The Minneapolis office of today announced the promotion of four employees in its Public Affairs, Farm and Food Advocacy and Consumer Marketing practices.

was promoted to account group manager in the Corporate, Community and Public Affairs practice. Maurer has been central in sustaining and growing Weber Shandwick’s Minnesota-based corporate and public affairs leadership, both through establishing new client relationships and expanding existing ones. His account leadership has guided his clients smoothly through national and local media relations initiatives, government relations efforts, sports marketing, and special events planning and execution. Before joining Weber Shandwick, Maurer spent seven years working in the National Football League, most recently as marketing manager for the Minnesota Vikings. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Saint John’s University.

was promoted to account group manager in the Farm and Food Advocacy practice. She joined Weber Shandwick in 2010 as a highly experienced writer, editor and project manager. She works tirelessly to bring innovative and strategic ideas to clients. Steigman leads several aspects of the Syngenta account, including trade media relations as well as influencer identification and outreach. She also delivers excellent results for a spectrum of other clients including the American College of Surgeons. Prior to Weber Shandwick, Steigman served as the membership marketing and public relations manager for Scientific Societies. She also worked as a reporter for a Wisconsin newspaper. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and a master’s degree in technical communication from Metropolitan State University.

was promoted to senior account executive in the Farm and Food Advocacy practice. Since joining Weber Shandwick as an intern in 2008, she has applied her dependability, deep passion for her work and strong project management skills to deliver outstanding results to farm and food sector clients. She played an important role on Syngenta’s trade media relations effort around the deregulation of the Agrisure Viptera corn trait, as well as managing dozens of Agrisure Viptera Experience Events over the summer of 2010. Before Weber Shandwick, Carnes worked as a public information student assistant at Luther College and interned with Cargill, Inc. Carnes holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and management from Luther College, where she graduated summa cum laude.

was promoted to account executive in the Consumer Marketing practice. She joined Weber Shandwick in 2009 as an intern and immediately dedicated herself to intensive work on the 2010 Census account. Her media monitoring and media relations skills have been a great asset to both the Census and a variety of other clients, including Kemps and the U.S. Army. Previously, Hopp interned at Delta Sky Magazine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and business administration from the University of Southern California.

Remember to say Thank You

Memorial Day is a highly emotional day for me. I love this country and I am very grateful for the opportunities I have been given.

What sacrifices have I had to make for the freedoms I have today? Not much. In comparison to many of our men and women that have put themselves in harms way, I have given very little.

Having worked in the defense industry for nearly eight years, I had the good fortune of working side-by-side with some extraordinary men and women. What can I say on a day like this except THANK YOU. I am very humbled by the sacrifices you have made for our freedoms. Today I don't want you to go unnoticed.

DATE
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
TIME
6:00–8:00 p.m.
(6:00 p.m. check-in)
LOCATION
*
110 N 5th St


*Attendees please head to the 10th floor upon arrival for check-in before proceeding to the rooftop.
PRICE
$10 members
$15 nonmembers
Price increases by $5 after June 10 and must be paid at the door

Meet & Mingle—a Rooftop Experience
Calling all Twins fans and public relations professionals! The next Minnesota PRSA Meet & Mingle is for you. You will have the opportunity to network with some of Minnesota’s best and brightest public relations professionals on a downtown rooftop with Target Field as your backdrop.

Hosted by Carmichael Lynch Spong, this rooftop experience will provide you the opportunity to learn more about the award-winning agency from President Doug Spong.
Appetizers and drinks included.

Parking: The best ramp option is Ramp C on the corner of 4th St & 2nd Ave. North. Light rail is another great option if it’s accessible. Please allow extra time for traffic as the Twins game is the same night.

Twitter hashtag: #MeetMingle and

Thank you in advance to our sponsor, Carmichael Lynch Spong for your support of Minnesota PRSA programming!

The Minneapolis office of announced has joined the firm’s Public Affairs practice as an account group manager.

Gordon joins Weber Shandwick after serving for five years in the office of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, most recently as the director of communications and spokesman. In addition to advising Pawlenty, he coordinated the communications efforts of 25 state agencies, counseling commissioners and communication directors in crisis situations and collaborating on agency communications plans. Gordon was also the primary contact in the Governor’s Office for emergency and natural disaster response. Prior to serving in the Governor’s Office, Gordon was the director of communications at the Minnesota Department of Commerce for eight years. He has also worked as a program director, news director and talk show host in a variety of media markets.

