One Beautiful SUNSET!!!

One of the oldest practices in public relations is the passing out of fliers for certain plays, musicals, parties and much more. One of my good friends was on the Internet the other day when I walked into her apartment. As i sat there looking at the gorgeous pictures on her computer of sunsets, scenic wonders and weddings,I couldn't help but wonder how she knew about this certain photographer named Kristopher Orr. I proceeded to ask her that very question and low and behold the answer was not what I expected it to be. She said that she had received a flier up on our campus about the work of this photographer. It amazed me that a little 5x5 cutout could create such an interest and generate such attention. Fliers might be considered "Old School" but they still seem to get the job done if the fliers are done in a professional manner. Since then I have been looking at hundreds of fliers on campus and examining them down to the very smallest detail. Some are awesome while others look as if they were put together in three minutes. Once again it amazes me how productive a simple fliers can be.

Larry H. Miller

It was a sad day last Friday when a giant in the community passed away. Larry H. Miller died after fighting a ruff battle with type 2 diabetes. Larry did so much for the community, the Jazz and the state of Utah in general. On Saturday the Jazz won a very difficult game against the Boston Celtics. The game ball was given to Larry's wife Gail by Darron Williams after the victory. Larry H. Miller will be missed. Here are some experts form a press release that was written about Miller.

Larry H. Miller, Husband, Father, Grandfather Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Dies at 64Miller's career legacy includes more than 80 companies — the Utah Jazz, Salt Lake Bees, EnergySolutions Arena, and 39 automobile dealerships; he is survived by wife Gail, five children, 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild
Salt Lake City, Utah (February 20, 2009) - Larry H. Miller, husband, father, grandfather, a well-known entrepreneur, community advocate and humanitarian, died from complications due to type 2 diabetes today, at home, surrounded by his family. He was 64.
Larry H. Miller April 26, 1944 - February 20, 2009
Miller, a man who truly loved Utah, its people and its land, was born in Salt Lake City in 1944. From modest beginnings, he grew up in the Capitol Hill area and went on to become one of Utah’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Leaving behind a profound professional and personal legacy, the entities Miller created have had a significant and lasting impact on the communities in which he did business, and the more than 7,000 individuals he employed.
The Larry H. Miller Group of Companies began with the Larry H. Miller Toyota store in Murray, Utah on May 1, 1979. Through the years, Miller amassed more than 80 businesses and properties in the western United States. Most notable are the Utah Jazz, EnergySolutions Arena, the Salt Lake Bees, Miller Motorsports Park, Megaplex Theatres, and 39 automobile dealerships spanning the Rocky Mountain West. Miller also developed a vast real estate holdings including commercial and agricultural properties.
A dynamic entrepreneur and business leader, Miller also became known for his charitable efforts. Miller coined the phrase “Go about doing good until there is too much good in the world.”
Miller and his wife Gail provide close to 300 college scholarships each year. Larry H. Miller Charities, a foundation funded by monthly contributions from his businesses, fundraising events in the community, and personal donations from employees, has donated millions of dollars to communities in which Miller does business.
“Larry and Gail have always stressed the importance of giving back to the communities in which we do business. Our customers have supported us and it is important that we show our appreciation by helping those in need,” said Greg Miller, eldest son and CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. “Larry felt that his legacy isn’t in business as much as it was in creating opportunities for good jobs and higher education.”
Larry and Gail have also donated millions of dollars to Utah-based colleges and universities for campus improvements such as the state-of-the-art softball and baseball complexes at BYU. The Larry H. Miller Campus of the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), was completed in fall 2001 and includes the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurship Training Center and The Larry and Gail Miller Public Safety Education & Training Center.
Despite all of his success, Miller always maintained that his greatest accomplishment is the family that survives him: his wife, Karen Gail Saxton Miller, their four sons and one daughter, 21 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Staker Parson HR Dept

Studying press releases has been a good learning tool and sometimes a hard thing to figure out. In reading different styles and types of press releases, I have come to notice that there really isn't one exact way to write a press release. Everyone has a different style and different take on the way they write and present a release. I was on the Staker Parsons website under the Archive section and I came across a style of press release that I haven't seen yet. It is very well written and gives the audience the information that the writer is trying to convey. As I mentioned above, the article is found on http://www.stakerparson.com/news/news.cfm?id=116

Just in case you don't want to go the website, even though I'd advise you to visit their website, I have put the article here.

Staker Parson Companies Announces HR Changes
by Brandy A. LeeStaker Parson Companies, recognized by numerous organizations for its commitment to quality, is pleased to announce the following changes within the Human Resources department:Jami Perrett: Staker & Parson Companies Corporate HR Director. Perrett worked for six years at Intermountain Health Care before coming to Staker Parson. She received her Bachelor's degree and MBA from Utah State University. Ryan Vaughn: Staker & Parson Recruiter/Hr specialist. Ryan has worked at Staker Parson as a Ready-mixed driver and an HR intern. He recently completed his Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management at Utah State University. Ogden, Utah, based Staker Parson Companies builds the Mountain West with quality rock products, concrete, asphalt, paving, and construction services. The company employs more than 2,200 people at more than thirty locations in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Staker Parson Companies is part of the Oldcastle Materials Group, the leading vertically integrated supplier of aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete, and paving services in the United States. For more information, please visit www.stakerparson.com and http://www.oldcastlematerials.com/.

