essential communications tool for the C-Suite, the Page One Teleconference previewed the National Summit, a major two-day national conversation to take place June 15 -17 with 47 of Americas top CEOs, senior management, and heads of government and policy. Panelists included Beth Chappell, president of the Detroit Economic Club and Leslie Gaines Ross, chief reputation officer of Weber Shandwick. The discussion was moderated by Tom Kowaleski, vice president of corporate communications, BMW of North America, LLC. In case you missed this discussion and would like to listen to an audio replay, click here. You may also access the Page One by going to the Past Events section of the Page Society Web site under the Members Only tab.
The 4th Annual Arthur W. Page Society/ Tuck Symposium took place on June 2nd at the Dartmouth Club in New York. Speakers included several Page Society members. Paul Argenti, professor of corporate communication, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth presented the opening remarks. Roger Bolton, senior counselor, APCO and Brian Moriarty, associate director, Business Roundtable Institute for Corporate Ethics examined "Business Ethics & Corporate Trust." Richard Edelman, president & CEO, Edelman and Gary Grates, global managing director, Edelman Change and Employee Engagement discussed "Key Insights from the Edelman Trust Barometer" moderated by Professor Stephen Greyser, professor of marketing and communications, Harvard Business School.
Paul Argenti and Bob Pearson, president, Blog Council & chief technology and media officer, WeissCommGroup presented "Building Trust through Digital Communication." The panel "The Media's Take on Corporate Trust" featured John Byrne (Business Week ), Paul Maidment (Forbes), Leslie Wayne (The New York Times), Rick Newman (US News & World Report), & Liz Willen (Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media) and was moderated by Bob Grupp, CEO & president-elect, IPR. A synopsis of the Arthur W. Page Society/ Tuck Symposium will shortly be available on the Page Society Web site.
The Arthur W. Page Society and the Council of Public Relations Firms invite you to jointly sponsored Breakfast Briefings on July 14 and July 22. The July 14th panel discussion will be held in Chicago and moderated by Maril MacDonald. The July 22nd briefing will be held in New York. Both events will focus on the highlights of a new study of 163 CEOs, senior strategists and communications professionals and will examine corporate strategy and the role of communications in its success or failure. A robust discussion on the implications for businesses and for communications professionals will follow. Cost is $38 for members of the Page Society and the Council of PR Firms. Click here to register.
Registration for the Arthur W. Page Society's 26th Annual Conference, "Values Under Stress" is now open! Plan to join us September 13 -15, 2009 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, Ill. To register online, click here. To download a printable registration form, click here. To make your hotel reservations, please call the Four Seasons Hotel directly at (312) 280-8400 and mention the Arthur W. Page Society for a special discounted rate.
If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for webPages, Page Society's newly launched social network available exclusively to members! We have now loaded dozens of photos from the Arthur W. Page Society's 2009 Spring Seminar on the social networking site.The photo album is located on the upper left hand corner of the main page. Check them out. We'd appreciate your help in tagging everyone - so if you see yourself or someone you know, please tag it. If you'd like to receive another invitation to webPages, please email amewawalla@awpagesociety.com. If you've already signed up, go to webpagesning.com to log in to webPages anytime.
"Page Turner," the Page Society Blog, continues to offer you an invaluable opportunity to create meaningful dialogue and debate about corporate communications and the rapidly evolving role of the chief communications officer. To read the latest blog contributions and to post your thoughts and comments, check the blog site often.
In Rethinking, Recharging and Renewing, Mark Bain, global director of communications, Baker & McKenzie, blogs his personal reflections on the Public Relations Executive Forum co-hosted by the Arthur W. Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations where he observes that every crisis is an opportunity to change the way we work and live. Bain participated in a panel discussion on the impact of the economic crisis on corporate communications and public relations. In Can and Will Communicators Reinvent Themselves for Web 2.0?, Elliot Schreiber, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Drexel University raises the point that we live in a time where social media are transforming our society - people are gathering news, sharing information about brands and companies, and creating communities of common interest - but while communicators are talking about these changes, are they really adapting and reinventing themselves for Web 2.0?
