FPRA - Florida Public Relations Association Blog

This month's Orlando Area Chapter luncheon will feature Dale A. Brill, Ph.D., Director of the Governor's Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. The program theme is "Courage to Let the Consumer Have Control."

Dr. Brill will seek to assure us that content is still king, but the tables have turned on who controls it. Kick off your shoes with Dale as he guides us through VISIT FLORIDA's recently released web project known as Open Florida. Learn from the trials and tribulations of navigating in a world where the consumer's control has never been greater.

The luncheon will take place on Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater at Loch Haven Park, 812 E. Rollins St. in Orlando. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.; lunch and program begin at noon.

Register online at www.fpra-orlando.org.

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The Orlando Area Chapter of FPRA scored the equivalent of a touchdown on Nov. 29 with its Backstage Pass tour of Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, home of the University of Central Florida Knights.

More than 60 public relations professionals -- including members of the Space Coast and Ocala Chapters -- gathered at the 45,301-seat stadium for a VIP tour. The tour included stops at the recruiting club, home locker room, digital production studios, press room, luxury suites and presidential suite.

At lunch, the group gathered inside the 4,200 square-foot Club Lounge where a panel of UCF employees shared the strategies, experiences and challenges of opening a new football stadium.

The panel included Cynthia Sucher, Associate VP for Community Relations; Joe Hornstein, Assoc. AD for Athletics Communications; Grant Heston, Assistant VP for News and Information; and Fred Kittinger, Associate VP & Director of State and Local Government Affairs. The panel discussion was moderated by Brian Craven, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Bright House Networks.

Also during the lunch, Dr. Bob Davis, APR, CPRC, ABC presented six FPRA Roast & Toast scholarships to the following UCF students enrolled in the university's Nicholson School of Communications: Tabitha Bernabe, Matt Harper, Jason Holic, Melissa Patterson. Allie Schwartz and Juliann Whitebread.

Congratulations to these deserving students and thanks to everyone who participated in the Backstage Pass event!

Click here to view the complete photo set from Thursday's event.

Photos: Chris Gent

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Make plans to attend the Orlando Area Chapter's backstage tour of the Bright House Networks Stadium, the new home of the University of Central Florida Knights.

Dave Hansen, UCF's Senior Associate Athletics Director, will give us a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, including the Knights' locker room, recruiting lounge, and then to Roth Tower where we'll enjoy lunch and experience the club seats, suites and operational areas. Dave will also discuss the public relations strategies used to open the stadium.

Double click the arrows to preview the event video teasers. Video 1 (2:56), Video 2 (:51)

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 29 at Bright House Networks Stadium. Click here for directions.

Register online at www.fpra-orlando.org.

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Over a thousand canceled flights. Hundreds of stranded passengers. Millions of dollars in lost revenue. What would you do if you were an airline in this situation?

Find out at this year’s FPRA Professional Development Workshop on Thursday, October 25 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.

Jenny Dervin, director of corporate communications at JetBlue Airways, will share how her company dealt with the winter storms crisis and how they came out the other side as a stronger airline.

Additional breakout sessions will include: preparing your company’s crises plan, pitching to opinion editorials and alternative outlets, creating creativity in PR and more.

Make sure to mark your calendar for this half-day workshop and luncheon. Stay tuned for details!

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Each year, the Orlando Area Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association presents two of its most prominent and prestigious awards, the Bob Davis Award and Member of the Year.

This year's Bob Davis Award recipient is featured in a separate post.

The Member of the Year award is intended to recognize one member of the chapter who has made a significant contribution through outstanding leadership, demonstrated enthusiasm, extraordinary involvement and loyal support.

This year's Member of the Year award recipient is Chris Gent, vice president of corporate communications at Kissimmee Utlity Authority.

Chris is a past president of the Orlando Area Chapter and has served nine years in various roles on the chapter's board of directors, including chapter management, newsletter editor, Webmaster and vice president of online communications. In addition, Chris served five years on the FPRA state board of directors, including three years on the FPRA Executive Committee.

Chris received FPRA's Doris Fleischman Award in 2001 and the Bob Davis Award in 2004.

(pictured, from left to right) FPRA Orlando Area Chapter President Susan Ennis, APR and Chris Gent.

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The Orlando Area Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association on Thursday, Aug. 23 announced that Cynthia Lambert, public relations specialist for METROPLAN ORLANDO, is the recipient of the chapter’s 2007 Bob Davis Award for outstanding contributions to the public relations profession.

The award is presented annually to an individual for his or her “behind the scenes” volunteer efforts that go largely unnoticed by chapter members and are not recognized by other awards programs.

The award is named in honor of Bob Davis, Ph.D., ABC, APR, CPRC, a professor at the University of Central Florida who has given tirelessly to FPRA and the profession for the past three decades.

Since joining FPRA, Cynthia has served on several chapter committees, including newsletter, 2006 Central Florida Media Roundtable, Roast & Toast and Image Awards. Beginning Sept. 1, she will serve her first year on the board as co-vice president of professional development.

(pictured, from left to right) FPRA Orlando Area Chapter President Susan Ennis, APR, Cynthia Lambert and Dr. Bob Davis

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