Gordon will bring his extensive experience and leadership in state government and public policy issues to many of Weber Shandwick’s public affairs accounts, focusing on legislative avenues for encouraging growth.

Discover Boating is hitting the marketing waters just in time for summer boating season with new work from Olson.

Olson, the recreational boating industry’s agency-of-record, has created the campaign, “Welcome to the Water,” launching a mix of traditional and non-traditional marketing, including community engagement through social media, CRM and loyalty, and mobile.

More than 68 percent of Americans do not take part in recreational boating each year — a wide audience to reach. The new campaign, rolling out this month, is based on the premise that boating is a social activity and that inviting more people to enjoy the pleasures of boating first-hand will grow the industry.

Discover Boating is a national awareness campaign developed by the recreational boating industry in the U.S. and Canada and managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Discover Boating programs focus on improving the boating experience and building interest in recreational boating by providing a resource for Americans to explore the benefits, affordability and accessibility of the boating lifestyle. To find out more, visit DiscoverBoating.com.

To view the portal, visit:

http://ocointeractive.com/_oco/_pressportal/discoverBoating/

SCHERMER today announced the hiring of Becky Gauerke as a senior account manager. In her new role, Gauerke will lead branding, marketing and digital communications initiatives for clients including Datacard Group, Universal Hospital Services and IDeaS, a SAS Company.

“Becky’s outstanding B2B experience is matched only by her strong leadership capabilities,” said agency president, Chris Schermer. “Her expertise in business-to-business marketing is an asset to the agency and its clients.”

Most recently, Gauerke was a successful marketing and PR executive at KC Associates, where she developed and executed communications programs for B2B clients including Accenture, WindLogics and SmeadSoft.

Gauerke’s also served as national marketing director at BORN, a Minneapolis-based IT consulting firm that was later acquired by Fujitsu consulting. Prior to BORN, Gauerke was senior account executive at Tunheim Partners, where she is credited for helping the local agency grow into one of the top regional PR firms.

Spyglass Creative announced today that Reeher LLC has selected the branding agency to help it prepare for significant growth in the marketplace. The Saint Paul-based software company provides web platforms with capabilities in planning, prediction and measurement to help universities and colleges improve higher education fundraising results. As business rapidly increases, Spyglass is working with Reeher to build recognition of the company as the leading organization that revolutionized higher education fundraising.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Reeher,” says Molly Rice, Spyglass Creative CEO. “They’ve got a proven business concept and have already developed a solid reputation for bringing a scientific focus to the art of higher-ed fundraising. We’re working with them to build the strategy and creative solutions to drive awareness of their revolutionary approach and leadership in the industry – tied to bottom line business results.”

Spyglass Creative provides integrated, holistic brand consulting with a strategic, results-driven focus, serving a growing roster of mid-size clients looking to redefine or launch into new markets. The agency pulls from extensive business-to-business and business-to-consumer expertise and a proven strategic branding process to improve and quantify business results during a client’s transition time—whether a company is experiencing a product launch, an acquisition or new market expansion.

“Spyglass suits our business particularly well,” says Andrew Reeher, president of Reeher LLC.  “We needed help describing a completely new service to a market with a very unique culture, and Spyglass brings a great blend of creativity, listening and pragmatism that help ensure we are spending our dollars wisely. We look forward to growing our business with them.”

The Minneapolis office of today announced the hiring of four new employees in its Consumer Marketing, Technology and Healthcare practices.

has been hired as an account supervisor in the Consumer Marketing practice. Thompson has nearly nine years of experience planning and executing non-traditional PR campaigns for clients spanning the healthcare, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods and business-to-business fields, including UnitedHealthcare, Audio-Technica, Kawai, Shure and ÜBER Pretzels. Prior to Weber Shandwick, he worked at Morsekode and as an editor with CarTech Books. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from the University of Minnesota.

has been hired as an account executive in the Technology practice group. Pittenger’s experience with diversified manufacturing makes her a great asset to the agency’s technology clients. Prior to Weber Shandwick, Pittenger worked with a local agency’s manufacturing team and as a marketing coordinator at DataSync. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business communications and French from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.

has joined the Healthcare practice as an account executive. She brings excellent media relations and writing skills paired with extensive experience in the healthcare field to Weber Shandwick’s clients. She holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with an emphasis in public relations from the University of Minnesota.

has joined the Healthcare practice as an assistant account executive. Post brings his analytical and copywriting skills to numerous clients, including the American College of Surgeons. Prior to joining Weber Shandwick, Post worked as a professional services analyst at The Nielsen Company. He also developed messaging and writing for State Rep. Marty Seifert’s gubernatorial campaign last year. Post holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Minnesota.

