A New PR Professional: Michelle Hagans

(Photo found at interpublic.com)

A New PR Professional: Michelle Hagans

By: Kathryn Collins

Michelle Hagans graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2009 with determination to succeed in the PR world. She now holds the title of the new Account Executive at GolinHarris in Dallas, Texas. Her time in the public relations professional industry had its start about two years ago.

Hagans graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2009 with a degree in Public Relations. On top of her coursework at the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Hagans stepped foot into the working world early through internship experiences. Her internship opportunities included a PR internship with the well-known Richards Group in Dallas, Texas, as well as an internship at SPM Communications in Dallas, Texas. Due to her early experience as a PR practitioner, Hagans was able to get a grasp on what life after graduation entailed. She strongly encourages future PR practitioners to find as much experience in the field before graduation.

Hagans informed me of the skills necessary in order to achieve success in the public relations field. A PR professional needs to be detail-oriented, results-driven, and solution-oriented. “You have to be passionate about what you do,” said Hagans. “You must also be flexible with deadlines because you never know what will be thrown at you.”

Hagans expands her passions by learning from others in the public relations field. “You learn something new everyday in public relations,” said Hagans. “I would encourage others to find a mentor who is not at their job to teach them work ethics and how to communicate with people who have different work techniques.” She says that it is very important to learn from others in order to be the best that you can be at your job.

Michelle Hagans is inspiring to those in the Gaylord College with graduation time just around the corner. Through her internship experiences and driven attitude, she was able to accomplish her dream of being a young PR professional.

PR Professional: Kenneth Kracmer

PR Professional: Kenneth Kracmer

By: Courtney Clark

Kenneth Kracmer is the Managing Partner and PR Director of HCK2 Partners in Dallas, Texas. As the namesake of the latter initials in HCK2, Kracmer confidently leads the PR side of the business and manages new-business efforts. He is approaching his 20th year of working in the PR industry, and credits his journalism experience for leading him to where he is today.

After graduating from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s in journalism, he attended Dallas Baptist University where he earned his M.B.A. degree in management. Kracmer spent his first five years out of school at the largest PR firm in Dallas, Temerlin-McClain, which has since changed to Weber Shandwick. He gained valuable experience working with many different markets, and then decided to go corporate, where he worked another five years at Excel Communications. Kracmer then took another corporate job, working for a security software company called Entrust. After two years there, he was given the opportunity to become an owner of HCK2 Partners.

Having been with HCK2 for seven years, Kracmer is a huge part of the firm’s success. Combining his corporate experience with his passion for account service, Kracmer is able to provide value for his clients and continues to earn their respect. He is an active member in the exclusive business knowledge network called Dallas Roundtable, which helps him to grow his networks while maintaining his business and leadership skills.

Kracmer considers strong writing as one of the top skills necessary for this industry. “You have to be a good writer at the very core, I don’t hire many people that aren’t journalists first,” Kracmer said. He believes that it is also important to have a good understanding of business and how businesses operate, as well as any marketing skills.

According to this industry veteran, future PR professionals should first gain as much experience as possible on the agency side. This will teach aspiring practitioners how to work across a number of companies and a number of roles in the PR profession.

“Once you get the agency experience, you can choose what you want to specialize in,” Kracmer said. “If you specialize too soon, you box yourself in and may get stuck for awhile.”

Learning Moore: An Interview with Pattye Moore

Learning Moore: An Interview with Pattye Moore

By: Aran Coleman

Photo Courtesy of The Persimmon Group

Pattye Moore is a brilliant example of a successful public relations businesswoman. Moore has been in the PR industry for 30 years, and she has continued to show her expertise by moving right on up the business ladder throughout her extensive career. Her achievements are admirable and should empower any woman, or any PR professional for that matter.

We began the interview with a rundown of Moore’s past. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1979 with a degree in public relations. She is an accredited member of PRSA, the Public Relations Society of America. Moore’s career began in 1980 when The Williams Companies in Tulsa, Okla. hired her. She worked there for four years until she moved to Advertising Incorporated where she eventually served as the Account Supervisor on the Sonic account. Moore’s success on the account got her hired by Sonic Corp. By 2002, Moore became the President and a board member at Sonic Corp. In 2005, Moore became the co-owner of Instincts, LLC. “We specialize in leadership development, brand strategy and communications management,” said Moore about her company. Since 2010, Moore has also served on the board of directors for ONEOK, Inc. and QuikTrip Corporation, and she is the Chairman of the Board at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.