In Dick Martin Tells Secrets Michael Goodman, director, Corporate Communication International and Tina Genest, associate director, CCI, review Dick Martin's new book, "Secrets of the Marketing Masters: What the Best Marketers Do - And Why It Works."
Bob Pearson, president of The Blog Council and chief technology and media officer, WeissComm Group blogs from the Arthur W. Page Society/Tuck Symposium on the 14 aspects of how great brands build trust online in What Great Brands Understand About Building Trust Online.
If you have a Blog on communications or public relations, we would love to hear from you. Please email us with a link to your blog at amewawalla@awpagesociety.com.
OTHER NEWS
Dues renewal notices have been sent for 2009 memberships. If you have not already done so, please renew today. To renew online, just visit the Page website at www.awpagesociety.com.
A complete listing of sponsorship opportunities for 2009 is now available on the website If you can provide sponsorship for 2009 Page activities, we will be very appreciative. We have several opportunities available for the Annual Conference in Chicago and urge you to consider which event at the Annual may be most appropriate for you.
Please send your news for Page Member Notes to Anuneha Mewawalla at amewawalla@awpagesociety.com.
Page One Teleconference - The National Summit
The National Summit
May 13, 11AM EST
In addition to a discussion of forums as an essential communications tool for the C-Suite, the Page One Teleconference previewed the National Summit, a major two-day national conversation to take place June 15 -17 with 47 of Americas top CEOs, senior management, and heads of government and policy.
This session focused on four areas of critical importance to America's future policy agenda - Energy, Technology, Manufacturing and the Environment.
Our panelists included:
Beth Chappell,
President of the Detroit Economic Club
Leslie Gaines Ross,
Chief Reputation Officer of Weber Shandwick
In case you missed this special edition Page One Teleconference, and would like to listen to an audio replay, click here.
Page Member Notes
May 14, 2009
Member News
Valerie Di Maria, senior vice president and group marketing and communications director, Willis Group Holdings Limited, is being honored with the John W. Hill Award for 2009. The award, PRSA-New York Chapter's most prestigious award, is presented annually to a communications executive who has demonstrated leadership in the development of the practice of public relations and the highest standards of ethical conduct and service to the public beyond the scope of his/her regular public relations duties. Past winners of the award include Harold Burson, Ken Makovsky, Jim Murphy, Charlotte Klein, David Finn and Helen Ostrowski. The award will be presented at this year's Big Apple Awards event taking place on May 21st at the Rainbow Room in Manhattan.
Former Page Society trustee John Budd, chairman and chief executive officer, The Omega Group, has published his eleventh book, "Curmudgeonly Speaking" (Turtle Publishing: $10.00) a 53-page, tongue-in-cheek defense of those who rebel against hypocrisy, pomposity and conventional wisdom.
The American Management Association is publishing a third book by Dick Martin, former executive vice president of public relations, employee communications and brand management, AT&T and former Page Society member. "Secrets of the Marketing Masters" is based on interviews with the top marketing professionals at companies such as P&G, Unilever, Diageo, GE, IBM, American Express and Microsoft. Martin asks, "What makes some marketers successful while others are the fruit flies of the "C-suite," nuisances who fill the air with buzzing but don't accomplish much in their blessedly short lives?" He presents what he has learned from top executive recruiters, leaders of major advertising associations, heads of ad agencies, academics and consultants. Martin's new book is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
David Senay, president and chief executive officer, Fleishman-Hillard, recently authored an Op-Ed in PR Week, "PR should relish opportunity to lead" where he notes that while providers of marketing and communications services are increasingly impacted by the economic crisis, certain parts of the business such as digital, mobile marketing, business transaction and turnaround communications and crisis and public affairs are seeing strong demand. He also highlights that a survey of more than 250 clients reveals that despite the economy, expectations remain high in 2009 and clients realize they must continue to communicate to key stakeholders with constancy, clarity, and conviction of purpose. To read the full article, please click here.
