FleishmanHillard Names Dave Schad to Lead Its Minneapolis-St. Paul Office

FleishmanHillard today announced the appointment of Dave Schad as senior vice president and general manager of its Minneapolis-St. Paul office. 

 

Schad succeeds David Hakensen, who served as general manager since October 2009. Hakensen will remain as senior vice president and head of the office’s corporate and media relations practice.

 

Most recently, Schad was senior vice president, executive creative director at Minneapolis-based PadillaCRT. While there, he was responsible for building the firm’s creative group and was instrumental in developing an organizational model for account and creative teams to work collaboratively. He also played a key role in helping the firm evolve from a public relations firm to an integrated communications firm. 

 

Among his other previous roles, Schad was a partner at VS Advertising, a communications consultancy offering strategy, message development and other services to promote and advance brands. He also gained prior experience at Group One, Carmichael Lynch and Bozell Kamstra.  

 

“Bringing on a new general manager and adding to the extended leadership team reflects our commitment to the vibrant Minneapolis-St. Paul market and the global clients we serve,” said Susan Veidt, president of FleishmanHillard’s U.S. Central region, which also includes Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City and St. Louis. “Dave’s extensive experience in leading idea-first, integrated media programs delivered across communications channels by multidisciplinary teams will enhance the work we do for our clients, helping them achieve greater success.”

 

FleishmanHillard’s Minneapolis-St. Paul office offers global capabilities in consumer and B2B marketing, corporate communications, crisis communications, sports marketing, public affairs, internal communications, social and digital communications and content creation.

McKinney one of fifteen inducted into PRSA College of Fellows

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)’s Board of Directors has approved the recommendation of 15 PRSA members for acceptance to the organization’s prestigious College of Fellows.

The College of Fellows, founded in 1989, is a community of more than 300 senior PRSA members who have advanced the public relations profession and distinguished themselves through their experience and leadership in the public relations industry. Admission is open to public relations practitioners or educators with 20 years’ experience or more, hold the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential and have demonstrated exceptional capability and accomplishment in the practice or teaching of public relations. College of Fellows members also must exhibit personal and professional qualities that make them role models for other practitioners or educators.

A selection committee consisting current College of Fellows members oversees the nomination of new Fellows. The committee solicited and reviewed applications and recommended this year’s group of candidates to the 2014 Board of Directors.

The new Fellows will be formally inducted into the College at a dinner to be held Oct. 11, during the PRSA 2014 International Conference in Washington, D.C.
 
“The fifteen impressive inductees of the prestigious PRSA College of Fellows each have more than two decades of exemplary public relations work and are a model of what can be achieved in our profession,” said PRSA 2014 National Chair Joe Cohen, APR.  “I congratulate them on this incredible honor and I urge students and new professionals to follow the example of this outstanding group.”

The 2014 inductees to the
 
PRSA College of Fellows are:

Anita A. Brightman, APR, Fellow PRSA, president, A. Bright Idea, LLC

Douglas F. Cannon, Ph.D., APR+M, Fellow PRSA, assistant professor, Virginia Tech

Amy T. Coward, APR, Fellow PRSA, vice president, Palmetto Health Foundation

Sandra C. Duhe, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, associate professor and chair, Southern Methodist University

Geraldine Ann Evans, APR, Fellow PRSA, president and chief executive officer, Evans PR Group

Michele E. Ewing, APR, Fellow PRSA, associate professor, Kent State University

William A. Gay, APR, Fellow PRSA, president, Reliance Public Relations, Inc.

Laura R. Hammel, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, associate professor and program director, Ursuline College

Suzanne M. Holroyd, Ph.D., APR+M, Fellow PRSA, prevention outreach, office of sexual assault prevention and response, Department of Defense

Rose M. McKinney, APR, Fellow PRSA, founder and chief executive officer, Pineapple RM, Inc.

Christopher E. Payne, APR, Fellow PRSA, executive director of communications, Tulsa Public Schools

Robert E. Sheldon, APR, Fellow PRSA, public relations director, Creative Communications Consultants, Inc.

