Gabrielle Dow (GD), the Vice President of Marketing for the Baltimore Ravens, was brought in by the Ravens to oversee the team’s advertising, promotions, research, fan development, fan affinity, youth football, new media, events and game entertainment departments. She joined the Ravens at the start of the 2006 season. Since her arrival, Dow has worked hard to leverage partner marketing and activation and drive aggressive promotion and advertising in all areas for the club. In 2007, Dow launched 4 new Ravens fan affinity clubs as well as driving the promotion of the Ravens new broadcasting initiatives in addition to the already existing platforms. Dow’s extensive marketing background including stints with the NHL’s Florida Panthers (2003-05), Anschutz Entertainment Group & Staples Center (1999- 2003), and the Portland Trailblazers (1998-1999) gave her a solid foundation when she joined the Ravens. Maroon PR (MPR) recently had a chance to catch up with her in this week's Friday Happy Minute.
Title: Vice President, Marketing
Company: Baltimore Ravens
Website: www.baltimoreravens.com
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
GD: I stumbled into my profession. When I graduated from college, I was working for Macy’s in their buying office. At the time, I thought I would go into fashion. But my mind quickly changed and I went to back to Oregon to pursue my JD degree. I had the lofty idea of becoming an FBI agent, but again that idea changed after a long summer of clerking for a tax firm in San Francisco. I, then, decided I wanted to go back into fashion, so I contacted my old boss at Macy’s and she told me to go get my MBA and stay in the JD program. When I was accepted into the MBA program, they asked me to pick a concentration. The program had several to choose to from – Marketing, Finance, HR, and Sports Marketing. Sports marketing sounded interesting and they had one spot open. So, I picked sports marketing and began interning for the Portland Trail Blazers while finishing graduate school.
MPR: Did you have a mentor, if so, who is it?
GD: Yes, I have several. I have both professional and personal mentors and some are a mixture of both, if that makes sense. The first mentor that comes to mind is my godmother, Lisa. She is the most intelligent, thought-provoking and caring person I know. She is one of those forward thinkers who was recycling cans and bottles in the 80’s before it became a necessity and popular by public demand. Another mentor that comes to mind is my “step-mom”, Carole. We are so close that she is fondly called/introduced as my “step-mom” by my family and friends, even though we are not related by blood or marriage. Carole inspires my daily and she has taught me to be humble, respectful and the art of time-management. The first professional mentor that comes to mind is Chris Overholt, COO of the Canadian Olympics. I have known Chris for about 9 years now. He hired me as the Senior Director of Marketing for the Florida Panthers. He has become like a big brother to me. We stay in touch regularly and we adore each other’s families. Another wonderful mentor is Bobby Goldwater. Bobby is currently a adjunct professor at Georgetown University and also runs his own sports consulting business. He has a wonderful rich history in sports, starting with 25+ years at The Garden. I have known Bobby for 11+ years now and I just spoke to his class last month.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
GD: Intern, intern, intern. The best scenario is if the candidate starts interning while they are sophomores or junior in college. The more sports-related experience the better. If the candidate is in a graduate program, again, I would suggest interning as soon as possible. If the candidate is coming from the professional world and has no experience, he/she should be prepared to take a paid internship or start at an entry-level position. Unfortunately, the supply is very limited in sports and the demand is great and most teams, agencies or sports-related companies will hire an intern they have worked with or a candidate with existing sports experience first. Again, it’s very hard to break into the sports business without the necessary experience. However, there are those that do get in, so I don’t want to close the door on this completely.
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
GD: Absolutely! Facebook is the new Outlook for mommies and, of course, everyone else. As a mother of two young children, the stay-at-home mommies in my circle and at my kid’s schools use FB as a daily means of communication. Twitter is for anyone who loves the instant gratification. And LinkedIn is perfect for the professional world. However, I must confess, that I have a hard time keeping up with everything.
*****
Tim Capstraw (TC) begins his seventh season as the New Jersey Nets radio color analyst. In addition to his work on Nets broadcasts, Capstraw serves as NBA TV's lead analyst for the Euroleague, several other international championships, the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and in 2007, worked on their coverage of the FIBA Americas Tournament. Capstraw was the head basketball coach at Wagner College for 10 seasons from 1989-1999, following four seasons as an assistant coach at Siena College. He also served as head baseball coach at Wagner from 1983-85. Among Capstraw's honors, he was named 1993 Northeast Conference "Coach of the Year" and won the 2000 Metropolitan Basketball Writers "Good Guy Award". He also holds the distinction of being the youngest Division I coach in both basketball (28) and baseball (23).
Title: Radio Color Analyst
Company: New Jersey Nets, NBA TV
Website: www.nba.com
MPR: What memories stand out from your career?
TC: I have interesting memories in my career because I have actually had two careers. I began as a college basketball coach at Wagner College and was fired in the 2000. So you want a memory, be fired - you will remember that. But, the greatest memory I had was the first time I ever broadcast a game with Marv Albert. Not so much because he is regarded as one of the great broadcasters of all time, but because as a young man, my friends and I would always do Marv Albert impressions. It was so surreal to be sitting next to him to broadcast a game.
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
TC: I just realized that the best advice I had ever received was from a friend named George Thompson, who after I was fired and just sitting around said over dinner “JUST WORK… any job, anytime, anywhere - good things happen when you’re working”. Well I started hustling and I got lucky with a broadcasting opportunity for college TV and then after a couple of years the New Jersey Nets, NBA TV and I have recently been offered to broadcast the basketball for the 2012 Olympics. So the key to remember is the old "when one door closes another opens" but don't wait for the door to be opened for you.
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
TC: I have embraced Social Media in the past year. It has become my mid-life crisis. A lot of guys buy sports cars, I joined Twitter, Facebook, and just finished building my own website for my summer basketball camps. I like Facebook to see some old friends and share pictures etc. But the people that go on to say “I just went the grocery store"… Please!!!!!. Now Twitter is a scary animal. I don't tweet often because I'm scared that I could get in trouble by going too far trying to be funny. But I was on Twitter today 10 times attempting to get info about the NBA Lockout from sports writers who can break news. Social Media is crucial to the success of many businesses and individuals but BE CAREFUL.
MPR: What is your definition of “team?”
TC: I have no real clever definition TEAM that is going to be framed and you can purchase in the Sky Mall, but I thought Doc Rivers the coach had a brilliant quote this year that pertains to team. His quote "Be a Star in your Role" so whatever your role is within a team be great at it. That will make a great team. Warning don't use that quote on your wife – mine is still mad at me.
*****
October 7, 2011
Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Mary Spiro (MS). Mary Spiro is a Science Writer and manages Media Relations for the Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT), a multidisciplinary research center with more than 175 investigators. She also writes science news as the Baltimore Science News Examiner for Examiner.com, the web-based citize journalist arm of Clarity Media Group.
Title: Science
Writer/Media Relations Director
Company: Johns
Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology
Website: http://inbt.jhu.edu/
MPR:
How did you get in to your profession?
MS:
I became a science writer on purpose but not by the path one might expect. I
graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor’s of Science
Degree in Journalism, as well as a BS in Agronomy (Soil Science). At the time,
UMCP offered a science journalism concentration. I don’t think they offer it
anymore. My intent was to be a newspaper reporter that also covered science. I
later found out the more common path to becoming a science writer was to get an
advanced degree in science, like a PhD, become thoroughly disgusted with
research and then “fall back” on writing. This was never my intent, but so many
science writers I know seem to have taken this path. Their advantage is that
they really know their one area of science, and the PhD gives them “street
cred” with scientists. My advantage is that I have been honing my writing craft
longer, and I know a little about a lot of different scientific fields. In the
end, I think I took the better path. I have subsequently earned a Master’s in Biotechnology
from Johns Hopkins University, which got me up to speed on current scientific
breakthroughs.
MPR:
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
MS:
Some of the best advice I’ve received came recently from one of my faculty
bosses. Denis Wirtz, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at
Johns Hopkins, told our summer research interns that, “If people do not understand
what you are talking about, they will not assume that you are intelligent. They
will assume that you are wrong.” I take this to heart every time I sit down to
write. I try to write as clearly as possible so that people will be entertained
and informed about new research news. I don’t try to confuse or intimidate them
with technical jargon or complex descriptions. People who understand what you
are talking about will feel empowered, and they will support you.
MPR:
Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
MS:
Social media puts my stories in front of a much wider audience. Sure, I could
post a new story to our web site every day, but who would see it? By having a
presence on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other sites, I provide a means of outreach
to an audience who would have never come across our web site.
MPR:
What do you like most about your job?
MS:
What I like most about my job is that I have been given nearly unilateral
decision-making power when it comes to what I am working on, on any given day.
I decide what to write, whom to interview, what photographs to take to go with
the story, and when and where to publish the story. I have been able to
transform a simple symposium program into a showpiece annual research magazine
and completely change the focus of our annual report. I have been able to teach
graduate students about science writing.
I have been given the freedom to try new things and keep whatever works
best. My supervisors are visionaries, but they are not communication
professionals. What I love is that I can take their ideas and suggestions and
make them into a reality that fulfills their desired media outreach goals for
our institute.
September 30, 2011
This Friday, Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Jane Shin Park (JSP). Park is a Beauty & Health Editor at Teen VOGUE. “Teen Vogue is the ultimate destination for the latest in youth-centric fashion, beauty, entertainment, celebrity style and the issues that matter most to millennials. Fashion starts here. Beauty starts here. Pop culture starts here. Social change starts here. The future starts here.”
Title: Beauty & Health Editor
Company: TEEN VOGUE
Website: http://www.teenvogue.com/
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
JSP: I took somewhat of a circuitous route. During college, I was on the pre-med track at Johns Hopkins University and planning on pursuing neonatal medicine, but I was also taking creative nonfiction writing classes on the side, just for fun. By the end of my junior year, I knew that I wanted to become a full-time writer. Since I didn’t do any journalism-related internships up to that point, I decided to apply to graduate journalism school to get more training and experience in nonfiction writing. I attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and then moved to New York City after graduation. Initially, I thought I would end up working in the features department of a magazine, but then I got offered the beauty assistant position at Vogue—thus, my entrée into the world of beauty and health! Working in this field turned out to be a perfect match for me, as it often allows me to draw upon my science/medical background.
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
JSP: Someone once told me not to be afraid to be patient when trying to figure out the next step in my career; in other words, I should always consider the big picture when deciding whether or not to take a new job. There are some in the magazine industry who are constantly hopping from one job to the next in an effort to move up the masthead as quickly as possible, but my approach is to only take a job if it truly moves me one step closer to where I want to be long-term. After all, even if the first job listed on my résumé is putting me on the path to the type of publication I want to build my career on, it won’t benefit me if the three jobs that come afterwards are at random places that don’t really tie in to my career goals. Instead of trying to rush my career forward, I’m happy taking my time at the place where I am, truly investing in that publication, and continuing to sharpen my skills.
MPR: What’s the best book you’ve ever read and why?
JSP: I don’t think I can pick a single book as being the best one I’ve ever read, but I’m currently reading The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, and it is amazing! This book really encapsulates all the reasons why I love nonfiction writing. The author takes the dauntingly huge topic of cancer, frames it as the protagonist of the book, and approaches it from every angle—historical, biological, medical, political, social, personal, etc.—to provide a truly comprehensive and enthralling portrait of the disease. It’s definitely a must-read!
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
JSP: When I was a little girl, I wanted to be everything under the sun: singer, actress, marine biologist, architect, CIA agent, stunt woman, doctor, writer... the list goes on and on. As a writer, I’m able to live vicariously through whomever I’m writing about or get a crash course in whatever topic I’m researching. So in a certain sense, I feel like my childhood wish has come true.
September 16, 2011
Company: Mercy Medical Center
Title: Senior Director of Media Relations
Website: www.mercymedical.com
MPR: How did you get into your profession?
DC: I graduated from what was then Loyola College (now University) in Baltimore, MD in 1984 with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. It seemed logical to find a job in a field where I could use my writing skills. I found an opening at the Washington Times for a "dictationist," a sort of editorial assistant-style position. After a brief time there I found a job with a group of community newspapers in Towson, MD, working as a feature reporter, editor and columnist. I eventually moved on to public relations, working for a marketing agency in Baltimore City. That was in 1987.
MPR: What's the best advice you've ever received?
DC: Hirsh used to say when dealing with clients, "Promise less and deliver more." I've come to find that clients often prefer you to promise more and deliver even more than that!
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job.
DC: I'm the Senior Director of Media Relations for Mercy Medical Center in downtown Baltimore City, a role I've held for 15 years. I work with all manners of media, print, broadcast, internet/social, from local journalists to national freelancers, TV producers, and the like, handling both proactive and reactive media.
MPR: What skills are needed to be great at your profession?
DC: Number one, good writing skills. If you can't write, forget being successful, either in PR or journalism. The ability to think creatively, strategically...to network...to take time to understand the culture of whatever corporation you may find yourself working...know the client's industry...stay TOPICAL, know what's happening in the world, what's trending, so you can give your client timely advice.
MPR: Have you embraced social media?
DC: Mercy is just moving into this realm, slowly, which is the best way to approach social media which is sort of like the "wild west." We all know we want to be part of it, but it's a "dangerous place" out there! You don't want to launch a FACEBOOK page for a client just because they "want one," or because they say "our competitor has one." You want a social media program if it is going to help the client achieve his or her goals...if that's not the case, don't do it. Your social media initiative should match what you are doing in terms of traditional media--always focused on your client's goals.
MPR: Thoughts on the 24 hour news cycle?
DC: Well, if it were really 24 hour NEWS, I'd be more for it as it's very important for us in PR to stay on top of what's happening in our world to be able to spot trends, anticipate new trends, so we can offer our clients timely advice. Problem is, there's a lot that is passing for "NEWS" that is really more "OPINION" and biased commentary, giving rise to what Stephen Colbert coined as "truthiness"--a belief in things that lack any true logical backing, that are grounded, again, more in opinion than in fact.
MPR: Things changed in PR, things the same?
