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MEETINGS
No meeting this month, and going to the Christmas party (see above) in December.
Regular schedule resumes in January. Meanwhile, keep in touch — website, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.
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Generational Diversity: The Power of Perspectives
Employees of all ages work side by side — generational diversity, it’s called — and the challenges presented are surpassed only by the opportunities that lie
within. A leader’s ability to influence across multiple generations will be increasingly critical
for success. Those who can engage the generational mindset are positioned to
outperform the competition.
Executive coach Tim McRay has a handle on all of this. At the next PRSA meeting he will lead a
multigenerational panel — Bill Lawrence, APR, Fellow PRSA, principal of Lawrence & Associates, the firm he founded in 1989; Claire Bloxom, head of the public relations and social media department at Fort Worth’s largest full-service communications agency, Concussion; and Melissa Warner, a PR assistant at J.O. — on the keys to successful interaction and what’s needed to influence decisions. Organizers say attendees will gain new
perspectives and leave with steps to immediately improve personal and
organizational effectiveness.
McRay has more than 20 years in executive leadership at Fortune 100 companies
including BlueCross BlueShield, Citigroup and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
He is an adjunct professor of humanities at Southern New Hampshire University
and in the dissertation phase of a Ph.D. in leadership studies. Lawrence is a
past Greater Fort Worth PRSA president and received the chapter’s Leadership Award in 1996 and its Unsung Hero Award in 2006 (and 33 more awards
throughout his career). He also has served on the PRSA national nominating
committee.
Bloxom has received four Worthy Awards, a MarCom Creative Platinum Award for
Writing/Editorial and a Katie Award from the Press Club of Dallas. In 2013 the
Fort Worth Business Press recognized her as one of the city’s “40 Under 40.” Warner graduated from Michigan State University in 2012 and has several
internships in her portfolio, including supporting a Michigan congressman and
the state’s governor.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13
Place: Colonial Country Club, 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth
Cost: chapter members $25, national members $30, nonmembers $35, students $20;
walk-ups add $5
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Eyewitnesses to History: Commemorating the JFK Assassination
Six men with an up-close view — Hugh Aynesworth, Mike Cochran, Buell Frazier, Phil Vinson, Jim Jones and Eddie Griffin — share their accounts and observations and connections to President Kennedy’s Texas trip and the day that forever changed the United States and the world.
Time & date: mingle 6 p.m., then eat, then the program Wednesday,
Nov. 6
Place: Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant (in La Puertita, the converted church/dining room south of
the main building), 2201 N. Commerce St., Fort Worth
Cost: $17 members of any professional communicators organization, $25 nonmembers, $10
students; cash or check, or credit card add $1; free if you join SPJ right then
and there
Menu: Joe T.’s renowned family-style enchilada dinner; cash bar
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STRAIGHT STUFF
Bob Morris, an independent management consultant specializing in accelerated executive
development and organizational transformation, has reviewed more than 2,500
business books for Amazon’s U.S., UK and Canadian websites and interviewed more than 200 thought leaders,
and he has more than 8,000 followers of the three websites at which he blogs.
He will explain why “EDNA” should be every writer’s muse and mentor at the next Writers’ Guild of Texas meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, at the Richardson Public
Library.
IABC local update: Messaging expert James O’Gara will share his experiences helping companies make their story more than just
words on paper and then outperform the competition at the IABC Dallas meeting
Tuesday, Nov. 12. Info here.
PRSA local update: Fort Worth’s newest inductee into PRSA’s College of Fellows — Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA — will be honored along with the chapter’s five other fellows Monday, Nov. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the third level
of Reata downtown. Cost is $15 per person and includes appetizers and one
drink. RSVP to Carol Murray at carolm@jfk.org. Pay at the door.
PRSA local update II: Chapter members at the annual meeting Oct. 9 unanimously approved the 2014 slate
of officers (includes unexpired positions): president, Richie Escovedo; membership VP/president-elect, Michelle Clark, APR; programs VP, Sandra Brodnicki, APR; treasurer, Megan Force; treasurer-elect, Lisa Albert; secretary, Claire Bloxom; directors, Liz Heck, Jahnae Stout and Joe Stout; and Assembly delegates, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA, and Holly Ellman.
PRSA local update III: Two volunteers are needed as professional advisers for teams participating in
the annual PRSSA Bateman Competition. Between now and March, the mentors will
serve as a sounding board on research, strategic planning, execution and
preparing the campaign submission book. Professionals who have experience
developing entries for award programs are particularly helpful. Contact Mindia Whittier, whittier@uta.edu. Greater Fort Worth PRSA will award $1,500 in scholarships to PRSSA students at
UTA, TCU and Abilene Christian University at the December luncheon.