The Wait is Over!!!

Finally the time has arrived for Salt Lake City to have the opportunity to taste the goodness of an In-N-Out burger whenever it pleases. According to a press release on the KSL official website found at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5579444 the In-N-Out Burger Co. will be opening its doors in Draper Utah. The excitement among local residents has been building for the past couple of months in the anticipation of the restaurant chain's opening. The press release found on the website mentioned above is very well written and really gives the reader the opportunity to feel of the excitement that the restaurant has been creating among the community. Here are some experts form the press release on the KSL website:

By Alex Cabrero and Randall Jeppesen

A popular restaurant chain is set to open in Draper and will bring close to 60 part- and full-time jobs. Utah's first In-N-Out burger is in Washington County, but by late this summer, the second one will open in Salt Lake County near 12100 South and Factory Outlet Drive in Draper.
Draper Assistant City Manager David Dobbins said, "We're happy to announce, finally, that it's official, and they are coming to Draper."
Draper resident Susan Walker heard the rumors and couldn't believe it when the rumors were confirmed. She said, "I grew up in California, It's absolutely the best hamburger in the whole world."
"I'll be there, first day opening and eating," said Draper resident Blade Greenwood.

Draper resident Ilene Hancock said, "I think it would be pretty awesome ‘cause I like their hamburgers, especially Animal Style." She said her daughter even made a trip to southern Utah a month ago just to eat at the In-N-Out burger there.
Right now, the spot where it will be located is just snow, dirt and rocks. It's in the Draper Peaks Shopping Center and is only coming here because Draper listened to its residents.
A couple of years ago, Draper polled its residents, asking what restaurants and businesses they'd like to have here.

In-N-Out was always at the top of the list. So, Draper city leaders went after them. Dobbins said, "We want to be successful. We want residents to stay in Draper, shop in Draper, eat in Draper, so we figure we may as well cater to what they're looking for."
Dobbins added, "We knew there was an interest, that they were looking in the intermountain area, and so we approached them and said, ‘We'd like to have you in Draper. What can we do to make that happen?'"
Greenwood couldn't be happier. "That's great," he said. "That's nice. It's a good place to have here in Draper. That'll bring a lot of good business here and everything."

News/Press Releases on Athletes

Everybody has seen, heard and read news or press releases on businesses and companies, but what about on certain individuals, or more specific, athletes? Do they exist, and if so, where can someone find them? Well, if you have read this blog before you would know that I am a Florida Gator Football fan and have been a huge supporter of Tim Tebow throughout his career. In looking for press releases about Tim Tebow, I was surprisingly shocked at the low number that I was able to find. News articles and stories were very easy to find, but when it comes to actual news or press releases, the task was more difficult than I expected. But don't fear, I found a great release about Tim and his recent shoulder surgery. If you are interested at all, look it up at http://www.abcactionnews.com/sports/story/Floridas-Tebow-undergoes-shoulder-surgery/mCWaeF_zAUy1k5sGuzQBBw.cspx

The differences in this press release and a normal news articles are very noticeable. The release is very well written and gives the audience the exact information that it was intended for.

GO GATORS!!!!!

Hyundai Assurance Policy

The other day I was watching the T.V. and I saw a commercial for Hyundai Cars. Due to the state of our economy, Hyundai is offering an assurance policy for car buyers that has boosted their sales while other car companies are struggling.

"Hyundai is the first automaker in the U.S. to offer a vehicle return program that allows you to walk away from your loan or lease without having to worry about negative equity. It lets you return your vehicle in case of certain life-altering circumstances. That's the Hyundai assurance."

(http://www.hyundaiusa.com/financing/HyundaiAssurance/HyundaiAssurance.aspx)

At a time like this in our economy, this PR and Marketing strategy has to be one of the best that I have ever seen for multiple reasons. First, it gives the buyer the assurance that even if the worst should happen and they lose their jobs, their credit won't get hurt and second, they don't have to worry about making payments that they can't afford. This idea is not only smart, it is one that will always be successful.

Staker Parson is Saving Energy!!!

With all the talk now days of cleaning up the air and saving energy, Staker Parson has been very active in developing new ways to clean up the air and save energy at the same time. In a news article posted on the official website of Staker Parson, Adam Madison has written a great summary of the efforts of Staker to help save money and energy. I really enjoyed this news release because it points out all the things that this company has been doing in the past couple of years to help the environment and contribute to saving energy. These are just some experts from the release:

"AN AWARDING EXPERIENCE

Staker & Parson has a philosophy when it comes to environmentalism. It's efficiency with a green paint job, which translates into bigger profits."If you improve the efficiency of a process, you are going to save, A: money and B: automatically gain environmental improvements," says Staker & Parson Environmental Advisor Patrick Clark. "Environmental improvements make goodbusiness sense."Even minor adjustments can go a long way with large-scale operations such as Staker & Parson. The Oldcastle Materials company says it is the largest construction materials supplier in the Intermountain West. It encompasses sand and gravel, quarry, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt operations in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada.In 2007, the company was recognized by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association with three gold-level and two silverlevel Environmental Excellence Awards. Most were for operation adjustments that translated into big energy reductions.