Brenda S. Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, public affairs director, State Farm Insurance

Olga Mayoral Wilson, APR, Fellow PRSA, senior lecturer, Texas State University

Kelly L. Womer, APR, ABC, Fellow PRSA, vice president and partner, Linhart Public Relations

The purpose of the College of Fellows is to recognize notable public relations leaders and to further the professionalism and reputation of public relations practice and education. College members provide mentoring for public relations professionals and students, support PRSA in the execution of its strategic plan specifically in the areas of advocacy and education, and create and sponsor a continuing education “Master Class” for advanced professionals each year during the PRSA International Conference.

PR with Panache! Announces its newest Modern-Day Storyteller

PR with Panache! (PRP) is pleased to announce the addition of EdTech media veteran Bryce Wilson. Bryce ‘s expertise adds to an already well-balanced and experienced team of modern-day storytellers for education.

With a degree in public relations, experience in digital/social-media marketing for education, and a background in media sales in both the higher education and K-12 markets, Bryce’s skill set will be invaluable to the PRP client family. Having spent the last two years working with the team at T.H.E. Journal (1105 Media), Wilson brings with him a unique perspective on visibility in the K-12 education industry.

PRP’s team of modern-day storytellers helps innovators; entrepreneurs and thought leaders working in education build their brand awareness through strong public relations campaigns. PRP works with a broad range of clients that are looking to strategically and effectively communicate their story to the education marketplace.

“PR with Panache! is thrilled to welcome Bryce to our team. It was important for us to find someone with experience in and knowledge of the K-12 marketplace,” said Sue Hanson, founder and managing partner at PR with Panache! “His experience, mainly in education media, strengthens our ability to tell the stories of our clients – be they small or large, new or classic. Bryce’s insider knowledge positions PRP to further deliver on our clients’ desire to gain more exposure, maximize reach, and amplify brand recognition.”  

“What attracted me to PR with Panache! was their mission and the team. PRP has built an incredible reputation for themselves within the education space,” said Bryce. “My time at THE Journal will allow me to bring another unique perspective to the PR with Panache! client family. I have always had a passion for education, and very much look forward to the opportunity to improve the academic landscape through multiple mediums and strategies. I’m very excited to join PRP’s storytelling team.”

 

PRP’s staff has been sharing the stories of clients, in one form or another, for more than 20 years. They have solidified their reputation through their successful tactics uniquely aligned with each of their clients’ needs, personality and imagination.

Crisis Communications Workshop with Jim Lukaszewski, APR, ABC, Fellow PRSA

Wednesday, July 23, 2014
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Murphy Hall, University of Minnesota
206 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

A company’s reputation is one of its most priceless assets. As strategic communicators, we know all too well that reputation, which takes years to build, only needs seconds to destroy during a crisis. Join America’s Crisis Guru and author Jim Lukaszewski, APR, ABC, Fellow PRSA, for an eye-opening crisis communications workshop. The interactive day will include some of the following topics:

• Organizing for Crisis, Getting Your Organization and Your Act Together, Jim Lukazweski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, President of The Lukaszewski Group Division, Risdall Marketing Group
• Ingredients of an Effective Crisis Plan & Case Study of Columbine High School Shooting, Rick Kaufman, Executive Director of Community Relations at Bloomington Public Schools
•   Lunch Discussion “Ethics and Crisis,” Jim Lukasweski and Kathleen Edmond, JD, MBA, CEBC Fellow, University of St. Thomas; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi
• Crisis Scenario Group Exercises
• Crisis Communication, Media and Social Media Expert Panel*

-Carrie Carlson-Guest, Chief Communications Officer, American Red Cross
- Josh Dahmes, Chief Digital Officer, Risdall Marketing Group
- Paul Omodt, Owner and Principal, Omodt & Associates Critical Communications
- Steve Yaeger, VP of Marketing and Communications, Star Tribune

In addition to gaining real-world crisis communications techniques and strategies from area professionals, all participants will receive a copy of Jim’s latest book, “Lukaszewski on Crisis Communication, What Your CEO Needs to Know about Reputation Risk and Crisis Management.”

Register online now.

(Workshop is not Event Pass eligible)
* The Crisis Communications, Media and Social Media Panel will have a live webinar option for out-state PRSA members who would like to participate. Please use the special “webinar only” registration link. The webinar is Event Pass eligible

Job - Volunteer Director of Public Relations - HOBY

Volunteer Director of Public Relations - HOBY

Job - VEE Corporation - Publicity Intern

VEE Corporation - Publicity Intern

Lola Red Selected as AOR for Home Franchise Concepts

Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), a leader in the home service category and parent company of Budget Blinds, Inc. and Tailored Living, LLC, has named Minneapolis-based Lola Red PR as its U.S. PR agency of record.