After discussing Moore’s career accomplishments, I wanted to learn more about her strategies for becoming a success in the PR field. She said that good communication skills are a must for any PR practitioner. The ability to write well coupled with the ability to speak make a world of difference in the realm of public relations. The next piece of knowledge Moore relayed was the need to keep up with and have a sense of curiosity about current events. It is always important to know what is going on when current events can shape the industry you work in. Finally, Moore said business savvy is extremely helpful, as a public relations practitioner. It is important to understand all of the aspects of the business you work in, including knowledge about how the companies make money and an understanding of financial terms.

To end our time together, I asked Moore for a word of advice from a PR professional to an aspiring PR practitioner. The main recommendation she left me with was to take as many college classes as possible, especially business classes. She even suggested pursuing a double major. She said, “Many PR professionals graduate with no understanding of business.”

Moore is an inspiration to PR students who want to make a difference and achieve even their biggest dreams. She used her drive and determination to get where she is today, and when it comes down to it, those attributes contributed to the majority of her success.

Courtney Sanders, Manager of Communications and Events at Child Study Center

Courtney Sanders, Manager of Communications and Events at Child Study Center

By: Diana Truss

Image taken from http://www.cscfw.org/

Courtney Sanders found her passion for corporate communications at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from college in 2006 with a degree in Corporate Communications, Sanders has worked in public relations for four years. Immediately after college, Sanders went to work in politics. She worked as a Legislative Correspondent and was in charge of all constituent Correspondence for a United States Congressman. Following her position as a Legislative Correspondent, Sanders worked as the Grassroots Director and Communications Manager for Texas State Official, Susan Combs. Sanders worked as the liaison between the media and the Comptroller. After her career in politics, Sanders currently holds the position as the Manager of Communications and Events at the Child Study Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Child Study Center is a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of services to children who have developmental disabilities and related behavioral problems. As manager of communication and events, Sanders coordinates numerous events to raise awareness of the Child Study Center’s mission and vision with the public.

In order to work in public relations, Sanders says you must constantly be networking with other professionals. It is important to get to know all outlets of communication and be “in the know” of everything that is going on in the world of public relations. Sanders says it is also important to understand how to direct questions to the particular person you are interviewing or corresponding with, whether it be with your client target public.

Sanders offered some advice for future public relations professionals. “My main advice is to stay in touch with the people that you meet throughout your career. It is very important to network and get to know others in your field,” Sanders said. She also explained that it is valuable to follow current events that are happening not only in the United States, but also all over the world.

Elisa Milbourn

Elisa Milbourn, Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau


By: Jenna Taylor



Photo taken from http://www.okccvb.org.

The Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau (OKC CVB), which is located in downtown Oklahoma City, is a division of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. According to the website, the purpose of OKC CVB is to promote Oklahoma City to visitors and enhance the city’s name and image. The Bureau also is in charge of planning and servicing conventions and other group related occasions. Elisa Milbourn has been working for the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau for over two years.


Milbourn graduated with a major in public relations from Oklahoma State University. Before pursuing her job OKC CVB, Elisa worked as a student assistant in the Athletic Media Relations Department at Oklahoma State University during her senior year of college. She then moved back to Oklahoma City after she graduated from OSU in May of 2007. After moving back, she started to search for jobs in order to begin her career. She found that it was very difficult to find a job.

Unable to find anything that was a good fit, Milbourn took a secretarial position at Hefner Middle School while she continued to research and interview for jobs. She left Hefner Middle School in 2008 and accepted her current position at the Bureau. Milbourn stated that most of her job opportunities were brought to her because of connections she had through friends and family. For example, she got hired for her current job with the help of her friend that was the PR director for the Oklahoma City Chamber at the time. She also got hired for the Hefner Middle School secretarial position because her mother worked as a teacher there.


