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Monday, October 31, 2011

Five Minutes with a Legend: Lynn Casey, APR

is the chair and chief executive officer of Padilla Speer Beardsley. She took a few moments with Minnesota Public Relations Blog to share her thoughts on public relations.

Lynn Casey, APR
1. What are the highlights of your public relations career?

I've been blessed throughout my career with great clients, talented colleagues, and challenging assignments. Hitting the highlights is difficult, so how about if I describe the work that hooked me on our profession? It was my internship during grad school in the late 1970s -- creating Ramsey County's first public relations effort to attract foster parents. Children in need of foster care were far outpacing available homes. Something needed to be done, and on a shoestring budget. I gathered a few of my PRSSA friends, and we went to work on collateral material and a media relations campaign that moved the needle. Seeing the results, and knowing that those results were directly tied to better lives for scores of vulnerable children, galvanized my desire to make a difference through helping organizations communicate with the people who are important to their success.

2. What are some of the key lessons that you have learned in your career?

First, per the experience I shared in question one, what we do as public relations professionals really matters. It's a privilege and a responsibility to work with organizations to build and protect their reputations. Second, the learning never stops and it comes from everywhere, not just from our professional organizations, although they are tremendously important in furthering our sector's body of knowledge. Third, there is no substitute for experience. Many of us who enter this business are super-quick studies, but the seasoning that comes from repeated exposure to challenging client situations fosters judgment that builds over time. It can't be rushed.

3. Padilla Speer Beardsley was the premier founding sponsor of the John Beardsley Lecture. What do you think John Beardsley would have said about Dr. Michael Chorost's talk?

One of John's favorite sayings was that everything is dead except the future. I'd put money on hearing that phrase if he'd been in the auditorium that evening.

4. What advice would you give to new public relations practitioners?

Exercise your curiosity muscles; soak up information and experiences from a broad base. Keep writing; it teaches you to think, and that's an ongoing journey. And get involved in causes you care about so you can understand advocacy from a first-person perspective.

5. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Not at this point. Thanks for the opportunity to weigh in, Brant.

-- / Skogrand PR Solutions, LLC

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Adoption! It is my passion.

Three years ago my wife and I adopted a baby boy. From that time till now my life has never been the same. Shortly after adopting Samuel I was asked attend an event put on by Adoption Option.

Today, I sit on the board of directors for this organization and we are gearing up for National Adoption Month in November. You can 'like' them on and receive adoption information from time to time.

We have a couple of great documents on our site full of agency information with side by side comparisons. I thought you guys might want to take a look: http://www.adoptionoptionmn.org/inforesources.html.

If you are interested in learning more about adoption, I would love to talk with you. If you want to know more about my story you can find it here.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Neuger Communications Group announced today that McLaughlin was promoted to executive vice president

Neuger Communications Group, a full-service strategic communications firm specializing in marketing and public relations, is pleased to announce that Jeff McLaughlin has been promoted to executive vice president. McLaughlin has been a member of the firm since 2004.

Having joined Neuger Communications Group as a senior communications counselor, McLaughlin has provided key leadership throughout his tenure, heading up the organization’s data management services, technology projects, and most recently, client development initiatives. He serves clients in a breadth of industries including retail, education and professional services.

President and CEO David Neuger said, “Jeff has been a terrific team member, playing a pivotal role in the growth of our firm. Our clients speak very highly of him and his ability to understand and meet their needs. His work ethic is tremendous and dedication to the company’s values of integrity, excellence and success is clear.”

A graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history. Having served in the admissions office at St. Olaf College for more than 10 years, including a stint as the director of admissions and acting vice president for enrollment management, McLaughlin brings a wealth of experience in developing results-oriented communications campaigns that are directed, in part, on strong data analysis.

McLaughlin said, “It has been a privilege to be a part of this firm. I’m excited about our ongoing success and looking forward to the years ahead.”

McLaughlin lives in Northfield, Minn., with his wife, Betsy, and their two young children. In addition to his work with Neuger Communications Group, McLaughlin is an avid runner, serves as secretary for St. John’s Lutheran Church and is a member of Northfield.org’s board of directors.

Job - Axiom Marketing Communications Seeks Home Design Focused Account Manager

Job - Land O 'Lakes, Inc - Micronutrients Marketing Intern

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Job - Ultralingua, Inc. - Marketing Communications Intern

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

November BMA-Minnesota Event on Reinvigorating the Brand

3M is ranked 2nd in Interbrand’s Best Global Green Brands 2011 study. But as the global marketplace becomes increasingly competitive, it’s important that companies like 3M nurture and promote the power of their corporate brands. On Nov. 15, the Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association (BMA-Minnesota) will host a professional development seminar on how companies can redefine and differentiate themselves in the competitive B2B market.

, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Corporate Communications at 3M, will lead a discussion around how 3M is reinvigorating its brand through the following:
  • maintaining a sustained commitment to articulating the brand's unique strengths and capacity for innovation
  • focusing on increasing brand awareness and loyalty among new generations to help influence business development and growth
  • helping employees embrace their roles as brand ambassadors to tell the stories of how to  harness the chain reaction of new ideas to bring innovation to the world
“Smart companies are constantly redefining their brands,” said Lavers. “The way customers relate to brands and how profit is generated has changed so dramatically that almost every professional is challenged to reconsider what they do in order to stay relevant.”

The event will be held at the 3M Center, Building #278, 2350 Minnehaha Ave E in St. Paul, Minn. Registration and breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the program from 8 to 9 a.m. An optional tour of 3M’s Innovation Center will be offered from 9 to 10 a.m. (limited space).

The November event is sponsored by . The cost is $24 for BMA members and $48 for non-members. Attendees can register online at www.bmaminnesota.org through Nov. 12. A limited number of walk-up registrations are available.


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Job - United Way - Online Communications Intern

Job - United Way - Event Planning Internship

Campbell Mithun wins agency-of-record status for KeyBank

has been named the new agency of record by Cleveland-based KeyBank to perform brand-planning, creative and media-planning duties in markets nationwide.  Creative deliverables will include TV, print, digital, web, local-market events, brand collateral and direct mail.  

“This assignment aligns squarely with our strengths,” said Campbell Mithun CEO Steve Wehrenberg. “We know the category, we have the brand- and media-planning depth to develop the right messaging and delivery channels for Key, and their ‘people first’ platform automatically prioritizes an engagement-based communications model.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Campbell Mithun to bring our client relationship strategy to life in new and different ways,” said Karen Haefling, chief marketing and communications officer of KeyCorp. “Client relationships are at the core of our brand essence, and we see an opportunity to differentiate ourselves at a time when consumers are looking for greater value from their banking relationship.”  
 
Campbell Mithun has deep expertise in the financial-services category, having served clients including H&R Block, The Hartford, and National City Bank, among others.

The KeyBank win affirms Campbell Mithun’s aggressive investment over recent years in digital talent and innovation, including the January 2011 hiring of chief creative officer Heath Rudduck and an August 2010 merger that brought Rachael Marret to the helm as president. Those investments have contributed to strong business momentum:  the agency is on pace to realize a 67 percent increase in digital-media billings and has outpaced overall annual growth plans by more than 20 percent.

Carmichael Lynch Spong Expands Health and Wellness Expertise

and have recently joined the Minneapolis office of public relations agency Carmichael Lynch Spong. Both come to the agency with a multitude of experience in the industry, particularly in the health and wellness category, and will provide superior counsel for clients.

Agency veteran Beth Miller has been charged with the role of principal at Carmichael Lynch Spong. She is responsible for providing innovative and effective strategic thinking, along with superior account management for clients. Prior to joining Carmichael Lynch Spong, Miller worked as a senior director at The Carrot Agency in Minneapolis. She led client service, strategy and research teams for many of the agency’s health and wellness clients.

Miller gained much of her vast agency expertise at Minneapolis agency Campbell Mithun. She began in account management and worked her way to become a senior vice president and group management supervisor. While there, she created and led a team of “health innovators” on Emmy and Effie award-winning accounts, including Pfizer, Novartis, Kimberly-Clark and Johnson&Johnson.

Miller received her MBA in marketing from Loyola University in Chicago and studied at the Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies at Northwestern University.

Another experienced addition to the health and wellness team is Debra Hays. She has been named a senior counselor for the agency, leading efforts for clients Jennie-O Turkey Store®, Martek® and PowerBar®. Previously, Hays worked as a managing supervisor for Fleishman-Hillard, doing strategic communications and media relations for her health and wellness clients. She also served as a vice president at Porter Novelli in New York City, supporting a variety of pharmaceutical and healthcare brands.

Hays brings a wealth of knowledge of the healthcare industry and has produced award-winning work for clients such as 3M Healthcare, Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota-North Dakota, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Johnson&Johnson’s Tylenol and Bendryl brands. With her work at Porter Novelli, she developed and oversaw pre-market through post-launch communications programs and directly managed much of the account resources for her pharmaceutical clients.

Hays graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a bachelor of science degree in politics.
“As health and wellness is closely linked to virtually everything from food to the environments we live, work, learn andplay in, we continue to build our Living Well™ team to provide new and enlightened perspectives for our clients. Beth’s and Debra’s contributions will bolster the agency’s knowledge and expertise,” says Julie Batliner, Carmichael Lynch Spong managing director.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Job - Minnesota Historical Society - Digital Marketing & Social Media Specialist