New business momentum continues for Risdall Marketing Group (RMG) in April, resulting in six new or expanded engagements, on top of seven new accounts in March. New clients include Total Luxury Limousine, the preferred transportation provider in the Twin Cities, National Checking Company, specializing in food service and hospitality industry products, and Zigler Cat, one of the largest Caterpillar® dealers in the U.S.  

• Total Luxury Limousine -  Website development, advertising, sales collateral, social media and search engine marketing
• National Checking Company - Marketing communications consulting
• Minnesota Foreign Trade Zone – Expanded engagement to include website development
• Zigler Cat – Creative, media planning and buying
• Strategic Source –  Strategy, branding, messaging, website development, sales collateral and marketing
• – Search engine optimization and video production

Independent local communications agency LaBreche today announced that has been promoted to assistant account executive.

Cribben began her public relations career as an account assistant at LaBreche in June 2010 and has recently been promoted to an assistant account executive. Prior to joining LaBreche, Cribben previously worked as an intern in the media and public relations department at the American Academy of Neurology and in the communications department at Minnesota Public Radio. Her client roster includes: MicroCare Medical, iSirona, Bioenergy Life Science, Inc., Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center (GPTRAC) and Meritas Law Firms Worldwide.

Cribben graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities with a master of arts degree in health communication.

After much deliberation, I have decided to renew my membership to . It was not an easy decision to make, because it is no small investment to make for self/unemployed individual but in the broader context it really was pretty obvious.

You see, without PRSA there would be no MNPR Blog. This blog started as a social experiment that elevated me to a visibility I otherwise would not have attained. PRSA has taught me three things that I think every communicator needs to be aware of:

1. If you think you are smart, you are dumber than you know. There have been times in my career where I have been frustrated by people's inability to see things my way. Conversely, I know there have been times when supervisors have been frustrated by my lack of understanding of what they were thinking. As Socrates said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." The hard part about this is many times as PR pros we have to be the trusted adviser that does know what is best. PRSA has taught me to fight these battles wisely.
2. In our business COMMUNITY is everything. The only people I don't trust in this industry are those that don't have a healthy network. Because it is impossible to know everything, as a mentioned above, it is important to have a community to rely on. For me this community has often times been PRSA. Obviously, there are other groups that can provide value, but I feel PRSA always seems to bring it back to strategy and thought-leadership.
3. Diversity of opinion means good ideas. The more diversity you can incorporate into your ideas the better they will be. This is a lesson I learned in my time working as a defense contractor. The U.S. Military is the best at bringing people from all walks of life together to do good work. Because PRSA is a national organization it brings diversity to the table. The articles in are always relevant.

So while there have been times I felt our local chapter has been slow to respond to some of the important trends, I feel that PRSA has a strong history and an even stronger future. I am excited to see where the future will take us.

The accounting firm of Eide Bailly and Gia Brands Inc., creators of Guy Fieri Barbecue Sauces and Salsas, have chosen Minneapolis-based Maccabee Group as their public relations agency:

• Eide Bailly, the Fargo, N.D.-based accounting firm of CPAs and business advisors with 19 offices in nine states who serve nearly 39,000 clients, has hired Maccabee Group to provide corporate communications, media relations counsel and other marketing services
• Gia Brands, Inc., the Youngstown, Ohio-based marketers of a new line of barbecue sauces and salsas created by acclaimed Food Network TV chef Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and NBC-TV’s “Minute to Win It”), has hired Maccabee Group to handle national social media marketing, blogger relations and food product publicity.

Tunheim Partners today is pleased to announce that has been hired as an account executive.

Pierce has experience in consumer public relations, media relations and event planning. She will execute media relations through a mix of consumer and public education campaigns, including the Red Rock Corridor, Telvent, Roundy’s and ClearWay Minnesota .