DC: PR is more global than ever before and is more influential than ever before...50% or more of the stories we read about in newspapers and other media outlets can find their origin in PR. The influence of PR is such that Bill Gates once quipped that if he had only $2 left to his name, he'd spend $1 on PR. What's the same is, the tenets of PR--the importance of acting ethically, to be the client's advocate, to keep one foot in the world of the client and one in the world of the publics the client is trying to reach...to never become a "Yes man" for the client, to tell him or her not what they want to hear, but need to hear if they are going to succeed. The ability to write and communicate well are as important today in PR as they were in the days of Ivy Lee and Ed Bernays.
MPR: Like most about your job?
DC: The fact that it is never boring--you never know what might happen on any given day. If there's suddenly news that say Hillary Clinton has ovarian cancer, I know I need to take advantage of that news immediately, as the media will be seeking experts and information about ovarian cancer, its diagnosis, its treatment, its rate of survival, etc., so I'll want to be sure all media are aware that at Mercy we have some of the finest ovarian cancer surgeons in the country...ready to go on camera or to do interviews.
*****
September 1, 2011
Company: The Johns Hopkins University
Title: Executive Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Website: www.jhu.edu
Twitter: @DennisOShea
Title: Executive Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Website: www.jhu.edu
Twitter: @DennisOShea
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
DO: For a while, I jumped back and forth between journalism and media relations. I did both in college, on the student newspaper and in the college news office. Then I worked as a college sports information director. I went from there to graduate school in journalism, and then worked for nine years as a reporter and editor at United Press International. I left UPI for Johns Hopkins and have been here for 21 years now.
DO: For a while, I jumped back and forth between journalism and media relations. I did both in college, on the student newspaper and in the college news office. Then I worked as a college sports information director. I went from there to graduate school in journalism, and then worked for nine years as a reporter and editor at United Press International. I left UPI for Johns Hopkins and have been here for 21 years now.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
DO: This advice goes for someone entering any field, not just public relations: Care about your writing. Treat it as a craft. Work to get better and better at it. It’s not just a part of your job; the quality of your writing is a huge factor in the first impressions people will form of you.
MPR: What is one of your best memories throughout your career?
DO: We had an awful lot of fun with our April Fool’s announcement that the university was giving in, conceding that no one would ever get our name right and changing it to “John Hopkins.” We gave a lot of people a good laugh. But, more important, we were able to use an attention-getting joke as a vehicle to tell people a lot of things they didn’t know about Johns Hopkins. Definitely the best, most productive prank I’ve ever been in on.
MPR: If you could work in a different industry, what would it be and why?
DO: Sometimes, I daydream about being back in journalism. It was adrenaline-driven intense; it was fun; it was an incredible feeling when you carried the play on a story. And you felt like you were fulfilling a sacred trust. But it’s not the same business it was.
MPR: What things have changed about public relations and what will always remain the same?
DO: The means are constantly changing, but the objective is always the same: build relationships.
********
August 26, 2011
This week, Maroon PR (MPR) interviewed David Epstein (DE), Executive Vice President of AMC Networks. Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates a global programming business, AMC/Sundance Channel Global, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming origination and distribution company.Company: AMC Networks (formerly Rainbow Media)
Title: EVP Content and Inventory Strategy
Website: www.amcnetworks.com
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
DE: I went to business school with the express intent of getting into the media/entertainment field, based solely upon my personal interest. I tailored my coursework, wrote my required thesis, and focused my job search around media/entertainment. I was fortunate enough to land a summer job with NBC News, which helped me obtain a full time job upon graduation at CBS in a sales finance role. And I’ve been in advertising sales related roles ever since.
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
DE: The best advice I ever received came from my brother-in-law, Craig. I had been working at CBS for four years. I had learned a great deal and been promoted a few times when I received a job offer for a new and vaguely defined position at a fledgling cable channel, Comedy Central. I was uncertain about leaving CBS, primarily because I knew the people and had built many relationships. Craig’s advice: There’s a whole world of other people out there to meet. You’ll keep the relationships you care about and make a bunch of new ones at your new job. His advice led me to step into new opportunities where I’ve made some of the most important relationships in my life.
MPR: What is one of the best memories throughout your career?
DE: One of my best memories was the 1995 Comedy Central holiday party. My good friend Vinnie took me aside to introduce me to the woman he had just hired to work in his programming department starting in January. A young, attractive woman stepped forward to introduce herself. Two and a half years later we were married.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
DE: My advice for entering into media is to make every effort, exhaust every resource and use every contact to get that first job – almost any job – in media. As much as any industry I know, media likes to hire its own. And it’s particularly difficult to move from an outside field into the content and ad sales areas. So it’s critical to get that first job – assistant, P.A., etc. – in the media field and then go from there. One of the terrific things about cable in particular is there is a good track record of promoting from within. But that’s good only if you’re “within.”
*****
August 19, 2011
Company: Sesame Workshop
Title: Publicist, Corporate Communications
Website: http://www.sesameworkshop.org
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
PT: Many people don’t know, but Sesame Workshop has programming in over 150 countries around the world. Currently, Sesame has original co-productions, produced in-country with local partners, and in close consultation with governments and childhood education experts to create culturally relevant content that address the needs of those children. As a publicist, I have worked on supporting these programs by generating international and local publicity across all media platforms. These activities range from managing televised appearances with Elmo and Abby Cadabby in support of Sesame Street in Australia to traveling to Abuja, Nigeria for the launch celebration of season one of our newest co-production, Sesame Square, which was attended by the U.S. Ambassador, local ministers, partners and funders like USAID, as well as local celebrities.
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
PT: While I am slow to embrace social media personally, professionally we have found that social media is an incredibly important resource to easily and immediately connect the Sesame brand with friends and fans all around the world. We started actively using social media in 2009 to support Sesame Street’s 40th birthday celebration. In the past two years, we have seen tremendous growth with Sesame’s social media pages. We are so pleased that Cookie Monster has approximately 1.5 million fans; @sesamestreet enjoys the support of over 535,000 followers on Twitter who receive daily musings from their furry and feathered friends from Sesame Street. Sesame Workshop is thrilled with the successes of our social media campaigns, and we continue to create innovative content to expand Sesame’s reach across a variety of social platforms.
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
PT: I always knew I would love to have a job where I could travel the world. When I accepted the position with Sesame Workshop, I had no idea I would become an international travel companion to Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Grover, and the rest of the Sesame Street gang. Whether Sesame is at The White House, The Palais in Cannes, The Orangery at Kensington Palace, the Sydney Opera House, Ramstein Air Base in Germany, or anywhere else on the globe, we are always greeted with smiles, appreciation and warm reverence. Watching people light-up when they find out that I work for Sesame Street, while simultaneously becoming nostalgic over their favorite Sesame moment, is definitely one of the best parts of the job.
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
PT: In this day and age, no matter what your title is, or who you are working for, you are never “above” the work that is asked of you. Some days I draft press releases announcing major corporate initiatives; other days I get Cookie Monster a cup of coffee. Both are important. Both are my job.
*****
August 12, 2011This week, Maroon PR (MPR) spoke with Thom Loverro (TL), sports columnist for The Washington Examiner, co-host of The Sports Fix on ESPN Radio 980 AM, and author of 11 books. Loverro is consistently ranked as one of the best sports columnists in the Washington region and was recently voted Maryland Sportswriter of the Year in 2009.
Company: Washington Examiner, ESPN 980 AM
Title: Sports Columnist and Co-Host
Website: www.thomloverro.com
Twitter: @thomloverro
MPR: How did you get into your profession?