Milbourn plays an important part of every aspect of the company. As the marketing and communications coordinator for the OKC CVB, her main job requirements include fulfilling media requests and setting up visits for the media. She also helps the Bureau’s advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen, with placing advertisements in various publications. Mostly all marketing or print materials that come out of the Bureau usually go through her before they are sent out to the public. She is in charge of the “Welcome to Oklahoma City” banners and buttons for various events that are happening around the city. She has also taken over all of the CVB promotional items such as bags, t-shirts and coffee mugs that are handed out around the city. Milbourn is currently working on updating the annual “Visitors Guide to Oklahoma City”, which is a big task toward the end of each calendar year.

When asked about what advice she would give to future PR professionals, Milbourn said, “People that want to come out of college and become a PR professional need to first network as much as possible, and second, have a passion for what they are doing.” Elisa said she loves working for the Bureau because of the people she works with and the great hours that she gets to work.

Christine Frank: The Face of Noble, Oklahoma

Christine Frank: The Face of Noble, Oklahoma

By: Molly Luton

Christine Frank decided to enter the public relations field because she genuinely thought it "would be fun." She admitted, like so many students today, that she originally wanted to get involved in PR for the more exciting glamorized aspects like event planning. She said it didn't take her long to realize that PR entailed far more than planning fun events.

She began working for the Noble Chamber of Commerce five years ago and says she has truly "learned the ropes" through the process. Her official title is the Noble Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. This entails not only managing the PR side of her office, such as their Facebook page, press releases, etc. but also the necessary management functions. Working for the Noble Chamber of Commerce is her first official PR profession, but she notes that there were many times at her previous places of employment (which she preferred that I did not disclose) where she helped develop PR tactics. She attended the University of Oklahoma before transferring to the University of Tulsa where she graduated with a B.A. in Journalism. She expressed how excited she was to finally be putting into practice what she learned in college many years ago. "I didn't particularly plan on it taking almost twenty years before I landed my first PR job, but opportunities for PR positions are few and far between, she said. "When I heard about this opportunity I immediately applied and the rest is history," she noted.

When it comes to professional advice she made many valuable recommendations. She recommended that before you ever send any document, communication, e-mail etc. that you proofread it personally three times, and if possible let as many other eyes as you can look over it before you officially send it. She also said to always dress professionally. "You never know who might drop in your office, or where your day may lead you," she said. "Therefore wherever you go look your best because if an opportunity presents itself, you must be prepared to take full advantage of it. Part of that equation is looking your best to ensure that your interests and the interests of your organization are taken seriously," she said. When asked about what advice she could offer to future PR professionals she said to never give up. She emphasized that finding a job in PR is no easy task, but if it is what you want to do it is by all means worth the wait.

Michaela Webb: Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator

"Michaela Webb: Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator"

By: Cathleen Shelby

(Image taken from the Facebook page of the Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts)

Recent graduate Michaela Webb never thought that she would be able to combine two of her greatest passions in life: the arts and public relations. Webb had to work hard to achieve her dreams. But with a lot of dedication and enthusiasm, Webb got her dream job.

Webb graduated from the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma in 2008 with a degree in public relations. She has now been in the work force for about two years.

Webb reports that she did not have a lot of professional work experience before graduating. Webb worked as an intern at Starr Tincup, and as an ‘Outside Sales Associate’ at CBeyond.

Currently, Webb now is a ‘Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator’ for the Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts. Webb began working there in September 2009, and has loved it ever since.

When asked what some of the most important skills are for public relations professionals, Webb responds “writing, writing, writing!” She also states that it is important to be able to make connections with people you didn’t know previously, to self motivate, to have good time-management skills, and to know how to use social media.

The best advice Webb has for future public relations practitioners is to intern as much as they can before graduation and practice their writing skills.

Webb claims that she has learned a lot since graduating from the University of Oklahoma. “The fast moving world of public relations ensures that I will never be bored!” Webb said.

Tanna Vu, Director of Funds Development for Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma

Tanna Vu, Director of Funds Development for Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma

By: Amber Rogers

(Photo taken from Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma Web site.)

Tanna Vu is the Director of Funds Development for Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma. Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma is affiliated with the United Way of Lawton-Fort Sill. Vu always wanted a career that matched her personality.

"I chose the PR field because it appealed to my personality style," said Vu. "I'm a people person and enjoy interacting with groups and creating relationships."

