Adds new partner to its roster of independent public relations counseling firms 

NEW YORK – June 3, 2011 – Worldcom Public Relations Group, the world’s leading partnership of independently owned public relations counseling firms, announced the appointment of the 2011-2012 board members during the group’s annual meeting, held May 17-20 in Madrid, Spain. 

Matt Kucharski of Padilla Speer Beardsley in Minneapolis, Minn. will continue to Chair of the thirteen-member Worldcom Group Board. 

“The Worldcom Group Board is comprised of agency leaders from some of the top independent firms around the globe,” said Matt Kucharski, Chair, Worldcom Public Relations Group and Senior Vice President at Padilla Speer Beardsley. “They are a great representation of the power of Worldcom – a true partnership dedicated to helping clients transform their businesses through strategic communications in the markets and industries important to their success.” 

Kucharski welcomed two new board members: newly elected Asia-Pacific Region Chair, Cindy Payne of Asia-Pacific Connections in Singapore, and Hal Dash of Cerrell Associates in Los Angeles, appointed as the At-Large/Next-Generation Staffing board member. 

In addition, board members continuing their terms or elected to additional terms of office include: Corrina Voss, HBI Helga Bailey GmbH, Chair-elect and EMEA Region Chair; Melissa Sturges, Sturges Word Communications, Treasurer; Stephanie Paul, Phillips Group, Strategic Plan; Tom Van Blarcom, TQPR Thailand, Membership; Noemi Pollack, The Pollack PR Marketing Group, Marketing; Francie Israeli, John Adams Associates, Peer Review; Mae Manekulpan, TQPR Thailand, Knowledge Sharing; and Virginia Sheridan, M. Silver Associates, Americas Region Chair. 

Worldcom, with a total of 2,125 employees, experienced an 8 percent growth in partner revenue over the last year. In 2010, Worldcom partners provided strategic public relations services to more than 3,200 clients worldwide, generating revenue of more than $263 million USD. 

Worldcom also voted in a new partner in the Asia-Pacific Region, Finese PR, a boutique communication consultancy headquartered at New Delhi, India. 

The 2012 annual group meeting will be held in Rio de Janeiro, hosted by Worldcom partner PLANIN from Brazil. For more information on Worldcom Public Relations Group, please visit www.worldcomgroup.com. 

About Finese PR

Finese PR is a boutique communication consultancy headquartered at New Delhi, India, offering PR services across India. Established in 2000, Finese PR provides all aspects of public relations services to clients across India and other geographies. Finese PR designs effective public relations, investor relations, digital PR and public affairs campaigns for its clients, and has had the privilege of creating, nurturing and repositioning brands. 

About the Worldcom Public Relations Group
Established in 1988, The Worldcom Public Relations Group, is today the world’s leading partnership of independently owned public relations counseling firms, with 107 partner agencies worldwide, in 90 markets, in 46 countries, across six continents. With more than 2,000 employees, and revenue of more than US $265 million, partners collectively serve national, international and multi-national clients seamlessly, while retaining the flexibility and client-service focus inherent in independent local agencies. Through Worldcom, clients have on-demand access to in-depth communications expertise from professionals who understand the language, culture and customs of the geographic arenas in which they do business. For more information, please visit www.worldcomgroup.com.

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Contact:

Nicole Swick

Nicole.swick@techimage.com

(312) 558-1770 Ext. 140

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BOSTON, MA  / VANCOUVER, CANADA  (June 3, 2011): As partners in the Worldcom Public Relations Group, which unites 107 top PR firms in 91 countries around the world, both Schneider Associates in Boston and the Pace Group in Vancouver, Canada see eye-to-eye on almost everything. 

However that changed overnight, after the Vancouver Canucks took game one of the NHL Stanley Cup final with a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins.  Although Worldcom members always work as a team to provide professional services around the world, the staff at Schneider Associates  and the Pace Group have found themselves  “agreeing to disagree” on who will bring home the cup. 

“There is good reason they call Boston Titletown,” said Joan Schneider, President and Creative Director for Schneider Associates. “The only other thing we are better at than winning world championships is holding ticker tape rolling rallies downtown each year,” said Ms. Schneider, referring to the New England Patriots’ three recent NFL world championships (2001, 2003, 2004), the Red Sox’s two World Series victories (2004 and 2007) and the Boston Celtics’ return to glory as NBA champs in 2007. “The Bruins will be next in line to join its Boston sports brethren as world champs – it will be the B’s in seven,” predicts Ms. Schneider. 

“It’s our year, no doubt about it,” responded Norman Stowe, Managing Partner of the Pace Group. “The level of support in Vancouver has never been greater, we have the best fan base anywhere in the league, and with the Canucks winning the President’s Cup, we know this year’s Stanley Cup victory parade will be in downtown Vancouver.” 

With each firm so confident that their team will win, each has agreed that the losing firm must write a “glowing” press release about the winning city, the winning team and the winning firm.  The release must also be approved by the winning firm, before finally being distributed by both firms to their major media contacts in Vancouver and Boston on the day of the winning team’s victory parade. 

“We’re happy to take the bet, and Joan’s firm should start drafting the release today,” said Mr. Stowe. 

“Bring it on,” said Ms. Schneider.

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Media contacts:

Philip Pennellatore, Schneider Associates, Boston

617.536.3300

www.schneiderpr.com

Norman Stowe, Pace Group Communications, Vancouver

604.646.3556

www.pacegroup.com

For information on Worldcom Public Relations Group, visit www.worldcomgroup.com 

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DAVID GROSSMAN INSTALLED AS WORLDCOM UNIVERSITY’S INAUGURAL PRESIDENT

CLEVELAND, Ohio – September 22, 2010 – David Grossman, founder and president of the Grossman Group, a Worldcom Public Relations Group partner firm in Chicago, was installed today as the first president of the newly redesigned Worldcom University, the learning and education center of The Worldcom Public Relations Group, the world’s largest global PR partnership.  Worldcom’s Americas Region president Stefan Pollack, president of Los Angeles-based, The Pollack PR Marketing Group, made the announcement at Worldcom’s Americas Group annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio this week.

Worldcom University, originally launched in the 1990’s, has been completely retooled.  “It will serve as the exclusive education and learning center for the 1,800 employees of our 107 Worldcom partner firms around the world,” said Pollack.  “Its diverse content offers instant knowledge sharing and enhanced curricula for all Worldcom partner firms and their employees. David’s talents and reputation for strategic leadership development and internal communications makes him the right person to lead this new proprietary knowledge Worldcom center,” Pollack added.

New offerings on the interactive site will include instructional videos, webinars, whitepapers as well as thought leadership conversations culled from blogs and social media sites. The online classrooms will provide Worldcom members the opportunity to stay current as to innovative practices as well as rapidly evolving tools used in public relations, marketing and advertising.

“We are committed to providing our partnership the best practices in communications from around the world,” said Grossman, “The knowledge base inside Worldcom is immense and unmatched and, with this new exclusive education portal, we will be able to reach out to our entire partner base with the best proven techniques and practices in the industry.”

David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, is a renowned international consultant, speaker, author, and leader on communications inside organizations. His latest book “You Can’t Not Communicate” delivers impactful details on how today’s corporate leaders can get communications right. His agency, The Grossman Group, is an award-winning communications consultancy focused on organizational consulting, strategic leadership development and internal communications. Grossman provides more than 20 years of industry experience to Worldcom and Worldcom University.

To learn more about Worldcom Public Relations and the new Worldcom University, please visit www.worldcomgroup.com.

About the Worldcom Public Relations Group

Worldcom Public Relations Group is the world’s leading partnership of independently owned public relations counseling firms, with 107 offices in 95 cities worldwide. Established in 1988, it was formed so that the strongest, most capable independent firms could deliver immediate impact and sustained value through the intelligent use of communications – wherever in the world a client needs support. Partners serve national, international and multi-national clients, while retaining the flexibility and client-service focus inherent in independent agencies. Through Worldcom Group, clients have on-demand access to in-depth communications expertise from professionals who understand the language, culture and customs of the geographic arenas in which they operate. For more information, please visit www.worldcomgroup.com.

