JOB: Communications Director - City of Bryan

The City of Bryan has an opening for a communications director, who will be responsible for originating concepts, strategies, events and programs that contribute to accomplishing the goals and objectives of the city council, city manager and other city departments by improving awareness and understanding of the City of Bryan, its programs and the work of its city council and staff.

The communications director will handle a broad set of duties, including, but not limited to: media and community relations; a variety of written communications; basic graphic and Web design; and supervising the city’s television station.

To apply, you must submit a City of Bryan employment application online. To apply and / or to view a complete job description, please visit www.bryantxjobs.com and select "Search Postings," or for more information, call 979-209-5060.

The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Jobs: Web Communications / Communications Manager

Texas Forest Service—the agency responsible for conserving and protecting the state’s trees, forests and natural resources—has an immediate opportunity for a full time Web Communications professional to coordinate the agency’s online presence. The position resides in the agency’s marketing and communications department and is responsible for developing a web communications strategy as well as managing web content, visual appearance and usability. For a description and application, http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/employment.

The College of Education & Human Development is looking for a Communications Manager.  The position has been posted on the Texas A&M employment site. The NOV number is 081027. Becky Carr, assistant dean for administrative services, is heading the search committee. For more information on the position, contact:  Amy S. Klinkovsky. Communications Manager; ph: 979.847.9018.

2008 Southern Region Conference

It’s not too early to start making your professional development plans for the Fall. This year the IABC Southern Region Conference is being held in beautiful Colorado. Want to know more? Watch the video below!

Brazos Bravo winners are in!

Results are in for our annual communicator’s award, equivalent to the Bronze Quill in other IABC chapters. We celebrated 9 total winners of the coveted top award, the Brazos Bravo. Click "more" to see the winners in our 12 categories.

We’ll post photos with Elvis from the Viva, Brazos Bravo! gala soon.

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Hook the Media

As a communicator, the task of getting your organization’s news to key media outlets is a very important task. But it’s only half the battle.

What do reporters and journalists at local and national print and broadcast outlets look for when making decisions on what to report on? What catches their eye, and what materials or methods are more likely to help land your news in a print publication or newscast?

Join Anne Deuermeyer, account executive with Business Wire, at our meeting on May 15 as she shares helpful hints that both local and national news reporters have passed on to her. She will discuss:

• Tips for writing a press release that will stand out to both traditional and new media (print/broadcast v. online search engines)
• Best practices for getting your news to the media (wire services - the big bang)
• Best methods for following up with individual reporters

Anne Deuermeyer joined Business Wire’s Houston office as an account executive in December 2005. She consults daily with public relations, investor relations, marketing and communications professionals to assist them in getting their organization’s news to the media and the financial and investment communities. Deuermeyer graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in business from Texas A&M University in 2005.

Don’t forget: after you RSVP, come back and pay in advance using your credit card!

Last Chance for Brazos Bravo

Don’t forget that Viva! Brazos Bravo is this week. We’ve extended registration until Tuesday, just for you procrastinators. Sign up now for an evening showcasing the best communications in the Brazos Valley… and Elvis! You can even save time at check-in by paying in advance by credit card. At the door we’ll be taking cash or checks only, so take advantage of the convenience while you can.

Press Release 2.0 follow-up

Matt Herzberger gave a great talk today about press releases in the context of online social media. If you missed it, or if what you heard has you interested in learning more, he kindly posted his slides and a ton of links. Just visit Matt Herzberger’s blog.

Viva, Brazos Bravo!

RSVP now for the Viva, Brazos Bravo! celebration, from 6 to 9 p.m. April 17 at the University Club on the 11th floor of Rudder Tower on the Texas A&M University campus.

Gather with colleagues and friends to enjoy the lights of College Station and meet special guest Elvis Presley. Don’t worry, we don’t think Elvis lives round here… but we do love his communication style and his white jumpsuits. And he’ll be there to serenade our supper, just like his famous Vegas dinner shows.

Viva is IABC/Brazos Valley’s 22nd annual Brazos Bravo awards. Judges from across the nation have examined local work in everything from podcasts and Web sites to magazines, brochures and communication campaigns. Come celebrate the first-class communications work of Brazos Valley writers, editors, designers, marketers, photographers, Web gurus and business communicators.

Please take a moment to RSVP. Note that this year you can visit the same page to pay online by credit card! However, please be aware that paying and RSVPing are two completely separate processes. Please RSVP so that we have an accurate head count.

Social Media Homework

Want to look like a big brain when you attend Matt Herzberger’s talk on PR in an era of Social Media on March 20th? Spend the next 10 minutes reading about Social Media Press Releases from the Publishing Talk website. For bonus points, check out the website PR Squared, where the author offered up a "beta" social media press release template (PDF). What are the pros and cons of using such a template? If you really want to stir the disucssion, read about how Google News lets the subject of news items publicly respond to inaccuracies in news articles. Read up, form your opinion, register, and let’s have a great discussion on March 20th.

Professional Development for Senior Communicators: Analyzing Communication Trends

Are you a communicator with ten or more years of experience, or do you hold a title of manager, director, or a comparable position? Then join us on March 25 for a special brown bag lunch with Pam McConathy of the Foresight Communications Group. Pam will apply her 25 years in public relations consulting to discuss analyzing communication trends.

This event is free to IABC/Brazos Valley members and $90 for non-members, but everyone must register. You are welcome to bring your own brown bag lunch, or you may join us in ordering an assorted sandwich tray with chips and iced tea from Jason’s Deli for $8.

Vist the registration page for more information.