Keynote: Peter Shankman, social media expert & entrepreneur will discuss ADHD and social media in his address, “Creativity + ADHD = Explosion”. Shankman has been described as “a spectacular example of what happens when you merge the power of creativity with ADHD and a dose of adventure, and make it work to your advantage.”

The Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) celebrated the best public relations campaigns of 2011 during the 34th annual Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards, held last night at Windows on Minnesota in downtown Minneapolis. The awards banquet, emceed by KARE 11 reporter Jana Shortal and Joel Swanson, president of Risdall Public Relations, was attended by more than 250 public relations and communications professionals from area agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations, as well as independent practitioners.

34^th Annual PRSA Classics Winners

Job Opening: Webmaster/Copywriter Position (Full-Time)

Online marketing agency aimClear and the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce announce that they will host the inaugural Zenith Social Media Conference May 23, 2012, in Duluth, Minnesota. The conference is designed for marketers, advertisers and public relations professionals looking to conquer the social media space, boost online engagement, increase social market share and avoid wasteful social media campaigns. The Zenith Conference is a locally hosted national conference designed to empower Duluth, Twin Cities and regional social media marketers at all levels.

The biggest annual marketing and technology conference in the Midwest, presented by the oldest interactive marketing association in America. Join us as we mark the 11th Anniversary of the MIMA Summit. Since 2001, we’ve been getting to share the latest in digital thinking, and over the years our community has become a world leader in all things interactive marketing (and development). But we’re not bragging.
Join MIMA and more than 1,000 of the brightest minds in the Midwest to become more inspired about the many amazing innovation that are taking place in the digital space.

Keynotes
Look who we’ve got this year for keynotes!

• Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop.com, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics on the web, and founding partner of Garage Technology Ventures.

• Jane McGonigal, Creative Director, Social Chocolate. Author of The New York Times best seller, Reality Is Broken.

Registration
Registration is now open! The first 50 MIMA members to register lock-in last year’s early bird rate of $395. Register by August 17 and save with our Early Bird Pricing!

Please contact the if you are looking to purchase a Corporate Table.

RFP - City of Brooklyn Park - Cultural Video Production

Karwoski & Courage Public Relations has hired as a digital production artist.

Fleishman-Hillard today announced the addition of Heather Sheriff as senior vice president.

Ever wondered what the Minnesota PRSA Business Community Outreach Committee is responsible for? Or thought about fine-tuning your event planning skills as a member of the Classics Committee?

Join PRSA for the first Meet & Mingle of 2012 at LaBreche on Thursday, March 22 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. As a primer for the Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards, representatives of each Minnesota PRSA committee will be on hand to provide an overview of their respective committee, highlight opportunities for involvement and answer any questions.

Hosted by LaBreche, this event will provide an opportunity for networking with fellow PR professionals while also learning more about Minnesota PRSA.

Twitter hashtags: #MeetMingle and

This event is sponsored by LaBreche. For more information about LaBreche, visit www.labreche.com.
See more Meet & Mingle events »

This post of "Journey to My Job" features Jim Accurso, Media and External Relations Manager for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Accurso started his position in January.

1. Tell me about your career path so far, and how you found each of your jobs.

My current PR career path began in 1997 when I volunteered to write the departmental newsletter for the China Accelerated Management Training Program (CAMP) while working as a contractor for Motorola University in Beijing. I was soon offered the Year2000 Communications Coordinator position with Motorola China in 1999. After repatriating in 2000, and with no vacancies in the Motorola corporate PR department in suburban Chicago, I returned to school to earn a Master of Science in Managerial Communications (MSC) degree from Northwestern University. As this was a weekends-only, executive program, I was free to immerse myself in volunteer PR work for my Catholic parish and school.