Jerry Swerling, professor and director of the USC Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Center will lead a free Webinar examining media usage trends - decline of traditional media and surge in digital media use. Joining Jerry in the discussion will be David Rockland, partner and managing director of Ketchum Global Research Network, Nicholas Scibetta, partner and global director of the Ketchum Global Media Network, and Gur Tsabar, new media strategist, will delve into these trends, share insights into the changing media landscape and discuss how consumers are engaging with media today. The session will be held Tuesday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. If you are interested in participating in this free Webinar discussion, please RSVP to Kelly McArthur at kelly.mcarthur@ketchum.com.
In a PR Week article titled, "Agency consolidation growing, but do it for the proper reasons," Bob Feldman, principal, PulsePoint Group, illustrates why chief communication officers are looking at consolidation of their external partners right now enumerating message inconsistency; greater risk to the corporation; diffused accountability; reduced quality control and potentially reduced market impact as some of the key reasons. Feldman also outlines key considerations for companies looking to consolidate. To read the full article click here.
Another PR Week story, "Webcasts buoy internal communications" cites Matt Gonring, consultant, Gagen MacDonald. The article explains that webcasts can be a valuable internal communications tools that help companies keep employees informed and can be used to build and reinforce a sense of community and loyalty among employees. "Clients are using webcasting in concert with blogs, streaming video, photos, two-way audio, and so on," Gonring says. "It's being used to foster... dialogue and levels of connectedness across the enterprise." To read more click here.
Mark Penn, worldwide president and chief executive officer, Burson-Marsteller, authored an article in The Wall Street Journal titled "America's Newest Profession: Bloggers for Hire" where he points out that there are almost as many people today in America making a living as bloggers as there are lawyers. Penn explains that the phenomena of blogging is an important social and cultural movement that people care passionately about. "The Information Age has spawned many new professions, but blogging could well be the one with the most profound effect on our culture. If journalists were the Fourth Estate, bloggers are becoming the Fifth Estate," says Penn. To read the full article click here.
Julie Hamp, senior vice president, communications, PepsiCo was quoted in the PR Week article "PepsiCo revamps comms structure" that elucidates how PepsiCo's restructure of its communications function has helped to increase efficiency and connectivity among the company's PR team. Following her hiring by chairman and chief executive officer Indra Nooyi in late 2007, Hamp began plans to revamp global communications at PepsiCo breaking communications out of business unit silos and creating a more integrated structure for internal and external communications. To read the full article click here.
A PR Week story quoting Jonathan Blum, senior vice president and chief public affairs officer for Yum Brands, explores how Yum Brands is engaging consumers and employees as it takes a major step to end world hunger through one of its numerous CSR programs. The company has stepped up goals for its World Hunger Relief program. Last fall, the company made a five-year commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative to raise $80 million for WFP and other hunger relief agencies, and to provide more than 20 million volunteer hours. This year, it aims to increase WFP funding to $22.5 million and employee volunteer hours to six million. According to Blum, "Forward thinking corporations are dialing up, not dialing back, [CSR efforts]. It's our privilege and responsibility to give back and help people who are less fortunate than we are. It's a part of how we do business, and we think it's a smart thing to do." To read the full article "Yum Brands takes on world hunger" click here.
