Category Archives: News/Updates

Acronym Mixer 2018 – ADCT, AMA, AWC, IABC, and PRSA

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Acronym Mixer 2018

Bring your career resolutions, friends, colleagues and business cards.

Start the new year off right with “Goals that matter” and a fun night with members of Tulsa’s top professional associations. Discover how you can continue your education, foster relationships, inspire creativity and develop new skills all while enjoying tasty hors d’oeuvres and drinks. You’ll also have a chance to win one of ten great door prizes that are sure to give your new year goals a boost!

What:    2018 Acronym Mixer – A fun and festive networking party!

When:   5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018

Where:  Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 E. Brady St.

Who:     This event is open to all communications, marketing, and advertising professionals. Participating association members and guests.

Tickets:          

$20/all early birds (includes food and one drink ticket).

$25/at the door and registrations after midnight on January 19th (includes food and one drink ticket).

All proceeds from this event will be donated to a Living Arts community program.

Participating Acronyms:

ADCT – Art Directors Club of Tulsa

AMA – American Marketing Association

AWC – Association for Women in Communications

IABC – International Association of Business Communicators

PRSA – Public Relations Society of America

Meet a Member featuring Whitney Dittman

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Title: Public Relations Specialist

Company: Cherokee Nation Businesses

Why do you love your job? My job allows me to serve my tribe while working in an industry I love. I am beyond blessed to collaborate with some of the most amazingly talented individuals, and together we share the history, culture and art of the Cherokee people. There is nothing more rewarding!

How long have you been a member of IABC? This is my first year as an IABC member, but I have attended and enjoyed events when possible throughout the past few years.

Have you ever served on an IABC Board? Not yet!

What is the best IABC meeting/conference you have attended? Why? I enjoyed the May 2017 lunch with Lance Latham. He spoke openly and honestly about past experiences and gave great insight to the impact having a seat at the table can make. It was a great reminder of why it is important to have public relations and communications built into the leadership team.

How has IABC played a part in your professional development? I am still new to the organization but have greatly enjoyed the events so far. The professional development opportunities are always spot on and leave time to network with peers.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? Family is everything to me, so if I am not at work I am likely spending time with my “people.” I have an amazing husband and a 10-month-old daughter, Aubree Jean, who typically runs the show. I also enjoy baking, photography and cheering on my OSU Cowboys!

What’s your favorite vacation spot? I am happy anywhere there is sunshine and love being on or near the water.

Who is your favorite musical artist? Garth Brooks. Hands down. Seeing him live at the BOK Center in 2015 was a DREAM!

Which website do you visit daily? Facebook, CNN

What is your favorite restaurant? Such a tough call. Either Mary’s Trattoria or anywhere with good queso. I just can’t say no.

How will we recognize you at the next IABC function? I’m a very proud OSU alum and am almost always wearing America’s Brightest Orange!

Complete the following: The future of the field of communications is…always changing!

What advice would you give to new communications professionals? Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to be awesome.

Letter from the President – November 2017

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by Hayley Westwood, IABC/Tulsa President

Is it just me, or does the gap between Halloween and Christmas seem to be getting shorter and shorter each year? This year, I’m pretty sure I even saw Christmas trees on the same aisle as the Halloween candy.

I love the holidays as much as the next person, but no matter how much I prepare, they always seem to sneak up on me.

You might feel like this about work sometimes, too. Deadlines and projects always sneaking up and time slipping away. Imagine if you’re a non-profit with very little, or even no, communication support.

So many valuable non-profit organizations in our community struggle with this lack of support, which is why IABC/Tulsa hosts our annual Gift of Communication. This event provides a chance for local non-profits to spend time with professional communicators in the Tulsa area coming up with ideas, working on deliverables and developing a game plan to communicate their value and initiatives for the year ahead.

If you’d like to give back this holiday season, I invite you to consider participating in this year’s event! Read more below to learn how to get involved. Let’s work together to make our community better for everyone in the coming year.

-Hayley

 

 

Save the Date: Gift of Communications

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As a way to give back to the community, IABC/Tulsa is hosting its annual Gift of Communication. This event allows IABC members and others to share their expertise with representatives from nonprofit organizations to help them achieve excellence in corporate communications, public relations, employee communication, marketing communication, public affairs and other forms of business communication.

This event will include consultation and networking with some of the top communications professionals in the Oklahoma/Arkansas areas. Volunteer your time to help local nonprofits reach their communications goals, while learning from other communications professionals in the area.

