CSG Nabs Kruzic & McCullough, Launches Tourism/Hospitality Practice

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Tourism and hospitality firms Kruzic Communications and McCullough Marketing have merged with Communications Strategy Group (CSG|PR), to create the newly formed CSG Tourism & Hospitality Practice.

“Kruzic Communications has had the good fortune to establish a highly successful and widely respected boutique PR firm that has consistently delivered solid, proven results for our clients,” said Cathy Kruzic. “Now it’s time to ‘triple-up’ our capabilities and expand our influencer relations services through our new partnership with Communications Strategy Group and McCullough Marketing.”

Welcome to the Dark Side, Mike Hooker

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I’m not sure which one of us has a more appropriate last name for being in the public relations business, but, regardless, congratulations to CBS4 reporter Mike Hooker. He has been named executive director of Public Affairs and Communications at Colorado State University. Hooker, who beat out about 100 other applicants, has spent the past 17 years at CBS4 as its Northern Colorado bureau reporter.

Amélie Nabs X-Games Champion Fisher as AE

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With the 2012 X Games now over, two-time Superpipe champion Steve Fisher has hung up his snowboard and joined Denver’s Amélie Company as a business account executive. From Amélie:

After 22 years of training and competing on the slopes, Fisher decided to give a run at something new. Moving away from the physical challenge that comes with being a professional athlete, Fisher will pursue an intellectual challenge and work on fulfilling another lifetime ambition. Fisher will assist with Amélie’s business development activities, working in tandem with the agency’s principals to expand the company’s client portfolio into new industries.

“I have always been fascinated with the way snowboarding brands and companies utilize agencies to come up with creative campaigns,” says Fisher. “In my snowboarding career, my individual performance drew 100 percent of the focus even though I always had support behind me. I look forward to stepping out of the spotlight and into a supportive role where I can influence the essential development process behind producing an attention-worthy final product.”

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are Allied-THA, ABMP, Baptie & Company, Charles Schwab & Co., Gevo, Grand Junction Convention and Visitors Bureau, St. Anthony Hospital (part of Centura Health), Summit Business Media, Trimble Navigation, Trust America, VOCA Public Relations (part-time), Western Union, United States Olympic Committee (Colorado Springs), Cortez (Colo.) Journal, Montrose (Colo.) Daily Press and Nebraska Life (presumably somewhere in Nebraska).

ESPIOC Seeks Social Media, PR Measurement Speakers

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The Emergency Services Public Information Officers of Colorado (ESPIOC) is seeking speakers for its upcoming training conference (May 17-18, Estes Park) on the following topics:

Social Media and Beyond: Digital Communications for Emergency Services PIOs
Using social media, e-newsletters, text alerts, mobile sites, video, blogs, RSS, etc. to communicate consistently in good times and bad. This presentation should include how to choose from among the many digital tools out there, how to use them effectively, and how to maintain a professional brand across all platforms. Includes actionable tips and tools to immediately implement in your organization. Should be geared for an intermediate level user; most attendees have had training in basic social media and many usesome of these tools regularly.

Show Me the Results: Tracking and Measuring Your PR Efforts
Public relations is not just “nice to have” — it’s “need to have.” In times when budgets are tightening, PR remains one of the best investments you can make in your organization. But some people need convincing.  Here are some best practices for tracking and measuring ROI for your in-house PR initiatives.

If you are interested in speaking, contact Andrea Burns.

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are the City of Greeley, Colorado Conservation Voters, Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Dairy Center for the Arts, Denver Water, EffectiveUI, GBSM, Mapquest, MillerCoors, Morris Visitor Publications, Rose Community Foundation, The Arthritis Foundation, University of Colorado Department of Alumni Relations and Communications, Vail Daily and Odney (Bismarck, N.D.).

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are Charles Schwab & Co., The Colorado Health Foundation, Downtown Denver Partnership, F+W Media, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, Mobile Accord, National Stroke Association, Newmont Mining, Prarie Mountain Publishing, The Denver Hospice, Women’s Crisis & Family Outreach Center, Colorado Springs Gazette, Craig Daily Press, Durango Herald and the Rawlins (Wyo.) Daily Times.