The post ANNOUNCING THE LAUNCH OF THE REDESIGNED WORLDCOM UNIVERSITY appeared first on Schneider PR Newsroom.

BOSTON – April 7, 2010 – Schneider Associates, the Boston-based PR marketing agency best known for its thought-leadership in Launch Public Relations®, celebrates 30 years in business by applying  its proprietary Launch Public Relations model for introducing products, services, companies and communities to all Agency practice groups.  This shift in approach builds on the success of the Agency’s Consumer Practice launch programs and applies the same proven strategies and tactics to the firm’s Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Social Media practices.

“Our recent research has demonstrated a shift in how Business-to-Consumer  and Business-to-Business  marketers approach new product introductions,” said Agency Founder and President Joan Schneider.  “With the pervasiveness of social media and the internet in daily life, information of all kinds is accessible to consumers, which necessitates a Business-to-Everyone marketing focus when launching new products.”

Schneider Associates’ Launch Model^SM identifies and organizes best practices for each phase of launch, and is based on consumer research performed in collaboration with Boston University, business-to-business research fielded with the assistance of Babson College, as well as nearly a decade of consumer survey insights from the Most Memorable New Product Launch survey (MMNPL). The Schneider Associates Launch Model^SM is a proven, comprehensive roadmap for navigating launch challenges and creating effective campaigns that have generated recognition for the firm’s work. During the past three decades, Joan Schneider has been a sought after speaker for marketing summits at corporations such as General Motors, 3M and Genzyme.  “We have learned that many of the same axioms apply if you are launching a new product to the business community or to consumers,” added Schneider.  “Plus, the 24/7 availability of information and rapid innovation of social media has created many new ways for marketers to reach decision makers beyond traditional tactics like trade shows, media relations and special events.”

Schneider Associates’ Launch Model^SM will be applied to launches in the Agency’s Corporate and Public Affairs practices immediately.  “We have been successfully launching new communities and services for our clients for decades,” said EVP/Partner Philip Pennellatore.  “What changes now is the lens in which we encourage our clients to look at their introductions and the new media tactics we employ to achieve program results.”

About “The NEW Launch Plan”

To correspond with this major agency milestone, SA is releasing a second book on new product launch, entitled The NEW Launch Plan: 152 Tips, Tactics and Trends from the Most Memorable New Products. In the new book, which will be available on Amazon.com and at BNPmedia.com, authors Joan Schneider, President and Julie Hall, EVP/Partner, of Schneider Associates, have designed a roadmap for charting successful and memorable new product launches.

About SA

Since 1980, Schneider Associates has been launching products, services, companies and communities.  During the firm’s early years, SA became one of the region’s top firms working with real estate developers to obtain approvals for the launch of residential and commercial projects. In the 1990s, the firm diversified to serve companies launching both consumer and business products and services. Now, in its 30^th year, Schneider Associates has created a unified Launch Model^SM that is being applied agency-wide for client programs. A member of Worldcom Public Relations Group and a leader in launching new products, Schneider Associates’ team of public relations, marketing communications, social media, video and graphic designers provide agency services that include social media, messaging, media training, special events, crisis communications and spokesperson training.  For more about Schneider Associates, visit www.schneiderpr.com, or for more about Launch Public Relations®, visit www.launchpr.com

About Joan Schneider and Julie Hall:

Joan Schneider is the president and creative director of Schneider Associates, a marketing communications agency and member of Worldcom, specializing in Launch Public Relations®. Joan is also the author of New Product Launch: 10 Proven Strategies.

Julie Hall, executive vice president and partner at Schneider Associates, oversees the Consumer Group and brings a broad range of expertise in brand and integrated marketing in the consumer product and packaged goods categories.