SAVE ENERGY, MONEY

The prime example is the Beck Street Quarry in Salt Lake City. This operation, which produces about 2 million tpy, now operates without diesel-chugging haul trucks. Two were replaced with 3,100 feet of electric conveyor, saving $300,000 in fuel costs (at $4.00 per gallon) and reducing road and combustion emissions by nearly 25 tpy. The conveyor was manufactured by Continental Conveyor and was installed by Staker and Parson.The Brigham North Operation in Brigham City, Utah, earned gold-level status with a state-of-the-art loadout system built from three bins and hoppers recycled from an asphalt operation. The truck drivers, guided by traffic signals, position their trucks onto the scale and under the bins. A swipe card is used to communicate with the scale system, and the ticket is delivered to the driver through a pneumatic system similar to a bank's drive-thru.There are many benefits to this system. First, there are fuel and man-hour savings earned by replacing a pit loader. And less time is spent idling as drivers no longer have to wait at stockpiles. More importantly, particulate matter has been reduced by 26% and overall emissions have been reduced by 68%.Staker & Parson also cut emissions miles away by consuming less energy from the power plants. Clark says, wherever possible, the company installs variable-speed motors for crushing and screening. Going electric reduces pollution, but the high-efficiencymotors also save money. At just one site, the company saved 129,000 kilowatts in one year, which added up to $13,000, Clark says."

As you can see, Staker has taken an active role in saving energy. Once again, this news release couldn't have come at a better time. With the economy the way it is now, and businesses looking for any way possible to save money and still create a positive work environment that produces revenue, Staker Parson is already doing this.

Leadership and Human Resources Press Release

March 25-26, 2009Leadership & Human Resources Seminar: Leading Through Tough Times

Once again this is a mock Press Release that I have been working on. Utah State University will be hosting the 25th Annual Leadership and Human Resources Seminar this upcoming March. Speakers have been chosen to focus on leadership training and build a solid foundation of communication within industries. So here is the Press Release. (All quotes are not real)

Human Resources Seminar
With the ruff economic times that have hit recently, companies are looking for any competitive edge that they can find to gain any type of advantage over their competitors. Leadership qualities and essential supervising skills are at the top of the list for most companies in the business world today.
The Leadership & Human Resources department at Utah State University will be hosting the 26th Annual Leadership & Human Resources Seminar on March 25-26th, 2009 at the Eccles Conference center on the campus of USU. Topics this year will include the use of workplace metrics, motivating employees, creating a continuous improvement culture, and other current issues. The seminar will also play host to some of the Nation’s top experts on the subject of leadership skills and human resources.
The Leadership & Human Resources seminar will address how to create value for companies and provide strategies for winning in tough times. Current trends will be presented by experts and leading professionals. . “The speakers were all chosen because of the expertise and experience in this field of work,” Dannon Loveland said, leadership and human resources seminar coordinator. There is no substitute for experience Dannon said.
Robert J. Wrona, Executive Director of the Training Within Industry (TWI), Institute will be discussing the essential skills for supervisors and managers. Wrona began his career in manufacturing working 6 years at General Motors in Buffalo, NY and 4 years at Kodak in Rochester, NY before joining a retail drug store chain in Syracuse, NY where, as VP of Organizational Development, he helped lead the company to profitably expand from 12 to 130 stores in 10 years.
Wrona will illustrate how companies can gain the competitive edge in these tough economic times by providing the foundation of a positive, collaborative work environment in which people can be quickly trained on how to do a job correctly and carefully. “There is absolutely no substitute for experience in the days we live in now,” Wrona said.
Among the information that will be given concerning leadership skills and a positive work environment, Greg Inozemcev, a Leadership Facilitator with JetBlue Airways’ Organizational Effectiveness team will discuss how to effectively communicate within an industry or organization. Greg is responsible for diagnosing elements of organizational dynamics, then designs and facilitates interventions aimed at improving performance at the individual, group and enterprise-wide level. He works closely with leaders at all levels to manage projects focused on leadership development, organizational culture, change management and team effectiveness. Facilitating is just one of the many tools we use to communicate with one another in our industry,” Inozemcev said.
The 25th Annual Leadership and Human Resources Seminar promises to deliver powerful and motivating information for the local and world-wide audience. “The speakers at this seminar all share the same message,” Loveland said, “And that is the message of progression within each individual industry and corporation.”

USU Football Press Release

If any of you know who I am, you would know that I am a huge college football fan. I was thinking the other day on what type of press releases the USU football program has put out on the recent change of their staff, and i came upon one of the sweetest releases that i have ever read. It gives a little biography of Coach Anderson, it shares some of his achievements as a coach and even some tidbits of his. It was awesome. Check it out if you want to. It is on the USU football web page under news releases. I have given you the link if you would like to visit the site. http://utahstateaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120408aae.html

Like I said, It is awesome and I for one am now stoked about USU FOOTBALL!!!