Job - Padilla Speer Beardsley - Digital Project Manager, Creative Services

Friday, October 21, 2011

Job - HealthPartners - Communications Intern

Padilla Speer Beardsley promotes five

Five account leaders who have been instrumental in helping Padilla Speer Beardsley grow its business-to-business and corporate communications client roster were recently promoted. Padilla, an integrated communications firm with offices in Minneapolis and New York City, serves a broad range of clients across a variety of industries.
, senior director, leads integrated communications programs for several divisions of BASF, the world’s largest chemical company.  Higgins, who also serves on the board of directors for Friends of the Mississippi, joined Padilla in 1997.
Senior Director joined Padilla’s corporate and investor relations team in 1998. Most recently, he has managed work for Minneapolis-based Allianz Life and Chicago-based Grant Thornton. Sullivan also is a crisis communications specialist for companies across several industries. 
Senior Director manages corporate and investor relations work for clients across a diversified client base, including Minneapolis-based The Mosaic Company, St. Paul-based Transamerica Retirement Management, Fergus Falls, Minn.-based Otter Tail Corporation and Eden Prairie, Minn.-based MTS Systems Corporation. Heinsch serves on the board of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association. He also is a crisis communications specialist for companies across several industries. Heinsch joined the firm in 2000.
Director manages public relations work for Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation and Minneapolis-based Cargill Food Ingredient Systems.  Engholm also is an active member of the Minnesota High Tech Association. She joined the firm in 1997.
Director Heidi Wight joined Padilla in 1993 in the manufacturing and technology practices where today she manages work for Rockwell Automation and has led programs for St. Paul-based 3M. Wight was a founding member of the Minnesota Chapter of the Business Marketing Association and serves on its board.

Maccabee''s Chynoweth promoted to Executive Vice President and Hill promoted to Vice President

, vice president at Minneapolis-based PR and social media marketing agency Maccabee, has been promoted to the title of Executive Vice President. At the same time, the agency’s account supervisor has been promoted to Maccabee’s Vice President. 
.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Job - Evans Larson Communications is looking for a winter intern!

Job - Beehive PR - Director Digital & Social Strategy

Job - Beehive PR - Account Director

Campbell Mithun Hires Giles Martin as Director of Analytics and Marketing Accountability

has named Giles Martin director of analytics and marketing accountability.  Martin joined the agency on October 17 and will lead its deeper infusion of data analysis and marketing ROI throughout its integrated communications and media offering.  He will report to , president of Campbell Mithun’s unit.

“The explosion of data for measuring the performance of our clients’ marketing communications has brought the role of analytics to the forefront,” said Hurrelbrink. “Giles will now lead our internal capability focused on harnessing all that information in ways that deepen our ability to optimize performance and predict outcomes in increasingly relevant ways.” 

 “I was inspired by my meetings with the agency’s leadership team,” said Martin. “With their commitment to a truly integrated model of digital, creative and media planning, the decision to bring deeper analytics into the mix has enormous potential for clients.”  Click here for an audio clip of Giles Martin commenting further on the role of analytics. 

Martin worked most recently at Ocean Media Inc (Los Angeles), building the data analytics capabilities for all clients and providing account leadership on eHarmony.com. He began his agency career in the UK at agencies including Carat and M&C Saatchi. He earned degrees from Oxford University in philosophy and modern languages.

“Data proliferation will not abate,” continued Martin. "Our job is to figure out the true strategic KPIs, track them, and turn them into actionable insight. The data that’s out there can create a holistic, real-time view of consumer behavior or refine our understanding of what channels or executions are working best. All this will create a closed loop of smarter marketing for agency clients."
 
Strong Digital and Business Momentum
Giles’ appointment continues Campbell Mithun’s aggressive investment over recent years in digital talent and innovation, including the January 2011 hiring of chief creative officer Heath Rudduck and an August 2010 merger that brought Rachael Marret to the helm as president. Those investments have contributed to strong business momentum:  the agency is on pace to realize a 67 percent increase in digital-media billings and has outpaced overall annual growth plans by more than 20 percent.

“Giles is an important addition to our leadership team,” continued Hurrelbrink.  “We’ve been capturing and using online and offline data strategically for a long time, but the time has come to elevate and operationalize the strategic impact of metrics gathered through all phases of the marketing and communications process.”

Carmichael Lynch Hires Dobratz as Group Director of Consumer Engagement

Carmichael Lynch has recently hired as group director of consumer engagement. In her new role, Dobratz will help lead the efforts to mine consumer insights and develop strategic solutions on behalf of the agency’s clients. Dobratz will report to Joe Germscheid, Carmichael Lynch partner and director of consumer engagement.

Dobratz brings more than 10 years of agency marketing, business development and consumer group client experience to her role at Carmichael Lynch. Most recently, she served as group media director at Fallon Worldwide in Minneapolis. Her focus was developing and executing creative communications strategies and driving business development for the agency. Some of her client responsibilities included msnbc, Oxygen, USA Network, H&R Block and Travelers Insurance. Dobratz worked on multiple award-winning campaigns, receiving recognition from trusted media authorities such as MediaPost, MediaWeek and the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

“We are so happy to officially welcome Niki into this vital role of group director of consumer engagement,” says Germscheid. “Niki brings an impressive combination of relevant experience, shared commitment to igniting business momentum for clients and developing effective, meaningful media strategy.”