Vu has been in the public relations industry for 15 years and has worked with many corporations.

"The PR field is very diverse, meaning it allows for many job opportunities and experiences through your lifetime," said Vu. "It is very rewarding and exciting to cultivate and interact with people and know you have a part in making the company you work for successful."

Vu graduated from the Cameron University in Lawton, Okla. with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She received her master's degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Vu has an extensive PR professional background which includes: Southwest Medical Center, BancFirst and Springhill Suites and Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott. Vu had a personal connection with Hospice along with a working relationship from a previous job. She applied to Hospice for her current position for those reasons.

Plenty of responsibilities come with her title. Vu is responsible for ensuring funds, writing grants, holding special events, and writing donor appeal letters. She oversees marketing and education at the agency. Vu also creates brochures, creates and maintains social networking sites and creates other tools to help Hospice stay ahead of competitors. Vu is tasked with speaking on behalf of Hospice at civic groups and other venues about how Hospice impacts the communities they serve.

According to Vu, the top knowledge that is needed in the PR field is communication, marketing and human relations skills. She believes the skills necessary include the ability to relate to people on a personal level and the ability to articulate information to the community using various media such as print, radio, television or other groups.

The most rewarding part of Vu's position is knowing that she contributed to the success of continuing the legacy of Hospice by making sure the public is educated about Hospice's services. The advice she wants to give to students studying in the PR field is to look into a PR internship to ensure that PR is one's passion and to allow students to begin developing skills outside of the classroom.

Kirstin Farris, Marketing Director of Excel Physical Therapy

Photo from collegesforphysicaltherapy.com

Kirstin Farris, Marketing Director of Excel Physical Therapy

By Kylie Schneider

Kirstin Farris is the Marketing Director for Excel Physical Therapy in Tulsa, Oklahoma and surrounding areas. Excel Physical Therapy specializes in outpatient care. Therapists focus on pre and post operative areas such as spine, knee, shoulder, elbow, hand, foot, and ankle. As they state on their website, “Excel Therapists are trained and licensed to provide programs such as functional capacity evaluations and work conditioning for worker's compensation injuries.” (Information from Exceltherapyok.com)

Kirstin has been in the marketing and sales industry for about 15 years and has definitely found her niche. In college, Kirstin received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology and minored in gerontology. Her initial plans were to work in some sort of elderly social work but she changed her mind as she discovered new interests. She served as a Pharmaceutical Representative for eight years and prior to that worked briefly in radio and TV sales.

It is Kirstin’s job, as Marketing Director, to market Excel to physicians and workers compensation nurses and adjusters. She must target these audience members with the right information that will be relevant to their business and encourage them to refer patients to Excel as is typical in areas that use public relations. Excel participates in special events such as golf tournaments and conferences such as the Oklahoma Public Safety Conference to create better awareness of the organization and reach their target publics.

Kirstin believes not being afraid to ask the right questions is the most important part of a successful marketing or public relations career. “If you cannot ask the right questions,” said Kirstin. “You don’t know how to go about fixing a client’s potential problems.” As far as advice for those wanting to go into the field of marketing or public relations, Kirstin thinks it is most important to put yourself in front of people. As Kirstin says, “I interviewed as many people as I could who worked in the field to see if it was something I would even be interested in doing and I found out that it was.”

Kinsey Crocker, Realizing the Potential of Public Relations

Kinsey Crocker, Realizing the Potential of Public Relations

by: Katylee Strange

Photo from: www.anglinpublicrelations.com

Kinsey Crocker is an Account Executive for a public relations agency in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma called Anglin Public Relations Inc. Crocker is one of the few people who happened into the profession of public relations. Like many students Crocker started off in college at the University of Central Oklahoma not knowing exactly what she wanted to do. Crocker said, “I looked into degrees in science, in art and communication. I pretty much looked into everything.” She ended up deciding to get her degree in Corporate Communication because she realized the job potential the degree had. Crocker got an internship with Anglin PR her senior year of college and has been working there ever since. “The internship is the first time I got in depth with public relations and just fell in love with it because it was so diverse,” said Crocker. The diversity of public relations and the agency style work is what grabbed Crocker’s attention because it allowed her to do so many things and be involved with the many things she was interested in. Crocker has been at the agency for six years. She started off as an intern and continually got promoted from an account specialist to account coordinator to account executive. As an account executive, Crocker said she is the primary contact on a lot of different accounts. “I hold meeting with clients and help determine their goals. I also work through the four step process and helping them do research and determine what the should be doing, creating plans, implementing plans and evaluating plans and writing proposals for potential clients,” said Crocker. Anglin PR Inc. works with a variety of clients including University of Oklahoma’s Engineering College, Homeless Alliance, and Oklahoma City Home and Garden Show to name a few. One specialty area the company works are with companies that have big ideas and want to solve problems for the community and for the state.

