by Steve Higgins, IABC/Tulsa President

Did you know there’s a great, big IABC world out there?

It’s true. Beyond our local chapter here in Tulsa, the IABC network extends across 80 countries and includes approximately 15,000 business communication professionals.

While we don’t have the specific statistics, it goes without saying that a percentage of these members are individuals who call themselves “freelancers” – or those who work in a consulting role to provide public relations, writing, design, photography and other services to help an organization manage communications and achieve its goals. Freelancers benefit from an IABC membership because the network allows them access to a wide social network, and potential clients.

Since we value the freelancers who are members of the IABC/Tulsa chapter, we are planning to offer a new membership benefit just for them. In the next few months, we’ll be adding a section to our chapter website – http://tulsa.iabc.com/ – that will serve as a freelancer database. All IABC/Tulsa members who offer freelance services will be allowed to advertise their business on the site.

The even better news is that all of our members and non-members can also benefit from this new effort. Looking for a freelancer? Soon you’ll be able to visit the freelancer directory at http://tulsa.iabc.com/!

Interested in being listed on the site once we get the new section up and running? Send us an e-mail at iabctulsa@gmail.com.

Each month, IABC/Tulsa features one of its members in the “Meet A Member” section of the newsletter. In this issue, we learn more about Tom Droege, IABC/Tulsa’s finance chair and senior account manager for Tulsa-based Rex PR.

IABC/Tulsa: How long have you been a member of IABC?
Tom: I’ve been a member for four years, and I’ve served as Bronze Quill Awards Chair and VP of Finance. But the titles don’t mean much. We all pitch in as a team to keep IABC/Tulsa running. Incidentally, if you are resourceful and eager to help, we need you! We are on the hunt for future board members. 

IABC/Tulsa: What is the best IABC meeting/seminar/conference you have ever attended?
Tom: In August, a small group of IABCers went to dinner at Lucky’s with Steve Crescenzo. As our guest, the guy could order anything off the menu – grilled filet of beef, rack of lamb. He selects a chicken fried steak as big as his head! It was a hilarious evening with the fast-talking Chicagoan. He’s the antithesis to status quo corporate communications.

IABC/Tulsa: What do you love about your job?
Tom: As a former journalist, it’s gratifying to create media opportunities for deserving organizations, individuals and issues. It’s fun to pick up the newspaper in the morning and see “my” stories, even though I don’t have a byline anymore. Working for an agency has also diversified and broadened my professional contacts, and I’m surprised how many times helping one client has led to another. 

IABC/Tulsa: Over the years, how has IABC helped with your professional development?
Tom: I’ve met industry peers who have become good friends and I’ve watched members land new jobs because of connections they’ve made through IABC. The new perspectives and insights shared by the monthly speakers are a great way to recharge the PR batteries.

IABC/Tulsa: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Tom: I like to goof off with my two daughters, and try to get as far away from computers and phones as possible.

IABC/Tulsa: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Tom: It was Phat Philly’s (R.I.P. September 2010). I really prefer my wife’s exquisite cooking.

IABC/Tulsa: The future of the field of communications…
Tom: … will see the pendulum swing back toward the core principles of communication like strong writing, engaging verbal communication and compelling photography and graphics. 

IABC/Tulsa: What advice would you give to communications professionals who are just entering the workforce?
Tom: Do something! Prove you are a hard worker. During a trying time in my life while looking for permanent employment after college, I edited a rambling manuscript written by a World War II veteran who participated in an atom bomb testing project. Because I had plans to travel the world in search of adventure, I initially scoffed at this project. But once I immersed myself, I began to enjoy it. It led to my first real job, for which I was extremely grateful.

Date: Thursday, Oct. 14
Time: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Kilkenny’s Irish Pub, 1413 E. 15th St., Tulsa

It’s time to grab some business cards and join IABC/Tulsa for a Happy Hour Thursday, Oct. 14, at Kilkenny’s Irish Pub on Cherry Street. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. Register now, spread the word and bring your friends.

There’s no fee to attend. Participants can purchase their own drinks at the bar. Come and enjoy!

by Steve Higgins, IABC/Tulsa President

A recent report from IABC’s international office affirmed what many of us already know – good things are happening at IABC/Tulsa.

The report ranked Tulsa in the top 10 of chapters internationally for membership growth.