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Job - InCommons - Interactive Coordinator

Job - Modern Storyteller, Senior Account Executive

Job - Haberman - Interactive Designer

Job - Marketing Internships at the Alliance Française of Minneapolis/St Paul

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Job - Eden Prairie - Communications Assistant - PTS

Job - Lola Red - Public Relations Intern

Monday, October 17, 2011

PRSA’s Orange County, Minnesota and Nashville Chapters Recognized for Outstanding Efforts to Advance the Society’s National Diversity Initiatives

The (PRSA) honored its Orange County and Minnesota Chapters with the PRSA 2011 Chapter Diversity Award at the PRSA Diversity Mixer on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Nashville Chapter received an Honorable Mention.
“We are proud to honor the accomplishments of our PRSA Chapters in advancing and supporting diversity within their communities and the public relations profession,” said Anne Dean, PRSA Diversity Committee chair and senior director of communications at Argosy University. “Their efforts demonstrate a commitment and dedication to ensuring that our work as practitioners reflects and engages the diverse populations we serve and support.”
PRSA promotes educational outreach programs for its members and the public relations industry by using diversity as a smart business strategy to achieve and maintain a competitive edge in today’s diverse marketplace. The Chapter Diversity Award, sponsored by the PRSA Diversity Committee, is given to PRSA Chapters that embody and demonstrate key values in diversity, as well as succeeded in the following areas:
  • Initiated and maintained a successful diversity program within the last year.
  • Recruited or mentored members with interests and expertise in diversity.
  • Demonstrated a significant contribution toward diversity.
  • Showcased diversity as one of the top three strategic goals for the Chapter.
The Orange County and Minnesota Chapters received a $250 award to be put toward the Chapters’ diversity efforts. The Nashville Chapter received a Certificate of Achievement for their work and commitment to diversity.
Orange County Chapter
Accepting on behalf of the were Chapter President Brad Lotterman, APR, and Laarni Dacanay. The Chapter was honored for year-long initiatives to increase recruitment of diverse members, provide training and development opportunities, and encouraging diverse members to consider leadership roles in the Chapter. The Chapter was actively participated in many local diversity programs, such as the Orange County Black Chamber Education Fund, including presenting a $250 scholarship to the organization for a student majoring in communications.
The Chapter continued education efforts by co-hosting a social media webinar, coordinating a workshop, “Networking With HR Execs: What Diverse Candidates Need to Know in the Digital Age,” and hosted their 7th Annual Diversity Conference, “Census 2010 Changes the Landscape: PR & Marketing Strategies for a New America.” The event provided opportunities for recent college graduates and volunteers to gain event planning and networking experience. They also highlighted best practices used during Census 2010 to reach Arab Americans, mature adults and Latino populations.  
Minnesota Chapter
Accepting on behalf of the PRSA Minnesota Chapter were Brooke Worden, APR, Chapter president; Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC, Chapter vice president; Ann Lewicki Long, APR, Chapter secretary; and Melanie Boulay Becker, APR, Chapter board member. The Minnesota Chapter took deliberate efforts to shed the image that there is no diversity in Minnesota, and in 2011, began implementing programs to attract diverse professionals to the Chapter.
Initiatives included Tweet chats and a column spotlighting ethnic professionals in the area. The biggest initiative, however, was the first-ever Minnesota PRSA Diversity & Inclusion Panel in September 2011. The Chapter achieved a major goal of making this event free to all attendees by securing sponsorship. They used the panel to launch a second event that would be co-hosted by the Twin Cities Media Alliance, a group of citizen journalist, and community and ethnic media. This event allowed their members to learn more about the growing ethnic media in Minnesota.
Nashville Chapter
Accepting on behalf of the PRSA Nashville Chapter was Chapter President Peter Woolfolk, Nashville Diversity Committee chair. In 2007, the Nashville Chapter created a standing Diversity Committee. Since its creation, the committee has produced numerous programs and panels spotlighting diverse professionals, particularly from the Hispanic community.
In 2011, the Nashville Chapter hosted a panel discussion with chief diversity officers from Ford Motor Credit, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Hospital Corporation of America. Each discussed their organization’s successful diversity programs and how those programs grew in meaning and acceptance by senior staff and employees. The takeaways for Chapter members were case studies of how to successfully incorporate diversity efforts into their own organizations.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Job - Kocina Branding & Marketing Companies - Marketing Internship

Friday, October 14, 2011

Community Management: How Mall of America Developed a Social Business Strategy


Bridget Jewell, PR Manager, MOA four years. Lisa Grimm, Digital Brand Manager, MOA, 18 months, manages digital team.