Not only is Crocker a productive member of Anglin PR Inc she is also an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). “I’ve been going to meetings since my internship, so for six years. Currently I am a board member at large and in January I will be the Secretary.” Crocker says some of the benefits of being involved in PRSA is that it helps public relations professionals meet a lot of different people and helps with networking. Being involved can also build a name for yourself and can even help get clients. And finally it can help keep up with industry trends. Being a public relations professional, Crocker says the ability to write and write well is essential. Also key skills are experience, because it is proof that the students know what they are doing and having basic knowledge of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Some advice Crocker would give to future PR professionals is to, “get internships and as much experience as you can while in school.”

Becca Weigman, President and Managing Partner for TM Advertising

Becca Weigman, President of TM Advertising

By: Morgan McMahan

Becca Weigman became the new President and Managing Partner for TM Advertising as of May 10, 2010. Weigman has been in the marketing and advertising business for more than twenty years, specializing in brand strategy and CRM digital marketing. She graduated from Loyola College in Maryland in 1989 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Weigman worked for RAPP from 2006-2010, where she was U.S. Chief of Marketing and Managing Director of the company’s Dallas and Chicago offices. Her leadership and client-centric focus in digital marketing led the agency to become the first CRM agency named to Ad Age’s 2008 Agency A-list. Before RAPP and TM Advertising, Weigman worked at Trahan Burden Charles as Executive VP in charge of multi-channel development and direct response efforts for the agency. In the beginning of her career, Weigman interned for Bozell Worldwide right out of college, and then she worked briefly for Arnold and Tracy Locke. Weigman says that the most essential skills needed to be a PR or Marketing professional are multimedia, communication, and writing skills.

TM Advertising is an independent subsidiary of Interpublic Group, which is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the United States. Major clients of TM advertising are American Airlines, American Heart Association, and Discover Network. Since Weigman’s addition to TM Advertising, the company has been honored with two Effie Awards. The Effie Awards is a declaration of an agencies achievement in the industry by honoring prestigious campaigns in all forms of marketing communications. The two Effies awarded were both Bronze Effies for effectiveness in the Media Category, and for effectiveness in the Healthcare Products and Services category. Her client responsibilities have ranged from categories such as travel, technology, financial, and retail.

When asked what Weigman’s advice is for future PR professionals, she responded by saying, “never limit yourself to just one focus when studying public relations, because companies and agencies will require additional knowledge in fields such as marketing and advertising.” Also, she is very passionate about digital marketing, so she suggests that ‘’students should be very familiar with social CRM and online marketing because customer-to-customer conversations are essential for managing existing customers and engaging with new prospects.”

Shelly Hill, Sales and Marketing Manager at S.P. Richards

Shelly Hill, Sales and Marketing Manager at S.P. Richards

By: Laura Hill

Shelly Hill has won over 20 awards at S.P. Richards, which is a fully owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company. Just to name a few awards, Hill is now of one the top sales people in her division, has been in the President’s Club seven times, and was included in the 1^st Inaugural Sales Advisory Board.

Hill consults business owners on market conditions, and instructs her clients how to advertise and market their business against mega accounts, like Office Depot and Staples. She also creates sales campaigns and identifies sale opportunities. Hill said public relations is a large part of what she does.

“I use public relations in two ways. I have to build a good relationship between my company and my clients. I meet with top clients week-to-week to keep a strong relationship. I consult with them on their business. I show them all the resources we have to off them, so they do not go to the competitor,” Hill said.

She also helps her clients build strong relationship with their clients.

