Happy New Year and Welcome to 2016!

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A letter from Yankee Chapter president Liz LaRose, APR
We are an interesting breed – public relations professionals. Our natural affinity for communicating, whether in print, on line, on camera or in person, means that we are sought after to tell the stories that connect people. We connect customers with needed services, donors with worthy causes, legislators with key constituents, businesses with important partnerships, and the list goes on. But how often do we connect with each other?

Liz LaRose, APR

Liz LaRose, APR, Yankee Chapter President

Those of us in larger organizations or agencies may have the benefit of public relations co-workers in our midst. But many, many of us in Northern New England find ourselves working as sole practitioners or as the only public relations professional within our organization. Regardless of how many like-minded professionals we have contact with on a daily basis, we can all benefit from increased connections within our field.

This is where the PRSA Yankee Chapter comes in. Right here in our region, public relations practitioners can find a myriad of connections to services that enhance our professional lives. It’s still December as I write this message and our Professional Development Committee is already hard at work planning a full year of workshops and networking opportunities. Without taking away any of their fun in announcing this year’s lineup, I can tell you that the sneak preview I’ve seen will wow you. There will be some amazing speakers whose expertise will grow your knowledge base. There will be ample opportunities to mingle in fun and interesting places. And you’ll be able to make those important, personal connections that every successful PR professional needs to build their own success.

The connections to be made through the Yankee Chapter don’t stop there. Our Communications Committee is currently evaluating our social media presence. Their goal is to provide more opportunities between our events for members to connect and share their knowledge and expertise with each other. Stay tuned and we hope you will join in on the conversations!

In addition, our Accreditation Committee will be announcing preparation sessions and one-on-one mentoring for people interested in achieving their APR – Accreditation in Public Relations. Not only are these offerings key to earning an APR, but many lifelong friendships (connections!) have been built in the process of learning from and studying with others.

As your professional organization, the Yankee Chapter is committed to connecting you to the people, expertise and resources in our field that will make you successful in your career. Join us at our events, share your knowledge on social media and learn about our other services on our web site.

We look forward to connecting with you in 2016!

Sincerely,

Liz LaRose, APR
President, Yankee Chapter PRSA

PR, Polls, The Press, and Presidential Politics – Annual Meeting & Networking Event – Nov. 5

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Explore NH’s powerful role in presidential politics. In 2016, it will be 100 years since New Hampshire held its first presidential primary. And every four years, the Granite State is a magnet to politicians and national media as the nation’s first presidential primary unfolds. This year, a large slate of candidates is roaming the state seeking votes.

Joining us on November 5th for a discussion are four politically savvy experts, Neil Levesque, Executive Director, NHIOP; Andy Smith, Ph.D., Director, UNH Survey Center; Kevin Landrigan, Political Reporter, NH1; and Scott Tranchemontagne, President, Montagne Communications,  who’ve been part of the First-In-The-Nation scene for years. Find out what goes on behind the scenes, what it all means, and why New Hampshire is often a proving ground for unknown candidates and political operatives. Explore NH’s powerful role in PR & presidential politics, attend the annual meeting, and spend time with colleagues!

Join Yankee PRSA colleagues for our annual meeting, a behind-the-scenes look at PR & presidential politics, and networking.

Bring a colleague or student as your guest!

3:00 p.m. Annual Meeting

4:00 p.m. PR, Polls, the Press & Presidential Politics Discussion

  • Neil Levesque, NH Institute of Politics
  • Andy Smith, UNH Survey Center
  • Kevin Landrigan, NH1 Political Reporter
  • Scott Tranchemontagne, Montagne Communications
  • Moderated by Amy Coveno, WMUR

5:15 p.m. Reception – hors d’oeuvres – cash bar

COST: PRSA members $20; PRSA members + guest $25; Not-yet-a-member $35; Students/interns/AmeriCorps $10

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Thanks to our sponsor.

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Social Media Disasters: How to Avoid Them Ethically & Legally – October 22

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When it comes to good social media policy, ethics is key. Missteps and bad information can cause harm to a brand or organization. Every day we see numerous examples of how social media can make – or break – a reputation, whether it be that of an individual, large corporation or non-profit.

In this session, we will look at some of these examples and examine some questions surrounding social media ethics including:

  • Can social media be policed? What rights do employees have on their own personal pages? What about employers?
  • Can there be a defined ethics code when the lines are sometimes blurred?
  • How does the PRSA Code of Ethics apply to social media? Could you be violating it without even knowing?
  • What legal ramifications are there, if any, when it comes to social media?