Prior to joining Tunheim Partners, Pierce had internships at McFarland Cahill, the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Science Museum of Minnesota. Pierce is a graduate of St. Cloud State University , with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in psychology.

Ever since I entered the PR field in 1999, I have made my membership to PRSA a priority. Frankly, I never understood why more people don't have the same passion for professional development as I do?

That said, I am current;y rethinking whether PRSA is the best bang for my professional development dollars in this season of unemployment. I feel like other organizations better align with my passions and skill sets. I am at a stand still. The only thing I can think of is to do an online poll. Please take a moment to fill this out:

yesterday joined Gabriel deGrood Bendt (GdB) in the role of Director, Strategy. She comes to GdB following three years at SuperValu, most recently as Vice President, Brand Marketing. Her responsibilities at GdB will include strategic insights and planning, business analysis and account management.

After completing her B.A. from St. Olaf College and receiving a marketing communications certificate from the MBA program at the University of St. Thomas, Warren began her career as an account executive at Campbell Mithun. In 2002, she advanced to the role of Senior Strategist with Br&nd Innovators (a Campbell Mithun company), working with clients Coca-Cola, Polaroid, Land O’Lakes and Honeywell.

At SuperValu, Warren was initially responsible for the successful concept, development, infrastructure and implementation of an innovative in-store nutritional navigation program called nutrition iQ®. She went on to become Director of Marketing Planning and Program Development before assuming the VP, Brand Marketing title.

“We’re delighted to have Katie join us,” said Tom Gabriel, CEO. “Her experience with retail and consumer packaged goods will add depth to our team, and help us provide more extensive marketing and overall business support. In addition, her talents and personality are a great fit for us and our clients.”

Especially this spring, we’ve all had the weatherman disappoint us with erroneous forecasts and conjectures, leaving us with nothing but flip flops in a blizzard and an umbrella in the sun. But a new campaign for Subaru of America from local advertising agency Carmichael Lynch offers a solution to commuting weather woes: a Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive Subaru. You are always prepared for what Mother Nature throws your way when you have Subaru’s All-Wheel Drive system that can direct power where it is needed most.

The campaign contains several television spots that are running on popular broadcast and cable networks during high-profile, comedy and news programs beginning today, May 9.

Eric Raarup, Sr. VP of Marketing for Avtex and a local Fortune 1000 will reveal fascinating insights and provide examples of innovations in marketing technology. They'll discuss the latest industry trends and share their experiences and lessons learned and leave you with practical advice on how to more effectively engage and influence customers and prospects.

The rapid adoption of mobile, video, gesture recognition and web-based applications has significantly transformed how we communicate. Customers expect immediacy and marketers must work in real-time. It's all about speed, convenience and accessibility. With multiple touch points and ever-changing methods of communication, it's critical for marketers to identify priorities and focus on the end-goal. Then, finding ways to replicate and reuse content is key.

Expect this to be a lively panel discussion that will leave you with up-to-the-minute advice on how to apply technology to optimize your marketing campaigns. Take away new insights on how to really connect with your audience in a way that can significantly shorten the cycle from prospect to revenue.

Don’t miss out on this engaging and interactive marketing discussion.

Details

Date: May 17, 2011

Time: 7:30 am Registration / Breakfast

8:00-9:00 am Presentation


Cost: $30 for BMA members

$45 for non-members

Location






Register now.

• The environments we work in can make or break us. The right fit can fuel success, and the wrong fit can deplete everyone.
• Working in a culture where all employees believe in the company’s core values is more enjoyable and productive.
• The potential for a long-term engagement is much higher, which is good for everyone.

• Look beyond the resume and skills assessment. Don’t get me wrong – having the right skill set and experience is an absolute necessity; but that alone is not enough. Take time to explore a candidate’s personal qualities and strengths to determine in what environment they are most likely to thrive.
• Think about how he/she will complement the existing team. At Beehive, we use tools such as Clifton Strengths Finder to better understand a candidate’s natural strengths and how they will fit the culture as well as interact with our clients.
• Make a personal connection. When you find a candidate who is the right fit on paper, invest the time to have several members of your team meet with him or her to do a culture and chemistry check.

