June meeting took flight with NASA Speaker

On June 8, Allard Beutel, the news chief in Media Services for External Relations at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, discussed how he is communicating the final months of the Public Shuttle Program.

With more guests attending launches (42,000,) more public relations department access to historical records, and so many contract workers affected by the change, Beutel has had to revise the typical ways his team communicates and functions.

• The majority of workers at Kennedy Space Center are contractors without computers.
• With the public frenzy to see final launches, NASA's communications team has to use Twitter, Facebook, e-mail lists, media contacts and even bullhorns just to communicate road traffic conditions.
• While the last "planned" public shuttle flight is scheduled for the Endeavor in November, a senator is pushing for another, which would probably be a summer launch of the Atlantis, if it happens.
• The Smithsonian museum has right of first refusal for all space artifacts (shuttles too.)

Social Media, Part III in July

Nathaneal Mohr, business team leader of GuaranteedProfit.com, Orlando, will speak at the Tuesday, July 13 membership meeting to complete the social media “trifecta” FPRA started with the joint DBAF meeting in May and continued visiting the CBE business summit breakfast with Peter Shankman in June.

GuaranteedProfit.com creates customized business development solutions that focus on influencing large audiences. Mohr will cover the Internet’s uses for public awareness in a more in-depth way, and may discuss search engine optimized (SEO) media releases.

To RSVP, please contact Joanne Magley at jmagley@co.volusia.fl.us or (386)822-5062 ext. 2689 or register at fpravf.org ($20 members, $25 guests).

Presenting the 2010-11 Chapter Board of Directors

FPRA members voted at the June 8 membership on our Volusia/Flagler Chapter 2010-11 slate of officers. A call for officers went out in April and the slate was approved by the current board at its May 20 meeting. The new officers will take office September 1.

President – Karen Chrapek, Neighbor to Family
Immediate Past President – Mary Dorn, APR, Mary Dorn Communications Consulting
President-elect and Vice President of Accreditation/Certification – Vickie Pleus, APR, CPRC, Consultant
Vice President of Membership – Char Wrlak, Conklin Center
Vice President of Communications – Luis Paris, Center for Business Excellence
Vice President of Programs – Tangela Boyd, Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Vice President of Special Programs – Pam Hamlin, Independent Consultant
Vice President of Technology – Victoria McGuirk, APR, PR and Development Consultant
Vice President of Finance – Bissy Holden, Florida Health Care Plans
Student Chapter Liaison – Meredith Rodriguez, Bethune-Cookman University
Secretary – Marisol Moreno, Homewood Suites by Hilton
Vice President of Public Relations – Jo Lynn Deal, Community Partnership for Children