TL: I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up on newspapers, reading the Daily News every day. I knew I wanted to be a sportswriter since I was 10 years old. But when I got started in the business, I fell in love with the news side -- politics, government crime -- and didn't start actually writing sports until I left the Baltimore Sun in 1992 and moved to The Washington Times. It took me a while to get to my dream job, but I did, and still do it, now for The Washington Examiner. As far as co-hosting "The Sports Fix," a sports talk show on ESPN 980 in Washington, I grew up as a child of radio, falling asleep with a transistor radio under my pillow at nights. There was no sports talk radio, but I always loved the medium, and feel fortunate to now be working in both newspapers and radio. It was a winding road to get to this point, but it all worked out.
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
TL: After doing part-time radio for 10 years on ESPN 980, they offered me a full time co-host position in 2009 as the co-host of "The Sports Fix" noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Along with my co-host, Kevin Sheehan, we try to gauge the "A" stories of the day and hit those notes with our listeners. As soon as the show ends, we meet to plan for the next day, to line up guests and to prepare research, whether it is the NFL lockout or the NBA draft. Actually, what it comes down to is you want to entertain someone enough that they will listen for at least a segment or two. You get a different audience, more or less, every 10 minutes. As far as writing for The Washington Examiner, the job hasn't changed much since I wrote columns for The Washington Times -- except writing shorter. Again, you want to keep people interested enough to be entertained. I used to joke that my job is "Information Entertainer."
MPR: What is the best advice you have ever received?
TL: Listen. That doesn't mean do what other people tell you to do, but don't fall in love with the sound of your own words or your own ideas that you don't learn from what other people are saying. I hear talk show hosts sometimes questioning a guest and you can tell they weren't listening to the answer to the question. You hear what people are saying, you learn something. I mean pay close attention, because sometimes people don't even realize what they are revealing in conversation or interviews. Listen.
*****
August 5, 2011
This week, Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Jen Roytz (JR), Marketing & Communications Director for Three Chimneys Farm located in Midway, Ky., just outside Lexington. Three Chimneys is an elite thoroughbred race horse breeding farm whose stable includes famed stallions such as Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, Champion Point Given and Dynaformer, father of Barbaro.
Jen joined the Three Chimneys team in 2008 and oversees all advertising and marketing, including television and print advertising, social media endeavors, the annual stallion brochure, the web page, public relations, media relations and special events. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jen has a background in both thoroughbreds and performance horses. She earned her BA in advertising and public relations from Morehead State University and completed her MA in Integrated Communication at the University of Louisville.
Company: Three Chimneys Farm
Title: Marketing & Communications Director
Website: www.threechimneys.com
Twitter: @JenRoytz
MPR: Describe your job and what it's like to handle communications duties for Three Chimneys leading up to a Triple Crown race?
JR: In one word, my job is AWESOME! Three Chimneys is known for being one of the most media-friendly and publically accessible farms in the industry worldwide, so during Triple Crown season, I'm lucky to say that it is madness.
We usually have connections to one, if not several, of the horses running in the Kentucky Derby and Oaks (maybe their sire or dam - father or mother - lives at and is managed by Three Chimneys or maybe they themselves were raised at the farm), so on top of the normal advertising and marketing I do to promote the farm and our stallions, I do a lot of story pitching in the months leading up to the Derby as it becomes clearer which horses will be contenders. Every horse has a unique life story, personality and quirks - I make sure the right people know those back stories.
Since that's the time of year when the mainstream media pays the most attention to Thoroughbred racing, we are inundated with media requests and we do whatever it takes to accommodate them all, from major networks like ESPN and NBC shooting segments or b-roll for their coverage leading up to the big races, to writers and reporters from mainstream magazines, newspapers, blogs, television shows, and websites from all over the world who, for one week, are focusing their attention on Kentucky and horseracing. We get a surprisingly steady amount of media traffic and attention throughout the year, but it definitely hits hardest during the Triple Crown season.
MPR: Why is social media important for the Three Chimneys brand?
JR: While the list of reasons why social media is key to nearly any brand is really endless, there are three main reasons we find it to be invaluable:
1) It allows us to immediately and directly disseminate information in a short, easily digestible format to clients/potential consumers who have actively engaged with us by "liking" or "following" us (and - bonus! - they help us build our network by re-Tweeting/re-posting).
2) Rather than waiting for people to get information from a third party news source that may or may not be entirely accurate and isn't Three Chimneys-centric, we can deliver the info to them immediately, shape the message to our benefit (such as highlighting the Three Chimneys-connection to the info), and direct them to our website.
3) We're able to connect with horse-lovers in a fun, positive way to introduce and/or educate them about the Thoroughbred industry, with a goal of turning general horse-lovers into racing fans and maybe even racehorse owners.
MPR: What is your most memorable moment working in thoroughbred racing?
JR: My most memorable moment in Thoroughbred racing came way before I ever worked in marketing & PR. I grew up as a horse-crazy kid in Cleveland, OH and came to Kentucky for college because I wanted to be in the thick of the racing world. Each morning I would get up at 4:00 am to exercise horses at Keeneland Racetrack before class.
There was one spring morning that was crisp and calm, with a slight fog over the track and dew on the grass. I'd warmed my horse up with a jog and had him just stand facing the track for a few seconds before turning him around to start his morning gallop.
I sat on top of that horse taking it all in for those few seconds - it was only a few seconds, but it was a life-changing moment. These powerful athletes appearing from the fog and whizzing by one after another, the sounds of their hooves pounding and the voices of their owners and trainers chatting in the background; the smells of the leather from my saddle and the faint scent of soap and liniment from my horse's coat - the whole atmosphere. I was so truly content. I knew without a shred of doubt that I not only wanted to be part of this for the rest of my life, but do something with my career that allowed others to be a part of it too.
MPR: What's the best advice you've ever received?
JR: I think my dad said it, or maybe my mom...probably both (just to be safe!). "Roll with the punches." Things aren't always going to go your way (in fact, the seldom do). Whether it's in your professional or personal life (and especially in PR), there's always a disconnect between what you plan for and what life throws at you. The vast majority of things aren't worth ruffling feathers over - just take a step back, regroup and move forward.
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July 22, 2011
Company: PRO Sports Communications
Title: Co-Founder
Website: http://www.sportspr.com
Twitter: @katrinakaye
MPR: Can you briefly describe your career path before becoming a Principal at PRO Sports Communications? What propelled you in to the world or Sports PR?
KY: After graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in communication studies, I was fortunate enough to land my first job at The Lippin Group, an entertainment PR agency in Los Angeles, where I worked on campaigns for television studios and major events like The Emmy Awards. I also got my first taste of the sports industry with a new property called SlamBall. (Anyone remember basketball on trampolines?) As a part of that account team, I worked with people like Pat Croce, who was the league’s commissioner at the time, and I got a sense of the passion for sports that everyone seemed to share, from the media to the executives and athletes. I knew at that point sports is where I wanted to be. As we all know, the sports industry is extremely competitive, and it didn’t happen right away. I spent a few more years on the entertainment side at G4 TV and NBC Universal. Finally, in 2007, I was offered a Director of Communications position with a boutique sports and entertainment PR firm, where I met my current business partners and realized I loved the entrepreneurial environment. We launched a new agency this year and while it’s an extraordinary amount of work, it’s extremely rewarding to build something that’s your own.