The Year in Review: 2011 Public Relations Disasters

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Here is the list of the year’s biggest PR disasters that I shared during an interview with 850 KOA’s April Zesbaugh this morning:

CORPORATE

Penn State University
Two years ago, Tiger Woods was the gold standard for PR debacles. Last year, it was the BP Gulf Coast oil spill. This year, that “honor” belongs to Penn State. In a matter of weeks, the university went from one of the nation’s most revered to one of the most reviled following its response – or more accurately its lack of a response – to a horrible child sex abuse scandal that saw two administrators indicted, a former assistant coach arrested and football coaching legend Joe Paterno fired. Making the situation even worse from a public relations perspective, the university had access to grand jury information for months and was still unprepared to deal with the fallout.

Netflix
Netflix was riding high as one of the few positive business stories in 2011. Subscriber numbers were up and the stock continued to defy the bleak economy. And then Netflix got cocky. The company inexplicably surprised customers and Wall Street by announcing a huge price increase as part of a plan to separate its streaming and DVD-by-mail services. Consumers reacted by canceling their service in droves, forcing Netflix to quickly backtrack and abandon its plans. But the damage was already done. The company lost more than a million subscribers and its stock price has dropped 75 percent from its highs this past summer.

Bank of America
Banks have joined oil companies as the businesses that people love to hate, and Bank of America felt that wrath in 2011. Bank of America badly underestimated the populist outrage that existed due to the bank bailouts when it announced a plan to introduce a $5 monthly fee for its debit card users. Bank of America expected other banks to quickly join it in charging the fee, but consumer outrage spread almost virally, leaving the bank on its own as Continue reading “The Year in Review: 2011 Public Relations Disasters” →

State of Colorado Sues Kirsten Hamling’s ‘Fired Up For Kids’

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Following recent questions about whether Traction Communications’ Kirsten Hamling misled firefighters and stole money intended for The Children’s Hospital Burn Center, the Colorado Attorney General’s office has filed suit against “Fired Up For Kids.” And the allegations are not pretty for Hamling. Among them:

15. In its solicitation materials, including materials sent to event sponsors as well as on its website, Fired Up For Kids has represented that it is a “Denver-based nonprofit organization” that donates all proceeds from special events and sales of The Colorado Firefighter Calendar to The Children’s Hospital Burn Center.
16. Fired Up For Kids also has represented itself in public solicitation materials as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
17. In fact, Fired Up For Kids never received 501(c)(3) status from the United States Internal Revenue Service. Nevertheless, upon information and belief, Fired Up For Kids never paid taxes.
18. Kirsten Hamling was the sole director of Fired Up For Kids and its founder. Ms. Hamling is also the sole signatory on Fired Up for Kids operating account, maintained at Wells Fargo Bank.
19. Almost immediately after the incorporation of Fired Up For Kids as a nonprofit corporation, Ms. Hamling began making charges of a personal nature to the Fired Up For Kids operating account. These charges continued through at least July 2010. Charges included money spent at nail and hair salons, money spent on gym memberships, money spent at department stores, and money spent on airline tickets to California. These charges had nothing to do with Fired Up For Kids.

So, based on the allegations, it appears that Hamling may either have admit that Fired Up For Kids is a non-profit and she misused and/or stole money it, or that Fired Up For Kids is a for-profit enterprise and she never paid taxes.

Arellano Replaces McMillan as Post Business Editor

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The fallout continues over at the Denver Post following last week’s news about 19 staffers accepting buyout offers. Today, Michael Roberts at Westword reports that the Post has announced internally a number of new assignments, and one surprising one is that Steve McMillan is out as business editor, replaced by deputy business editor Kristi Arellano. You can read the rest of the changes at Westword’s “Latest Word” blog.

Great Moments in Search Engines

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One of the most interesting parts of publishing this blog is seeing the search-engine queries that bring people here. Here is a list of some of my (verbatim) favorites from this week:

  • who does libby weaver hair
  • steve silvers gambling ring
  • adele arakawa net worth
  • deborah sherman swinger
  • katy sabin and drew soicher screwed
  • what is the difference between a pr person and a lobbyist
  • libby weaver bra

Denver Post Buyout Update

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The list of Denver Post employees who have accepted the paper’s buyout offer has started to trickle out is out:

  • Religion reporter (and obituary specialist) Virginia Culver
  • Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Keefe
  • Gossip columnist Bill Husted
  • Managing editor Jeanette Chavez
  • Theater critic John Moore
  • Fina arts critic Kyle MacMillan
  • Librarian Jan Torpy
  • Don Russell
  • Lifestyles reporter Sheba Wheeler
  • Sportswriter Natalie Meisler
  • Senior editorial assistant Pete Names
  • Designer Jackie Feldman
  • Information graphic designer Jonathan Moreno
  • Copy desk chief Joe Hudson
  • Robert Smith
  • Feature design director Jim Carr
  • Denver Newspaper Agency (reprints) Joyce Anderson
  • Photographer John Prieto
  • Reporter Jeff Leib
Update: The Denver Business Journal reports that 19 Denver Post staffers accepted a buyout.

Update II: Michael Roberts at Westword has the complete list of the 19 staffers who are leaving, and offers some perspective on what their departures might mean for the Post.

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, the City of Boulder, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (unpaid intern), FCC Services, Financial Planning Standards Board, Medtronic Navigation, Oncure Medical Corp., Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, PlanSource, Rally Software, St. Julien Hotel and Spa, The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Western Union, NANA Development (Colorado Springs) and the Weld County District Attorney’s Office (Greeley).

Another Sad Reality of Fewer Column Inches

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One of the sad realities of newspapers continually cutting back the column inches they publish every day is the loss of some of the traditional services they provided, including obituaries. Many of you may know Don Shook, who prior to moving to Las Vegas spent 27 years in Denver with Channel 4, Coors and the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office. His wife, Maggie, passed away last month and Don was shocked to find that the Post wanted $1,600 to publish her obituary. Don fired off the letter below to the Post, but has yet to see it published or receive a response.

Dear Editor:

My wife of 37 years just got her dying wish, thanks to The Denver Post.  Maggie passed away last week in our Las Vegas home after many years of pain and suffering. She made it absolutely clear that she wanted NO obituary notices; however, after 25 years of living in Golden, I was willing to risk her wrath on “the other shore” to share news of her passing with our considerable number of friends along the Front Range. She will indeed get her wish regarding your newspaper.

I built a modest obituary into the paper’s template, along with a recent photo that captures her nicely.  To run it three days would be just under $1,600.  Does The Denver Post expect me to singlehandedly save the organization from financial doom? With the recent news of yet morestaff reductions being sought, is the newspaper hoping to stave off closure of its daily publication by capitalizing on people at such a moment of profound grief?

Given your apparent lack of feeling for the community you purport to serve, perhaps the time may come when we all read of the Post’s own obituary. For the sake of your many fine employees, I hope not.

Donald Shook

There will be a memorial for Maggie next summer in Golden. If you are interested in reconnecting with Don, you can reach him through his PR firm in Las Vegas.

Bawmann Hires One, Wins Several

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Things are hopping at The Bawmann Group. The firm announced it has been retained by the Centers for Health and Public Safety, Kaiser Permanente-Colorado and the College for Financial Planning to provide a variety of marketing and public relations services such as web development, advertising campaign development, social media strategy and community outreach. TBG also was awarded a new contract by the State of Colorado to manage advertising and PR for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program.

Additionally, TBG has added Kelly Heavey as account executive. Heavey is a University of Kansas graduate and most recently handled social media and public relations for the sustainability grant under the direction of the mayor of Lincoln, Neb.

RIP LeGrand Hart

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Denver public relations agency LeGrand Hart appears to have shut its doors for good. The news is surprising since the firm ranked second in revenue in the Denver Business Journal’s 2007-2008 Book of Lists ($2.70 million in revenue). But it was second only to Schenkein ($2.72 million in revenue), so maybe we should expect the unexpected.

