This week, a little star quality has touched Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and in turn, touched me.  Linda and Ellian Rosaire, two members of the legendary Rosaire family, have joined the attraction as the new animal department managers.

The sisters come from nine generations of a family known worldwide for their gifted training ability, their work in the entertainment and film industry, and as animal educators and conservationists.

Linda and Ellian’s father, Derrick Rosaire, Sr., known as one of the world’s finest animal educators, trained well known animal stars like Gentle Ben, Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion and the animals on Daktari just to name a few.

The Rosaire family has spent their lives immersed in a world focused on communicating with wild animals including lions, tigers, bears, elephants, chimpanzees and more.

Another sister also in the family business is Kay Rosaire, president of the Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota.  She made the connection between her sisters and Chris Lavick, Sarasota Jungle Gardens’ chief operating officer, which resulted in their new appointments.

Each sister is unique and offers different talents to the animal kingdom. Recognized as a modern day “Dr. Doolittle,” Linda has a lifetime of experience caring for exotic and domestic animals. For more than 20 years, she traveled the country with her petting zoo and animal show which included a variety of animals from baby goats to bears and wildebeest. Most recently, she has provided care to the animals at the Big Cat Habitat.

Ellian Rosaire, known as an expert equestrienne, owns and manages Rosaire’s Riding Academy in Sarasota and is also the hoof stock director at Big Cat Habitat where she handles donkeys, camels and more. Ellian has also performed with, trained or cared for exotic animals including big cats, bears, buffalo, and dangerous reptiles. As Ellian says, “We have been working with animals all of our lives.”

The addition of Linda and Ellian Rosaire has also opened the door for a partnership between Sarasota Jungle Gardens and Big Cat Habitat that will provide visitors with even more fascinating animal encounters from these two attractions.

Chris is really excited about having Linda and Ellian on board. He says, “They bring a family legacy, unmatched experience, and a great respect for the animal kingdom that provide the best care for our animals as well as to set the stage for new programs that will enthrall our visitors. We can all expect exciting things to come.”

It has been a fun and interesting week, learning about the Rosaire’s family history, the sisters’ unique talents communicating with animals and what all this will mean to Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

To find out more, visit Sarasota Jungle Gardens’ website or call (941) 355-1112, x 313 . To learn more about the unique and exciting elements in the PR life, visit my website!

It has been an inspiring week, both at work and in marathon training – two areas of life that are somehow intertwined.  Is it the more rigorous training that is fueling more energy and focus at work?  Or is the self-discipline and organization practiced at work making training more productive?  Maybe a little of both…We started out this week with a rained out long run on Sunday so instead did our six mile run on Monday morning — the rain had cooled things down a bit so it was really a pleasant run, even during July in Southwest Florida.  After work, we met with my client and our personal trainer LouAnn at Fitness Together to find out the results of our fitness assessments.  I learned that I definitely need to work on bench press/strength, speed, a little reduction of body fat and a few other issues. LouAnn reviewed Steve’s report separately and then we got to work on our personalized workouts based on the assessments — VERY individualized, recognizing that no two people, or bodies, or levels of fitness, are exactly alike. I am really excited that my plan is designed specifically to meet my goals.

For the next 45 minutes, LouAnn had us lifting, lunging, throwing, pushing and pulling — a wide variety of exercises that kept it really interesting and quite fun. We worked on both cardio and strength since we will be relying on both for the long race. We left feeling a little tired, but well-exercised, stretched and stronger already — looking forward to next week’s session!

Tuesday’s adventure focused more on mental preparation — I had the great pleasure of being invited to lunch at Bistro 41 by Jean Gruss, editor/Lee-Collier of Gulf Coast Business Review to talk with Charles K. Idelson, President & CEO of Investors’ Security Trust. about the Nov. 7 NYC Marathon. Charles completed the NYC Marathon last year and  generously shared some great advice with us on training, nutrition, the race route, where to stay and where to eat.  Jean and I took copious notes, and marveled at Charles’ beautiful medal:

It was thrilling to hear about Charles’ NY experience — he didn’t just run the race, he took in all the excitement and drama of the event, and truly seemed to enjoy himself even through a little pain. Knowing both Jean and Charles through business, I learned a lot about their “running” sides and gained more perspective on two very special people. It was great getting to know them a bit better.

Like our “marathon” lunch, so far this journey is incredibly enriching and has provided a high level of inspiration that goes well beyond the daily runs and workouts. The result? Creativity, motivation, and continuous improvement that is sure to benefit me, my family and my clients. Read more about our marathon training on my blog plus you can learn about innovative public relations solutions at PKECreative.com.

Today is Day 1 of my personal training program at Fitness Together Fort Myers and so far, I see many parallels between their personalized, one-on-one attention and an effective public relations plan that focuses on achieving client’s goals and objectives.

As of today, I am a client of my client, LouAnn Good, owner of the private training studio on Gladiolus in Fort Myers where the theme is, “One Client. One Trainer. One Goal.” This is really exciting for me as it is the beginning of a five-month journey leading up to the Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon on September 19, and then the NYC Marathon on November 7.  My husband Steve and I want to make sure we get there in a safe healthy way (we haven’t run a marathon in several years!), so we enlisted the help of LouAnn and personal trainer Jamie Swagler to help us. I already know that this was a very wise decision! I will be punctuating my regular blog posts with weekly updates on our progress (with some real pics, not just representative), and the benefits of a sound mind AND a sound body.

Here’s how it went today: our first session included a customized fitness evaluation where we were measured, tested and evaluated as to our level of fitness — not sure what the results are yet! LouAnn will enter the data into her specialized software program along with all our stats. In the PR world, this would be the research phase of the plan. This will generate a complete report that will specifically evaluate my body — where it is now, and where it needs to be over the next several months. LouAnn and I are setting goals and objectives that will lead to the strategic component of this “campaign”  – another similarity to the PR business.

So far, this is a unique experience. I have gone to gyms before where the atmosphere is very impersonal, usually with a staff member giving you a tour of the facility, a worksheet to figure out your reps, and a generic description of what you should do.  Then all of a sudden you’re alone with the equipment.  This is especially frustrating for me — being mechanically challenged, I would spend more time figuring out how to use each machine than actually using it.  And do I really want a room full of people watching me do this?

At Fitness Together LouAnn and Jamie are working with us in a private studio setting and showing us exactly what to do — correctly.  I really like their approach and we can all learn from it — no two clients are the same, and we have to plan differently for each based on individual needs and goals.

That’s why even though this is more of a physical process, I can’t help comparing it to the work we do every day in public relations and marketing — both include Research and incorporate Goal-Oriented Strategies.  Plus, very clear Measurement procedures are in place — and what’s more important than positive results?

And so the journey begins….I am excited about our first real training session next week, bringing us one step closer to our goals!  Stay tuned…in the meantime, check out www.ftfortmyers.com or www.pkecreative.com to learn more about us.

Those of us in the field of public relations are trained from early on about the importance of creating a thorough, specific crisis communication plan. In most cases we file it away, secure in the fact that it’s there if we need it.  For me, that was yesterday. The beauty of a well thought out crisis communication plan? It actually works.

Leaving out names to protect the innocent, no sooner had I completed a crisis plan for a new client than a crisis occurred: a key employee walked off the job without notice. She was the only full time person licensed to manage one of the major functions of this organization and without a replacement, the regulatory agencies warned they would shut down the business within the next two days. To complicate matters, this same employee called the media about the impending shut down and two TV stations got right on it.  We had five hours to get control of the situation until the 6 p.m. news. What to do? Refer to our newly minted, trusty crisis plan, of course.

Within two hours, we appointed a spokesperson, drafted a statement for the media, coached the client, contacted the media with a response and set a time with the reporters for an update. The result? While the news stories ran as scheduled, the facts were presented fairly and the points we made in the statement were mentioned right up front.  The positive, timely communication with the media allowed the story to be reported accurately with little drama and minimal impact.

Here were the lessons learned:

1. By planning calmly and rationally in advance, we were prepared for the worst.

2. We had an immediate plan to put into action – no time was wasted.

3. Because we were so calm and organized, the client was too – and that made a huge difference in the outcome.

I highly recommend preparing a thorough crisis communication plan for your client’s or organization’s peace of mind – and yours as well! To learn more, visit my website.

Working from our vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina has its pros and cons.  For one thing, by creating an advance to-do list of projects that require some thought and concentration, I usually head up here with specific things to accomplish and end up getting a lot more done than I anticipated.  Still, the spotty internet connection (and sometimes no service at all!) spurs intense anxiety attacks about what I am missing, unanswered emails and yes, even unviewed Facebook updates.

For this trip I decided since my Sprint aircard is mostly unreliable up here that I would try Verizon’s version — to no avail.  Same intermittent connection that throws me off every 15 minutes until it cuts out entirely…perhaps we should have considered a beach house for our getaways?

Today, after my initial hair pulling, hand wringing fit, I decided to take a more positive approach.  Surprisingly, I felt much better and discovered five ways to make the most of the time “unplugged.”

1. TIME TO THINK

Aaaah….with the surrounding quiet except for the patter of raindrops, I actually took some time to think about my next writing project — how would I approach it, how I could make it different, what angle I could take.  My focus definitely improved with this single-minded effort.

2. TIME TO WRITE

Next, I was able to write an advertorial piece straight through — no stopping to check email because there weren’t any coming in! I was able to finish surprisingly quickly with little editing needed, probably because I was not trying to do several things at once.

3. TIME TO FINISH A CONVERSATION

When I completed the advertorial I actually maintained my side of a short conversation with my husband without once sneaking a peek at my inbox — that way I fully comprehended what he was saying and was able to answer intelligently.  (Not be be misunderstood: I do actually uphold my side of personal conversations — just not during business hours!)

4. TIME TO TAKE A WALK

Before moving on to a new project, since the connection was still not working, I took a short walk outside, breathed some fresh mountain air, watched two deer walking the path behind our property and then came in from the rain.  Quite refreshing and good to take a little break!

5. TIME TO FEEL HAPPY ABOUT BEING RECONNECTED

While all that was good for a time, a hint of anxiety started to creep back in when I realized I could not finish my next project without some internet research. Packed up my bags and headed a mile away to my aunt’s house where for some reason I can always get a connection.  Aaaaah….sweet relief, and happiness to be back up and running! Looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow!

To learn more, please visit me and my firm at www.pkecreative.com

A delightful afternoon in the company of artist Deena Gu Laties happily confirms the fact that the ultimate benefit of social media and online communication lies in real face-to-face human interaction, and hopefully the beginning of a lovely new friendship. I first met Deena via email in response to an invitation to a reception I planned for my client North Star Yacht Club.

A new resident at the riverfront condominium community in North Fort Myers, FL, this exceptionally talented watercolor artist loves the panoramic water views and incredible natural light that inspire her painting.

When we finally got to meet at the event,  I was struck immediately by Deena’s warmth and her ability to draw others into interesting conversation, and following the party I was eager to learn more about her art and her background growing up in Shanghai.  I learned a lot by visiting her website www.deenagu.com and she inspired my idea for a new feature column on North Star Yacht Club’s website: “The Company We Keep.”

But like the new media experts espouse, electronic communications works best as the means to an end — it’s the face-to-face encounter that sparks a real relationship.  So when I decided we had learned enough about each other on line, I asked Deena if she would like a mini-tour of the Fort Myers area and an introduction to the local arts community.  I thought the best way to accomplish that was to bring her over to the Alliance of the Arts. There, she could get to know several hundred area artists and become familiar with the wonderful resources that organization offers.  Publicity director Chelsea Birczak gave us a very informative and friendly tour — Deena was extremely impressed and is planning to become a member.

Next stop, downtown Fort Myers where I filled her in on the recent refurbishments and excitement about the downtown area, Art Walk , the Sidney & Berne Davis Center and the growing arts community.  She was also interested in learning about the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce so I brought her into the downtown banking office of Florida Gulf Bank to meet some of the leaders of the business community. Finally, we enjoyed a delicious outdoor lunch at Delicious Things where we shared conversation about our families and our backgrounds.