 

For Budget Blinds, Lola Red PR will handle national and regional PR and communications, charitable partnerships, industry influencer relationships and social media strategy. For Tailored Living, Lola Red will support media relations both nationally and regionally and provide social media support.

 

“We’re extremely pleased to have Lola Red PR as our national communications partner,” said Chad Hallock, co-founder and CEO of Home Franchise Concepts. “Lola Red’s team of communications veterans has proven themselves more than capable of supporting each of our brands both nationally and regionally. They have the talent and skill to execute on multiple levels to support our company and the franchises that represent our brands all over the U.S.” 

 

“We are honored to be able to add both Budget Blinds and Tailored living to our roster of national clients,” says Alexis Walsko, founder and CEO of Lola Red PR. ”Both brands have a proven track record of success that we’re excited to promote and build upon through our efforts nation-wide.”

 

Budget Blinds is a custom window coverings franchise that is now in its twentieth year of franchising. Budget Blinds offers a convenient shop-at-home service for quality, name-brand window treatments and home décor accessories. Budget Blinds’ team of more than 1,000 knowledgeable consultants based in the U.S. and Canada provide free consultations and estimates, expert measuring and professional installation.

 

Tailored Living, a franchise now in its fourth year, offers homeowners and businesses high-quality storage solutions for garages, closets, pantries, mudrooms, home offices and guest rooms. Franchisees based in 145 franchise territories throughout the U.S. and Canada, provide complimentary in-home estimates and consultations, as well as professional measuring and installation to ensure that each project is custom and done right.

 

For more information about Lola Red PR and its roster of national and Minnesota-based clients, please visit: www.lolaredpr.com.

Play from Scratch hires Miller as CMO

Play from Scratch, developers of YOXO (pronounced “yock-so”) toys, the first line of patent-pending, sustainable building sets made in the U.S.A., has hired Jennifer Melin Miller to serve as chief marketing officer. Miller will focus on building the YOXO brand nationally and globally, delivering on the company’s goal to inspire relentlessly creative kids through imaginative toys and games made from sustainable materials.

 

“We welcome Jennifer’s global marketing and branding expertise to our uniquely creative organization,” says Jeff Freeland Nelson, founder and CEO of Play from Scratch. “Jennifer has made a career of building successful brands, and expanding their reach and sales around the world. She’s a natural fit for our team.”

 

A native of the Twin Cities, Miller brings 20 years of marketing and branding experience in corporate, media and nonprofit organizations to Play from Scratch. She launched her career in New York City, developing sales and marketing strategies at companies including The New York Times, Hearst Magazines and Time, Inc. She also served as an associate publisher for American Media. In 2006, Miller returned to Minneapolis to attend graduate school and worked as the associate director for major gifts at Minnesota Public Radio. Prior to joining Play from Scratch, she served as senior vice president of international development for Minnetonka Moccasin Company where she built branded stores in China and Japan and expanded the company’s reach and sales around the globe.

 

In 2012, Miller was recognized as a young business leader in Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 awards. An active community supporter and volunteer, Miller serves on the board of directors for a number of local arts, cultural and education nonprofits including the Guthrie Theater, AchieveMpls, and the Temple Israel Foundation. She has also participated as a board member for Graywolf Press and council member for the

Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts.

 

Miller earned two master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, including a master of public affairs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a master of business administration from the Carlson School of Management. She also holds a bachelor of business administration in marketing and management from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Gage hires Cannata and Olson

Gage, a Minneapolis-based engagement marketing agency, announced today it hired two employees: Jeff Cannata as manager of emerging marketing and Andrea Olson as a public relations specialist.

 

Cannata will provide strategy and be responsible for implementing social media and digital marketing campaigns for clients, including 3M, Microsoft and Best Buy. Cannata most recently served as the social media and marketing manager at AllOver Media.

 

“Jeff’s past experiences are broad in nature and will help in continuing to add depth to Gage’s digital marketing prowess,” said Andy Leapaldt, director of emerging marketing, Gage. “With digital marketing constantly evolving, it is very fortunate that were able to find someone of Jeff’s caliber to fulfill this role.”

