Good morning everyone! We apologize again for the wonky newsletter you may have received yesterday. We're working to resolve the problem, but in the meantime wanted to send you all a readable, plain-text version of the September newsletter. Thanks for your understanding!
Letter From the President
Dear Colleagues,
September is PRSA Ethics Month, and we're delighted to feature nationally renowned author, activist and seasoned public relations practitioner Wendell Potter to address the moral and ethical implications of public relations. It's a special evening edition of our monthly programming at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 15 at Rothchild Catering and Conference Center. Reservations are closed, but you can still pay at the door. Don't miss it!
On behalf of the Board, I'm pleased to announce that the Volunteer Chapter has made a $1,500 donation from the PRSA District Conference proceeds to the Mitch Edwards Scholarship Fund to offset the cost of attendance to future district conferences for PRSA members.
On a personal note, I've joined Fletcher Marketing PR as executive vice president and look forward to contributing to Fletcher's continuing success by helping brands find their voice to speak to female consumers.
And finally, as you know, public relations is about telling the truth. It's not spin. It's not hype. It's integrity in action, and we're always learning on the job. Ethical communications is a lifelong practice. Lawrence Foster, former vice president of Johnson & Johnson, sums it up this way: "Some say ethics cannot be taught. But certainly your ethical conduct can be honed as you become involved in complex situations. Don't compromise your ethics. It is who you are."
Words to live by.
Very best regards,
Laura Mansfield, APR
2016 PRSA Volunteer Chapter President
Last Call: Don't Miss Wendell Potter!
Noted author and ethical activist Wendell Potter will be with us tomorrow night for a special presentation, "PR Practitioners: Have You Had An Ethics Check Lately?"
Networking begins at 6 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. at Rothchild Catering, 8807 Kingston Pike. Parking is free. Reservations have closed, but you can still pay at the door. Cost is $20 for members; $25 for nonmembers; $15 for students.
Following a 20-year career as a corporate public relations executive, Wendell Potter left his position as VP of Communications for Cigna, one of the nation's largest health insurers, to advocate for meaningful health care reform and to help organizations working for the greater good achieve their goals. In widely covered Congressional hearings, Potter disclosed how insurance companies, to boost profits, engage in practices that have forced millions of Americans into the ranks of the uninsured, and use deceptive PR tactics to undermine health care reform.
His book, "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out On How Corporate PR is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans," is a stark warning that corporate spin is distorting our democracy. Potter also is the author of "Obamacare: What's In It For Me? What Everyone Needs to Know About the Affordable Care Act" and "Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts Our Democracy and What We Can Do About It."
September is Ethics Month
Don't Forget! September is Ethics Month, when PRSA shines a light on ethical and professional standards affecting all practitioners. This year's theme is "Ethics, the Heart of Leadership." In addition to our special September 15 dinner featuring Wendell Potter<https://volunteerprsa.org/calendar/>, mark your calendars for opportunities offered by PRSA national throughout the month:
Sept. 1-30
Ethics blog posts each week on the PRSAY blog<http://prsay.prsa.org/>: Topics addressing current events and professional best practices
Ethics Month Survey 2016: You may receive an ethics survey via email. The Arthur W. Page Center has awarded a grant to BEPS members Marlene Neill, PhD, assistant professor, Baylor University, and Nancy Weaver, APR, internal communications manager at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The 2016 survey, "How Millennials View Ethics in Public Relations," will be conducted during ethics month and feature input from both new pros and associate members. The results from the first phase of the study will be presented at the PRSA International Conference, as well as shared through other public relations channels.
Sept. 14 - 9 p.m.
Twitter chat: "Millennial Ethics: Workplace Dilemmas and Scenarios" hosted by Tiffany Gallicano, Ph.D., UNC-Charlotte and Andrew Cook, Vice President of Advocacy PRSSA 2016 (#PRStudChat)
Sept. 20 - 8 p.m.
Twitter chat: "Let's Talk Ethics! Best Practices for Ethics Curriculum in Public Relations" (#PRethics). Hosted by the PR Division of AEJMC and the PRSA Educators Academy. Panelists include: Tiffany Gallicano, Ph.D, and Elizabeth Toth, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA
Sept. 21 - 1 p.m.
Twitter chat: "Supporting Ethical Journalism" (#PRethics)
Hosted by Nancy Weaver, APR, internal communications manager at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Lynn Walsh, journalist, KNSD and President-elect for the Society of Professional Journalists
Sept. 21 - 8 p.m.
Twitter chat: "Social Media & Ethics: Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them" (#PRethics). Hosted by Marlene S. Neill, Ph.D., APR, Assistant Professor, Baylor University, Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media (@neillpr)
For guidance, please review the PRSA Code of Ethics<https://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/CodeEnglish/index.html#.V8hPpvkrKUk> and resources on the topic<https://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/Resources/index.html#.V8hP0PkrKUk> compiled by PRSA. Questions? Contact Volunteer Chapter Ethics Officer, Kristin Alm<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.
Volunteer Chapter Donates Portion of Conference Proceeds to Southeast District
The Volunteer Chapter Board of Directors is pleased to make a donation of $1,500 to the PRSA Southeast District from proceeds earned as host of the 2016 PRSA Southeast District Conference. This donation will be used to fund scholarships that cover the registration cost at future district conferences for PRSA members as part of the Mitch Edwards Scholarship Fund.
Held in April at the Holiday Inn World's Fair Park, the 2016 PRSA Southeast District Conference was a great success, welcoming approximately 125 communications professionals to our city from 11 chapters in five states. The conference featured outstanding speakers from nationally-recognized organizations and brands, including Coca-Cola, The Dollywood Company and the Tennessee Titans.
News from Ackermann PR
Ackermann PR announced that Margaret Liles has been hired as an account coordinator, having recently completed a year-long internship at the firm. As an Account Coordinator, Liles will play a key role in account activities including media relations, program implementation, and research. She will also be instrumental in developing creative marketing concepts for clients in both the print and digital space. A native of Pulaski, Tenn., Liles is a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Rhetoric and Writing.
News from Fletcher Marketing & PR
Laura Mansfield has joined the Fletcher team as executive vice president. Laura brings extensive PR and social media experience to our agency and will help guide the strategic direction of our agency, as well as serve a wide variety of Fletcher clients. Laura is formerly principal and founder of Spica Communications, providing social media strategy and media relations for clients including Zoo Knoxville and TeamHealth. Laura was previously executive director of public relations for The Tombras Group and vice president of corporate communications for Edfinancial Services.
Knoxville Business Journal Column
The Volunteer Chapter's Senior Practitioners Group contributes monthly by-lined columns to the Knoxville Business Journal on the topic of public relations. Don't miss Cathy Ackermann's recent column, "Health care consumers want it all<http://www.knoxnews.com/business/journal/cathy-ackermann-health-care-consumers-want-it-all-37726fff-969d-1c85-e053-0100007f78ec-392032021.html>."
The Business Journal Column focuses on public relations' value in business and organizational management, and corresponds to the Business Journal's monthly editorial focus. Senior practitioners in the chapter who are interested in submitting a column in the future can contact Mary Beth <mailto:[log in to unmask]> West<mailto:[log in to unmask]>.
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