eChaser: January 2014/ p3

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PEOPLE & PLACES

Lauren Kwedar Cockerell, public relations director for Consuro Managed Technology, recently returned from the annual Dell World Conference, where she accepted the Dell Social Media Partner of the Year award for her company. The award, in its first year, reflected Consuro’s social media training, use of social platforms to promote events with Dell, efforts to raise brand awareness and a series of Twitter conversations with the computer company’s founder, Michael Dell. Consuro is an information technologies service provider headquartered in Fort Worth.

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Richie Escovedo, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

On behalf of Greater Fort Worth PRSA, welcome to 2014. I’ve been thinking a lot about what to write in these president’s columns in our combined newsletter. I wanted to start the year off with my vision for the next 12 months. I thought that by sharing what’s in store for members and guests of our chapter, you’d be inspired and want to come join in the fun.

The reality is, my vision is simply to make sure the chapter remains steadfast as the Fort Worth branch of the nation’s “largest community of public relations and communications professionals. We provide training, set standards of excellence and uphold principles of ethics for the global public relations profession. As a leading voice in the PR industry, we also advocate for greater understanding and adoption of public relations services.” [PRSA]

We will accomplish this together through advocacy, education and outreach. I want to thank our officers and committee chairs, who have already stepped up to serve the chapter’s members. Plans are underway for programming, networking opportunities, community service, awards and more, all designed to bring value and impact for PR pros.

I encourage feedback from the nearly 170 active chapter members and hope to see (and get to know) more of you this year. Please make plans now to join us the second Wednesday of the month for our lunch programs, and look for upcoming evening fun through our PR After Dark offerings. Also, it's not too early to think about your Worthy Award entries.

Happy New Year and see you soon.

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OVER & OUT

John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ

Watchdoggie Dave Lieber hit the internets in November with a TEDxSMU 2013 talk on his favorite subject (Dave Lieber!), and it is at once insightful, delightful and fine. He makes a compelling case for “the power of storytelling to change the world.” Do yourself a 17-minute favor: Go watch it. Think about it. You’ll smile a bunch and laugh out loud at least twice, and leave with this: You effect more change with the right-on rejoinder than with your little Powerpointer. ...

Two big deadlines this month — Jan. 15, First Amendment Awards, and Jan. 31, scholarships. Notices have gone to the appropriate places, more than once, but if you know anyone who needs to hear and hasn’t, direct her to the website. Uplifting traditions deserve proclaiming, and these are two of our best. ...

What a sparkling eChaser debut for Claire Olson, PRSA’s latest newsletter coordinator. Sharp photos, several news items — what will she do for an encore? More of the same, I’ll bet. And then there’s the snark attack involving politician/public relations train wreck Marion Barry Jr. penned by wry PR guy Jeff Rodriguez. Good work all around. ...

SPJ national wants to know what you think about the potential name change and related issues. The survey will take no more time to complete than it took to wrap a present last month, and there could be a present in it for you — an SPJ gift sent to one of the respondents selected at random. ...

If you're a recent college graduate (or about to be), consider applying for a yearlong internship at SPJ headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind. The communications postgraduate intern is responsible for writing, marketing, social media and public relations efforts and receives a competitive salary, benefits and paid leave. Apply by 5 p.m. Jan. 29. Send cover letter, résumé, up to five writing samples and three professional references to Tara Puckey via Google Drive at tpuckey@spj.org. ...

The Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education, administered by the Online News Association, will provide $1 million in grants to teams to hack journalism curriculum. The challenge will support live news experiments that further the development of teaching-hospital models in journalism education, in which innovative projects are created by teams of educators, students, professionals, technicians and researchers. Micro-grants of up to $35,000 each will be awarded to 15-25 projects to be completed during the 2014-2015 academic year. Deadline is Feb. 13. Apply at bit.ly/hackcurriculum.

Caught my eye. O’Hare Airport employs goats to graze runways. ... Swarms of robotic bees could pollinate the flowers of the future. ... Katrina-like hurricanes could become 10 times more likely. ... Bananas could become extinct as fungus spreads. ... Scientists convert algae into crude oil in less than an hour. ... Unnerving before and after photos show climate change effects. ... Betaray crystal ball harvests light from the sun, moon, even clouds. ... Park your car, then power your house. ... Vibrant recycled storefront is London's new face of urban farming. ... Amazing photos of people living outside the system. ... Scientists discover freshwater reserves under ocean floor greater than all water used in 20th century.

Closing words: “Marxist ideology is wrong. But in my life I have known many Marxists who are good people, so I don't feel offended.” — Pope Francis, responding to conservative criticisms that his economic and social ideas smack of communism ... “Education is our only political safety. Outside of this ark, all is deluge.” — the father of American public education, Horace Mann ... “A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule.” — Michael Pollan, who also said, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” ... “When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.” — writer-philosopher Eric Hoffer