Panelists:

Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA

Kirk Hazlett, APR, fellow PRSA, Associate Professor,
Communication/Public Relations, Curry College
Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, is Associate Professor of Communication at Curry College in Milton, MA, where he teaches undergraduate public relations courses, oversees the public relations concentration, and serves as Faculty Adviser for the Curry College Public Relations Student Association. Prior to his move into academia, Kirk practiced nonprofit and government public relations and marketing for more than 35 years in the US as well as Asia. During his professional career, he managed communication programs for healthcare and member services organizations as well as the US Army and US Air Force in Vietnam, the Philippines
and the United States. He also provided consulting services for both the Manila
and the Singapore Red Cross.

Eric Tolbert Kilchenstein

Eric Tolbert Kilchenstein, Attorney, Shaheen & Gordon PA 
Eric Tolbert Kilchenstein is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Business Groups. He represents a wide variety of clients on real estate and business
matters throughout New Hampshire including large and small businesses, financial institutions, real estate holding companies, condominium and homeowner’s associations, non-profits and individuals. As a member of the Business Group,
Eric provides counsel on a variety of corporate and commercial matters including acquisitions and sales, compliance matters, entity selection and formation, intellectual property matters, finance, franchise agreements, shareholder agreements, and general corporate and commercial transactions. He enjoys working with businesses and assisting them in their growth and prosperity.


Attendees are invited to stay for a trivial pursuit style group game at the end of the discussion. 

EVENT INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, October 22
Time: 4:30-7 p.m.
Location: Walker Auditorium, Southern New Hampshire University, Hooksett NH

Learn About Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Sept. 16

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Join us for the unique chance to hear about the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport on September 16!

We all know Manchester-Boston Regional Airport from the airline passenger’s perspective, but what does it take to keep operations running day in and day out?

PRSA will learn insider information about what it takes to provide world-class aviation and infrastructure; safe and efficient transportation; and develop, manage and promote it.

Thomas Malafronte, assistant director of air service development and marketing will share his insight into how the airport is marketed to current and potential clients.

Attendees are invited to stay after the presentation to network with colleagues

Event information:

Wednesday, Sept. 16
2-4 pm; networking to follow
$20 members/$35 non-members/$10 students & interns

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APR Prep Course Syllabus

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Dates: Four sessions, Wednesday evenings, October 29 to Nov. 19

Time: 5:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. (please arrive by 5:25.)

Location: Severino Trucking’s Concord Field Office at 9 Hills Ave. in Concord, NH

SYLLABUS & SCHEDULE

10/29 – Session 1             

  •  What is Public Relations?
  •  A brief history of the profession
  •  Communication models & theories

11/5 – Session 2

  • The 4-Step Public Relations Process
    • Research
    • Planning
    • Implementation
    • Evaluation

11/12 – Session 3

  • Professional ethics
  • Legal issues
  • Business Organizational Structure
    • Business literacy
    • Management skills

11/19 – Session 4

  • Media relations
  • Crisis communication

Suggested Texts (not required)

  • APR Study Guide, 2nd edition, www.praccreditation.org/documents/aprstudyguide.pdf
  • Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics, 11th ed. Wilcox and Cameron
  • Effective Public Relations, 10th ed. Cutlip, Center, Broom
    • (PR Strategies and Effective PR may by purchased used or rented on Amazon)

Websites:

 

9/29/14

APR Prep Class & Professional Development

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The Yankee Chapter is offering a four-session public relations course beginning Wednesday, October 29. It’s designed to prepare students for professional accreditation (APR) but is open to any practitioner interested in increasing their professional skills.

Sessions will be held at Severino Trucking’s Concord Field Office at 9 Hills Ave. in Concord, NH Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m., October 29- November 19.

Sessions will cover:

  • Research, planning, implementing and evaluating public relations programs
  • Ethics and law
  • Communication models and theories
  • Business literacy
  • Management skills and issues
  • Crisis communication management
  • Media relations

View the course syllabus.

Cost for the four-session program is $40. The fee will be waived for those accepted as APR candidates.

For more information contact: Brett St. Clair, APR, 603-224-5566, bstclair@lkarno.com or Bob Lindquist, APR, 508-932-0137, boblind@comcast.net.

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Media Law & Leveraging Resources – October 16

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Join the Yankee Chapter PRSA for a half-day morning workshop with two guest speakers from Franklin Pierce University. In the first session, Kirsten Nevious, PhD, director of the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication, will discuss media law as it pertains to social media and technology. How should you obtain photos for your website or Facebook page? What are fair use and censorship, and what happens if information is used without permission? Kristen will help guide us through the ever-changing world of social media, technology and information.