For old time’s sake, here is the ranking of agencies that appeared in 2007-2008, the last time the DBJ ranked public relations firms:

1. Schenkein ($2.72 million)
2. LeGrand Hart ($2.70 million)
3. JohnstonWells ($2.65 million)
4. PRACO/Vladimir Jones ($2.51 million)
5. MGA ($2.29 million)
6. Pure Brand ($2.13 million)
7. GroundFloor Media ($2.10 million)
8. Linhart ($2.09 million)
9. CTA Integrated ($1.86 million)
10. Turner PR ($1.65 million)
11. CLS ($1.56 million)
12. 104 West ($1.51 million)
13. Webb PR ($1.35 million)
14. Bawmann Group ($1.28 million)
15. Metzger ($1.10 million)
16. VisiTech ($1.10 million)
17. LawsComm ($1.07 million)
18. InterMountain ($1.05 million)
19. Catapult ($0.92 million)
20. Corporate Advocates ($0.83 million)
21. Volume PR ($0.83 million)
22. SJI Ltd. ($0.75 million)
23. October Strategies ($0.74 million)
24. Aiello PR ($0.70 million)
25. Capitol Solutions ($0.69 million)

Sander Resigns from Sports Board Following Gambling Allegations

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The high-end gambling ring that took down Denver Post sports columnist/reporter Jim Armstrong has claimed (partly) another victim: Steve Sander. Sander has resigned his seat on the Metro Denver Sports Commission board to “to prevent any misperceptions about the organization” that could arise from his name being linked to the gambling ring.

Sander also serves as director of strategic marketing for Denver, and a city spokeswoman told the Post that he will be allowed to complete the term of his contract that expires at the end of this year.

Yost Launches Fyn PR in Fort Collins

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Nicole Yost has launched Fyn (pronounced fine) Public Relations, a full-service public relations agency based on Fort Collins. Fyn PR is the agency of record for the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Midtown Arts Center, Backbone Gourmet Grub & Brewhouse, Perfect Square and Fred’s Used Websites. It also manages PR for several project clients as well, including the upcoming Snow Sculpture in the Dark event put on by Engaging Loveland.

Hits to Traction Communications’ Hamling Keep Coming

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The hits to Traction Communications’ Kirsten Hamling keep coming. KMGH/Channel 7 has an update on a story CBS4 broke about Hamling’s alleged theft of money intended for The Children’s Hospital. According to KMGH’s Lance Hernandez, “the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation has issued a cease-and-desist order” against her organization, Fired Up For Kids. And sources indicate that the amount of the alleged theft is at least $50,000.

Additionally, Hernandez talked to a firefighter who appeared in the calendar who says he is “betrayed and hurt that all calendar money may not have gone to burn victims.”

UPDATE: CBS4 News Director Tim Wieland says that no cease-and-desist order has been filed, but that future calendar sales and events are on hold pending an investigation. And according to the Denver Post, TCH has asked the calendar maker to stop using its name until that independent investigation is completed.

Traction PR’s Hamling Denies Theft of Fire Calendar Money

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A follow-up to yesterday’s post about a CBS4 investigation into Traction Communications’ Kirsten Hamling over missing money intended for The Children’s Hospital. Through her lawyers, Hamling has now explained that Fired Up for Kids actually was never a non-profit/charity and that she is under no obligation to donate the proceeds of its firefighter calendar to The Children’s Hospital’s burn unit. Classy.

CBS4 Investigating Traction PR’s Hamling for Fire Calendar Theft

~ Jeremy Story ~ 1 Comment

CBS4 investigative reporter Rick Sallinger is hot on the trail of Traction Communications’ Kirsten Hamling over missing money intended for The Children’s Hospital’s burn unit. Hamling is the founder of Fired Up for Kids, a non-profit that creates beefcake firefighter calendars that benefit TCH’s burn unit, but questions are now surfacing over whether she pocketed the money instead.

UPDATE: The Denver Post reports that the Denver District Attorney’s office is investigating.

