eChaser: August 2012 / p2

Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas update: Potential privacy risks trump public interest. If you want to learn more about your public officials, don’t head to your computer keyboard unless you plan to book a trip to Austin. That’s because a committee, heavily stacked with lawmakers, fears that online access to annual financial disclosure statements might lead to “identity theft — or worse.” The disclosure information is already available in paper form at the Texas Ethics Commission offices in Austin, and much of the information is online at various media websites. Ethics commission staff had suggested that the disclosure documents be posted online, but the Austin American-Statesman reports that the unanimous vote of the Sunset Advisory Commission, composed of “10 legislators and two citizens,” will prevent that from happening.

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PEOPLE & PLACES

Fort Worth-based J.O. is one of only nine Texas companies to pledge pro bono services through the initiative A Billion + Change. J.O. joined the effort June 27 at a business forum at the White House. A Billion + Change is a swiftly growing national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services from corporate America to build nonprofit capacity. In less than a year, 200 companies have pledged an estimated $1.8 billion worth of skills-based services to nonprofits, keeping the campaign on track to inspire 500 companies to create or expand a skills-based volunteer program in their workplace by 2013. “A Billion + Change’s mission adds a valuable layer to furthering the success of our nonprofit clients,” said J.O. president Jennifer Henderson. “It’s also exciting to be a founding member of a national initiative of for-profits strengthening nonprofits through professional skills-based community service.” In addition to strengthening communities, corporate skills-based volunteer programs have proven to be effective talent management tools. According to True Impact, skills-based volunteers are 142 percent more likely to report job-related skills gains than traditional volunteers, and 82 percent more likely to report that volunteerism generated new recruits for their company versus traditional volunteers. True Impact is a Boston, Mass., company that helps organizations maximize the social and business value of their operating practices.

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GET A JOB

Alcon in Fort Worth seeks to fill two full-time positions — one for an internal communications manager with a minimum of 10 years experience to support human resources and one for a senior corporate reputation manager with 8-10 years experience (both require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree) — and a contract communications specialist with 5-10 years experience. Submit a cover letter and résumé through the links above. ...

The Association for Molecular Pathology needs press room management services for its annual meeting Oct. 25-27 in Long Beach, Calif. More from Sarah Angle, who explains, “It’s a contract gig, pays well, and all expenses are covered. It would require about five hours of work each week leading up to the event and immediately after.” E- sarahlesangle@gmail.com. ...

WFAA-TV in Dallas has a job opening on the assignment desk. The position is the heartbeat of the TV newsroom: dispatching crews, monitoring scanners, making beat calls, sniffing out stories. Contact assignment desk manager Leslie McCardel at lmccardel@wfaa.com. ...

At the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the Central Desk Newspaper Producer area generates pages and non-breaking web postings for Scripps newspapers and their niche products. Aspects include design, presentation, picture selection, copy editing, and caption and headline writing. A B.S./B.A. in media or journalism or equivalent experience is required, with a minimum of two years of daily editorial experience preferred. Info here.

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NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS

SPJ ... Perry Cockerell, Cantey Hanger LLP

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