Warming up for Image

As the 2012 Olympic Games approach, it’s time to warm up and submit your medal worthy public relations programs for the Local Image Awards.

On Tuesday, January 24 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, a panel of distinguished PR professionals are offering an Image Workshop to help you get started. The panel of Image coaches includes Kate Gooderham, APR, CPRC, Victoria Moreland, Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC and Samantha Scott, APR. Each expert will provide insight about the do’s and don’ts of program entries, judging categories and scoring, the all-important two-page summary and binder composition.
 

Attendance at the Image Workshop is FREE, and for more individualized feedback, you are encouraged to bring campaign plans, printed materials, news releases, or other communication tools. Submitting entries to Image is valuable as it may attract greater exposure for your client(s) and further distinguish yourself as a PR professional exhibiting the very best examples of innovation, planning and design.
 

To register for the workshop, click here. 
For more information on Image, click here.
 

Accreditation season has begun.

Kara Winton, APR, CPRC will host an organizational meeting for anyone interesting in starting the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) process at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 in the offices of Pushing the Envelope, 12655 New Brittany Blvd., Suite 13W in Fort Myers. Anyone interested in learning more about the APR process should attend the meeting.

Study sessions will begin in February.

Future of Media and Newspapers

As readers continue to migrate to digital, Pason Gaddis, president and group publisher of Florida Weekly, will speak about the future of media and newspapers in what he views will be a fundamental change in the content that goes into print, new subscription models and the explosion of tablet devices.

Pason Gaddis co-founded Florida Weekly with his partners Jeffery Cull and James Dickerson in 2007. The newspaper is one of the states largest circulation newsweeklies with more than 75,000 circulation in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and North Palm Beach Counties reaching more than 150,000 readers in print and online each week.

In the past two years the newspaper has won numerous awards including being recognized as the best weekly newspaper in the state for the past two years by the Florida Press Association.

Prior to Florida Weekly, Pason served in a variety of management capacities from 1998-2007 with Gannett, Inc. while successfully launching several new newspapers and magazines.

Pason received his Bachelors degree from Iowa State University where he also began his newspaper career with the Iowa State Daily.

Location: Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre
Date: January 24, 2012
Time: 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Click here to register.

A special thank you to the 2011-2012 Annual Sponsors who have pledged to help FPRA continue to provide its members, future leaders and the southwest Florida community with stellar professional development programs: 

LCEC - Platinum Sponsor

Established in 1940, Lee County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LCEC) is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative. Beginning with 15 miles of distribution line and 158 members, LCEC now has over 8,000 miles of distribution and transmission line, more than 197,000 customers, and is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the nation. 

J.J. Taylor Companies, Inc. – Premium Sponsor 

J.J. Taylor is a local beverage distributor for many import and domestic malt beverage products, including MillerCoors, Diageo/Guinness, Heineken USA, and a variety of craft brews such as Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Cigar City and Blue Moon.  J.J. Taylor serves more than 10,000 retail customers in seventeen Florida counties and has over 670 full time employees across the state.

Membership Scholarships Available

A limited number of membership scholarships will be available again this year for renewing or new members. If you're interested in a membership scholarship, please submit two or three paragraphs outlining your financial need, involvement in chapter activities, commitment to professional development and how your participation in FPRA will benefit the chapter and your professional career. Submit your request to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .