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September 02, 2002 Issue of PRWeek

ChevronTexaco lures top Conoco exec to lead corporate comms

SAN FRANCISCO: ChevronTexaco has brought in a top Conoco PR exec to fill the corporate communications GM's position left vacant since last fall's Chevron-Texaco merger.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Pentax selects Webb PR as agency of record

ENGLEWOOD, CO: Pentax has selected Webb PR as its agency of record, to help the company promote its new line of digital cameras for the holiday ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Bender/Helper Impact to handle PR for BBC Video

NEW YORK: Bender/Helper Impact has been retained to handle the PR efforts for BBC Video, the BBC's North American home entertainment unit. As PR agency of ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: CTA selected by Colorflex

LOUISVILLE, CO: CTA Public Relations has been selected by Colorflex, a provider of labeling and filing systems technology, to provide graphic design services for its new ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Russ Fons PR to handle PR

LAS VEGAS: Better Vision for Children Foundation, a non-profit corporation that screens children for eye cancer and other eye disorders, has tapped Russ Fons Public Relations ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Warp selects Springboard as agency of record

NEW YORK: Warp Solutions has selected Springboard Public Relations as its agency of record to develop a campaign to launch the company's Warp 2063 application pre-processor. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Avnet names Jan Jurcy as VP

PHOENIX: Avnet, a distributor of semiconductors and other components, named Jan Jurcy as VP of PR. Jurcy, who was promoted from director of PR, will manage ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Hoffman creates vice president of global services

SAN JOSE, CA: The Hoffman Agency has appointed Michelle Herman to the newly created position of vice president of global services. Herman, formerly managing director of ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Eastwick signs four new clients

REDWOOD CITY, CA: Hi-tech PR firm Eastwick Communications has signed four new clients: voice authentication and speech recognition company Nuance; ERP services firm Mercury Interactive; collaborative product ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Barkley Evergreen employ director

KANSAS CITY, MO: John Nohe is joining Barkley Evergreen & Partners as director of client services. He had been senior vice president, director of strategic development ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: New firm founded

WASHINGTON: Michael Shellenberger and Erik Curren, formerly of Communication Works and Fenton Communications, have founded Lumina Strategies. The firm will focus on assisting non-governmental organizations.

PR execs relieved by SEC's 'phase-in' disclosure rule

WASHINGTON: Many IR, corporate accounting, and legal execs expressed relief last week when the SEC announced it would phase in a plan to accelerate the filing ...

Hubbell out, Epstein in as Edelman changes PR21 focus once more

NEW YORK: PR21 has named Jerry Epstein as its new president and CEO, replacing Robert Hubbell. Epstein is the fourth person to take over PR21's top ...

IPAA hires former press secretary to head its PA efforts

WASHINGTON: The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) has created a new position to lead its public affairs, and filled it with its one-time press secretary ...

US training Iraqis in media to raise support for attack

WASHINGTON: The State Department has begun providing media training to a handful of Iraqi dissidents who will help make the Bush administration's argument for the removal ...

Game makers fill August news hole with silly stunts

GLEN COVE, NY and REDMOND, WA: Two video game companies have raised the bar when it comes to outlandish publicity stunts.

Global alliance of PR pros pushing for code of ethics

LONDON: The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, an international forum of 28 national and regional PR associations boasting a combined membership of 75,000, ...

Debate mounts in anticipation of CA privacy decision

SACRAMENTO, CA: A final vote is due by the end of this week on the Financial Information Privacy Act, which would prevent financial institutions from selling ...

Soda makers respond to LA school ban

LOS ANGELES: Soft-drink makers again saw their products tied to child obesity last week, as Los Angeles banned sales of carbonated beverages in its schools, citing ...

Graham's recent hiring by Edelman revives firm's presence in TX market

AUSTIN, TX: Edelman has performed a hat trick of changes by hiring Thomas Graham away from SWG&M Advertising: It reentered the Austin market, added public affairs ...

Study shows increasing PR need for organic producers

SCHAUMBURG, IL: According to a new study from AC Nielsen, producers of organic foods need to do a better job of touting the benefits of their ...

Brodeur Worldwide steps in for Schwartz to help Red Hat push Linux

RALEIGH, NC: Red Hat, one of the largest distributors of the Linux operating system, has named Boston-based Brodeur Worldwide as its PR agency.

Showbiz publicity veteran Kiel lands NBC's head PR job

NEW YORK: Entertainment publicity veteran Patricia Kiel has landed the top communications job at NBC, having been named as its new head of corporate communications.

Comms reshuffle at Universal sees Laski hired as SVP

LOS ANGELES: Universal Pictures has hired a new head of media relations, and restructured its communications department.

Brashear opts for H&K's corporate unit after retiring

NEW YORK: Albert "Rusty Brashear has joined Hill & Knowlton as senior counselor in the firm's corporate practice.

Earthlink to tout services with 'internet makeovers'

ATLANTA: Earthlink is taking the next phase of its PR right into its customers' homes.

WSW hired to help change TX views about sex crimes

AUSTIN, TX: Weber Shandwick Worldwide's research shows Texans harbor old-fashioned ideas about rape, and the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) is extending its contract with ...

Cubs trying to win public support for Wrigley changes

CHICAGO: The Chicago Cubs have decided to go to the polls in the team's battle to gain community support for a plan to add more ...

Kuwait using 9 11 film for image boost

NEW YORK: Kuwait's Ministry of Information has enlisted New York-based PepperCom to handle the publicity for a Kuwaiti-directed documentary about September 11.

Power Rangers licensee Bandai taps Rogers & Associates as AOR

LOS ANGELES: Bandai America, a subsidiary of the world's third largest toy company, has picked Rogers & Associates (R&A) as agency of record.