“It is important for my client to have good public relations with their customers. It keeps their name in the forefront of their minds,” Hill said. “Public relations builds trust, loyalty and relationships, which increases sales.”

Hill often uses Constant Contact to design newsletters and Websites. She says this a tool that helps her and her clients contact their customers. She designed a Website for Wilson Office Supply, one of her customers, to help them build public relations.

Ironically, Hill started out at Office Depot. She went from Office Depot to an office position at S.P. Richards. She worked in the office for eight years in the customer service department.

“It was difficult to get an outside sales position. You pretty much had to wait for someone to die,” Hill joked. “A gentleman was going to retire, so I asked for that position.”

Hill said it was an easy transition. She had built many relationships with her soon-to-be clients over the phone in customer service. She said she felt like she had an advantage.

“I did a terrible job at first. I was so overwhelmed, but after six months I became one of the top sales people in the company,” Hill said.

Currently, Hill has 49 clients, and her market is worth $18 million.

South Africa's Youth Entrepreneurship PR Campaign

By: EJ Carrion

Since the downturn spiral of our economy and the decrease of jobs, promoting entrepreneurship has been an effective and motivational way to help students create a positive future. The Youth Entrepreneurship Campaign 2010 (YEC2010) is a campaign focused on educating youth on entrepreneurship in South Africa. The YEC2010's vision is to instill the entrepreneurship mindset in students so that that they can be the stepping stone to South Africa’s entrepreneurship endeavors. Younger generations provide creativity and an understanding of technological trends, which could spark new ideas and inventions. The campaign also wants South Africa’s government to build an atmosphere that is advantageous to young entrepreneurs and startups. The campaign’s also believes that entrepreneurship will increase the wellbeing of their economy. The PR campaign is an example of how PR can promote change and develop a community that supports the change.

The official logo of the Youth Entrepreneurship Campaign

The campaign developed this change toward entrepreneurship education by providing students with; mentors, finance courses, grant applications, and classes that help them create sustainable ideas. The campaign played a dominant role in motivating projects that were focused on transferring knowledge, creating awareness of opportunities and available assistance and support to young people where their entrepreneurial needs are concerned. The campaign provided onsite youth-focused coaching on business information, products and services generated by other organizations including partner organizations.

Lastly, the YEC2010 encouraged business professionals to support young people and their ventures by enabling them with development and sustainable resources that allows youth to believe that they can create their own enterprises. The campaign could not have been as successful without the support of the South African Chamber of Commerce, Umsobmuvu Youth Foundation, and the NAFCOC Youth.

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Relative video that focuses on teaching entrepreneurship

Tango PR: Mastering the art of connecting communities

By: EJ Carrion

Jorge Hernandez, President of Tango Public Relations, has volunteered his time and service to help the community set up events, community projects, and conventions. By being a community leader, Hernandez discovered an untapped market that would benefit from public relations. He realized that there was potential business in helping companies advance their relationships within the Hispanic community by the events he hosted. “It is so important for business professionals to identify opportunities. When you notice a problem, try to be the solution.” Hernandez realized that there was no one more qualified in helping companies connect to the Hispanic community than himself.

He graduated from Southern Nazarene University, a private Catholic university located in Bethany, Oklahoma. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Relations to pursue a career as a guidance counselor to help Hispanic students excel in school. Hernandez’s passion for the Hispanic community led him to his first job as a youth prevention specialist for the Latino Community Development Agency. He helped motivate students and citizens in the community to build a better foundation for youth in the Hispanic community.

He became a popular face in the community and was someone people could count on to influence and impact the Latinos in Oklahoma City. An opportunity sprouted when a bank opened up in the Hispanic community and was searching for a representative that was well connected and trusted by the citizens that live there. Exceptionally qualified for the job, Hernandez found a new outlet and industry to help him leverage the Hispanic community forward. After a few years working for the bank, he developed an interest in finance and became in agent for New York Life Insurance.

Now Hernandez and his wife, Brenda Hernandez, own a franchise for Allstate which has helped them strengthen their status in the community. “It is very difficult for companies to brand themselves in the Hispanic market, said Mr. Hernandez, you have to have people that can represent your service and build loyalty within the community.”
While working with Allstate, Hernandez created Tango Public Relation, a public relations firm that specialized in positioning companies to be fully embraced by the Hispanic community. They are located in the heart and soul of Oklahoma City’s Hispanic community. Hernandez recognized that Fortune 500 companies need guidance by an expert that knows how to build strong relationships and communicate efficiently with the Hispanic market.

“Public Relations is such an inside essential for companies especially in the Hispanic community,” said Hernandez. “Hispanics grasp their culture so well, and in order to become a part of their lifestyle you have to be able to gain their trust. Once companies can gain that trust, the Hispanic community will become very loyal customers.”

Tango Public Relation lives by the saying “mi casa su casa” as Hernandez and his close niche group of practitioners provide strategic planning and strategies that are relevant in today’s Hispanic community. According to their official website, Tango PR has been in charge of hosting events for the Feliz Las Americas, Bricktown Association, The Yard Dawgs, and the Oklahoma City Public Schools. What we can learn from Tango PR and Hernandez is that public relations is about building communities and helping those communities connect to one another effectively.

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Great video that goes along with the theme of building communities

James Thach

Photo taken by Expressemploymentprofessionals.com

James Thach, Corporate Communications at Express Employment Professionals

By: Katie Graham

From 2006 to 2009, after graduating from Gaylord with an advertising degree, James Thach decided to take his internship to another level and actually work for it as Corporate Communications with Express Employment Professionals. Express Employment Professionals is a company that’s main goal is to show people how to find jobs. It has been around for over 25 years, helping people find the human resources and job skills to seek a career and a future. Thach worked at the international headquarters where he wrote blogs, columns, and press releases for internal and external audiences. His press releases consisted of writing to people about the latest employment and new office spaces that were available at the time. He would fill in the blank, with people, the insight as to how to go about seeking a job as well. Most of his blogs were fun facts to audiences about “How to be Interviewed,” or “How to Interview,” or “Top 10 ways to find the correct skills needed for your job.” Thach said that most of his time dealt with press releases that showed publicity to new job employment.

Thach also wrote pamphlets for the franchisees listing potential employment in the local areas. The pamphlets also showed where temporary workers were and became the “umbrella” to showing the progress of the company. Overall, quality writing was his main skill because he had to show a sense of reputation to the company, while publicizing to the audience the skills, material and training suited for the type of job that person was looking for. His knowledge consisted of knowing the franchisees and his company he was writing for. If he didn't know the rural area, he wouldn't know the jobs, therefore would have nothing to write about.

One of his responsibilities was to interview 2 franchisees about temporary works and economic trends. Thach would ask the franchisees about the trends that are possibly coming up, while predicting the work area that might have openings in the future. He would then send it to the publisher, where the pamphlet would then be published and sent out to the public to those wanting to find the fastest way to look for their job. This was best known as the Rosenberg Surveys.

His longest responsibility was actually building the main website for Express Employment Professionals. He designed it entirely by himself.

“It was pretty fun, don’t get me wrong, but I had to have my AP book on me at all times,” Thach said.

He is not currently working there anymore because of the amount of writing he had to endure every day. He got the job from interning there but never thought he would have a job right outside of graduating. Thach said that his best opportunities came from interning and to do as many as possible. This is what allows you to learn what you like and do not like out of a career. Thach also mentioned that even though you have graduated, it doesn’t mean you should throw away your AP book. Like mentioned above, he used his AP book every day during his time at Express Employment Professionals. It was a stable job, but not what he was looking for. It was a reality check, showing how much you are required to write in a job like this.

Thach now works for Crooked Tie Studios, where he records and creates wedding videos.

“It has nothing to do with my last job, but I love social media and photography so why not?” Thach said. His photography class got him into this, and his advertising capstone class pulled him further away from doing any kind of advertising.

Overall, James Thach is a writer and writing is his passion because it is the easiest to him. He wouldn’t mind doing more press releases and blogs, but for right now he’s getting his kicks out of going to weddings and making memories.

Jennifer Haveman

Photo taken from andersonhansonhlanton.com

Jennifer Haveman, Account Executive at Anderson Hanson Blanton

By: Christy French

Anderson Hanson Blanton is an advertising, marketing and public relations agency in Dallas, Texas. They take a no-nonsense approach to ensure they meet their clients’ needs and work within their desired budgets. Their core philosophy is to appeal to their clients’ target publics by making their clients’ products emotionally appealing.