Alan Kelly, chief executive officer and founder of The Playmaker's Standard, LLC (www.plays2run.com), will deliver the kickoff keynote at the European Communication Summit in Brussels, July 2, 2009.His address is titled "The Art of Influence, The Science of Strategy: Using the First Periodic Table of Influence to Drive Competitive Advantage." Kelly's strategy system was featured March 20 in BusinessWeek.com in a Management IQ post titled "Science of Spin." At the general session of SNCR's NewCommForum in San Francisco on April 28, Kelly presented preliminary findings of a joint http://www.plays2run.com/blog/blog.php?blog_title_id=1&show=true&page=1" style="color:#4F668A;">study between The Playmaker's Standard and The Carolina Observatory on Corporate Reputation titled "What's in a Tweet: How Corporations Use Twitter for Competitive Advantage."The study demonstrates how corporations are using social media to drive influence and manage communication strategy.
A new research paper by E. Bruce Harrison, chief executive officer, EnviroComm International, shows how government moves on climate change and energy are accelerating corporate action. The paper examines 40 benchmark companies that are "getting with the program" - adjusting corporate environmental and energy strategies to compete successfully in inevitable climate-change policy conditions - and highlights their communications. Drawn from Internet content research by EnviroComm, corporate greening consultants led by Harrison, the paper provides communication insights in these categories: asserting public policy position; displaying top management commitment; linking to business strategy and operations; reporting and validating data; citing external recognitions; building trust by acknowledging shortfall; providing long-term perspective; collaborating with others on sustainability; and influencing others toward sustainability. The paper has been accepted by the Air and Waste Management Association, for presentation at their annual meeting in Detroit in June.
Dr. Elizabeth Toth, professor & chair, University of Maryland at College Park, has authored the newest section of the "Essential Knowledge Project," examining the research base on diversity and public relations practice. Toth writes that the new section "discusses the accelerating influence of diverse groups on the domestic and international practice of public relations. The essay provides definitions of diversity; the knowledge and skills that practitioners need to relate to diverse publics; diversity models for public relations executives; and the need for requisite variety in the public relations industry. It ends by listing practical guides and additional sources." To read the full essay click here.
Patricia Wright delivered the Robert Taylor Lecture in Public Relations at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Wisconsin - Madison in April. Her lecture was titled "Public Relations 2009: A changing Profession in a Changing World."She also received a Distinguished Service Award at the Journalism School's annual awards ceremony in April.Patricia Wright has also launched Donovan Wright Advisors LLC, a government and public affairs and philanthropy consulting firm.She retired from BP in December where she served as vice president, government and public affairs.
Ken Makovsky, president, Makovsky & Company, Inc. announces that Makovsky & Company has been named "Multi-specialist Agency of the Year" by the Holmes Report which was also announced at the Sabre Awards dinner on May 12th. According to Paul Holmes, "Following strong 19 percent growth in 2008, Makovsky now ranks among the top 25 independents in the U.S., with new business from Bausch & Lomb, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Johnson Controls, Russell Reynolds, sanofi-aventis, and United Kingdom Trade & Investment." Makovsky + Company also recently launched "Interraction" - a multi-disciplinary consortium established to address climate change risk for corporations.
Steve Cody, managing partner & co-founder Peppercom, Inc. announces that Peppercom just launched a new division called Brand² Squared Licensing to broaden the agency's services - specifically those offering direct and positive impact on a client's bottom line. Strategic licensing can increase a brand's footprint, generate additional exposure, and create incremental revenue streams with almost no upfront cost. Brand² Squared Licensing establishes, manages and markets such partnerships between brand clients and third-party licensees. To learn more please click here to read the PR Week story, "Peppercom gets into the licensing game."
Robert Doughty is now vice president, communications for Kaplan Higher Education. Kaplan is the largest, most diversified education provider in the world. Rob can be reached at robdoughty@kaplan.edu or (954) 512-5746. He was previously vice president, communications for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
Tom Martin, executive-in-residence, College of Charleston and a senior communications executive who has served as the chief communications officer for FedEx and ITT over a 30-year career, is joining the adjunct faculty of the George Washington University masters in strategic public relations program. Martin will be teaching ethics in corporate and political communications. Through case studies, the course will challenge students to consider both the theoretical framework and the practical realities involved in ethical decision-making and counseling. "After a long corporate career, I have chosen to devote this phase of my life to helping prepare the next generation in the communication profession," said Martin. "Instructors like Tom allow us to offer coursework that combines years of practical experience in public relations with a rigorous academic curriculum in an advanced degree from one of America's leading universities," said Larry Parnell, associate professor and director of the masters in strategic public relations program. To read the full press release, click here.