How do we keep this momentum going? At a recent executive board strategy session, the chapter’s leadership tackled that very question. The result is a set of goals that we’ll work toward during our 2010-2011 board term.

Each board member contributed at least one goal. Here’s a sampling:

Reevaluate meeting location. While D’Novo has worked out well in many respects, we are consistently seeing low ratings for the food on our meeting surveys. Members can look for a separate, stand-alone survey on this subject very soon.

Limit “first time free” meeting registrations to membership recruitment months. We’re glad so many have taken advantage of our free lunch for first-time guests. The downside, though, is that we’re struggling to break even on our costs, even with attendance up this year. We’ll still do the “first time free” offer, but only twice a year.

Develop a “scholarship” program for small businesses and independents. The recession has made it difficult for some people to become full-fledged IABC members. The board agreed that we should develop a program to assist prospective members whose resources are limited.

Continue to increase membership, meeting attendance and happy hour attendance. We’re doing well in these areas, but we believe there’s room for further growth.

Continue to offer strong programs and special events. We’re committed to bringing in top “out-of-town” presenters, mixed in with local experts and occasional webinars that will be free for members.

These are just a few of the areas on which we’ll focus in the coming year. If you have any thoughts or questions, please contact me at steve.higgins@williams.com.

Each month, IABC/Tulsa features one of its members in the “Meet A Member” section of the newsletter. In this issue, we learn more about Susie Wellendorf, director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for Hilti North America.

IABC/Tulsa: How long have you been a member of IABC?
Susie: I’ve been a member for almost 16 years, and have served on the IABC/Tulsa board several times, including a stint as president from 1998-1999.

IABC/Tulsa: What is the best IABC meeting/seminar/conference you have ever attended?
Susie: I appreciated getting the opportunity to attend the Leadership Institute in Ottawa, Canada. Besides taking me to Canada for my first time, the conference helped me understand the bigger picture of the communication profession at a time when I was new to it. That’s when I realized what makes IABC special – it’s small enough at the local level to allow you to really get to know its members, but with an international network that gives you access to any resource you would need to develop a communication interest.

IABC/Tulsa: What do you love about your job at Hilti?
Susie: I love the art and science behind finding the best way to explain a situation or issue to influence behavior. It’s hard to beat the feeling of knowing you’ve connected with an audience in a way that drives action and improves the business. I also enjoy the process side of developing new communication platforms and being part of an international organization.

IABC/Tulsa: Over the years, has IABC helped with your professional development?
Susie: Absolutely! Having the opportunity to take on leadership roles in the organization gave me the confidence to build on my career. Early on, it provided the foundation and resources to better understand all parts of the communication profession. Now with the advent of social media redefining how we work, IABC has been a big help in getting up to speed.

IABC/Tulsa: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Susie: I love to travel. If it’s for relaxing, give me a beach town in Mexico. If it’s to appreciate nature, put me in any National Park. If it’s for culture and adventure, I take me to Europe or Africa.

IABC/Tulsa: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Susie: Biga – great Italian!

IABC/Tulsa: The future of the field of communications…
Susie: … is going to change dramatically over the next few years with the introduction of social media. We’ve always preached the importance of two-way communication to promote understanding. As younger people enter the work force, it will no longer be optional.

IABC/Tulsa: What advice would you give to communications professionals who are just entering the workforce?
Susie: Continue to polish your basic skills of writing, editing and consulting. Read what management is reading and make sure you understand the business.

The art of social media comes to life with this series of professional development conferences hosted by IABC/Tulsa, PRSA Tulsa and the Tulsa Press Club.

The 2010 OkieSMart conference, presented by Walmart, will be held Thursday, Aug. 26 at the Spirit Bank Event Center in Tulsa. This year’s speakers are Steve Crescenzo, the top-rated speaker of IABC’s 2010 World Conference, and Rick Burnes from HubSpot.

To learn more – and to register – visit www.okiesmart.com.

Thursday, Aug. 26
1 to 7 p.m.
Spirit Bank Event Center
10441 S Regal Blvd
Tulsa, OK  74133

He’s one of the newest members of IABC/Tulsa and just attended his first IABC event – the 2010 World Conference in Tornoto. This month we learn more about Justin Rushing from Walmart’s Global Associate Communications team in Bentonville, Ark.