What is Community Management? At Mall of America, Bridget Jewell and Lisa Grimm daily monitor online conversation, curate content and engage with folks while developing new systems for implementation of social media strategy. Bridget recalls MOA in Spring 2009 when one person was posting in the interactive department and all questions were handled by one PR person. “Fashion Sense” blog was launched by MOA, with blog posts to Facebook and Twitter.  It didn’t have many followers because the blog was separate from the website, but once it was integrated, traffic increased significantly. 
Retailer Promotions and deals are now hosted on the MOA blog with weekly posts to Facebook and Twitter plus tweeting Foursquare specials and other promotions.
The Mall of America gained more consumer interaction generated by targeted campaigns; such as a prom theme to reach teenagers, and managing the fan base and increasing influx of comments became unwieldy to address. Growing from 5,000 fans on its first day to over 15,000 in the first month climbing to nearly 300,000 fans now.
Bridget describes the transition in social media from fighting the stigma: “You’re just playing on Facebook all day” to “We need to hire someone to manage all of this.” And so, Lisa was hired. Now Public Relations and Marketing own the dialogue with the customer, and IT delivers the message.

The MOA culture works together for one goal of creating a great experience for the guest.
Social media handled in-house offers a personal approach and immediate response with communication tools that are simple, fun and engaging for guests. Education about social media tools, transfuses MOA culture from the inside out to create an army of brand advocates. Answering the question: Why should customers “like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on twitter with mall staff and tenants helps with this effort. Generating awareness and increasing sales for tenants & partners and reputation management are the primary goals.
Lisa describes The Mall as “a vibrant place, full of constant activity, projects and opportunity.” Educating MOA guests about promotions, events, parking updates, security alerts is their main focus.
With over 500+ tenants, not including outside partners and prospects, understanding their specific business goals and leveraging Mall social media tools to achieve them is the exciting challenge of their jobs.
Facebook Insights offers valuable demographic data. To monitor what people are saying about MOA and its stores, TweetDeck is the tool of choice to monitor a number of search terms and conversations. Geolocation apps, Foursquare and Yelp, provide user tips and guest comments. Additionally, they use a media-monitoring service that pulls MOA mentions in numerous mediums, including blogs. They use the iPhone notification app Boxcar because it works with multiple accounts and rolls into an RSS feed.
Lisa and Bridget continuously monitor MOA (over 10,600 fans) by being on-call nights and weekends and sharing multimedia content and location within a status update. They have the ability to offer superior customer service, via social media, by connecting with folks and quickly responding in real time. This real time information that people share, both positive and negative, helps brand managers understand who their customers are right now and get them to the point of purchase, with higher satisfaction and faster than ever before possible..
MOA Guests #1 headache is solved with twitter parking updates: #MOAparking
Check out new deals and fun events at: ,

Could Lisa and Bridget’s next move be a contest that utilizes social media to attract more mall visitors and sales during the holiday season? Stay tuned....@mallofamerica

A special thanks to Jill Nicholson, a MIMA volunteer, for this post. Jill, founder of Nicholson MindShare, is a social media strategist and trainer and manages a team of interactive creatives. She has a BFA from MCAD & an MBA from St. Thomas.  You can find her on and follow her on twitter , .

Minnesota Crime Historian & PR Agency Head Paul Maccabee Joins Host Don Wildman for Nov 15, 9 P.M. Travel Channel TV Show, “OFF LIMITS” about ST. Paul Gangster History

Paul Maccaabee and Travel Channel TV host Don Wildman
Minnesota crime historian and PR executive Paul Maccabee, author of the book “John Dillinger Slept Here: A Crooks’ Tour of Crime and Corruption in St. Paul,” will join Travel Channel TV host Don Wildman on November 15 for an “Off Limits” broadcast taking viewers behind-the-scenes at historic sites to uncover secrets of the 1930s Public Enemies era of John Dillinger, Ma Barker, Babyface Nelson and Alvin “Creepy” Karpis.

Filmed last July inside St. Paul’s Landmark Center’s gangland courtrooms and in the basement of the St. Paul Police Department’s headquarters, the “Off Limits” show airs on the Travel Channel in the Twin Cities on Tuesday, November 15 at 9:00 p.m. (Central Time). Travel Channel programming airs on Comcast in Minneapolis on Channel 48 and in St. Paul on Channel 59 (check Twin Cities TV listings to confirm).

Among the rare gangster artifacts unearthed for “Off Limits” TV cameras - the bullet-riddled and blood-flecked straw hat last worn by Dillinger Gang machine gunner Homer Van Meter. The hat -- taken off Van Meter’s head after he was shot to death by St. Paul Police in August 1934 two blocks from the State Capital near University Avenue -- had vanished and was missing for more than three decades, before being rediscovered in time for display during the November 15“Off Limits” show.

Travel Channel’s “Off Limits” show is hosted by explorer and history buff Don Wildman, whose take-no-prisoners approach gets him and Travel Channel’s cameras access to off-limits locations in dogged pursuit of mystery and revelation. The goal? Delve into the forbidden, hidden and unseen spaces across America. Past “Off Limits” shows have taken Travel Channel TV viewers behind-the-scenes in San Quentin’s dungeons, Boston’s ancient reservoirs and into an underground Arizona missle silo to learn how to launch a Titan II nuclear missle that could start World War III.