Jennifer Haveman has an undergraduate degree in English Literature. The majority of her experience in PR and marketing was learned on the job. She expressed she has had some great mentors along the way, as well as some mentors who pushed her to her full potential.

Looking back, Haveman says she has been involved in the PR /Marketing industry since the 8^th grade. She was on the yearbook staff in Junior High, the newspaper staff in high school and then was in news radio during college. She took a small detour in the nonprofit world working with at risk youth before stepping back into the advertising arena. “I learned a lot about marketing and PR working for a nonprofit,” says Haveman. “There was never a budget for PR so I learned quickly how to gather the facts, tell the story and then sell the story in order to raise money to reach the people in need.” Haveman says it was just a natural progression that she came to work for an Anderson Hanson Blanton in 2007.

Haveman says the most challenging part about working in this industry is unearthing the needs of their clients. Most clients have an agenda when they meet with her. “It is important to take the time to talk to them and find out the story they don’t see,” says Haveman. “Then the company can help them develop this story to build a strong message for their target audience.”

“For new PR professionals, first, they need to be professional, and show a smile and good attitude,” says Haveman. “Second, be a self-starter and take the extra effort no matter what you are asked to do. Research your clients, competitors, relevant industries and media trends.”

Haley Downing: Account Manager for Waller & Company

Haley Downing: Account Manager for Waller & Company
By Callie Gillock

Haley Downing, a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma, found her niche in public relations when she entered college. At a young age, Downing knew she had a passion for writing like none other. After completing her first PR entry class she discovered an industry where writing was integrated with social interaction and client relations, which was what she was looking for.

Downing graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree from Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations. She is now the Account Manager for Waller & Company, a PR firm located in Tulsa.

Waller & Company is a full-service public relations firm that was founded in 1996. This organization believes having a strong PR firm requires mutually beneficial relationships with all clients. Waller & Company strives to build lasting relationships with clients by creating resourceful ideas and solutions that will satisfy companies’ needs.

Not only does her job allow her to fulfill her passion for writing, but it also permits her to explore different areas in public relations. “I love working with such a diverse spectrum of clients,” Downing exclaimed. “Our firm has restaurant and hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare and technology divisions so we are always busy doing something different and coming up with new ideas for each of the client industries.”

When getting into the PR business you need something that sets you apart from everyone else. “My advice to young PR professionals is to complete as many internships as you possibly can before looking for an entry level position,” said Downing. “The University of Oklahoma adequately prepared me for an entry level PR position, but my internships set me apart from other applicants while job searching.”

For a successful career path, PR professionals should have a creative mindset and a proactive approach with all client relations. Also, Downing insists, “a PR practitioner should have knowledge of AP style writing, familiarity with PR writing, document formats and research techniques.”

Houda Elyazgi - Senior Account Executive for Saxum PR

Photo provided by Saxum PR website.

By Cassie Little

It didn’t take Houda Elyazgi much time to make it in the world of public relations after graduation from the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2007. After just three years working in the field, Elyazgi is a Senior Account Executive for Saxum PR at the firm’s Oklahoma City location.

Elyazgi said her job is one that requires competence in many fields as well as a lot of patience. Some of the skills she considers most important include: communication, writing, oratory, leadership, multimedia and social skills. She describes the work as hectic and exciting but very rewarding at the same time. One of her favorite parts of the job is the opportunity she’s been given to work with non-profit organizations.

A typical workday for Elyazgi is always changing. She said most workdays start early in the morning consuming a vast amount of media including newspapers like The Oklahoman and The Tulsa World, as well as numerous online sources. Then, her day is filled with client meetings and campaign tasks.

She considers the most difficult part of her job the high stress level it invokes. She said the best way to not be overwhelmed at work is to take a deep breath, step back and remember to take the job one step at a time.

While many challenges are included when working in public relations, Elyazgi said the benefits outweigh the obstacles. She suggests that future PR practitioners work to take initiative and use their voices.

“Never be afraid to step on someone’s toes and challenge yourself,” she said. “If you’re always comfortable, you’re doing something wrong.”