MPR: What news outlets and/or reporters do you follow for news surrounding your industry?
KY: There are several outlets I check daily for news and analysis of the sports industry including Sports Business Journal, ESPN, SportsNewser, National Sports Journalism Center, SportsBiz with Darren Rovell and Business Insider Sports Page. Of course I also use Twitter to keep up with the very latest news. A few key media people I follow are @richarddeitsch @sbjlizmullen @ourand_sbj @BizballMaury @Bonnie_D_Ford. There are really too many to include here, but I try to keep solid #sportsbiz and #sportsmedia lists on my Twitter account to ensure I’m getting the information I need on a daily basis.
MPR: What’s the best book you’ve ever read and why?
KY: Great question! And such a tough one as there are a lot of books I love. One that has always stood out for me is “Lord of the Flies.” Like many people, I read it my senior year in high school during an English class with my all-time favorite teacher, Mr. Archer. It was fascinating to analyze the book as a group and gain the perspective of others while still having your own view of what was happening on the pages. I’ve always loved it because it’s an intriguing look at human nature and a book that still resonates with me years later.
MPR: What is your definition of “team?”
KY: My definition of team is a group of people who support each other day in and day out and most importantly, through adversity. Everyone contributes something unique to the group and each member learns something from the other. A good team is essential to both business success and personal fulfillment, especially as an entrepreneur, and I’m extremely fortunate to be part of the PRO team with my two partners, Melinda Travis and Martine Charles. We lean on each other, motivate each other and inspire each other to keep pushing and do great work! I couldn’t do what I do without them.
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For this week's "Friday Happy Minute" Maroon PR (MPR) spoke with Doug Dull (DD) Associate Athletics Director - Media Relations University of Maryland. Dull is the primary sport contact for Maryland's nationally recognized men's basketball program, as well as the track & field / cross country programs. He also assists with operational aspects of media relations for all 27 Terrapin sports.
Company: University of Maryland
Title: Associate Athletics Director of Media Relations
Website: umterps.com
Twitter: @umterps
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
DD: I spent nine years as a sports writer at the Hagerstown Herald-Mail and the last 1-1/2 as sports editor. After an “early” mid-life crisis in my early 30s, I became intrigued with the sports information business. I crafted a resume and some discussion points and sent them to Chico State (Calif.). A month later I was packing up the TV and stereo and driving five days to the Left Coast, where I had four days to prepare for the first-ever live football TV broadcast in Wildcats history.
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
DD: We like to think we’re acting like an in-house communications office with 27 clients (since we offer 27 varsity sports). We have direct dealings both internally (with our clients and the senior-level staff), with the 20-some media outlets in the Baltimore-Washington market that seek information daily, and with the national media outlets where we’d like most to be placed. Like any business, we’re seeking the most effective blend of using all our tools – website, social media – to get our message to all our constituents. All this while having head up and knees bent preparing for the next inevitable crisis. So like anyone in this industry, we’re busy.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
DD: Write, write, write, get quality editing, then write some more. There is no substitute for experience, and since internships are available, age is not an excuse for a lack of experience. Try everything, then figure out what you love about the business and pursue that with passion. Ask lots of questions.
MPR: How do you think your profession has changed in the past year?
DD: Social media has had nearly as profound an effect on athletics public relations as the Internet. If Facebook is indeed about building relationships and turning “fans into friends,” then Twitter has changed news gathering and journalism. It’s a fact that the 24-hour news cycle has been replaced by length of time it takes for a journalist to type 140 characters. We’ve had our share of breaking news recently at the Maryland Athletics, and watching it unfold and break on Twitter has been fascinating. It makes us all wonder “What’s next?”, but the reality is that new tools must be learned quickly despite how scary or unnerving they might be.
MPR: What is your definition of “team?”
DD: Teamwork is that great dynamic that occurs when a group of talented people work together toward a common goal. In the process, everyone on the team is made richer, smarter and better based on the relationships built through the interactions and the caring for each other that takes place. Developing a great team is the most important job function a manager has.
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Our friend Jessica Kartalija (JK) of WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Md., provided Maroon PR (MPR) with some great answers for this week’s Friday Happy Minute Q/A. Jessica is a Penn State Alumni who has worked as a news reporter and anchor at a variety of affiliate television stations throughout the United States.
Company: WJZ-TV
Title: Anchor/Reporter
Website: http://www.wjz.com
Twitter: @WJZKartalija
MPR: How did you get to where you are today?
JK: By paying my dues! Between tailgates and football games… I studied Broadcast Journalism at Penn State, and interned for the ESPN X Games, WRC in Washington DC and KFMB-TV in my hometown of San Diego during the summers. After graduating, I got a job reporting from the lettuce fields of Yuma, Arizona (market 178). From there, I turned left at Albuquerque to anchor the 4pm and 9pm newscasts in New Mexico. Now, I anchor the noon newscast and report for the evening shows at WJZ in Baltimore. It's been a lot of hard work and several cross-country moves, but an incredible experience thus far, and I consider myself to be very fortunate.
MPR: Working in media, what characteristics to you need to have to be successful?
JK: First and foremost… a positive attitude! Blow off those people who say "you can't, you won't, or it's too hard." Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. The more experience you have--the more marketable you are. Find ways to distinguish yourself. In this industry, everyone knows everyone. Be nice, work hard, and never burn a bridge.
MPR: Do you have a mentor? Who was it and how did he or she help you in your career?
JK: Yes! My Dad. After growing up in a small coal mining town in Western Pennsylvania, he graduated from Penn State, and then went onto get his Masters and PhD. He just wrote the ninth edition of the #1 textbook in the Advertising market. He constantly shows me that achieving great things comes from hard work, sacrifice and perseverance….And that family ALWAYS comes first.
MPR: What is your favorite memory during your career?
JK: Ironically… it's the bloopers I remember most. It's when we make mistakes that we are challenged to see how well we can recover and move forward… The funny stuff is what keeps us grounded--and reminds us not to take life too seriously :)
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July 1, 2011
Heading in to the Fourth of July weekend, Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Mike Gibbons (MG) for this week's Friday Happy Minute. Mike serves two positions, Executive Director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation and President of the International Sports Heritage Association.
Companies/Titles: Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation (Executive Director) & International Sports Heritage Association (President)
Website: BabeRuthMuseum.com & SportsHeritage.org
Twitter: @BambinosHome, @MDSportsMuseum & @SportsHeritage
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
MG: I got my first exposure to the sports heritage (museum) business when I was doing research for a documentary on Babe Ruth. I visited the Babe Ruth Birthplace, interviewed the staff and a couple of board members and the Babe’s sister, Mamie, over the course of several months, and so became absorbed into the culture. The Birthplace was struggling to attract visitors so I tried to help with some marketing suggestions. That led to the creation of new exhibits, and the next thing I know…boom, I’m working for the institution.
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
MG: When our son was born I was in the middle of working on new exhibits for the Babe Ruth Birthplace…nights, weekends, around the clock. At some point soon after his birth, my wife called me at work and said, “you only get one chance to bond with your son, and you need to start now.” A light bulb went off in my thick, chug-along skull, and I went home, held my son, sang songs to him, and started a bond that is the strongest in my life…to this day…28 years later.