Joan Schneider and Julie Hall are experienced speakers who have made presentations on launch at conferences and before corporate executive groups nationwide, including new product launch conferences in Australia and New Zealand; at Harvard Business School, the Ad Club of Boston, Boston University College of Communications, the Boston Capstone Conference and Emerson College; and at corporations such as 3M, Dupont and General Motors.

The post SCHNEIDER ASSOCIATES CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF LAUNCH PUBLIC RELATIONS® appeared first on Schneider PR Newsroom.

Contact:
Aileen Katcher
KVBPR
615-248-8202
akatcher@kvbpr.com

THE WORLDCOM PUBLIC RELATIONS GROUP’S AMERICAS REGION ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP AND WELCOMES NEW PARTNER MARC PR, AS ITS NEWEST MEMBER

NEW YORK, December 02, 2009 –  The Worldcom Public Relations Group, the largest global network of independent public relations firms, elected a new  Americas Region board and voted in a new member at its recent annual regional meeting.

The eleven-member board will be chaired by Stefan Pollack, a ten-year partner in the Worldcom organization, and president of LA-based firm, The Pollack PR Marketing Group.

Pollack has set the main objectives of his mandate as:  agency member recruitment; practice group expansion; and a stronger focus on annual peer reviews, a practice that holds member agencies to the highest of standards in the PR industry and serves as one of Worldcom’s most competitive advantages. “I want to use my time as Chair to increase the intellectual capital and the market focus areas we offer in individual regions, ensuring that our clients have access to a pool of specialized experts and expertise throughout the Americas Region.”

The new board and all of the partners welcomed new partner, MARC PR, a marketing-oriented, full-service PR firm based in Pittsburgh, with capabilities that include media relations, community relations, crisis communications, issues management, corporate communications, internal communications, cause marketing, social media management and event marketing.

In collaboration with the other board members, Pollack plans to define a strategy for supporting and bolstering the highly specialized teams in eight practice group sectors: Consumer; Crisis & Issues Management; Financial Services; Healthcare; Investor Relations; Public Affairs; Energy & Environment; Technology; and Travel & Tourism.  The groups share best practices and provide strategic and operational support to partners within their groups on client programs.

Continues Pollack, “Furthermore, with the support of the board, I feel confident that we can grow and refresh our Worldcom University offering by focusing on mentoring the next generation of PR professionals and increasing partner interaction to expand the sharing of great ideas and strategies.”

The new board includes: Virginia Sheridan, M. Silver Associates, Chair-Elect, Meeting Liaison; Hal Dash, Cerrell Associates, Inc., Immediate Past Chair; Angelica Consiglio, Planin, Latin America/Membership; Aileen Katcher, Katcher Vaughn & Bailey, Marketing; Chris Baldwin, Liggett Stashower, Member Recruitment; Dorothy Pirovano, Public Communications, Inc., Member Retention; Barbara Fox, OEB Enterprise, Online/Interactive; Francie Israeli, John Adams Associates, Peer Review; Mike Greece, Padilla Speer Beardsley, Practice Groups; Sandy Hermanoff, Hermanoff Public Relations, Professional Development; Todd Lynch, St. John & Partners, Sponsorship/Vendor Relations; and Marie-Joseé Gagnon, CASACOM, Treasurer.

“I truly believe that we, as an organization, have some of the best minds in the business and I feel privileged to represent the Americas Region,” says Pollack. “Under the leadership of the new board members, I am confident that our collaborative culture and passion for excellence will continue to translate into added benefits for clients.”

About the Worldcom Public Relations Group
Worldcom Public Relations Group is the world’s leading partnership of independently owned public relations counseling firms, with some 110 offices in 91 cities worldwide. Established in 1988, it was formed so that the strongest, most capable independent public relations firms could serve national, international and multi-national clients while retaining the flexibility and client-service focus inherent in independent agencies. Through The Worldcom Group, clients have on-demand access to in-depth communications expertise from professionals who understand the language, culture and customs of the geographic arenas in which they operate. Visit www.worldcomgroup.com for more information.

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