• Know what you need to be successful. Think about what kind of workplace environment you thrive in and what kind of leadership style helps you excel. Take an objective look at what motivates you and what attributes and benefits you value most. This will set you up to ask the right kinds of questions and better evaluate each opportunity.
• Have clear professional goals in mind. Identify your top career goals for the future and decide if the organization is the right one to help you get there. Having clarity here will also ensure that you’re going towards something meaningful.
• Make a personal connection. Before accepting a position, ask to meet the day-to-day team and supervisor with whom you would work. Tour the workspace to see whether or not you can picture yourself in that environment.

Beehive PR has added three new clients to its roster: nonprofit media enterprise Dialogue Earth , a spinoff from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, international fishing tournament organization FLW Outdoors and renowned Hazeltine National Golf Club .

Dialogue Earth has tapped Beehive’s Livewire services to drive brand awareness and attract sponsors. Livewire provides savvy PR expertise to brands that need a creative spark, strategic thinking or flawless activation – and need it fast. Beehive will provide Dialogue Earth with blogger outreach, media relations, social media strategy, content strategy and digital consulting.

Beehive expands its deep sports and sponsorship marketing expertise with leading sports brands FLW Outdoors and Hazeltine National Golf Club. FLW Outdoors – the largest fishing tournament organization in the world – has selected Beehive for national brand building, media relations, and digital and social media marketing. Hazeltine National Golf Club, which will host the 2016 Ryder Cup Matches, has selected Beehive to market the reopening of its renovated golf course, new clubhouse, and event and banquet facilities.

. has welcomed as an Account Supervisor and as an Assistant Account Executive.

In her new role, Bell will assist clients with corporate communications, strategy development, public affairs, crisis management, and reputation and issues management.

Prior to joining Himle Horner, Bell spent several years in corporate communications at SUPERVALU INC., focusing on reputation management, public affairs, issues management and crisis communications for the Fortune 50 grocery company. Prior to SUPERVALU, Bell worked as Director of Public Relations for National Journal Group, a political publishing company in Washington, D.C. In that role, she directed and executed all public and media relations activities for the company’s numerous print and online publications. She also has Capitol Hill experience, having served as Deputy Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Bell graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor’s degree in politics. A native of the Minneapolis area, Bell currently lives in Minnetonka with her husband and two sons.

As an Assistant Account Executive, Wotrang will assist clients with research, media relations, social media and tactical plan implementation.

Before joining Himle Horner, Wotrang worked at the Minnesota Senate as a Legislative Assistant. In her position, she worked with constituents and legislators on policy issues, crafted materials and managed social media efforts and bill tracking. She also serves on the marketing and promotions team of Breaking Free, a St. Paul non-profit organization, where she helps produce events and coordinate involvement of volunteers, officials and media. She has additional experience in grassroots advocacy, issues campaigns, online and social media advocacy and media outreach.

Wotrang earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science, mass communications and sociology from the University of Minnesota. She is a native of Rockford, Minn.

Beehive PR is a strategic PR boutique located in Saint Paul, Minn. We help our clients find creative paths from where they are to where they want to be. Our inspiration comes from listening to what key audiences need, then engaging them when and where it matters most to drive powerful business results.

Our team of savvy strategists comes from a wide range of backgrounds – big agencies, small start-ups and major corporations. The one thing we all have in common: we pursue our work and our lives with curiosity, dedication and energy. We’ve done award-winning work for some of the best-known and most-loved brands in the world. And our clients value the experience we bring because it blends best practices and new thinking.

We do our best work for clients who are ready for game-changing thinking and eye-popping results. Our expertise runs deep in industries where uncommonly sharp communication is critical to success – consumer and retail, sports marketing, financial services, technology, manufacturing, med-tech, healthcare and crisis management. Beehive has worked on behalf of industry leaders, heritage brands, up-and-comers and more.

Beehive is talent rich because we're talent friendly. We know that a healthy work/life balance, access to the best available technology and a commitment to lifelong learning keeps our teams fresh, engaged and at the top of their games. Our culture attracts and keeps top talent, and that means best-in-class teams for our clients.

Beyond traditional benefits like performance-based bonuses, flexible work schedules and a generous PTO policy, Beehive offers programs and services to promote a healthy workplace and vibrant culture. Some additional “perks,” include flexible schedules; monthly group lunches to celebrate “lesser known holidays”; private onsite fitness classes; and a robust professional development program.