Yes, the sun was shining on another beautiful day in Southwest Florida — but the warmth really came from a day filled with so much personal interaction — from Chelsea’s warm welcome, to the Florida Gulf Bank staff taking some time out to greet a new community member, to the interesting and inspiring lunch conversation — the experience was a shining example of the impact new media can have when it leads to the ultimate goal: building relationships.

I hope others have similar experiences they would like to share — find out more about me and my PR firm at PKECreative.com.

(Susan G. Komen Southwest Florida affiliate Race for the Cure PR Team: Marie Mosley, APR, Phyllis Ershowsky, APR/CPRC, Pam Nulman, APR/CPRC)

This past Saturday, the Southwest Florida Susan G. Komen affiliate held their 4th annual Race for the Cure.  It was the culmination of months of planning, the hard work of hundreds of volunteers, teams and committees and an ambitious three-month PR plan that we put in place and implemented through Race Day.

It has been an extraordinary experience. I was honored to accept the position of PR Chair for this year’s race and during the past few months, my PR coordinator Marie Mosley, APR and I have worked to create awareness — not only about the event, but about research, early detection, allocation of funds and the fact that breast cancer knows no boundaries when it comes to age, income, geography and yes, even gender.

From writing and distributing news releases to working closely with our amazingly supportive and engaged Southwest Florida media, it has been extremely rewarding to see it come to fruition with positive results.

But there was nothing more powerful than the survivor stories — warriors young and old who have been down a road no one wants to travel and managed to return with compelling stories to tell about their journeys.

At some point during this experience, the professional became personal. To prepare for media interviews, Marie talked to women who had just been released from the hospital, women awaiting their next surgery within the next day or two, women still bruised and bandaged.  Yet they were ready and eager to tell their stories, openly sharing what up until a few years ago may have been taboo.  Why? Because they know only their experiences will help us understand what we are walking or running for, and why it is so crucial for our daughters, our mothers, our husbands or wives, ourselves.  Their stories brought us to tears — more important, their stories brought 9,500 people out on a Saturday morning, and raised more than $900,000 to help find a cure.

Who could possibly help getting emotionally involved?  Hearing the words of these women, on TV, on line and in the newspaper, told with such honesty and hope, could move even the toughest individuals. And if we’ve moved them not only emotionally, but moved them to action, we have done our job.

By the time the sun rose on Race Day, our PR team was in professional mode, press kits compiled, interviews lined up, news trucks in place, crisis plan in our back pockets. Then the cameras started to roll, and as one breast cancer survivor after another, some with husbands or children in tow, shared their personal stories, suddenly that was all that mattered.

Honorary Race Chair actor James Denton at Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Southwest Florida

At the end of the day, the results were outstanding, and we gained a new perspective that a personal approach to public relations can go a long way — hopefully toward a cure.

(Here I am with my sisters Jane and Erica, the birthday girl)

It took awhile to dawn on me, but I just discovered that the issue of work/life balance continues even after your children have left the nest. While I no longer have to balance press conferences with soccer matches, or editorial deadlines with school concerts, I realize that this transition might not mean going full tilt to the “all work” mode…a place where I have been for quite some time, and thought that’s where I was meant to stay.

What caused me to reconsider?  A family weekend for my sister’s surprise birthday put more than 1,500 miles between me and my laptop — something that hasn’t happened for more than two years. It’s amazing what you can see when you look up from the computer screen — did you know that the people who have shaped you and been a part of your life forever, have been growing and thinking and becoming more amazing and wonderful while you weren’t watching? It’s true.

In less than 48 hours, here’s what I experienced:

*A joyful airport reunion with one of my sisters;

*Meeting more than 100 of our youngest sister’s friends, work associates and the people that make up her universe today;

*The unbelievable look of shock and surprise when she first saw us — that was worth the whole trip;

*The chance to get better acquainted with my niece and nephews and wonderful brother-in-law;

*The lovely realization that you can enjoy your parents and the adult versions of your siblings even more than during the earlier stages;

*The knowledge that none of this could have occurred by phone, email or social media.