SC heavyweights unite, form state's biggest PR entity

COLUMBIA, SC: Two of South Carolina's largest integrated firms will merge, creating the state's biggest PR practice, according to Rick Silver, who will be vice-chairman of ...

Cincinnati fortifies comms to dispel its troubled image

CINCINNATI: An expanded communications staff and the possibility of taking on a PR agency of record are two consequences of a recent staff reorganization at the ...

Michelin takes its relationship with Event to next level

DETROIT: Michelin North America has taken on Detroit-area shop Event Management to handle PR for its automotive industry division.

Windy City PR man/comedian is just not funny, says Jackie Mason

CHICAGO: A Chicago PR man has put himself in the middle of a media controversy with comedian Jackie Mason.

EDITORIAL: Listen to the customer: a priceless PR lesson courtesy of J.C. Penney

Commenting on JC Penney's PR as covered in our August 12 issue, Barbara Thau, Home Furnishing News senior editor, said: "It helps that they have a ...

COMMENT: Thought Leader - Cantor Fitzgerald would be better served with good PR than questionable ads

Cantor Fitzgerald, the bond-trading firm that was housed in the World Trade Center pre-9/11, was the largest corporate casualty of the tragedy. It has become victim ...

ANALYSIS: Government Contracts - Diversity rules can make public work tougher to win

Government work may be more steady these days, but required minority involvement can be what makes or breaks public contracts.

ANALYSIS: Target's sale of 'Nazi paraphernalia' - and its belated response to outcry - is way off mark

Retailer Target enjoys a wholesome image and has historically done well in managing its reputation, having invested in programs that promote art in schools, provide aid ...

CORPORATE CASE STUDY: Cisco takes an open approach to reinforcing its brand

Cisco Systems' own news service tells analysts, the press, and anyone else who logs on just about all there is to know about the company ...

ANALYSIS: Media Watch - CNN's al Qaeda tapes coup overshadowed by ethics concerns

Last month, CNN reporter Nic Robertson returned from Afghanistan with 64 al Qaeda videotapes containing hundreds of hours of instructional and archival footage never meant for ...

MEDIA MASS TRANSPORTATION: Media Roundup - Mass transit looks to steer media in the right direction

Getting media coverage for mass transit isn't hard, but positioning that coverage, handling constant turnover in specialist reporters, and disproving myths about it can be.

MEDIA PROFILE: Contents trades glossiness for raw look at stars of tomorrow

It might be located in Savannah, GA, but Contents has its finger on the pulse of New York and Hollywood, looking at the worlds of ...

PROFILE: Stern's civic sense helps companies ease into Dallas

Sunwest CEO Andrew Stern may just be the most connected PR person in Dallas, considering the charity boards on which he serves and the corporations that ...

Public school of thought

Multiple choice is testing public schools' PR prowess.

New cathedral helps rebuild LA Archdiocese's reputation

LOS ANGELES: As tales of clergy sex scandals fade from front pages, the Los Angeles Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church is reaping positive press this ...

REGIONAL FOCUS Washington, DC: Capitol ventures

Douglas Quenqua finds DC's post-9/11 PR focus squarely back on the government.

PR TECHNIQUE POLLING FOR POLITICS: Getting results from political polls

Political pollsters can't just supply numbers to be of value to PR pros. Douglas Quenqua finds the best ones help design strategy, refine messages, and locate ...

CAMPAIGNS: Teamwork breeds DogGone success - Media Relations

CAMPAIGNS: Targeted PR gives media InsideTrac - Media Relations

CAMPAIGNS: Uristat goes with unique approach - Product Promotion

CAREERS: Pandora's Problem Page

Q Please settle an argument I'm having with a coworker. We work in the corporate communications department of a large sportswear manufacturer. I am head of ...

CAREERS: My Big Break

I was out of NYU for about a year. I'd already had a couple of really bad work experiences. I had a strange background: pre-med, philosophy, ...

CAREERS: Where I Work - Laurie Spoon, VP, corporate comms and investor relations, Selectica

How long have you been working there? Almost two years.

LAST CALL: Literati offer their tribute to famous books and infamous bookkeeping

By Judy Parr... what Bernard "H.C. Ebbers might say, in the style of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

TALES FROM TINSELTOWN: Publicist left alone on island to keep celeb-crazed fans at bay

Publicists are accustomed to the bizarre behavior of obsessed movie star fans. We're often the first to read the strange fan mail, open the panty-filled gift ...

Bacon's teams up with Media Pulse

CHICAGO: Bacon's Information has acquired Media Pulse, a broadcast monitoring company that has been renamed Bacon's MediaPulse. The newly acquired company is being led by Media ...

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Heidi Bobzin

She's kinky about economists, and has the coolest story behind her name that PRWeek has ever heard. Meet Heidi Bobzin, founder and CEO of ACE Public ...

Eisenmann lands MD role with Echo

NEW YORK: Echo Research has appointed Marianne Eisenmann MD for North America.

Chanel looks to MediaSource for Chance's US launch

NEW YORK: International fragrance and fashion powerhouse Chanel has taken on a small Ohio agency that specializes in VNRs and TV media relations to handle PR ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Fleishman-Hillard acquire general manager

CLEVELAND: Douglas Bell has been named general manager of Fleishman-Hillard in Cleveland. Since joining Fleishman as a senior vice president in January, Bell has managed the ...

Showbusiness publicity veteran Kiel lands top PR post at NBC

NEW YORK - Entertainment publicity veteran Patricia Kiel has landed the top communications job at NBC, having been named as its new head of corporate ...