Jean Gonsoulin
It’s hard to believe that 2015 is winding down and we are beginning the process of reflection on the year we’ve had as a chapter.
Retracing our journey has to start with our recently held PRism Awards Ceremony and Dinner. What a spectacular evening! Those in attendance were dazzled by the Taglyan Cultural Complex from the moment they arrived, with a stunning patio entrance that featured lighted palms, an outdoor bar and a gorgeous GM Stingray front and center on display, and a jaw-dropping ballroom that gave an Oscars-worthy atmosphere to the room. More than 350 turned out to celebrate PR excellence in our industry and the program maintained a high-energy, fun vibe, thanks to dual professional hosts and door prize distributions throughout the evening. Our deepest thanks go out to a long list of outstanding sponsors, organizers and volunteers who made this evening possible and such a smashing success. Please visit our awards page to see photos and the names of our dedicated supporters.
Our chapter Board of Directors focuses a lot of attention on delivering member value and that goes to the heart of what we are about: professional development and networking opportunities that build and enhance the careers of PR professionals in the community. We endeavor to deliver programs and events that meet these objectives and 2015 was no exception. Among the highlights of what we offered this year:
- Our first Annual Meeting of the Membership, held in January in conjunction with the “State of the State of PR” program, where we presented the strategic plan for the year.
- A standing room crowd for our annual “State of the State of PR” on how content is evolving to tell our stories, featuring a blue-chip panel of six experts and moderated by Jerry Swerling.
- An outstanding Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium, co-hosted by PRSA-LA and USC’s Annenberg Strategic Communications and Public Relations Center, on “Diversity in an Age of Convergence” and featuring a panel of top industry experts.
- Two special evening professional development programs: how brands are sharing the spotlight at entertainment’s biggest events, and managing crises with case studies from experts representing some of LA’s most prominent industries.
- Five “At Breakfast With” panel programs with journalists representing ethnic media, local news media, top newswires, Los Angeles Business Journal, and our upcoming “field trip” to Telemundo in December.
- Three programs hosted by the Independent Practitioners Association committee on timely topics for freelancers and solo consultants; these panel presentations drew strong attendance from this growing community of practitioners
- A sell-out crowd of PR students for the third-annual “PRSSA One-Day Conference” at Loyola Marymount University, put on by board member and PRSSA Committee Chair Holly Ferris.
- The Western District Conference, hosted by PRSA-LA in downtown Los Angles, which drew more than 300 attendees and featured three renowned keynote speakers and 18 professional development workshops.
- A series of PR Prep Boot Camps launched by our APR Committee to help candidates prepare for the APR exam; we saw two chapter members – Alan Caldwell and Marisol Barrios – achieve this prestigious accreditation.
- Another very successful partnership with Social Media Week Los Angeles, this year for a standing-room-only session titled “L.A.’s Hometown Advantage for Branded Content”
- The 13th award-winning “Quality Time with PR Minds” event that drew 18 non-profit organizations and 55 volunteers who shared their professional expertise; this year’s event featured a presentation by Chanel Boutakadis, CEO at Five Acres – The Boy’s and Girl’s Aid Society of Los Angeles; named by Los Angeles Magazine one of the “10 Game Changers of 2015 who make the City of LA Great,” Chanel spoke about tackling the toughest social challenges facing Los Angeles.
- Our popular annual ConneXions Mixer for PR professionals – members and non-members alike – which was held in six locations around the city and hosted by PRSA-LA board members.
- A “Summer Social” at Beverly Hills’ beautiful Ocean Prime restaurant that drew nearly 150 people for cocktails and hors d’ouevres, and served as a free member benefit for members who attended.
- A follow-up survey to one issued in 2011 to examine the public relations profession’s impact on Los Angeles County’s economy, done in partnership with the LA County Economic Development Corporation; this revealing report was shared in a national news release, which received coverage in PR’s national trade publications; in addition, it was presented to the membership and Los Angeles Business Journal carried an Op-Ed authored by me, as president of the chapter.
In addition to these stand-out activities, there are so many things happening behind the scenes, including the production of this monthly blog, our membership recruitment and retention efforts, and the work that goes into our PRism Call for Entries. It takes a lot to run this chapter and it seems only appropriate as we near Thanksgiving that I give my personal and deepest thanks to our Board of Directors, our Committee chairs, our countless volunteers and our incredible Executive Director, Mindy Brundige. And thanks to all of you, our members, for participating and supporting us each and every day!
Warmly,
Jean Gonsoulin, PRSA-LA President
President, The Gonsoulin Group
jean@prsala.org
@JeanGonsoulin