MPR: Did you have a mentor, if so, who is it?
MG: I have a posse. When I was getting my feet wet in the sports heritage business back in 1983, three men taught me the ropes on how to go about the job and business of directing a sports museum. Jim Bready was an editorial writer for the Baltimore Sun, but his passion was local baseball history. And since I was working at a baseball museum, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Orioles Museum, I hung out with Jim quite a bit and let him teach me about Baltimore’s unique baseball heritage, most of which he had researched and recorded in his book, “The Home Team.” Number two guy was Rowland King, an executive for the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. Rowland was a pretty fair ballplayer back in the day, so he had a passion for what I was doing, trying to run a sports heritage business. Rowland taught me how to manage and run the museum’s day to day operation, teaching me how to budget, track cash flow, purchase, market and sell store inventory, etc. The third ace: Bob Brown, public relations director, Baltimore Orioles. Brownie was a very busy man, but he always had time to help me assimilate the Orioles story…and collection, into our mission. He also taught me the value of public relations and how to get the media working in our behalf. Three incredible people, who gave me direction that, thirty years later, still seems sound.
MPR: If you could work in a different industry, what would it be and why?
MG: Music. I chased after a music career until I was darned near thirty. By then, when the last big opportunity for my band crashed and burned, it was time to change careers. I went to an uncle who worked in advertising and asked for advice. He said, “find something you can do…and enjoy…every day.” That something turned out to be writing. I sought and got a job as a copywriter for a local advertising agency and that led to my developing into a documentary guy. From there…sports heritage, where I do most of the writing for our museums. And I still enjoy writing. So much so that for the past 25 years I have taught writing at a local university.
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
MG: Researching and telling stories; and interpreting those stories through our collection. I also enjoy all the good people I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years.
June 24, 2011
Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with public relations professional, Nicole Hawkins (NH), who owns her own agency and works with a variety of clients including professional athletes and nonprofit organizations. Prior to founding Nicole Hawkins Communications in 2004, she was the Director of Public Relations for the Washington Wizards, where she worked closely with players including Michael Jordan.Company: Nicole Hawkins Communications
Title: President/Owner
Website: www.nicolehawkins.com
Twitter: @nicolehawk
MPR: How did you get in to your profession?
NH: I started as a student at the University of Maryland in the Sports Information Office. I attended a careers in sports workshop and met Herb Hartnett, who was the Sports Information Director at the time. I asked him if I could intern and he said yes so it all started from there.
MPR: What skills are needed to be great at your profession?
NH: Integrity, patience, flexibility and a sense of humor! Things can change from hour to hour so I do my best to go with the flow and adjust as necessary.
MPR: What is one of your best memories throughout your career?
NH: One of my best memories is working with Michael Jordan at the Wizards. I was fairly young when I worked with him and he was at the end of his career. It was a great learning experience and I was thrilled to be working with my favorite athlete of all time.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
NH: I tell young men and women entering the field to network, network, and go network some more. This business is so much about who you know. I always say get out there and make yourself visible.
MPR: If you could work in a different industry, what would it be and why?
NH: When I was younger I wanted to be a 1st grade teacher. I absolutely love kids and I vividly remember learning how to read chapter books in 1st grade, which is a great memory for me. I think teaching is one of the most important and undervalued jobs out there.
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June 17, 2011For this week’s Friday Happy Minute Maroon PR (MPR) spoke with Chris Villani (CV), on-air talent at WEEI Sports Talk Radio in Boston. In addition to serving as Flash Update Anchor for Mut & Merloni mid-days, Villani serves as a sports writer for two weekly newspapers in Central Massachusetts, fills in as weekend host of the Red Sox Review, and works as the play-by-play announcer for Harvard University Basketball.
Company: WEEI Sports Talk Radio
Title: Sports Radio Personality
Website: chris-villani.com
Twitter: @ChrisVillani44
MPR: How did you get into your profession?
CV: I actually started in high school. I worked at our high school’s small television station and broadcasted football, basketball, and baseball games, among other sports. It was always something I did for fun, but I felt I had found a bit of a niche so I ended up going to Syracuse University and enrolling in the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications. I worked for two radio stations while I was there, and had a chance to cover major Division I athletics and get a taste for what it is like to work in the media business. When I graduated school, I took a job as the Harvard basketball play by play announcer. As I started to develop contacts in Boston, my opportunities continued to grow. Networking has become a vital part of advancing my career.
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
CV: I have several jobs that all fall under the heading of sports radio or sports media. Doing news updates involves gathering information and writing it in a condensed and easily understandable fashion, then delivering it over the air. Providing play by play involves describing the action and making the game more interesting to listen to or watch. I also host talk shows, which involves stimulating and driving conversation, usually by having strong and well-grounded opinions to which callers and texters can respond in order to keep the discussion moving. What they all have in common is the need to communicate information effectively.
MPR: What is the best advice you have ever received?
CV: A few things come to mind. One suggestion was to keep my head clear while on the air, and I find the clearer my head, the better I sound. Another great suggestion was to broadcast to three people, Peter Gammons, my best friend, and my grandmother. What that means is that my broadcast should appeal to the person who has great expertise in the sport, someone who has a strong but casual interest, and someone whose interest is a bit more passive. Perhaps the best advice I received was regarding preparation. Sean McDonough, the guy I personally think is the best play by play man in the business, says that if you use more than 10% of your preparation on the air, you didn’t prepare correctly. Being prepared and having a strong working knowledge of the subjects at hand is the best way to sound authoritative and become someone a listener or viewer will trust.
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
CV: Did I have a choice? Social media completely changed the way I do my job when it comes to gathering and reporting news. A year or so ago, I would come into work and check various Web sites and even… believe it or not… the newspaper, to find the latest news and information. Now stories break on Twitter before they appear anywhere else. Reporters tweet their stories before they post them online and the only way to stay on top of breaking news is to follow the right people on Twitter. When it comes to breaking stories, Twitter is the way to do it. When Tommy Amaker turned down Miami to remain the head basketball coach at Harvard, I got a tip from a source in the athletic department and immediately posted it on Twitter, story broken and all I needed was a cell phone.
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June 10, 2011
For this week’s Friday Happy Minute Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Kristen Peifer Dugan (KPD), Public Relations Director at Virginia Hospital Center.
Company: Virginia Hospital Center
Title: Public Relations Director
Website: virginiahospitalcenter.com
Twitter: @VHC_Hospital
MPR: What things have changed about public relations and what will always remain the same?
KPD: I think the biggest change is media. The media is changing dramatically and swiftly - from a set of established information mediums pushing content out, to a new landscape where the end user extracts preferred information from any number of platforms. PR is still and always will be about communication and fostering and developing relationships.
MPR: What skills are needed to be great at your profession?
