Lake Communicators Newsletter

May 2012

May Speaker: Melissa Wicinski and Marissa Beechuk of BrownFlynn "The Importance of an Effective Brand"

Lake Communicators is a
Lake County-based organization for those in the marketing and communication fields in Northeast Ohio. They promote and encourage responsible, creative, professional advertising, public relations and marketing efforts as well as provide opportunities for the professional betterment of members.

MONTHLY MEETINGS

Membership meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at Dino's Restaurant (4145 SR 306, Willoughby). Monthly lunch meetings are from 11:30 a.m. to
1 p.m. and include networking and a half-hour program. Guests are always welcome.

Advance reservations are required by emailing Shirley Wolfe, calling Diana Lewis at
440-255-8932, or on the Lake Communicators website by the Monday prior to the meeting. You may send a substitute; no-shows will be billed.

Members $15; guests $25.
Non-members must pre-pay their reservations through our website.

Watch our calendar for special meeting locations and events.

June Newsletter Deadline is Friday, May 11.

VOICE is a monthly newsletter produced by Lake Communicators, a Lake County-based organization for those in the marketing communications fields. We promote and encourage responsible, creative, professional advertising, public relations and marketing efforts, as well as provide opportunity for the professional betterment of members.

Board of Director meetings are held the Friday preceding the membership meeting at 8 a.m. at various locations in Lake County.

SPEAKER INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION

If you are coordinating an event or speaker, please submit the information in press release format for publication purposes (or at least, as an article) and attach a jpeg photo, if necessary. Send this information to all of the following:

    • Voice Newsletter
      Joyce Ashman, editor
    • Press Releases
       Laura Lytle, PR Chair
    • Facebook/Linkedin
      postings
      Madison Bender
    • Website
       Jerie Green, Website Chair
    • The Weekly Buzz
       Diana Lewis
    • Eblast Announcement
       Shirley Wolfe

This will get the information out in a uniform manner and save time for everyone. Thank you for your help! Please contact Internal Communications Chair Erica Kosinski with questions.

Melissa Wicinski and Marissa Beechuk from the consulting firm BrownFlynn will present “The Importance of an Effective Brand” at the May 9 Lake Communicators luncheon and meeting at Dino’s Restaurant on Route 306 in Mentor.

Professional communicators and business leaders hear about branding all the time: ways to build, package and market their brand to existing and potential customers. They think about it all the time too: is their brand relevant? Does it stand out? Are they doing enough to promote their brand in both traditional media and social networks?

Wicinski and Beechuk will answer these questions and provide helpful tips and the latest research on effective branding to guests and members.

Wicinski, who has been with the consulting firm since its inception in 1996, plays an integral role in crafting BrownFlynn’s strategic direction, leveraging the firm’s impact across the community and developing the firm’s brand enhancement practice area. Specifically, she has implemented many of the firm’s award-winning marketing and communications programs and branding campaigns.

Beechuk has been a BrownFlynn team member since September 2008 in various roles, most recently as an Analyst. She maintains the Firm’s website and social media platforms, as well as spearheads most internal and external marketing efforts. She also works with clients in a number of different areas including marketing, communications, public engagement and sustainability reporting.

Reservations for this luncheon are required by Monday, May 7 and can be made online at www.lakecommunicators.com . Guests are always welcome. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. For additional information, visit www.lakecommunicators.com or call Diana Lewis at 440-255-8932. Dino’s Restaurant is located at 4145 SR 306, Willoughby, Ohio. Lunch meetings are held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and include networking and a half-hour program.

Next Meeting - Wednesday, June 13 "Market Trends, Labels (and Wine) - It Will Stick!" David Collins of Avery Dennison

Meet the 2012 Internship Recipient
at our May 9 Lunch

For the second consecutive year, Lake Communicators is offering a $1500 Marketing Communications Internship that matches a Marketing Communications major with an interested Lake Communicators member business. The 2012 internship recipient is Rebecca Hannen who will be interning at Lake Metroparks under the supervision of Sharon Sharpnack and John Venen.

Rebecca has completed her sophomore year at Baldwin-Wallace College, where she is majoring in Public Relations, with a minor in marketing theatre. Residing in Willoughby, Rebecca graduated from Willoughby South High School where she was a National Honor Society member and was involved in Drama Club, Leadership Council, Key Club and marching band. Rebecca received an academic scholarship to Baldwin-Wallace College where she presently carries a 3.8 GPA.

She is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta National Honors Society, Theatre Arts and Performance Club, the Arts Management Association and PR Club. In 2011, Rebecca was Stage Manager for the New Play Festival and Assistant Stage Manager for Moon Over Buffalo in 2010 at Baldwin-Wallace.