Jim Accurso

The PR jobs I’ve held began with recommendations from peers, co-workers and friends. I learned of the Marketing Communications Director position I had at Holy Family Parish in Inverness, Ill., from a friend; a co-worker there alerted me to the Assistant Director of Media Relations opening at the Archdiocese of Chicago; a fellow networker clued me in to the fact that the U.S. Census Bureau was looking for experienced media relations pros to fill Media Specialist opportunities for the 2010 Census; called to ask if I knew anyone interested in the Communications Director opening with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. I replied, “Yes, me!” and she saw that my resume was soon in the retiring director’s hands. Two months and four interviews later, I was offered the job I now have.

2. Describe what you do in your current position at the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

As the archdiocese’s Media and External Relations Manager, I handle all media inquiries; pitch stories; write releases, talking points, Q&As, statements and letters; provide advice and counsel on crisis situations and media opportunities, including interviews, articles and op-eds; contribute to the look, feel and content of the archdiocesan website; interact with my peers at local Catholic universities and agencies; and co-lead a newly-formed archdiocesan communications user’s group.

3. What worked well for you in your most recent job search?

In-person networking, and a willingness to meet and help others on their terms, worked best in my recent job search. In mid-October, I met a retired gentleman who very pointedly encouraged me to commit to meeting two people in person each day in addition to the myriad job search activities I was also engaged in, which included multiple job-networking groups, online job boards, and working with job coaches.

4. What would you have done differently in your most recent job search?

I would have jumped in feet-first — and been willing to meet more people face-to-face for coffee, etc. — much sooner in my recent job search. That said, relocating here from Chicago in April brought with it its own challenges, so I think I didn’t do all bad, especially when considering I was a finalist for two very good media relations jobs with Mayo Clinic and St. Paul Public Schools in June and August respectively.

5. What advice do you have for job seekers today?

The best advice I can give job seekers today is to keep all options on the table including volunteer, contracting, part-time and job-sharing opportunities. Also, seek out as many meetings as possible with fellow PR pros who are currently working; don’t be unwilling to pick up the phone or e-mail those you want to “talk shop” with; you’ll be surprised at how many positive responses you get.

Connect with Accurso through or .

 -- / Skogrand PR Solutions, LLC

Minneapolis-based public relations agency Maccabee has promoted to the new role of Social Media Director and Account Supervisor. Milanowski now directs social media strategies for all Maccabee clients, including online campaigns involving YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, blogs and content-driven search optimization programs. 

Bellmont Partners Public Relations has added assistant account executive Tara Cegla to its growing team. Cegla brings experience in media relations, writing and social media to the full-service agency.

Prior to Bellmont Partners, Cegla worked as a public relations intern for the 2011 Minnesota State Fair. There, she gained valuable experience in writing news releases, coordinating interviews, developing media kits, and managing social media. Cegla is also an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Cegla is a 2011 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication with an emphasis in public relations. Cegla was a copy editor and section editor for UW-Eau Claire’s campus newspaper, The Spectator. Her first PR role in college was when she helped plan one of Eau Claire's largest events, the Eau Claire Jazz Festival. She also served as public relations manager for UW-Eau Claire's student radio station, WUEC 89.7 FM, and was a public relations director for UW-Eau Claire's American Marketing Association chapter.

“We’re excited to welcome Tara to our growing team,” says Jen Bellmont, Bellmont Partners Vice President. “Her skills and experience have already had a big impact on our agency and clients, and we’re excited to add her expertise to our State Fair work in the coming months.”
Connect with Tara on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter

The Minnesota chapter of the today announced its new leadership roster for 2012. Minnesota PRSA is the 10th-largest chapter of PRSA, the world’s leading organization for public relations professionals.
Ethics Officer – Michael Porter, APR, University of Saint Thomas
Heather Cmiel, APR, Weber Shandwick
Jason Sprenger, APR, FICO
Linda Kohl, APR
Susan Beatty, APR, Bremer Financial Services
Susan Buckles, APR, Northwest Area Foundation
Theresa Skillrud, APR, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota