Connect with IABC!
Category:
Member of the Month
http://iabcstl.org/2011/07/member-of-the-month-lauren-scheidemantel/
Lauren Scheidemantel
Each month, IABC shines the spotlight on a different member. This month, meet Lauren Scheidemantel, and be sure to say hello at the next IABC event!
Employer: Enterprise Holdings
Title: Senior Writer, Employee Communications
Years in the profession: Three
Belong: What I (want to) get out of IABC: All the knowledge and skills I can to be a better and more effective communicator.
Be more: Something I would like to learn: My company is launching a new intranet, so in addition to figuring out all of its bells and whistles, I also want to learn more best practices — especially those related to content delivery and engagement.
Favorite book or website: As a self-proclaimed news and pop culture junkie, there are many websites I visit daily to keep “in the know.” However, for real-time news, nothing quite beats Twitter.
What do you like most about your job? Interviewing and writing about employees in our field operations is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Their stories often inspire me and I always learn something new. But most of all, I love the challenge of making others in the organization feel that way, too.
Significant professional lesson learned: Always embrace opportunities to learn new things (even those that may fall outside your job description). Doing so not only will make you more marketable, but likely more valuable to your organization and your team.
I am especially good at: (personal) Music trivia. I can identify most songs from just a couple of notes.
When not working, you could find me: At a concert. I love live music of all kinds and St. Louis usually attracts some pretty good acts.
Social Media links:
http://iabcstl.org/2011/05/member-of-the-month-brian-ames/
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better.
Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Brian Ames — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Title: Director of Internal & CEO Communications
Years in the profession: 26
Be heard: Communicators are positioned uniquely in the organization to be integrators. No other staff function knows where everyone and everything is; we do. Communicators acting as connectors bring value in innumerable ways. When we view our jobs as integrators and businesspeople first, it changes our view of the strategic value we can provide.
Belong: What I get out of IABC: Organizations we support rely on us to bring superb, contemporary functional skills to the table. When leadership has an organizational challenge, they don’t want to be guessing whether we know how to contribute to a solution. IABC and all of the perspective it offers has always provided me with a great foundation in the basics as well as an eagerness to explore new ways of doing things.
Be more: I have so much yet to learn about the utility of social media. Sometimes I’ll think, “I’m getting close.” I get a flash of insight into how to use social media approaches to help solve organizational challenges. The potential to apply these new forms to employee inclusion and engagement seems like the area where we’d put them to best use. It’s just getting from Point A to Point B that often puzzles me.
Favorite book or website: (personal or professional) “Einstein’s Dreams,” by Alan Lightman. I love the study of time and metaphysics.
Favorite IABC memory: It would be hard to beat the months of group study that preceded my IABC accreditation in Seattle in 1993. We had such an excellent group of practitioners from diverse organizations – the process really added dimension to my game. Studying with communicators from other walks of life really expanded my view of how to meet my organization’s needs. I’m a big experimenter, and that whole process not only confirmed my commitment to a lifetime in this profession, but gave me the confidence to try new things as a daily approach.
Favorite communications project/memory: Another great aspect of communications is that we’re in a position to have so many rare opportunities to contribute! I have too many great memories to pick one. I’ve had the honor of leading communications teams and efforts where our work helps condition the procurement environment so our men and women in the military can get the equipment they need and so that our employees are aligned, engaged, and willing and able to offer their discretionary effort to the business. To me, that’s the kind of work worth doing.
Significant professional lesson learned: It’s about the people. When we realize that the character of the organization is first and foremost about its people and their interrelationships, then we suddenly realize that we must conduct communications as if the whole organization depends on it. Because it does.
When not working, you could find me: Playing electric bass guitar, writing, reading, running, hanging out with my family.
Social Media links: I’m on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and I have a blog at www.tendollardog.wordpress.com
http://iabcstl.org/2011/03/member-of-the-month-nichole-bergdorf/
Member Spotlight: Nichole Burgdorf, ABC
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better. Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Niki Burgdorf — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: Mercy Marketing and Communications
Title: Communications Supervisor, Creative Services
Years in the profession: 8
Be heard: Something I would like to tell management: While communicators enjoy writing brochures and creating other tactical materials, we are strategic thinkers first and foremost. If you give us the opportunity, time and resources to proactively plan communications, the entire company will benefit.
Favorite book or website: (personal) Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell. She has found the perfect balance between dialog, narration, description and action. Studying her writing will benefit any writer, whether they write for work or pleasure.
Favorite IABC memory: Earning my ABC designation in 2010. It was a lot of hard work, but I am a much stronger, more strategic communicator for having gone through the process. It’s a challenge, but I would recommend it to anyone.
Favorite communications project/memory: Attending the IABC World Conference in New York in 2008. I learned more in those few days than I could have in a year of classes and built professional relationships that continue to this day.
Significant professional lesson learned: Sometimes failing at something makes you a better communicator in the long run (and this is coming from a perfectionist). Try to learn everything you can from your mistakes once the pain goes away.
When not working, you could find me: Writing or researching for my novels, a four-book fiction series based on Arthurian legend. (I don’t have an agent or publisher yet.)
I am especially good at: (professional) Writing and editing, although I’m not as good at editing my own writing.
Social Media links: Nichole Burgdorf on LinkedIn, @Bellafortuna393 on Twitter (I don’t talk about communications; it’s mostly personal or about my novels).
http://iabcstl.org/2011/02/member-spotlight-nancy-bunker-koester/
Nancy Bunker Koester
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better.
Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Nancy Bunker Koester — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: Bunker Koester & Associates Communication & Research
Title: Strategic Communication Consultant
Years in the profession: 25+
Be heard: Something I would like to tell management:
I would tell management that it is imperative that they:
a. communicate early, often, and honestly with their employees internally and numerous groups externally to attain their own — and their company’s – success.
b. make communication a key priority for everyone in the company, starting at the top all the way through the organization.
c. fund their communication budget generously – and provide supplemental staffing and funding as needs arise (or before).
d. set a good example by always communicating effectively and “walking the talk” (and never modeling “do as I say, not as I do” behavior).
Belong: What I have gotten from belonging to IABC-St. Louis:
IABC has:
a. given me numerous opportunities through the years to serve on committees, hold IABC Board leadership roles, and contribute professionally whenever/however possible;
b. helped me develop and refine my leadership and tactical skills and capabilities;
c. invited me to do things beyond my then-current comfort zone;
d. kept me informed and up-to-date in our ever-changing profession
e. helped me continue to grow, learn, and be successful!
f. given me a network of wonderful, dedicated, and talented fellow IABC members to enjoy, compare notes with, and learn from things like career development, project ideas and “HOW TOs”, and timely best practice examples; and,
g. broadened my professional thinking, communication and research skills, and consulting services.
Be more: Something I would like to learn:
Something I would like to learn is simply — how to clone myself. This would allow me to learn, accomplish, and do all that I want to learn, accomplish, and do in this life and profession!
Favorite communications memory:
My favorite communications memory is seeing the “ah ha moments” when employees on teams, students in classrooms, and/or executives running the companies actually “get it!” – whether “it” is that effective communication can help them respectively (for example):
a. accomplish their change initiatives’ and/or project goals easier, quicker, and more economically;
b. arrive prepared and lead to a wide variety of career opportunities; and/or,
c. create the type of culture, image, and business results they are working so hard to attain.
Some of my significant professional (and life) lessons learned include:
a. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated … and remember not to burn bridges – ever!
b. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. (Whether you want a promotion, a client’s business, and/or the proper budget to fund the communication department or project adequately.)
c. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
d. Patience IS a virtue!
e. If I include you and your thinking as I plan my initiative, you work with me. If I don’t include you, you may decide to work against me and make my work harder, take longer, and cost more to finish.
I am especially good professionally at: bringing new strategic ideas to clients and planning and implementing strategies and their related tactics to meet and exceed client needs and expectations.
Social Media: Linked In — http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancybunkerkoester
http://iabcstl.org/2010/12/member-spotlight-robert-hentz/
Robert Hentz
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better.
Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Robert Hentz — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: BJC HealthCare
Title: Coordinator, BJC Web Services
Years in the profession: 14
Be heard: Something I would like to tell management/other communicators: “You know, this web guy might know a thing or two.”
Be more: Something I would like to learn: More about marketing websites and Internet marking
Favorite book or website: The Last Catholic In America by John R. Powers and Sports Illustrated (SI.com)
Favorite communications project/memory: Setting up an operating manuals library for a home medical equipment website or building up the support groups section for a hospital website
When not working, you could find me: Camping with my sons or just getting out with my family
I am especially good at: Setting up a tent in the rain
http://iabcstl.org/2010/11/member-spotlight-lance-lecomb/
Lance LeComb
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better. Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Lance LeComb — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District
Title: Manager of Public Information
Years in the profession: 16
Be heard: Something I would like to tell management/other communicators: A communicator’s job is more than conveying a message/story, but helping to build the structure that ultimately creates the message/story. That means we, as communicators, have an obligation to cut across all aspects of the organization to help ensure the same values are being embraced and everyone is working toward the same goals. In doing that work, we can be an invaluable conduit between senior leadership and the rest of the organization by acting as the C suite’s eyes and ears on what is actually happening throughout the business.
Favorite quote: “You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.” – Marie Currie
Belong: What I (want to) get out of IABC: There is always more knowledge to be gained in developing skills or understanding an issue. More often than not, your professional peers can be the best source for this knowledge gathering. IABC offers a great forum for that learning to take place. Favorite book or website: (personal or professional) The Once and Future King (Right makes might.)
Be more: Something I would like to learn: Fencing
Biggest communications challenge faced: Embracing new technologies and staying on top of the varying ways in which fragmented audiences prefer to communicate. Favorite communications project/memory: 1992 Presidential Campaign. Those were the days.
Significant professional lesson learned: It is just as important to know what you know, as it is to know what you don’t know. Ask the right questions of your resources and ask the questions again and again so that you know both.
When not working, you could find me: Playing rugby or spending time with my “family”. My “family” – and they know who they are – mean just as much, if not more, than actual family. My life wouldn’t be the same without them.
http://iabcstl.org/2010/10/member-spotlight-cathy-smith/
Each month, IABC St. Louis shines the spotlight on a member you should probably get to know better.
Meeting other communicators builds our network, keeps us motivated, and well, sane. This month, meet Cathy Smith — and be sure to say hello at our next IABC event.
Employer: Sisters of Mercy Health System
Cathy Smith
Title: Mercy Experience Team (note: this is a new team/position, so we haven’t yet settled on titles)
Years in the profession: 30
Favorite book or website: The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer
Favorite quote: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Favorite IABC memory: Attending an international conference in Toronto early in my career; it gave me a whole new concept of the organizational communications field and the amazing people who inhabit it.
Favorite communications project: Creating and adapting an intranet site to support physicians as we implemented an integrated electronic health record across Mercy.
Significant professional lesson learned: Develop relationships with people who understand what’s really going on in various areas of your organization, and who trust you enough to tell you the truth.
When not working, you could find me: At antique shows and flea markets (my husband and I operate a small collectibles business to help support our collecting habits).
I am especially good at: Connecting people who should know one another.
Social Media links: LinkedIn
http://iabcstl.org/2010/07/member-of-the-month-dora-smith/
Dora Smith, ABC
Siemens UGS PLM Software
Favorite quote: “Dwell in possibility,” Emily Dickinson.
Three words that describe me: Genuine, Passionate, Organized.
When not working, you could find me: With my hubby and kids in University City, building a log cabin on my parents’ farm or tweeting.
Biggest communications challenge faced: Serving very diverse audiences with different needs at the same time.
Favorite communications memory: Relearning the beauty of language through my kids.
Significant professional lesson learned: And still learning, focus.
Resource I recommend: Commoncraft’s video explanations. Others I try to bookmark here: http://delicious.com/dorasmith
You should also know: I’m a country girl living in the city.
Career highlights: editing/art directing an annual magazine, expanding a business to Asia, setting up a social media program at Siemens, becoming an ABC.
Social media links:
http://dorasmith.x.iabc.com/
LinkedIn
Twitter
Delicious.com
See Dora’s presentation to IABC St. Louis on social media in the B2B workplace:
View more presentations from Dora Smith.
Previous
- 1