Closer to home, she volunteers as backstage crew for Rabbit Run Community Arts Association, and house manager and backstage crew for The Fine Arts Association of Willoughby, where she received an award for Favorite Tech Crew Member and Theatre VIP.

Rebecca’s most impactful marketing and communications-related activities include an unpaid internship at The Fine Arts Association in summer 2011 where she learned about the challenges facing the arts and nonprofit sectors while getting involved in day-to-day public relations and marketing activities.

Additionally, she attended the Fall 2011 PRSA student day that provided her a better understanding of the public relations field. She walked away with helpful tips and advice, and had the opportunity to network with professionals in this field. Rebecca presently is employed at Baldwin-Wallace Theatre Box Office and One to One Interactions as a sales advisor.

Congratulations, Rebecca. We wish you the best as you pursue your marketing communications career. Thank you to the college students as well as the Lake Communicators’ members that applied for the 2012 internship program. A big thank you to Internship committee members: Judy Cerne, Lynne Strah, Tom Ruffner, Kirk Stonebrook and Ed Mayer.

Note: For 2013, Lake Communicators Board of Trustees has voted to utilize the $1500 allocated to Internship towards initiatives that may better serve our membership as a whole. Questions regarding Internship may be directed to chair, Erica Kosinski.

A Note from the President
Wanda Wareham

So many exciting things are taking shape at Lake Communicators!

If you missed April’s lunch meeting, you missed a great presentation about everything that is happening in Downtown Cleveland and the implications it has for the success of surrounding counties. Our lunch speakers and topics have been wonderful, thanks to Julia Schick, our Program Chair. I am sorry that I will be out of town for the May luncheon because branding is a topic that always interests me. But I’ll be back in June with my invited guests in tow. Did you hear that June’s speaker will be bringing wine samples with him??

Have you attended our lunches this year? They have been fantastic! The food and service at Dino’s on 306 have been top notch and many have commented on the excellent atmosphere of the rooms with ample lighting and the cozy yet open feel. The networking works! I truly enjoy reconnecting with colleagues and I glean something new or make a new connection at every meeting.

Check out our new postcards that list all of our 2012 lunch meetings and events. You’ll want to be sure to mark the dates on your calendars for these outstanding opportunities to learn, connect and have fun.

In closing, please introduce yourself and congratulate new Lake Communicators trustee Lori Sebulski at the next LC event. Lori has filled the vacated seat of Ed Mayer who relocated to Fremont, Ohio to take a job at Terra Community College. Lori is the Communications and Development Manager at Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library. She holds a B. A. in Humanities from Ursuline College and an M. A. in Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University. While we truly miss Ed and wish him well, we are confident that Lori will be an awesome asset to our board.

Opportunity to Win $250 for
Inviting New Marketing & Communications Professionals to Free Lunch Meeting

Who do you know that would benefit from all Lake Communicators has to offer?

Send their name, company and street address to Shirley Wolfe, and she will send them a postcard with all the activities planned for this year.

Shortly after they receive it, please contact them and invite them to either our May or June meeting for their free lunch. When your guest(s) attend, they'll learn about industry trends and have the opportunity to meet Marketing/Communications professionals in many different fields. You will then earn a ticket to be in a drawing for a $250 prize. If they join, you'll have two tickets placed in the drawing.

Let's grow our membership (and resources)!

Member Moment:
Tom Szabo of A Thomas Image

At every lunch meeting,Tom Szabo carries a camera and asks people to smile. Tom, who has been a member of Lake Communicators for 10 years, shares a glimpse of his life behind the lens.

What is your favorite thing about your job? The Ohhhh’s and Ahhh’s when an image is delivered.
Do you have any advice for young people who are looking to get into your field? Photography as an art is losing its value in a society that thinks everything comes from Wal-Mart. Do your marketing and think hard about how to generate revenue.
What is your favorite childhood memory? Seeing the coral reef at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo FL.
If you were an ice cream flavor what would it be and why? Mint Chocolate Chip - Lime green and brown chocolate are compatible colors and the taste is great!
If you could do anything and were guaranteed not to fail what would you do? Be rich with freedom of time.

Photos from April Meeting

Speaker Michael Deemer shares what makes a downtown great

Wanda Wareham and Anne Doyle

Seated (L to R): Anne Doyle and Jessica Novak
Standing (L to R): Bob Barbian and Kolman Rosenberg

(L to R): Guest, John Venen and Angela Lind

All meeting photographs taken by Tom Szabo of A Thomas Image.