When: Wednesday, December 13 from 8:30 to 12 p.m.
Where: Tulsa City-County Library, 400 Civic Center, Tulsa, OK 74103

If you would like to nominate an organization or volunteer your time, please contact Leslie Agee at 918-477-1579 or leslie.agee@linde.com by Friday, December 1. We will announce the participating agencies December 4.

November Luncheon: Up the Ante on Your Organizational Influence

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When organizations need employee involvement, either formally or informally, group dynamics become a major factor in facilitating action. Communication professionals deal in this dynamic daily: persuading leaders to share or disseminate information, plan ahead in crisis situations, even to consider what the audience needs to hear. Making this even more difficult is the tendency in traditional organizations for one-way presentation style communications. Thus, most leaders do not fully understand group dynamics and therefore lack the skills needed to communicate to individuals and larger organizational teams.  

Join us on November 29 for this highly interactive session, led by organizational development guru Jeff Wilkie, to learn how you can facilitate change and communications when the dynamics are challenging.

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. November 29
Where: Tulsa Country Club, 701 N. Union Ave., Tulsa, OK  74127
Fee:  IABC Member fee $25
IABC Non-member fee/Guest fee $35
Student fee $15

About Jeff Wilkie

Jeff Wilkie has made a career in organizational development strategies for the last 25 years. His human capital career spans oil and gas industries, telecommunications, health care management, not-for-profits and government entities.   

He leads the Human Capital and Organizational Strategies niche under Hogan Taylor Advisory Services. Jeff works as a confidante and coach to organizational executive teams and assists in the focus and formulation of a company’s human capital strategies.  Jeff spent a large part of his career facilitating sessions and retreats related to improving communication and collaboration within company cultures. His passion comes from helping others discover their potential and improve their team and organizational interactions.

Meet a Member featuring Tom Droege

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Title: Communications Specialist

Company: SemGroup

Why do you love your job? As a kid I always had fun dreaming up contraptions and then trying to build them. Communication is a lot like this, except we build with words and visuals, instead of boards and nails. The longer I’m in this field, the more I see the value of communication for organizations. It has the power to unify and motivate employees around a strategy while attracting investors, who want to be a part of the story.

How long have you been a member of IABC? I joined shortly after my first daughter was born… so about 11 years.

Have you ever served on an IABC Board? Yes. I even once served as treasurer, which proves that just about anybody can pitch in if you have the will!

What is the best IABC meeting/conference you have attended? Why? Anything with Steve Crescenzo is usually hilarious and helpful. My favorite times are just swapping corporate communication war stories over libations with IABC friends.

How has IABC played a part in your professional development? Without IABC, I’d probably still be wearing pleated khakis. It keeps me current.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? Last weekend there was a nice breeze, so we took my sister’s two-person sailboat out to a quiet little lake. After giving rides to each of my three daughters, I sailed out on my own and watched my little family get smaller and smaller on the beach. “Sailing… takes me away to where I la de da de da…” (Sorry Keeli, next time let’s just the two of us go!)

What’s your favorite vacation spot? Anywhere I can pose with a surfboard and look pensively toward the ocean.

Who is your favorite musical artist? I like a lot of different styles of music… especially world music from different cultures and time periods. The last big concert we saw was Paul Simon. There were probably 30 musicians on stage playing all sorts of crazy instruments – a lot from Africa.

Complete the following: The future of the field of communications is….. evolving and complex, but simplicity will always win. I hope.

What advice would you give to new communications professionals? Take time to do good work. Listen a lot. Fill your trophy case with Bronze Quill awards!

President’s Column – October 2017

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by Hayley Westwood, IABC/Tulsa President

Over the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting IABC members from Australia, Tanzania, Scotland and more, and they all say the same thing about membership: that the greatest benefit comes from the people they meet along the way.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of learning from the conferences, webinars and other professional development opportunities that membership provides. But the best learning comes from the relationships you build. Getting to meet and know communicators from across the world is IABC’s greatest benefit. Having the chance to learn from people who do the same work you do, but in different capacities, in different industries and in different countries. Sharing real-world experiences to help one another be more successful and push our industry forward together.

IABC membership helps us advance a global standard for business communicators. It allows us to share ideas and experiences so that we can raise the collective value of communications across our organizations, no matter where we are in the world.

I’m incredibly thankful for the relationships I’ve built because of my involvement with IABC/Tulsa. I’ve gained mentors and friends, and those relationships continue to benefit me in both my professional and personal life.

If you’ve been considering membership in IABC, I hope you’ll explore the opportunity to join during the month of October and take advantage of our Member Month discounts (and the chance to win great prizes)! See more information below about Member Month and why our members love IABC/Tulsa.