Next, Lisa Murray, director of communication, corporate & community relations at Franklin Pierce, will talk about leveraging: how to create it and how to use it. Leverage helps make things happen! Leverage uses everything on hand to get your message out. It can also mean constructing pivot points to help your organization or company shift focus. We’ll talk about how to generate efficiencies and maximize impact by creatively leveraging various public relations tools of the trade.

Event Information

Date: Thursday, October 16

Time: 8 a.m.-11:45 a.m. (first session to begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.)

Location: Long Term Care Partners, 100 Arboretum Drive, Portsmouth NH

Cost*: $35 members, $50 non-members, $10 students/interns

Coffee & refreshments to be provided

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*This PD session is a fundraiser for the YPRSA James H. Bradley Scholarship Fund

Welcome SNHU Student Chapter and Panel Discussion – Sept 22

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Join Yankee Chapter PRSA on Monday, September 22 as we officially welcome the Southern New Hampshire University’s PRSSA, followed by a panel discussion with some of Yankee Chapter’s younger members. We’ll discuss the benefits of being a PRSA member, internships, networking and what it is like to work in the field of communications.

Two SNHU PR classes will be joining us for this event, so all guests are welcome to offer their advice and talk about their experiences during the panel discussion. Let’s offer the next generation of PR practitioners some insight into our profession and discuss the value of PRSA membership.

Panelists:

Joe Gallagher, New Futures
Joe manages day-to-day public relations, social media, publications development, and the New Futures website. He makes sure that helpful, interesting, and “take action” information gets to those who need it in a format that works best for them.
He graduated from Plymouth State University in the spring of 2013. Before coming to New Futures, Joe worked as a Creative Technical Writer for a marketing firm. He also interned with the Boston Bruins Public Relations Department as a Web Content Writer and served as a Developmental Editor for American Book Publishing. He most recently worked in Atlanta, writing marketing copy and resource material for an environmental B corporation, Better World Books.
Crystal Carroll, Northeast Delta Dental
Crystal is Manager of Community Relations at Northeast Delta Dental, a position she has held since May 2013. In this role, she supports the organization’s community benefit programs and public relations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. 
Prior to joining Northeast Delta Dental, Crystal provided media relations support to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund in Boston for several years. She earned her BA in Public Relations and Marketing Communications at Simmons College.

Moderator: Thomas Bebbington, Director of Communication, Diocese of Manchester

Date: Monday, September 22
Time: 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Location: Walker Auditorium, Robert Frost Hall, SNHU
(Campus map with parking locations)
Cost: $20 members, $35 non-members, $10 students/interns, no charge for current SNHU students

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Yankee Chapter Summer Social July 31

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ableebenezerphotoWe are the Yankee Chapter so it only seemed fitting that we take a break and enjoy some beer at a brewery named for New Hampshire native Ebenezer Mudgett.

Join us at the Able Ebenezer Brewing Company in Merrimack for a night of food, drink and socializing. Relax in their tasting room on their couches or at their bar. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Beer flights and growlers to take home will be available for an additional cost.

For more information on the brewery, visit http://www.ableebenezer.com/.

EVENT DETAILS: 

Date: Thursday, July 31
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Address: 31 Columbia Circle, Merrimack NH
Cost: $10

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June PD Session – Afternoon at the Museum: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Currier Museum of Art

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Join us on Thursday, June 5 from 3-5 p.m. (and later if you choose) for our spring PD session: Afternoon at the Museum: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash Street, Manchester NH.

After checking in, we will gather in one of the Currier’s classrooms to meet with Steve Konick, Director of PR & Marketing at the museum. He will briefly discuss the museum’s approach to PR and marketing; the advantages and challenges of a cultural non-profit and his experience in the arts. There will also be a few minutes for discussion.

Following the session with Steve, Senior Educator Jane Seney will lead us on a “behind the scenes” tour of the museum that will take us beyond just its art. Learn more about the daily operations of the museum, how they address security, plan for events, and more.

Following the tour, YPRSA members are invited to wander through the galleries or browse the gift shop. Members are also invited to stay for the Currier’s Young Friends of the Currier meeting at 5:30 p.m. and/or their First Thursday event at 6 p.m. for no additional cost. The Winter Garden Café will be open with refreshments and the museum will be open late.

WHEN: Thursday, June 5 from 3-5 p.m.
WHERE: The Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash Street, Manchester NH.
COST: Members $20, non-members $35, students/interns $10.

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