Prior to joining Wildman for the “Off Limits” broadcast, historian Paul Maccabee had been featured in three A & E Cable TV documentaries about 1930s gangsters and on the History Channel’s TV documentary, “Crime Wave.” His Minnesota Historical Society book, “John Dillinger Slept Here,” was called “a small masterpiece of social history” by Playboy magazine.

For more information on the “Off Limits” TV broadcast, visit http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Off_Limits

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Job - Mani Mela, LLC. - Wedding Planning Tech Intern

PRSA - Meet & Mingle at Maccabee Group

Join Minnesota PRSA for our next Meet & Mingle event on Thursday, Oct. 20. Co-hosted by Maccabee Group and Twin Cities Media Alliance, this networking opportunity will bring together a diverse group of public relations, communications and media professionals.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Job - Padilla Speer Beardsley - Director, Agribusiness

Job - Padilla Speer Beardsley - Intern, Manufacturing & Technology

Job - Ovative - Mobile Business Analyst

Greg Tarmin Named Managing Director of Padilla Speer Beardsley’s New York Office

Padilla Speer Beardsley, an integrated communications firm based in Minneapolis, has selected Greg Tarmin to head its New York City office. As senior vice president and managing director, Tarmin will oversee the New York staff, supervise services for clients including Merck, Elsevier and BraunAbility, and bring new clients to Padilla.
Tarmin brings 25 years of communications experience and organizational leadership to the firm. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of Cohn & Wolfe in New York, creating multi-disciplinary programs across public relations, advertising and social media platforms. His clients included Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Colgate-Palmolive and GlaxoSmithKline.
Previously, he spent nearly 10 years at MS&L in New York, where he was a senior vice president whose clients included Philips Electronics, Procter & Gamble, Intuit, Capital One, Eli Lilly & Company and Pfizer. While at MS&L, Tarmin accepted two national awards for work on behalf of Philips Electronics -- a PRSA Silver Anvil for Marketing Consumer Products and a PRWeek award for Best Use of the Internet.
Before joining MS&L, Tarmin spent six years at American Express in New York as director of public affairs supporting the company’s Retail Indices, Consumer Card Services Group, as well as managing communications surrounding the award-winning Charge Against Hunger cause-marketing program.
Prior to that, Tarmin worked on national and international programs at Ogilvy & Mather in New York and started his career at R.C. Auletta & Company.
“Greg is a highly effective developer and leader of teams,” said Lynn Casey, Padilla’s chief executive officer. “He possesses proven business-building and major-brand experience, as well as a strong sense of culture and values. This combination of qualities makes him a perfect fit to lead the growth of our New York City office and serve as trusted counsel to clients.”
Tarmin received his bachelor’s degree from Hofstra University, where he was a member of national honor fraternity Alpha Psi Omega.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

MWMC Twitter Chat | Growing Your Professional Network | October 28th, 12:00-1:00pm

MWMC Twitter Chat is a bi-monthly discussion held on between MWMC members, non-members, guest speakers, thought leaders and industry experts. Participants use the hashtag #MWMCtalk to join the conversation.

MWMC is hosting a Twitter chat to discuss the topic of professional networking. Join us to share your thoughts, gain valuable information, and discover helpful resources.

Not familiar with Twitter chats? Check out these helpful tips.

Job - Haberman - Social Media/Digital Marketing Strategist

Job - Roepke Public Relations - Public Relations Intern

Schlage wants you to lose your keys for the last time.

We’ve all experienced that unnerving moment when we realize we've lost our keys. Panic sets in and we search frantically for a solution. Homeowners can finally rest at ease, because Schlage has perfected electronic keyless entry technology. "AtSchlage, we have established ourselves as the leader in home security. 

As the security market makes the shift away from standard keying systems, we are excited to work with Carmichael Lynch to raise awareness of our electronic entry technology and help keep our brand atop the industry," Ann Matheis, Brand Director at Schlage. Carmichael Lynch will debut their first TV spots for Schlage today. Brad Harrison, Associate Creative Director at Carmichael Lynch says, "We wanted to tell the story of the strange control keys have over our emotions, and showcase that with Schlage’s electronic keyless entry offerings, the fear of losing or misplacing your keys can easily be eliminated."
 



Monday, October 10, 2011

Job - Kohnstamm Communications - Senior Account Executive

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Riley Hayes celebrate 20-years

is an independent Minneapolis marketing firm structured around the principles of content, connections and integration is celebrating 20 years this week.

Founded in 1991 by Tom Hayes on the strength of his success as a creative copywriter and business strategist, Riley Hayes takes a simple approach: extraordinary strategy, service and creative. Our commitment to these three fundamentals ensures our work is successful and our clients achieve their goals.

Riley Hayes clients include: Carlson Hospitality, 3M, Deluxe Corp., Delta Air Lines, Allen Edmonds, Fairview Southdale, U.S. Bank, McKesson, Ceridian among others. 

Job - ShopNBC seeks talented individuals for summer internship program

LaBreche hire Brand as junior graphic designer

LaBreche announced the addition of to its team as a junior graphic designer.  
Prior to LaBreche, Brand was the interactive design assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves/Lynx organization.