KPD: Critical thinking skills, a strategic and creative mindset, and a positive and engaging personality is needed. Learn to make your own news, and how and when to best use social media. Try to be a proactive, productive and transparent “spin doctor.” Be ready to constantly improve and adapt your writing skills, and have a strong ability to communicate internally by creating relevant and compelling messages for staff. More and more, PR professionals are asked to lead a results-driven campaign. Track, measure, prove your worth, and the worth of a campaign.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
KPD: First, be true to yourself and know thyself (what motivates you, what you want out of a job, how you view the ideal work/life balance). Take responsibility for your own happiness. Match your aspirations with your capabilities. Understand what you want and focus your career decisions on giving you the most options for achieving it. You will never know it all. You will learn something new every day. Stay on top of trends in your field, join industry associations, open yourself to ongoing education, experiences and advice, write right, and always surround yourself with good people. Relationships are key.
MPR: What is your definition of “team?”
KPD: I like this question because I truly believe in the team approach when it comes to achieving goals. A team consists of a group of talented, selfless and committed individuals who are willing to work hard by leveraging assets and integrating departments to deliver positive and successful results. A team creates synergy across multiple platforms and lifts up others around them. A team inspires one another, shares ideas, and fosters and builds enduring relationships in order to enrich the strategies and tactics to earn and achieve the big win.
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For this week’s Friday Happy Minute Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Liz Farmer (LF), Economy and Development Reporter for the Washington Examiner.
Company: Washington Examiner
Title: Economy and Development Reporter
Website: washingtonexaminer.com
Twitter: @LizFarmerDC
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
LF: I haven’t gone off the deep end — yet — but I’ve definitely hopped on the social media bandwagon. I’m shameless about it though. I use Facebook and Twitter as tools to promote my stories and my website, www.farmersfieldonline.com. Those sites are also very helpful in finding citizen sources when I’m looking for people who have had experience with specific things I’m writing about. But I’ll never be one of those people who tweets their every move or thought. I don’t get those folks.
MPR: If you could work in a different industry, what would it be and why?
LF: That’s easy. I’d be an actress. As a journalist, I’m fascinated with the idea of earning a lot of money for not telling the truth. It’s pretty much the opposite of my current profession. However, I’m pretty bad at getting up early and I’ve heard actors can have long days on the set. I’m also kind of camera-shy and not very good at acting. But other than that, I’m sure it’s totally feasible...
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
LF: I love that I essentially get paid to be nosy. I love that I can feel perfectly comfortable talking to heads of states one day and to the down-trodden the next. And as a history buff, I love that I’m contributing to the historical record of our region. But mostly, I love that I have a job that keeps my brain firing on all cylinders and gives me something to show for it at the end of the day.
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For this week’s Friday Happy Minute Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Terry Hasseltine (TH), Executive Director of the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing
Company: Maryland Office of Sports Marketing
Title: Executive Director
Website: www.marylandsports.us
Twitter: @MarylandSports
MPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
TH: Always treat others the way you would expect to be treated, no matter the situation.
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
TH: Be persistent, confident and consistent, but most importantly, be yourself. Get relevant experience! Don’t be afraid to intern, volunteer, etc.
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
TH: I like the fact that I get to work with a diverse group of people throughout the state, country and abroad on a regular basis. I never have the same day twice.
MPR: What is your definition of “team?”
TH: A group of people working together to achieve a common goal….basically Together Everyone Achieves More!
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For this week’s Friday Happy Minute Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Ken Bradley (KB), Senior Editor at Sporting News.
Company: Sporting News
Title: Senior Editor
Website: SportingNews.com
Twitter: @SportingNews
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job:
KB: I’m one of the few senior editors at Sporting News who is not tied to a specific sport. Because of that, I get to work on a lot of different things. First, I work with our general assignment reporters. This group does a little bit of everything, from Sporting News Conversations with sports personalities like Kareem Abdu-Jabbar, Terry Bradshaw, Roy Halladay, Derek Jeter and Andre Ethier, among others, to feature stories on athletes like Robinson Cano, Ndamukong Suh and Andrew Luck. I also work directly with our recruiting reporter. Another one of the benefits of my job is that I get to do some reporting from time to time as well. In my three-plus years at Sporting News, I’ve been in touch with well more than 100 athletes—the highlight was an hour long conversation with Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, who just wanted to talk after answering a few questions. I work with content that goes into the magazine—specifically the FRONT ROW section at the front of the magazine, as well as assigning and editing items that publish in Sporting News Today and on our website, aol.sportingnews.com.
MPR: Did you have a mentor? If so, who was it?
KB: There are a couple of people I’ve looked up to over my career and sought out their advice. The first is Bob Thomas. He’s the former sports editor at The St. Augustine Record and FSU beat writer for the Florida Times-Union. He now works in media relations for FSU athletics. He covered me when I played high school baseball and basketball and I freelanced for him when I was in college.
Another is my first “real” boss, Michael Smith. He was the sports editor at The Gaston Gazette (Gastonia, N.C.), where I had my first full-time job as a reporter. He was a big reason why I eventually got away from reporting and into the management side of the business. Funny, now about 15 years later, we’re both working for the same company, in the same building. He’s a reporter for SportsBusiness Journal, where I worked for two years before joining Sporting News after our parent company bought it.
MPR: What is one of your best memories from throughout your career?
KB: I know a lot of people saw him up close, but back in 1996 when I worked at the Gazette, I worked a Charlotte Hornets-Chicago Bulls game and got to see Michael Jordan up close. So many things in sports are repetitious, from the games to the press conferences, the questions, the answers, just the whole scene. But seeing Jordan first from press row, was something else. Then, after going through post-game interviews and sitting down to write my story, I remember Jordan being escorted out the back door, right where myself and a few other reporters were sitting. All this was done to avoid the large number of fans waiting for him outside. When the back doors opened, all your heard were screaming fans. He couldn’t avoid them.
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This week’s Maroon PR (MPR) Friday Happy Minute Jeanine Clingenpeel (JC), editor of SmartCEO magazine. SmartCEO is a regional “growing company” publication. The publication serves as a resource full of smart ideas to help educate and inspire decision-makers. SmartCEO is read by business owners in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC metro markets. Each issue includes features, interviews, case studies, columns and other departments designed to help this region’s CEOs face the daily challenge of running a business.
Company: SmartCEO Magazine
Title: Editor
Website: SmartCEO.com
Twitter: @SmartCEO
MPR: Give a quick description of your job and what skills are needed to be great at your profession.
JC: As editor of SmartCEO magazine, my job is to get into the minds of our readers -- 45,000 CEOs in the Mid-Atlantic -- and fill our pages with advice and information that will inspire them grow their businesses. To be great in this field, an editor should understand what her/his readers want from their publication -- and give it to them. A good editor has the vision to spot a great story and the patience to whittle it out of mountains of information.
MPR: What’s the best advice you have ever received?
JC: My publisher taught me to approach every interview subject as if it were a foregone conclusion that they would want to be written about. Don't be intimidated by a person's stature, celebrity or wealth. This Jedi Mind Trick works almost every time.
MPR: What is one of your best memories from throughout your career?
JC: Launching our Philadelphia edition last September and watching it take root in the community so quickly has been a highlight for me. It's so rewarding to be involved in helping local business communities grow and thrive.
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For this week’s Friday Happy Minute, Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Kevin Anderson (KA), Sports Information Director and Assistant to the Athletic Director at Clark University. Kevin is one of the most recognized and well respected professionals in his field, having previously worked with Harvard University, Yale University, and Stonehill College and the Pacific-10 Conference.