IABC/Tulsa: How long have you been a member of IABC?
Justin: Just a little over two months.

IABC/Tulsa: What is the best IABC meeting/seminar/conference you have ever attended?
Justin: My first IABC event was last month’s World Conference in Toronto. It was an amazing experience, thanks to all of the different types of classes and networking. Of all the different speakers, I most enjoyed hearing from Guy Kawasaki and Craig Kielburger. After the conference, I returned to work feeling re-energized and highly motivated. If that happens to everyone else who attends, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to go!   

IABC/Tulsa: You work on a team responsible for communicating with Walmart’s more than 2 million associates. What do you love about it?
Justin: Since Walmart is such a big company, we have so many opportunities available to us as associates. On my current team, I love the variety of work that allows me to learn new skills and meet new people working in all areas of our company. It’s also really fulfilling to have the ability to directly impact millions of people through our communications efforts.

IABC/Tulsa: You’ve only been a member for two months, but has IABC helped with your professional development so far?
Justin: It’s been great to help me connect with professionals working in communications for organizations other than my own company.

IABC/Tulsa: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Justin: I like to read, and I’m always reading at least three books – something around professional development, a good fiction novel and a nonfiction piece. Right now I’m reading “48 Laws of Power,” “Pirate Latitudes” and a book about the sinking of the Andrea Doria. The last one is fascinating to me because I also love to scuba dive and spend many weekends below the surface of Beaver Lake here in Northwest Arkansas.

IABC/Tulsa: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Justin: I know most people reading this are probably in Tulsa. But one of my favorite spots is Hugo’s in Fayetteville, Ark. Come over and give it a try sometime!

IABC/Tulsa: The future of the field of communications…
Justin: … will require us to have a global mindset and also the ability to successfully utilize different types of channels.

IABC/Tulsa: What advice would you give to communications professionals who are just entering the workforce?
Justin: Be confident about your abilities and never shy away from an opportunity to try something new.

Each month, IABC/Tulsa features one of its members in the “Meet A Member” section of the newsletter. If you’re interested in being highlighted, contact Shannon Frederick, IABC/Tulsa’s Communications Chair.

by Steve Higgins, IABC/Tulsa President

A year ago, many of us were still trying to understand just exactly what social media was and how it worked. That was so 2009.

This year, we want to know how social media can help us advance our business or organizational goals. After all, it’s not enough to jump into social media just because everyone else is. Savvy communications pros are using these new channels to engage stakeholders, connect with customers and build brands.

If you missed last year’s inaugural OkieSMart: The Art of Social Media event, by all means don’t miss it this year. Those of you who did attend last year witnessed a frenetic keynote from Peter Shankman, a stimulating panel discussion, some fun networking and a margarita-fueled post-event party. But I have to say, OkieSMart 2010 Sponsored by Walmart promises to top the original.

For starters, we’ve booked Steve Crescenzo, principal of Crescenzo Communications, who was recently rated as the top speaker at IABC’s World Conference – for the third straight year. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Steve twice in the past year (at the World Conference and at the IABC Social Media conference in New York last fall) and I can assure you he more than lives up to the hype. Expect a lively, enlightening and hilarious (and occasionally raw) afternoon with Steve as talks about bringing “Creative Communication” to social media.

I’m also looking forward to Rick Burnes of Hubspot, an acclaimed expert in inbound marketing for small- and medium-sized businesses. He leads HubSpot’s content marketing team, which uses social media, content and search engine optimization to get HubSpot found by prospective customers. Rick’s background includes NYTimes.com, where he worked on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Nation Challenged section following 9/11. He’s also worked at Google, the Moscow Times and the New Bedford Standard Times.

Yet another great thing about OkieSMart is how it brings together members of IABC, PRSA and the Tulsa Press Club for a shared event. Again this year, we’ll make sure there’s time for networking and fun with our communication colleagues from Tulsa and the surrounding area. And the price is right – still only $40 for members of any of the three host organizations.

See you on Aug. 26 at the Spirit Bank Event Center.

Join IABC/Tulsa for a Happy Hour Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Kilkenny’s on Cherry Street. Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. Register now, spread the word and bring your friends.

There’s no fee to attend. Participants can purchase their own drinks at the bar. Come and enjoy!