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MEETINGS
How to Avoid Direct Mail Pitfalls:
Tips and Tricks for the Layperson
Kathy Wolfe spent 16 years in the printing business before joining Global Mail Management in
1994, and she has done everything from working in the bindery to running
presses to sales. She knows where the land mines are, and she’ll tell how to sidestep them at IABC Fort Worth’s first meeting of 2009.
The Fort Worth Postal Customer Council’s Employee of the Year in 2007, Wolfe started at Global Mail, a subsidiary of GM
Direct Marketing, as a customer service representative. For the past few years
she has been sales manager (but “sales” includes managing the print shop as well as consulting with major nonprofits
and companies on marketing campaigns).
She has developed presentations for customers on such topics as how to quality
for the lowest postage, how to increase the effectiveness of direct mail, and
the new flat-addressing rules coming in March.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Parking: $2.50 in parking garage at Seventh and Commerce streets
Cost: members $25, nonmembers $30, students $20 (online add $1)
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Gazing into the Crystal Ball: the Outlook
for Local Business and Media in 2009
The stock market’s down. Unemployment is up. Retailers are slashing prices right and left or,
worse, closing their doors. Everyone, it seems, from automakers to major
cities, is looking to Washington for a bailout. But what is the economic
outlook closer to home?
Will the dire predictions for the future of mainstream media come true in
Tarrant County? How will the North Texas economic climate and changes in the
media world affect public relations practitioners? Take a look into the future
as Star-Telegram business columnist Mitchell Schnurman shares his predictions for local business, from both a media and PR viewpoint,
at the January meeting.
Time & date: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers, students $20
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No meeting in January.
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STRAIGHT STUFF
The SPJ Region 8 Conference, March 20-21 at the downtown Hilton-Fort Worth, is
taking shape in a handsome fashion. More on p. 2 or here. ... OpenTheGovernment.org director Patrice McDermott, an expert on government secrecy and what’s being done to combat it, will keynote the 6th annual First Amendment Awards and Scholarship Dinner, April 17 at Cacharel in Arlington. Deadline for both the awards competition and scholarship application is Feb. 11. ...
The National Low Income Housing Coalition seeks entries for the 2008 Cushing
Niles Dolbeare Media Awards, which recognize print journalists who illuminate
the affordable housing crisis in the U.S. Entries must have been published in
2008 and be received by Feb. 16. Call Taylor Materio at (202) 662-1530 ext. 227, or visit the NLIHC web site. ...
The Writers’ Guild of Texas will host journalist/published author DeAnn Holcomb at its meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at the Richardson Public Library, 900
Civic Center Drive. More from organizer Carol Woods.
IABC local update: Carl Youngberg, author of “Make Yourself Matter — Becoming Your Own Best Asset,” will discuss “Maximizing U: Enhancing Leadership and Social Networking Skills” at the Dallas IABC meeting Tuesday, Jan. 13. Info here.
PRSA local update: Help a Reporter Out founder Peter Shankman, CEO of the Geek Factory boutique marketing/PR firm in New York, and Laurence Vincent with the Siegel+Gale strategy practice in Los Angeles will headline the Best of
the Southwest Communicators Conference in Frisco, Feb. 27-March 1. The
conference, combining the annual TPRA Convention and PRSA Southwest District
Conference, will feature two days of workshops, professional development and
networking as well as the Silver Spur/Best of Texas awards banquet Feb. 28.
More at tpra.org.
PRSA local update II: Jerrod Resweber, a chapter director since 1995 and recipient of the chapter’s Unsung Hero Award in 2005, has been promoted to vice president at Weber
Shandwick. Resweber has worked in the Dallas office of the PR agency for more
than eight years and most recently served as a group manager. He currently
manages communications projects for clients such as the Army and the Federal
Reserve Banks.
PRSA local update III: From Linda Jacobson, APR: “Dear friends, words cannot express how much I appreciate the honor of being one
of the first recipients of the Jim Blackmore, APR Memorial Scholarship Award. I
am truly humbled. I understand that Mr. Blackmore was a pioneer leader in the
Greater Fort Worth chapter with a special affinity for furthering the
professionalism of public relations. I will certainly do everything I can to
uphold that legacy. Achieving accreditation status has been a long-term goal of
mine. I hope this encourages others to engage in the process.”
PRSA local update IV: Direct membership inquiries or information on special
promotions to membership VP/president-elect Tom Burke, APR, at tcburke@us.ibm.com.
PRSA local update V: Schipul Web Marketing owner Ed Schipul, a frequent speaker at PRSA, IABC and ad club meetings nationwide, will present
“Social Media: 101” at the Dallas PRSA meeting Thursday, Jan. 8. Info here.