“Joshua brings with him a ton of energy to the team,” said Jes Lahay, design director at LaBreche. “I couldn’t be more excited about him coming on board.”

In his new role, Brand will help develop brand identities, advertisements, marketing material and web interfaces.

Brand is a member of AIGA Minnesota and received a Bachelor of Science degree in graphic design from Art Institutes International Minnesota.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

LaBreche Hires Bahr as Director of Digital Strategy

LaBreche announced the addition of to its unified marketing solutions team as director of digital strategy. In this role, Bahr will lead the development of strategy and technical brand solutions for LaBreche clients in online environments.

"Leadership in marketing and communications can only come from a combination of years of experience -- throughout the emergence of technology -- with an ability to discover, evaluate and then integrate digital ideas," said Beth LaBreche, CEO of LaBreche. "Because Elen has this unique background, she can provide valuable perspective and advice for clients."

Bahr comes to LaBreche as a recognized leader in the digital marketing arena, with 20 years of experience providing multi-channel, lifecycle marketing and communications counsel. As part of her role as director of digital strategy, Bahr will also join the LaBreche leadership team.

 “My philosophy of strategy first, tactics second, fits right into the LaBreche way of thinking and bringing brands to life. I know that I’m joining a group of professionals who are experts in their specific areas and collaborate with each other to bring the most effective unified solutions to their clients -- they don't work in silos, they work as a team,” said Bahr. “LaBreche is a forward-thinking agency that is positioned to create formidable online brands that support its clients’ growth and I'm excited to be a part of that.”

Bahr has led communications and interactive initiatives for such organizations as the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Target, Microsoft, RedBrick Health, Capella University, GMAC-RFC and Polaris.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Job - SPS Commerce - Marketing Data Analyst Intern

Broadhead Awarded Multiyear Contracts from USDA APHIS

Broadhead has been awarded two multi-year contracts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Broadhead will partner with the agency on the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Public Awareness Campaign. The program’s efforts work toward halting the spread of the devastating pest, and preventing it from becoming established.

In addition, Broadhead was one of eight firms to secure an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract from USDA APHIS for a period of up to five years.

“We’re honored to be working with USDA APHIS on raising awareness of invasive species in this country,” says Dean Broadhead, president/CEO. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with the agency for many years.”

Broadhead recently concluded a one-year campaign with USDA APHIS aimed at preventing the spread of the gypsy moth. Since it became a federal government contractor in late 2008, Broadhead has worked with the General Services Administration, USDA APHIS, USDA Rural Development, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Carmichael Lynch Creative Director Designs Cover of TIME Magazine

It’s not everyday that a Minneapolis creative director gets asked to design the cover of TIME Magazine, but that’s what happened to Brock Davis this week. Davis, creative director at local advertising agency Carmichael Lynch, was contacted by TIME to create a cover for the October 10th issue. The magazine will hit newsstands this week.
Davis received an email from TIME Magazine asking if he would submit some art for a story about the great division in spending between the upper and middle class in America. He was told that his design might be used for the cover. After hearing this, Davis decided he would only concept an idea that could be used as the cover. He wanted to make a bold statement about the great divide between the two classes. He did so by creating a literal divide down the middle of the cover, cutting through the TIME's iconic red border, logo, and his photograph of a stack of cash. "I wasn't sure if they would like the idea of a big slice ripping through their identity, but thankfully, they didn't mind. In fact, they loved the idea and gave me the go ahead to execute."
Davis had only a day to shoot and composite the entire image. In order to shoot a stack of cash, he had to get creative. He cut down 2,500 sheets of copy paper to resemble a stack of hundred dollar bills. Being resourceful he hammered down some of his son's chalk to create a powder and mixed it until the hue matched. Davis then took his wife's makeup brush and dusted the powder over the stack of fake money. Now Davis had the shot he needed and took an X-acto knife and made the slice across the TIME cover. To create the visual depth of thecenter split, he glued multiple magazines together and sliced and frayed their edges and lit them from the side to give it some dimension and shadow. 
Davis sent the final image and three hours later received an email saying that his design was chosen for the cover. He felt relieved and ecstatic knowing his hard work paid off. Davis is a well-known creative director in the Minneapolis community. He has worked at Carmichael Lynch, for the past eight years, making a name for himself through his award-winning work for clients such as Jack Link’s Beef Jerky and Subaru of America. Davis has helped his agency win numerous awards including the prestigious Cannes Lion award for creative excellence. Davis says “It’s very important to have an established career, because it strengthens your credibility when working on personal projects. Luckily for me, Carmichael Lynch gives me a lot of creative freedom.” Davis has also done some design work on the side for other editorial publications including Wired, Esquire and Fast Company. 
Please visit this link to watch Richard Stengel the managing editor for TIME Magazine reveal on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Davis's TIME Magazine cover:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc_tv-morning_joe/#44715010

Monday, October 03, 2011

Job - Strother Communications Group - Account Executive

BMA-Minnesota to Explore the Use of Social Media within the B2B Marketing Arena

The Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association (BMA-Minnesota) will host a panel discussion on how business-to-business (B2B) marketers can use social media to boost their performance metrics and support a customer-centric business model. The session will be held on October 18, 2011 at the Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom in St. Louis Park, Minn. from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Featuring local social media experts, the session will provide an overview of social networking sites, search engine optimization and emerging new media to watch for as well as discuss what’s working, what’s not and what’s here to stay within the social media universe. Panelists include:
  • Jane Payfer, chief marketing officer of Ergotron
  • Kara Thornton, international interactive market development manager of 3M
  • Kathy Jalivay, chief business development officer of aimClear

"Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels make sense for business to consumer companies, but many B2B companies can also make a killing by harnessing the power of social interactivity,” said Jeff Sauer, event moderator for the BMA event, and partner/vice president of Three Deep Marketing. “The key is understanding the new mediums available, targeting the right audience and identifying quality leads."

Sponsored by Minnesota’s only professional organization dedicated exclusively to the needs of business-to-business marketing professionals, the event will be held at the Metropolitan located at , Minneapolis.

The program will run from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. with registration and continental breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. The cost of the event is $25 for BMA members and $40 for non-members. Attendees can register online at www.bmaminnesota.org through October 15. A limited number of walk-up registration is available.

About the Panelists

  • Jane Payfer. Jane Rodmyre Payfer joined Ergotron in November, 2004. Now, with over 20 years experience in commercial and consumer marketing for small, medium and global organizations, she continues to learn new ways to refine her craft. The Ergotron marketing team is among the first B2B marketing organizations in Minnesota to understand and embrace social media practice, and has successfully built a global community through blogs, Facebook and Twitter initiatives. Payfer is currently on the boards of several organizations: WomenVenture, the Business Marketing Association of MN, and is also on the board of directors of St Paul based non-for-profit WomenVenture . Get to know Jane at: and
  • Kara Thornton. As the international interactive market development manager for 3M, Kara is responsible for developing successful B2B interactive go to market strategies that have measurable ROI for 3M’s international subsidiaries.  She focuses on leveraging best practices and developing SEO, email, social media, mobile ecommerce and interactive marketing best practices with 3M’s international eMarketing teams. She recently rolled out 3M’s International Collaboration Community site that allows marketers from all of the 3M global regions the ability to instantly collaborate. Get to know Kara at: and
  •  Kathy Jalivay. As a member of aimClear, Kathy is responsible for external relationships, internal account leadership and the smooth execution of strategic online campaigns for clients. aimClear’s services include blended search and social demographic research; search engine optimization (SEO) technical and semantic audits, analytics monitoring, and consulting; pay-per-click (PPC) audits, setup, testing, and ongoing management; online reputation management (ORM) dashboard configuration and ongoing monitoring; social media marketing consulting and data-driven community management; public relations; and copywriting. Get to know Kathy at: and
  • Jeff SauerAs partner at Three Deep Marketing, Jeff created his first web site in 8th grade and hasn’t looked back. Through initiative, opportunity, curiosity and good old-fashioned elbow grease, he is now a master of web analytics, web site optimization and testing, social media, online reputation management, e-commerce, competitive analysis, online surveys, email marketing, lead generation, and more. He advises some of the world’s largest companies on interactive marketing strategy and monitors web analytics profiles for hundreds of companies and web sites.
Register online now.

Bellmont Partners has added Bridget Nelson Monroe to its growing team

Prior Lake-based Bellmont Partners Public Relations has added senior account executive Bridget Nelson Monroe to its growing team. Monroe brings additional digital strategy, journalism and media relations experience to the full-service agency. Before joining Bellmont Partners, Monroe was a digital strategist at Beehive PR in St. Paul where she brought her journalist’s perspective to media relations, helping identify clients’ newsworthy stories and which audiences and platforms they would resonate with in this 24/7 news environment. Monroe also consulted on everything from website redesigns to social media and SEO for regional and national clients.
Monroe started her career in New York, first spending three years as a research editor and writer at Reader’s Digest magazine, then working at digital marketing agency Digitas Health. As a content strategist, she combined her publishing and digital skills to manage websites for some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
While attending Drake University, where she earned a degree in journalism and mass communication, Monroe was selected for a highly competitive editorial apprenticeship program at Meredith Corporation. She spent two semesters at the publishing company’s flagship magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, working alongside senior-level editors in the features, health, food and decorating departments.
Monroe is an active volunteer for several industry organizations, including the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) programming committee, the Minneapolis Content Strategy Meetup and the Minnesota Blogger Conference. At Bellmont Partners, Monroe focuses on media relations, social media, research, writing, event planning, and how all of those areas can best intersect for maximum impact.
“We’re excited to welcome Bridget to the team,” says Jen Bellmont, Bellmont Partners Vice President. “It’s already clear that her experience will be a great asset to our organization. She’s extremely sharp, and we’re eager to share her expertise with our growing list of clients.”
 
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