Gambling Ring Implicates Armstrong, Sander

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It isn’t as juicy as the Denver Players Club scandal, but this weekend’s report of a high-end Colorado gambling ring has done what the Players Club scandal couldn’t do: name names. Among those who have been caught up in the ring are Denver Post sportswriter Jim Armstrong (who was fired Friday when his name surfaced) and Steve Sander, Denver’s director of strategic marketing and a member of the Metro Denver Sports Commission’s board of directors.

The silver lining for Denver Post colleagues is that Armstrong represents one less layoff that may come should the newspaper’s buyout program not yield results.

‘Content Fusion’ Just Marketing Hype

~ Jeremy Story ~ 1 Comment

When I was a vice president at Weber Shandwick, I spent a lot of my time – 60 percent, if you believed my job description – having conversations with prospective clients, and I was always looking for a hook that would let me have a different kind of conversation with them than my competitors could have.

So I was curious about the agency’s announcement last week of its new “content fusion” approach to integrated storytelling that promises to identify “what stories can be told in which formats and where to drive those stories.”

After watching the video and reading the white paper, it is clear that “content fusion” is both brilliant and disappointing. It is brilliant because it give Weber Shandwick another proprietary hook to have unique conversations with a prospective client, and disappointing because it boils down to simply acknowledging that some stories are better told using video and graphics. Hardly innovative stuff, but you have to give Weber Shandwick credit for the fancy packaging.

Dovetail Solutions has Acquired Story + Welch …

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… and I am joining dovetail as president:

DENVER – November 2, 2011 – dovetail solutions today announced that it has acquired Story + Welch LLP, a Denver-based public relations firm that focuses on B2B, professional services and technology clients. The acquisition expands dovetail’s client roster and strengthens its ability to offer its signature Strategic Community Investment-focused communications approach.

As part of the transaction, Story + Welch co-founder Jeremy Story will join dovetail solutions as president, reporting to dovetail founder and CEO Andy Boian. Story has more than 15 years of experience developing and executing high-profile communications campaigns for organizations ranging from the Fortune-100 to private start-ups. Among the companies he has counseled over the course of his career are CIGNA, H&R Block, Sun, American Airlines, ExxonMobil, StorageTek, tw telecom and Faegre & Benson.

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are 90octane (part-time), Adams County School District 50, Catholic Health Initiatives, Colorado AIDS Project Red Ball Event (intern), Financial Planning Association, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, MillerCoors, OptumHealth (UnitedHealth Group), Raytheon Office of Economic Development (State of Colorado), SunEdison, Talk Shop, Trimble Navigation, Vail Resorts, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Wyoming (Laramie, Wyo.), and Pulse (Las Cruces, N.M.).

Armada Medical, GroundFloor Lead CHC ‘Gold Leaf’ Awards

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Congratulations to Armada Medical Marketing, GroundFloor Media, Linhart PR, CSG and Welch Creative for winning awards at the 2011 Colorado Healthcare Communicators Gold Leaf Awards. Using the proprietary, highly sophisticated Denver PR Blog formula (three points for a gold, two points for a silver and one point for a bronze), the winners were:

1.  GroundFloor Media (7 points) – One gold, two silver
1.  Armada Medical Marketing (7 points) –  Three silver, one bronze
3.  Welch Creative Group (3 points) – One gold
3.  Linhart PR (3 points) – Three bronze
5.  Communications Strategy Group (2 points) – Two bronze

Also, congratulations to The Colorado Health Foundation’s Chuck Reyman, who was named the Colorado Healthcare Communicators’ “Professional of the Year.”

PRSA Colorado’s Chapter Retreat – CoLab

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The CoLab (formerly the PRSA Chapter Retreat) will feature hands-on, intentionally collaborative workshops that will encourage and inspire you to build chemistry with fellow industry professionals, test your limits and expand your capabilities. You’ll develop a strategic mindset, strengthen your relationships and pick up practical tips.

Early-Bird Pricing through Oct. 27: Fees for PRSA Colorado members is $130 for full retreat, $50 for keynote lunch only, or $25 for Young Pros session only. Non-member fees are $170 for full retreat, $65 keynote lunch only, or $35 for Young Pros only. Student discounts available for $65-$85. Click here for details. Continue reading “PRSA Colorado’s Chapter Retreat – CoLab” →