Leaving Television News: Signing Off with a Plan

Last week, WCCO-TV in Minneapolis announced they were relieving popular anchor Jeanette Trompeter “of her duties,” citing the struggling economic times as the primary cause.  Many station employees expressed their sadness on places like Facebook since Jeanette was as popular within the station walls as she was outside them.

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Tags: Austin, broadcast journalism, broadcast news, Facebook, industrial psychologists, Jeannette Trompeter, KAAL-TV, MN, storyteller, television news, WCCO-TV

Foss Swim School Named Honorable Mention for Working Mother Award

Foss Swim School has been selected as an honorable mention for Working Mother’s 2009 Best Green Companies list. Foss — the Twin Cities’ premier swim school — will be featured in the magazine’s April issue.

Nominations were collected for women-owned businesses, and winners were chosen based on family-friendly policies, dedication to helping women advance, and eco-friendly initiatives. As a finalist, Foss was considered by Working Mother editors to have some of the most innovative and effective approaches to these three criteria.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our environmentally conscious practices and our commitment to being a family-focused organization,” said Susan Foss, co-owner of Foss Swim Schools. “Foss is dedicated to creating an environment that is family oriented and environmentally responsible.”

StoryTeller Video Earns Edina Public Schools MinnSPRA Award

For the second year in a row, a video produced by StoryTeller Media & Communications for Edina Public Schools has won a Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA) Star Award in the publications and electronic media category.

The video — titled ‘Why Edina?’ — targeted potential new students and their families by highlighting how Edina’s schools prepare students for post-secondary education. According to MinnSPRA, the “Why Edina?” video was chosen for a Star Award because of the video production, content and ability to effectively reach its target audience.

Edina Public Schools will be honored at the MinnSPRA Annual Conference on March 19-20 at the Northland Inn in Brooklyn Park.

The Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA) is an award-winning, nationally recognized organization of public relations professionals, superintendents, and district personnel dedicated to strategic communications in education. The Star Awards recognize members for strategic communications efforts.

We are proud of our relationship with Edina Schools. Our job is simple when working with exemplary school districts like Edina.  Congratulations!

Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.

Tags: Edina Public Schools, Good Business, Minnesota School Public Relations Association, MinnSPRA, Star Award, StoryTeller Media & Communications, Why Edina?

Tapemark Charity Pro-Am Announces Call for Entries

Since 1972, the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am has raised more than $6 million for local organizations that provide support and advocacy for people living with developmental and learning disabilities. Presented by the Anderson Agency, the tournament celebrates its 38^th year this summer, and invites amateur golfers to play in the June 12-14 tournament.

The tournament, held at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul, pairs three amateur golfers with one professional, and 60 teams of four compete over the course of the three-day event. The top 36 teams after competition on Saturday move onto the final round on Sunday, June 14.

Individuals can register for the event by visiting www.proam.mn. The entry fee is $750 and includes at least 36 holes of golf, two dinners and tournament merchandise. The entry fee also includes the exciting “Drawing Night Event,” when all the teams are drawn and players find out which professional will be leading their team. Proceeds from the tournament directly benefit Arc Greater Twin Cities, The Arc of Minnesota, the Learning Diabilities Program of Children’s Home & Family Services, Dakota Communities and ProAct.

About the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am

In 1972, Bob Klas, Sr., chairman and founder of the Tapemark Company and Pat Cody, Sr., then vice president of the Tapemark Company, put their organizational skills and love of golf to work for a charitable cause. As the father of two children living with disabilities, Klas had seen first hand the growing financial needs of social agencies struggling to support and encourage people with developmental and learning disabilities.

The Tapemark Charity Pro-Am Tournament started that year and has since become one of the largest and longest-running events of its kind in the country. Since its inception, some of Minnesota’s greatest golfers have won the tournament, including PGA Tour professional Tom Lehman, Don Berry, Dave Tentis, Mike Barge, John Carlson and George Shortridge.

Jim Ramstad to be Honored at Diamond Service Awards in Bloomington

- Diamond Service award finalists and winners

WHEN: Thursday, March 19

5:30 p.m. – Reception

6:30 p.m. — Program

WHERE: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel Minneapolis South

7800 Normandale Blvd.

Bloomington, MN 55439

About the Diamond Service Awards

The Diamond Service Awards were created by the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau to honor outstanding hospitality employees. Nominations for the awards are submitted by hotel, restaurant and retail management, and honorees are employees at Bloomington hotels, restaurants and retailers. Hospitality is Bloomington’s top industry, employing more than 20,000 people.

Minnesotan to be Inducted Into PGA Hall of Fame

Minnesota native Jim Manthis will be inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame on May 5. Manthis, a PGA Master Professional at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course, is only the third Minnesotan to be honored with induction into the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at the PGA Education Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Coon Rapids resident Manthis also was the 2006 PGA Golf Professional of the Year. He has mentored more than 250 caddies, including 37 who earned Chick Evans scholarships to attend college. He also guided six assistants who later pursued professional golf careers.

Manthis turned professional in 1964 and was elected to PGA membership in 1969. He served on the Minnesota Section’s Board of Directors from 1974-1994, as Section president from 1983-84 and as a member of the PGA Membership Committee from 2001-03. He also founded the Section Junior Golf Academy.

Also an accomplished player, Manthis won the 1981 Minnesota Section PGA Match Play Championship, and in 1993, was named the Section Senior Player of the Year after winning both the Senior Stroke Play and Match Play. In 1999, Manthis added another championship to his collection by winning the Wisconsin Section PGA Senior Championship.

Other 2009 inductees include Harry “Cotton” Berrier, Don Essig III, Claude Harmon Sr., Brent Krause, Eddie Merrins, Harvey Penick and Brian Whitcomb.

Viral Video That Spreads is Dynamic Strategic Communication

As we change, evolve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of strategic communications we often talk to our clients about the use of video as a way to communicate with their customers and associates. This is not one way communication that is essentially an advertisement.  We are hoping to help initiate a dialogue between our client and their customers.  Our Video of the Week, is a wonderful example of a company that not only started a dialogue, but created phenomenal buzz in the world of social media.

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Tags: Blendtec, Video of the week, Video Production, willitblend videos, YouTube

Tips for Effective Media Interviews

So, you’ve been hounding your PR agency to get you some interviews with the media. After all, that’s what they’re paid to do, right? Then, they get you the interview on a local television station and start filling you in on the details.

“Be there a half hour early, here are your key messages, remember to not say ‘no comment,’ look the reporter in the eye, treat the camera as a person, don’t be nervous, relax, deep breaths.” You want to scream. It’s the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.”

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Tags: local television interview, media interviews, media training, PR agency

Miracle on the Hudson Simulation is Remarkable

By now, most of us in this country are familiar with what will forever be known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” which was by all counts an amazing act of calm and calculated risk by the pilot Chesley Sullenberger.  Digging around some of my favorite websites, as I like to do, I came across this simulation. What I love about this is how calm “Sully” Sullenberger is when he says, “we’ll be in the Hudson.”  Check it out and then make sure you lift up your jaw from the table when it’s over.

Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.

Tags: Chesley Sullenberger, Miracle on the Hudson, Video of the week

Blogging Content Resources

Last summer, my next door neighbor was telling me that he hardly ever reads the newspaper anymore because he spends so much time reading blogs.  When he mentioned that to me I thought, “wow, that’s odd. Why would you spend so much time reading people’s opinions?  And what could bloggers have to say that is remotely interesting?”  Here I am less than a year later in the same boat as my neighbor.

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Tags: alltop, AT&T, Blogging, content, popurl