In this issue:

May 22 Travel and Tourism PR Panel

Volunteers Needed for the 2008 Nonprofit Seminar

New members can get first year free

Your opinions and ideas are needed

Welcome new and renewing members

Rich Murphy earns public relations accreditation

Faces of the Next 50 years in PR: Simon Bowers, Editor of the PRSA 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book

June 5 Professional Development Conference: Tools & Trends for Communicators

Totems memories available on-line

Interested in Submitting an item for Newsflash?

May 22

Travel and Tourism PR Panel

The travel industry is one of America's largest with $740 billion in direct expenditures by travelers domestic and international (Travel Industry of America). In an industry that is so important to economic posterity, how do we, as public relations professionals, make our products/clients stand out in the crowded marketplace?

Get the chance to hear from some of Seattle's travel industry pros. You'll hear their points of view on travel and tourism pitches, press releases, product demos and more. Then have a chance to ask them your burning questions!

Meet the Panelists:

Carol Pucci is a travel writer with The Seattle Times. Her prolific and award-winning career in travel writing takes her to places locally, nationally and internationally as she reports about travel topics from traveling on a budget to things you can do in a day. She also writes the Travel Wise column that runs the last Sunday of each month in The Seattle Times.

Ashley Southwick is the Publicist at Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door. After working in public relations and fundraising in the non-profit sector, Ashley handles incoming and outgoing publicity for ETBD. Her work has produced media coverage in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, and the International Herald Tribune. As the first point of contact for incoming press releases and media requests, she filters and prioritizes this information for use by Rick and others at ETBD.

Nicole Meoli started writing for newspaper and alternative weeklies before breaking into magazine. During the past 11 years, she's been an editor with Las Vegas Life Magazine, WHERE Las Vegas, WHERE San Francisco, Alaska Airlines Magazine, and is currently the editor of Journey magazine. Nicole's recent freelance projects include writing and editing for Moon Metro Seattle, Simply Smart, Seattle Business Monthly and NW Colors magazine.

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Volunteers Needed for the 2008 Nonprofit Seminar

Every year, a group of passionate volunteers puts together a day-long seminar in November, "Connecting for a Cause," that is tailored to the specific needs of communicators working in nonprofit organizations. This event provides meaningful opportunities to volunteer and contribute your time in coordinating event logistics, finding speakers or sponsors, marketing the event, or editing the program booklet. Planning committee meetings start in June. For details, please contact committee co-chair Goldin Ortiz (goldinortiz@gmail.com) or Melissa Tizon (melissa.tizon@swedish.org).

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New members can get first year free

Do you know someone who may be interested in joining PRSA? If so, make sure to invite them to join in May or June when they can get their first year of Chapter membership free, a $52 value. They just need to join PRSA National at the regular member rate of $290 ($225 national dues plus $65 initiation fee) to take advantage of this offer. Former PRSA members who have been inactive for at least one year are also eligible for this offer. Please visit the membership section of www.prsa.org for more details.

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Your opinions and ideas are needed

You will be receiving a Membership Survey via email this month. Your response would be greatly appreciated so that we can make your experience as a PRSA member the best possible. Keep your eyes open for it this month.

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Welcome new and renewing members

We are very pleased to welcome the following new and returning members to our chapter.

Mickey Ahrens, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Linda Beecher, Snohomish County Tourism Bureau
Derek Belt, University of Washington - Alumni Association
Daniel Ron DeFilippo, Waggener Edstrom
Linnae Riesen, SEIU Healthcare
Sue Sanford, The Bear Creek School

If we missed your name, please contact Membership Chair Kari Sherrodd at 206-295-2826 or karisherrodd@hotmail.com or V.P. of Membership J. Ryan Shannon, APR, at 253-304-6013 or rshannon@elementzpr.com.

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Rich Murphy earns public relations accreditation

Congratulations to Rich Murphy, Ph.D., APR, on obtaining his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). The APR is the only professional designation in the public relations field. Rich believes that going through the accreditation process is really a defining moment in his career and has already helped him strengthen and deepen his own practice.

"The APR provides me with a more global perspective on public relations," says Rich. "The study and preparation for this exam actually taught me a great deal about the profession, about its history, ethical principles, and best practices. The APR process provided me with a broader understanding of these issues than I think I would have otherwise been able to acquire from my day-to-day work."

Rich encourages other public relations practitioners to achieve their accreditation. He says not only will they be able to serve their clients more effectively, but they will also further improve the reputation of public relations by practicing with increased professionalism.

Any PRSA member in good standing can pursue professional accreditation. However, it is recommended that candidates have at least five years' experience in the full-time practice or teaching of public relations and have earned either a bachelor's degree in a communication-specific field or have equivalent work experience.

For information on the APR program, contact Troy Brown, APR, at tjbfam@earthlink.net.

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Faces of the Next 50 years in PR: Simon Bowers, Editor of the PRSA 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book

A snapshot of young leaders in the Puget Sound PRSA
By Janelle Guthrie, APR, 2008 President

Simon graduated from Washington State University in 2005, where he was active with the student newspaper, the WSU PRSSA Chapter and the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication. He joined Publicis Consultants | PR in late October 2005 and works as an Account Executive, supporting the Hazelnut Council and ZESPRI Kiwifruit accounts. He is most proud of his role as co-leader of the Publicis Consultants Green Team--a staff-initiated, staff-led movement started in June 2007 to encourage staff to make environmentally-friendly changes in the workplace. Simon and his friend, Morgan Beidleman, established the Bowers Beidleman Scholarship this year at WSU to reward students with financial need, who show a strong interest in pursuing a career in PR.

What drew you to public relations?

I started out studying journalism at WSU and working for the campus paper. I loved the writing and got some great experience, but decided I wanted a career that was more than writing all day. I learned about PR during one of my communications classes. There was definitely that heavenly "aahhhh" sound you always hear on cartoons because it seemed so clear that I wanted profession based on writing but with other opportunities for variety and creativity.

What do you like best about your career?

Again, the writing and the ability to use creativity. Sometimes I forget that I enjoy it so much, especially when there are five million projects on my desk. But, I can't help smiling when I see the finished product or the results of a great program. I also find myself smiling at other practitioners' programs. There are so many creative people in our profession and the only way to join them is to study their work, understand the applicable ideas and create something of your own.

Why do you volunteer for PRSA?

I can not say enough good things about PRSA. It is so important to have a group of professionals who share similar interests and jobs. I am constantly inspired and impressed by the people involved with PRSA and their accomplishments. I guess I want to be guilty by association.

I also want to mention that as a recent college graduate I saw lots of opportunities to help students get involved with PR. I am very happy with my profession and see PRSA as a way to help spread the word.

What does PRSA bring to you?

New friends, new contacts and new ideas. I think PRSA has done a good job of creating a good assortment of programs that really cater to all aspects of our profession. We all can't be part of every activity, but it is great to have choices. It's nice to be able to learn something at a workshop, rub elbows with the seasoned practitioners at the Gala or speak with students at the Student Outreach Committee events.

What's one prediction you have for the next 50 years in PR?

I will predict the obvious: Tools and technology will make our jobs easier, but will become commonplace and will only increase our work! Social media and the Internet are constantly changing the way in which we work, it is hard to image the "next big thing" in PR but I know it is coming.

What's one piece of advice you would provide to other young practitioners?

Hard work, the ability to learn or change and a positive attitude are the keys to success. We are the future of our profession and will be sitting in the manager seat one day, so we need to learn something from every experience. Take notes on the things you like and don't like about your job and use them to make yourself a better leader. Don't ever feel like you have no options and that things can't change.

What's one piece of advice you would provide to "more senior" (not old!) practitioners?

Younger professionals and students always look up to you, so please don't write us off as young and inexperienced. We are so "in awe" of your accomplishments and love to hear stories about your successes and humorous downfalls. We have the drive and want to learn from the best, so don't forget to reach out to us.

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June 5

Professional Development Conference: Tools & Trends for Communicators

Join PRSA Puget Sound for a valuable half-day conference to sharpen your skills working with new media, speechwriting, media relations and strategy development. Speakers include Jason Reindorp, director for Microsoft Zune, who'll share how the company launched its music player using new media and online communities. Other sessions will cover speechwriting for the public and private sectors; the latest in digital storytelling tools from academia and corporate practitioners; and a media panel, featuring NPR's Tom Banse, Seattle PI business reporter Bill Virgin and Jay Greene from BusinessWeek who'll discuss emerging trends in print and electronic media. Corporate creativity coach Annette Moser-Wellman, author of "Five Faces of Genius," will lead a dynamic session on innovation and unleashing creating at work. Don't wait to register for this year's program! The last PRSA professional development seminar sold out early.

Sponsored in part by Microsoft Corporation, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and the University of Washington School of Communications.

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Totems memories available on-line

Wish you had some photos to commemorative your big night at the 2008 Totems? Visit Sun Photography's photo gallery to order your own set. $49 for a DVD slideshow or order individual prints for as little as $2.75 for a 4x6.

Enjoy!

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Interested in Submitting an item for Newsflash?

Members interesting in submitting content for Newsflash should please send it to the Rachel Tynan at rtynan@canada.com by the 25th of each month.

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