We regret to inform you that Samuel Petok, Life Member of the Page Society, passed away on April 27, 2009 at age 86. He was a member of the Page Society from 1985 through 2005. Petok retired in 1988 from Rockwell International, best known as the prime contractor of the NASA space shuttles, as senior vice president and member of the management committee. He served as the company's principal public relations and advertising officer for more than a decade.
In 1988 his alma mater, Wayne State University, honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Award for his outstanding achievements in the communications profession. To read the obituary, click here. He is survived by his wife, three children and seven grandchildren. Condolences may be offered online at www.thekimblefuneralhome.com.
Page Events and Programs
We are delighted to bring our members an array of resources to recapture the highlights of the 24th Annual Spring Seminar, "Influence in the Midst of Uncertainty" in a special section we have created on our Web site dedicated to this Arthur W. Page Society signature event.
Summaries of Day One and Day Two of the conference, conference agenda, speaker biographies, information on attendees of the Spring Seminar, and high resolution photos are available for free download. Downloadable audio recordings of conference sessions, blogging by members, and a news release on the conference have all been made available to Page Society members at http://www.awpagesociety.com/site/members/24th_spring_seminar/ . Be sure to visit!
We thank all the members who joined us for the special edition Page One Teleconference focusing on the Swine Flu Outbreak on May 7. Among other topics, the Page One Teleconference presented critical communication insights gleaned from this situation and examined the issues companies must consider while communicating with key stakeholders in meeting this unexpected communications challenge.
Our panel of experts included Donna Garland, chief of enterprise communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Teresa Nastoff-Smith, lead communicator for CDC's Influenza Coordination Unit and CDC Emergency Communication System (ECS), Valerie Di Maria, senior vice president and group marketing and communications director, Willis Group Holdings Limited, Peter Debreceny, consultant, Gagen MacDonald and Wayne Pines, president, regulatory services and health care, APCO Worldwide. If you missed the Page One, click here to listen to an audio replay.
The 17th annual seminar for high-potential, global 1000 corporate communications professionals, PR executives and PR managers, the PR Executive Forum co-sponsored by the Arthur W. Page Society took place May 6-8, 2009 at the Chicago Club in Chicago, IL. Maril Gagen MacDonald, president of the Page Society and chief executive officer of Gagen MacDonald lead a discussion on "Thoughts and Leadership - The New Public Relations Agenda" at the Forum.
A lineup of noted corporate communications officerscomprised the instructional team including Page Society members Cathy Babington, vice president, public affairs, Abbott Laboratories, Mike Fernandez, vice president, public affairs, State Farm Insurance, Mark Bain, global director of communications, Baker & McKenzie Global Services LLC, Kimberley Goode, vice president, communications, Northwestern Mutual, Greg Elliott, senior vice president, human resources & administration, Navistar, Bob Grupp, president and CEO Elect, Institute for Public Relations, Michael Fanning, vice president, corporate affairs, Michelin North America, Inc., Ray Jordan, corporate vice president, public affairs & corporate communication, Johnson & Johnson, Art Wiese, Jr., vice president, corporate communications, Entergy Corporation. Faculty also included Page Society members Don Wright, professor of public relations, Boston University, College of Communication, Don Stacks, professor and director, Program in Public Relations, School of Communication, University of Miami.
We are pleased to inform you that the Arthur W. Page Society Blog, Page Turner, has completed a full year as a forum creating meaningful dialog and discussion on the trends and issues impacting the rapidly evolving role of the chief communications officer! To read a blog on the 12-month anniversary of Page Turner by Peter Debreceny, consultant, Gagen MacDonald, click here.