 

Olson will focus much of her time promoting 3M, Tastefully Simple, and Gage. Olson recently graduated from Winona State University majoring in public relations, and comes to Gage with two years of experience as a product marketing coordinator at Fastenal, Inc. 

 

“We are looking forward to providing our clients with a fresh perspective. I’m confident that Andrea will play a key role in providing and implementing high quality public relations services to our clients,” said Sara N. Blood, director of public relations, Gage.

Job - Global Communications – Cargill Animal Nutrition - Internship

Global Communications – Cargill Animal Nutrition - Internship

Summer Brings New Business to Clarity Coverdale Fury

Recently named Agency of Record for the YWCA of Minneapolis and the Boy Scouts of America Northern Star Council, Clarity Coverdale Fury (CCF) is excited to announce the addition of two important local non-profit organizations to their client roster.

This spring, CCF launched a new multimedia campaign for the YWCA of Minneapolis promoting their health and fitness memberships. The centerpiece of the campaign was a light rail station takeover at the Lake Street station in Minneapolis. Other features of the campaign included: digital billboards, bus shelters, online and mobile banner ads, Pandora radio spots and restroom advertising. In addition to promoting the Y’s health and fitness memberships, CCF also helped promote their Early Childhood Education program. Outside of the new campaigns, CCF will lead all strategic planning, media planning and media buying.

For the Boy Scouts of America Northern Star Council, CCF took a new direction to their 2013 Annual Report, a fundraising vehicle that highlights the past year’s accomplishments. Demonstrating how the Boy Scouts and scouting experiences are still relevant in a world where the average kid spends more than 7.5 hours per day staring at a screen, the work contrasts the scouting world with the digitally-driven lives of so many of our youth. Using humor to illustrate how real world scouting experiences can trump many experiences within the digital world (“You may have faced many zombies on Xbox, but walking on a rope 60 feet up takes courage”), CCF brings a new voice to the Boy Scouts’ mission.

"These are two storied American brands and we are thrilled to be working on both of them," said CCF President Rob Rankin.

CCF has worked with prominent non-profits such as the YMCA, ClearWay Minnesota, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Target Market and Alzheimer’s Association, among others, and has deep experience in cause marketing, promoting social and behavior change.

Job - Maple Grove Hospital - Marketing & Communications Specialist

Maple Grove Hospital - Marketing & Communications Specialist

Job - Play from Scratch - Marketing Manager

Play from Scratch - Marketing Manager

Job - ChiroCare - Marketing Communications Specialist

ChiroCare - Marketing Communications Specialist

Job - PadillaCRT - Director/Senior Director of Business Development, Minneapolis

PadillaCRT - Director/Senior Director of Business Development, Minneapolis

Job - StoryTeller is looking for a bright and talented Associate Account Strategist

StoryTeller is looking for a bright and talented Associate Account Strategist

Job - StoryTeller is looking for an amazing inbound marketer

StoryTeller is looking for an amazing inbound marketer

Two new clients for Spong

Two highly competitive agency reviews recently wrapped up, and we're proud to announce that Spong has been named public relations agency of record for La-Z-Boy and Lamps Plus. These back-to-back wins further cement our position as America's No. 1 home products agency.

La-Z-Boy is one of the world's leading residential furniture producers, manufacturing some of the world's most comfortable furniture for over 85 years. Our work will inspire new generations of female homeowners to shop the brand's broad selection of great-looking and affordable furniture in support of the successful "Live Life Comfortably" campaign.

>> Read More about La-Z-Boy

Lamps Plus, the nation's largest specialty lighting retailer, retained Spong to plan and implement a public relations campaign to drive awareness of the brand among consumers and trade professionals as the destination for lighting, accessories and home décor.   

>> Read More about Lamps Plus
 
Both La-Z-Boy and Lamps Plus selected Spong for our long and successful experience in the home, refreshingly creative ideas and chemistry fit with our staff. We are proud to add these market-leading clients to our home practice, which includes such admired brands as Sherwin-Williams, American Standard, Trane, Lutron Electronics and MasterBrand Cabinets brands Aristokraft, Decora, Diamond, Dynasty, Homecrest, Kemper, KitchenCraft, Omega and Schrock.