Image Awards Sponsor Spotlight: KUA

Kissimmee Utility Authority is a proud sponsor of this month’s FPRA Image Awards gala in Orlando. The utility is no stranger to the Image Awards competition, having won more than 120 Image Awards and Golden Image Awards over the past two decades. In 1998, KUA brought home the state’s top PR prize—the Dick Pope All Florida Image Award—for its daily electronic employee newsletter, the KUA Morning Minute.

KUA not only leads in the public relations profession but in all areas of business, having earned the state’s second best utility safety record in 2013, Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission’s William C. Schwartz Industry Innovation Award, Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Award, four time recipient of the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) reliability award.

Awards also include Florida Municipal Electric Association’s Community Service Award, Orlando Business Journal’s Best Places to Work Award, Florida Hospital’s Healthy 100 Workplace Wellness Award, American Heart Association’s Gold Level Fit-Friendly Award, and a Top 25 winner in the Orlando Sentinel’s Top 100 Companies for Working Families program.

This recognition anchors our belief that employees perform at their best and are happy to do so when provided with great tools and a positive, encouraging environment. These awards are a reflection of our commitment to our employees, and ultimately the 64,000 customers we serve in Osceola County.

Congratulations to all this year’s FPRA Image Awards recipients!

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2014 APR Spring Readiness Reviews

Good luck to the candidates who participated in the Spring 2014 APR Classes and are now preparing for their readiness reviews to be held on April 11 at the Orange County Administration Building in Downtown Orlando.

We anticipate that this round of reviews will include three outstanding candidates!

 

Celebrating 50 Years of APR!

For 50 years, the APR has been a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice. Candidates earn accreditation based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective and sound professional judgment.

The Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) serves as the governing body that has administered and managed the Accreditation process since its inception in 1998.

Accredited professionals are committed to lifelong learning, continuing education, giving back to the public relations community and the professional development of other practitioners.

 

Are you ready for the APR?  Our Fall 2014 Session will be here before you know it!

Visit the official Web site of the Universal Accreditation Board www.praccreditation.org for the Candidate’s Process Chart for the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations and the Application.    

 

To learn more, contact:

PRSA APR Coach Kathleen Prihoda, APR: 407-828-3814, kathleen.prihoda@disney.com

FPRA APR Coach Lisa Nason, APR: 407-836-7343, lisa.nason@ocfl.net

 

Chapter Rewind: Mission-Driven Marketing

By: Kerry Martin, APR

Not every company has a mission as community-focused and inherently beneficial as that of East End Market, the neighborhood market and food hub in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District.  But thanks to Heather Grove, East End’s community manager and speaker at last month’s FPRA breakfast program, you can take some of East End’s mission-driven marketing strategies and apply them to your communication efforts.  Here are some top takeaways:

• Positioning:  What attributes of your company’s mission align you with some like-minded organizations and push you away from other competitors?  East End’s family of community organizations are united for one goal, and though they don’t outright compare themselves to other companies in the industry, their own vision sets them apart.
• Internal PR:  How can your employees/members become your strongest advocates for your mission?  At East End, there is a monthly internal customer service award to support their mission-driven strategy.
• Positivity:  What would your communication look like if all of your messaging was positive?  There is a lot of negativity that East End could describe in its content and marketing from pesticides to pollution to hunger, but all of their communication efforts instead focus on the positive side of farming and food culture.
• Engagement:  How can you better engage your audiences through social media?  East End asks its fans and followers to join their movement through hosting events (both live and virtual) that educate and entertain.  When they find people who want to be a part of the mission, they empower them to be evangelists for the cause.

East End Market is a wonderful new asset for both our local food and farming community as well as our PR and event planning community—did you know that the facility serves as a wonderful venue site for a variety of occasions for up to 200 people?  Learn more at http://www.eastendmkt.com.

Member PRofile: Alayna Curry

What is your title and company name?
Community/Government Relations Coordinator
Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority

Give a brief explanation of your job.
I serve as the public liaison to both members of the community and elected officials. I give frequent presentations to local civic groups (Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, etc.) on transportation funding, the benefits of tolling and the operation of our agency. On the government side, I attend public meetings for MetroPlan Orlando, Tri-County League of Cities and county/city commissions to take part in the transportation conversation. The thing I love most about my job is getting to meet and interact with new people every day!

How many years have you been a part of FPRA? Why did you join?
I’ve been a member of FPRA for three years.  Although I hadn’t even attended a breakfast meeting yet, I was sent to the 2011 Golden Image Awards alone to accept an award. I got to know many of our chapter’s leaders and was eventually asked to join the board as the VP of Image Awards. Since then I’ve also served as board secretary and, this year, I’m VP of Interactive Media with my co-chair, Laura Kern, APR. We manage social media, the chapter website and our monthly newsletter, PRoclaimer. FPRA has been great for both my professional development and networking with members of the PR community. With a recommendation from another board member, I was able to secure an interview for my current job with the Expressway Authority.

What was your favorite FPRA event?
My favorite event so far was the 2012 Annual Conference in St. Augustine. Even though I was already serving on the board, I didn’t feel very connected yet. This event gave me the opportunity to really get to know my fellow board and chapter members. My favorite moment was at the Golden Image Awards … we got to meet Gumby!

Tell us about an exciting achievement (personal or professional).
Many of you know that I love to sing. In 2009, I was invited to participate in the grand opening press event for Disney’s American Idol Experience. Ryan Seacrest hosted the event, and I performed in front all seven of the previous Idol winners (Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, etc.), Paula Abdul, other Idol contestants and Simon Fuller, the creator of the show. That night, I took home the attraction’s first “Dream Ticket” – a fast-pass to the front of the line at the real American Idol auditions. It was one of the greatest nights of my life and I’m proud to be the holder of Dream Ticket Serial Number 0000001.

Tell us something people may not know about you.
Some people may not know that I’m a licensed fitness instructor after hours. I teach Zumba and indoor cycling at LA Fitness. I lost 40 pounds after college and have found a new passion for health. I’ve made so many new friends on this journey and love helping people reach their own fitness goals too. Check out my Zumba website and Facebook fan page for more info. I’d love to have you in one of my classes!

Contact info:
currya@oocea.com
407-408-1766
@alaynajolie