The result?  Chances are the 60+ hour work week will continue for quite some time — mostly because I am passionate about what I do and enjoy almost every minute of it.  However, I know that I don’t want  that to come between me and the life experiences that make a life — so next time it will be much harder to say, “I can’t” and much more important to try to find a way to say, “I can.” It won’t happen overnight — but hopefully I can begin to find my balance.

Learn more about the work side at  www.pkecreative.com

]]> http://www.publicrelationssolutions.com/keeping-the-balance/feed/ 1 http://www.publicrelationssolutions.com/think-pink-drive-green/ http://www.publicrelationssolutions.com/think-pink-drive-green/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:34:22 +0000 admin http://www.publicrelationssolutions.com/?p=168
We have been talking a lot about Corporate Social Responsibility lately and the role that it plays in company morale, community involvement and public relations.  In Southwest Florida, the corporate response to the Susan G. Komen Southwest Florida Race for the Cure is a perfect example.  As a PR volunteer, I have seen so many local businesses step up with team sponsorships and donations — one major example is the Southwest Florida Ford Dealers…The Southwest Florida Ford dealers are going all out in the fight to end breast cancer by offering a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid valued at $29,000 to the winner of the “Think Pink, Drive Green” sweepstakes in support of the Komen Southwest Florida Race for the Cure.  In addition, Southwest Florida Ford dealers will donate $20 for each sweepstakes entrant up to $20,000.

Entrants can sign up at any of five SW Florida Ford dealerships:

Coconut Point Ford, Estero

Charlotte County Ford, Port Charlotte

Langford Ford, LaBelle

Sam Galloway Ford, Fort Myers

Tamiami Ford, Naples

Those entering the contest can also pick up an entry form to participate in the Race on Saturday, March 13. Last year, more than 8,100 people participated in the 5k run and walk. The event raised more than $914,000. This helped the Southwest Florida affiliate award grants of $963,000 to 10 local non-profit organizations that provide education, screening, treatment and support in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry & Lee counties.

Ford has served as the local presenting sponsor since the very first Southwest FL Race for the Cure in 2007, providing funding, media support and hosting events.

The Susan G. Komen Southwest Florida Race for the Cure takes place on March 13, 2010 at the Coconut Point Mall in Estero.  For more info visit www.komenswfl.org.

And you can find me at www.pkecreative.com.

I’ve written before about the exciting, interesting people I meet on a daily basis — one of my favorite aspects of my career in public relations. A great example is my friend and client Randy “RJ” Vann, a Southwest Florida business man and an avid horseman.  So what do a drive for solar technology and a passion Paso Fino horses have in common?  RJ shows us…After more than 34 years building a successful full service air conditioning and plumbing company in Fort Myers, FL, RJ Vann Mechanical Corp., Randy recently launched a new division of his firm, Solar Tech Energy Systems.

Harnessing his staff’s expertise with all things A/C and plumbing, the new division incorporates photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight to electricity, solar hot water, high efficiency air conditioning and customized solar packages that qualify for federal and state rebates. Randy’s team has been trained and has enthusiastically embraced the firm’s new vision, “Technology today for a greener tomorrow.” This is a bold adventure during challenging economic times but they are already gaining momentum.

Solar Tech is just one way Randy displays his sense of adventure.  When he’s not working at RJ Vann Mechanical, he nurtures his other passion, Paso Fino horses on his ranch, Corner Creek Ranch.

These beautiful creatures are known for their gentle disposition, intelligence, stamina, companionship and are excellent for both trail and show.  After a life threatening illness in 1994, Randy decided to go back and do something he truly enjoys — riding, breeding and showing horses — he became infatuated with the Paso Fino breed and the rest is history.

In doing what he loves, RJ is doing great things. In business, he is caring for the environment and exploring new territory — with his horses, he is fulfilling his passion and a sense of adventure.

I find his outlook and his approach very inspiring — Randy has taken hold of the reins….and the sun.