We welcome your participation and comments! Check the Page Turner site often to read the latest blog contributions from thought leaders of the communications industry.
Thank you to all of the members who have already signed up for webPages, Page Society's newly launched social network available exclusively to members! The social network provides the benefits of our traditional member directory in an easy-to-use, interactive model and extends networking opportunities beyond physical gatherings to throughout the year. If you haven't signed up already, be sure to sign up soon and join in on the social networking! Additional photos from the Spring Seminar will soon be live on the network and you will be able to tag names in the comment box that appears when you click on the photo.
If you'd like to receive another invitation to webPages, please email amewawalla@awpagesociety.com. If you've already signed up, go to webpages.ning.com to log in to webPages anytime.
Arthur W. Page Society brings you a new member benefit, Executive Visibility Strategist, a quarterly publication on trends, issues and insights on executive visibility. The Page Society provides members this service in partnership with the Catchpole Corporation. The first issue of the newsletter has already been delivered to your inbox, if you'd like another copy, please email amewawalla@awpagesociety.com.
As you know, the Page Society is also currently offering its members free access to a database containing executive speaking opportunities, detailed descriptions of organizations providing speaking platforms and additional information for developing executive visibility programs. If you're interested in knowing more about this service, or if you'd like to sign up, please go to www.awpagesociety.com/catchpole. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Page Society staff. We hope you will find this an interesting and valuable resource for managing your executive visibility.
Mark your calendars now for the Page Society's 26th Annual Conference "Maintaining Values Under Stress" to be held September 13 -15, 2009, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, Ill. To view a sneak preview video of the conference, click here.
The Arthur W. Page/ Tuck Symposium will be held on June 2 in New York. Led by Professor Paul Argenti, the symposium brings together leading academics and selected practitioners to discuss the issue of rebuilding trust. A soon-to-be-released white paper, co-authored by the Arthur W. Page Society and the Business Roundtable Institute will be the topic of discussion at this year's symposium. Following the one-day event in New York, the findings and discussion summaries will be made available to Page Society members through the Web site.
Other News
It's time to make your voice heard by submitting your nominations for two of the most prestigious awards in the industry: the Arthur W. Page Society's Hall of Fame and Distinguished Service Awards. The deadline for nominations is Monday, June 1, 2009. For your convenience, information and nomination forms are also available on our website. The nomination process is easy, requiring only a brief written explanation of your nominee's achievements and why you think the nominee is deserving of the award.
To nominate for the Hall of Fame Award, please click here.
To nominate for the Distinguished Service Award, please click here.
Dues renewal notices have been sent for 2009 memberships. After careful consideration, the board has held dues at the same level as last year. To renew online, just visit the Page website at www.awpagesociety.com.
A complete listing of sponsorship opportunities for 2009 is now available on the website. If you can provide sponsorship for 2009 Page activities, we will be very appreciative.
Please send your news for Page Member Notes to Anuneha Mewawalla at amewawalla@awpagesociety.com.
Page One Teleconference - Swine Flu Outbreak
Swine Flu Outbreak
May 7, 2009
The Page One Teleconference presented critical communication insights gleaned from the Swine Flu situation and examined the issues companies must consider while communicating with key stakeholders in meeting this unexpected communications challenge.
Our panel of experts included:
- Donna Garland,
Chief of Enterprise Communication
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Teresa Nastoff-Smith
Lead Communicator for CDC's Influenza Coordination Unit and
CDC Emergency Communication System (ECS)
- Valerie Di Maria
Senior Vice President and Group Marketing and Communications Director
Willis Group Holdings Limited
- Peter Debreceny
Consultant,
Gagen MacDonald
- Wayne Pines
President, Regulatory Services and Health care
APCO Worldwide
In case you missed this special edition Page One Teleconference, and would like to listen to an audio replay, click here.