Always feel free to reach out if you want to know more about membership or getting more involved!

-Hayley

 

 

Holy Rocktober! It’s Member Month!

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It’s Rocktober at IABC and you need to be at this party.  Join IABC or renew your membership now to save 10% on dues. New to IABC? Join during Roctober and be entered into drawing for prizes like Ticketmaster giftcards and Amazon Echo Dots.  Amp up your career, connect with a network of industry rock star colleagues, and attain perfectly tuned insights to drive business results. 

Currently a member and not ready to renew? For each new or lapsed member who lists a current member as a referral source, the referring member will be entered into a drawing to win one of 10 Amazon Echo Dots. Active IABC members who refer five or more new members will receive one free registration to an IABC Academy course and will be recognized on the IABC website as an IABC Champion during the months of November and December.

Join now at rockit.iabc.com or renew your membership at rockon.iabc.com.  And visit our Facebook page to learn why IABC/Tulsa members love IABC.

It’s Rocktober. Get loud.

2017 Communicators Summit: Sponsorship Packages

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More than 150 northeast Oklahoma public relations and communications professionals will gather in Tulsa at the 2017 Communicators Summit on October 26, 2017, for a morning of skill building, collaborating and networking.

PRESENTING SPONSOR – $3,000 (limit one)

  • Eight complimentary event tickets ($600 value)
  • Name recognition as Presenting Sponsor on event promotions
  • Emcee recognition during event
  • Top billing in all print material
  • Logo scrolling during event
  • Logo on event signage
  • Logo on IABC and PRSA websites

PLATINUM SPONSOR – $2,000

  • Six complimentary event tickets ($450 value)
  • Emcee recognition during event
  • Logo in all print material
  • Logo scrolling during event
  • Logo on event signage
  • Logo on IABC and PRSA websites

GOLD SPONSOR – $1,000

  • Four complimentary event tickets ($300 value)
  • Logo in all print material
  • Logo scrolling during event
  • Logo on event signage
  • Logo on IABC and PRSA websites

SILVER SPONSOR – $500

  • Two complimentary event tickets ($150 value)
  • Company name in all print material
  • Company name scrolling during event
  • Company name on event signage
  • Company name on IABC and PRSA websites

BRONZE SPONSOR – $250

  • One complimentary event ticket ($75 value)
  • Company name scrolling during event
  • Company name on event signage

The deadline for inclusion in marketing materials is September 29, 2017.

Meet a Member featuring Abigail Loveall

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Title: Communications Manager, Global Office of Culture, Diversity and Inclusion

Company: Walmart

Why do you love your job? I love seeking and embracing differences in people, ideas and experiences and seeing those differences come together to make real results. And I love the people I get to work with every day.

How long have you been a member of IABC? I’m a brand new member to IABC! I joined this past winter.

Have you ever served on an IABC Board? This year I will be the secretary, and I am also looking forward to undertaking the digital presence for IABC Tulsa.

What is the best IABC meeting/conference you have attended? Why? Can’t wait to attend an event…hoping to make it over to Tulsa sometime soon! (I live in Bentonville, AR.)

How has IABC played a part in your professional development? Our whole team learned a lot from judges’ feedback from our Bronze Quill entries.  I look forward to meeting and learning from fellow communicators.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? I’m always on the move! I never stay in town for too long; I’m always off on one weekend road trip or another. If I’m going to New Orleans this weekend, then I’m already planning my trip to Minnesota next month!

What’s your favorite vacation spot? In the U.S., I love going to Boston or San Francisco. In January, I went to Iceland and can’t wait to go back!

Who is your favorite musical artist? I’m currently jamming to Alabama Shakes and Bad Rabbits.

Which website do you visit daily? I’m pretty addicted to sporcle.com. I have spent obscene amounts of time trying to get perfect scores on geography quizzes.

What is your favorite restaurant? Tusk and Trotter in Bentonville has the best local eats, but nothing beats Kansas City barbeque at Jack Stack!

How will we recognize you at the next IABC function? Probably from my obnoxiously loud laugh (or perhaps better described as a cackle), which I’m told can grab the attention of the whole room!
 
Complete the following: The future of the field of communications is… digital and personal. If you can make a personal connection through a digital platform, you’ll always have a job in this field.

What advice would you give to new communications professionals? Write every email as if they will get forwarded to the CEO. It’s easy to fire off quick emails without thinking about tone, but taking a few minutes to review how you’ve said something can improve your standing in the eyes of your colleagues.