Company: Clark University
Title: Sports Information Director/Assistant to the Athletic Director
Website: Clarkathletics.com
Twitter: @ClarkAthletics
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
KA: Jack of all trades – master of none! I am a writer, a public speaker, an event manager, a statistician all rolled into one. I basically get paid to watch sporting events and report on them. Not a bad gig if you can get it!
MPR: What advice would you give to someone entering your field?
KA: Be flexible and versatile. When I was graduating from college I applied for internships and jobs all around the country. Don’t be afraid to leave the nest. Sometimes your best opportunity might not be in your backyard but the one you do take that’s a further away, might lead you home later on. Also, with the way the job market has been recently, the more you can do, the better candidate you seem to a potential employer.
MPR: Have you embraced social media? What are your thoughts?
KA: Who would ever think that someone would want to know that some Hollywood starlet loves her Starbucks coffee in 140 characters or less? I love it. All this technology will define this generation. By the way - I seriously believe I might have been one of the first 1,000 people to ever be on Facebook. I was working at Harvard when it launched and a lot of my friends didn’t even know what I was talking about when I told them about it. I’ve been on it so long I remember when you had to have a harvard.edu email address to even be able to sign up for it.
The social media blitz is really ratcheted up some of the things that I have to do. Tweeting, posting to Facebook, and coming up with new video. Here at Clark, student-athletes come from around the country, so being able to broadcast games over the internet has been a real treat. I’ve done some play-by-play and really enjoy it.
MPR: What things have changed about public relations and what will always remain the same?
KA: The social media aspect has made the person in the PR department who was just a writer, or just a designer, responsible for putting their content in more than just print. People still read magazines but there are now faster ways to disseminate information and if you can’t keep up, you can lose the chance of being heard. Accuracy will always be the constant. Putting out correct information and in ways that it’s easily digested makes people say, “Oh, yeah. I remember these guys from before.” And that’s what you want.
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This week’s Maroon PR (MPR) Friday Happy Minute features Ryan Sharrow (RS) from the Baltimore Business Journal. Ryan serves as the Web Editor for BaltimoreBusinessJournal.com and contributes to the journal on a variety of topics impacting the Baltimore business community, including sports business.
Company: Baltimore Business Journal
Title: Web Editor
Website: baltimorebusinessjournal.com
Twitter: @rsharrow
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job.
RS: Responsible for daily online content, website design and multimedia for the Baltimore Business Journal. Compile the 3 p.m. daily e-mail update, our daily online newspaper.
MPR: How do you think your profession has changed in the past year?
RS: The urgency to produce a story, while maintaining accuracy, has changed greatly. We live in a world where people want quality news, quickly. With Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms, the pressure to meet those demands intensifies by the day. For local breaking business news, we want to be the first place where readers are getting that quality story.
MPR: What's the best advice you've ever received?
RS: Go with your gut. If it doesn't feel like the right thing to do, it's probably not.
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April 15, 2011
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| Jen Bloomer (middle) taping a news segment with Fox 43 in York, PA. for the National Aquarium. |
In honor of Maroon PR (MPR) celebrating its five-year anniversary, we caught up with one of our original team members, Jen Bloomer (JB), for this week’s Friday Happy Minute Q/A. Jen is currently the Media Relations Manager for the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md.
Company: National Aquarium
Title: Media Relations Manager
Website: aqua.org
Twitter: @jbloomer12
MPR: What challenges do you face when pitching the media on stories about the Aquarium?
JB : The Aquarium is known for being a great attraction in Baltimore, and for our expertise in animal care. I have no problem with engaging media in stories about our animals, general travel and tourism topics. But as we grow, we are taking more of an active role in conservation topics, environmental research projects and advocacy work. It has been a challenge to break into that world because there are so many great organizations who are known for their conservation work.
MPR: You are involved in the social media and blog for the Aquarium…what difference has that made in your efforts to brand the Aquarium?
JB: Social media has been become a very important part of our branding and marketing efforts. I had the opportunity to help create our social media platforms, and it has been really exciting to watch our various online communities evolve over the past few years. We've learned that not only do these platforms give us the opportunity to tell our stories and share really great content, but they also let people share their feedback about Aquarium experiences and connect with us. That type of engagement is key.
Additionally, the overarching mission of the Aquarium is to provide experiences that help people enjoy, respect, and protect the aquatic world. Social media helps us engage with people long after their Aquarium visit and keep them engaged in conserving and protecting the planet.
MPR: What do you like most about your job?
JB: The best part of my job is being able to provide positive news stories to the Baltimore community. It brightens my day when a reporter leaves the Aquarium having been inspired by our animals, programs, or visitors and is excited to put together a story!
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April 8, 2011
For this week’s Friday Happy Minute, Maroon PR (MPR) caught up with Dallas Jackson (DJ) of Yahoo! Sports.
Dallas is a leading national high school sports journalist for RivalsHigh.com. Company: Yahoo! Inc.
Title: Senior Analyst, High School Sports
Website: RivalsHigh.com
Twitter:@RivalsHigh
MPR: Give us a quick description of your job?
DJ: My job is to own the high school football landscape. Being in constant contact with prominent coaches, boosters and administrators at schools and those who run companies in the business of HS sports keep me in the know (for rankings) and out in front (of news stories). Football is our most popular sport – and it demands coverage year-round – but I also keep a close eye on basketball and baseball.
MPR: What skills are needed to be great at your profession?
DJ : Most importantly, you need a passion for what you do and what you cover. It seems to me that some people covering high school sports view the position as an entry-level job at their newspaper or website. And while they may aspire to be great it is usually on a different beat. My passion is high school sports – especially high school football. My desire is to be best on this beat.
After that, you need the same skill set as any journalist: An ability to relate to people (to get the stories), an ability to report the stories (to get them right), and an ability to write the stories (to tell them in a way users can understand and relate).
But you can’t do it alone. You need a great team, which I have at RivalsHigh, to produce great work. There is very little any of us can accomplish alone and having great teammates certainly makes me look better.
MPR: Have you embraced social media?
DJ: I was reluctant to embrace social media at first because it was just one more thing to do; seemingly no obvious reason to do it. Looking back, that was a pretty clear mistake. Social media helps keep me in the know at local levels. And when it comes to high school sports, that’s where people truly know what’s going on.
Twitter has just entered its fifth year of existence and I am just entering my second football season of usage. Like many other successful ventures being in on the ground floor would have been advantageous. I am just over 2200 followers but if the climb had started three years earlier the breadth of those followers could be much wider.
The RivalsHigh facebook page is also entering its second football season and the site has added a blog (Prep Rally) within the last year. In retrospect it would have been better to have put those resources in place earlier.
MPR: What are your thoughts on social media?
DJ: I think with the growing trend of smartphones and the increased reliance on technology those who do not embrace the changes more quickly will be left behind at an increasingly rapid rate. That seems to be the prevailing thought among most everyone in the industry now as it has become fairly clear that doing things the way they “used to be done” does not mean that is the correct way to do them going forward.
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April 1, 2011
We are adding a new weekly feature to the Maroon PR (MPR) blog that we think our readers are going to enjoy. Each Friday afternoon, we will feature the Friday Happy Minute, a brief Q&A with a person working in media, communications, sports business, philanthropy and more.
