PR Job Opps

United Airlines is looking to fill Managing Director posts for both Internal and Brand Communications with pros who will be able to step in, work with UAL leadership, build teams and create fresh, new approaches within these two critical areas. In short, following are some of the essential ingredients for these positions:

Internal Communications This position will require an ability to work within and handle a complex organization, including working with UAL’s top 250 leadership team to create and implement strategic and progressive communications. This person will be able to infuse UAL communications with use of new technologies and fresh ideas. Experience from working within a decentralized environment is required. Union and airline backgrounds are a plus. The right person will be able to rally and lead a team of 9 talented pros.

Brand Communications: This is a brand new area for UAL, and presents an opportunity for an energetic and talented pro to pave the way in unchartered territory! Use of social media and new technologies and establishing brand initiatives from the ground up will be included in the call to action for this leader. The new MD will build strategies and programs, a new team, and establish relationships with agency partners.

Salaries for these positions are targeted at a median of $150K to $175K.

Tina Dugas
Senior Associate
Bloom, Gross & Associates, Inc.
625 N. Michigan Avenue, Ste. 200
Chicago, IL 60611
312-654-4555 direct
312-654-4551 fax

Juxtapositions

Interesting mix of stories the other night on the local news (Fox 5 New York). An early piece dealt with the arrest of a subway rider accused of groping a fellow passenger. The guy had 30 (that’s 30) prior arrests for such lewd behavior. A few stories later, a local small business was the focus of a piece on a hot new trend — cuddle parties, where complete strangers pay $40 a session to “cuddle” with about 20 other “customers,” including gentle rubbing and fondling — above the clothing of course. I’m wondering if the aforementioned subway rider may find his way to these “approved fondling gatherings.”

A week earlier, WFAN’s morning show (Boomer and Carton) included a discussion of a woman who was cited for making repeated 911 calls because her local McDonald’s was out of certain menu items. That discussion was followed by a long-running radio commercial created by the marketing geniuses at White Castle — where a man calls 911 emergency about being followed by a suspicious-looking White Castle box, who then reverses the chase in pursuit of the box and those oh-so-healthy burgers.

You can’t make this stuff up.

New PR Opps

Not sure if this portends a thawing in the jobs market, but I’ve come across a few communications opportunities of late. Feel free to pursue or pass on:

1) Korn Ferry is running a search for the VP of Corporate Communications at Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The position is based in Wilkes Barre and reports to the president/CEO. Contact Gregory Santore (gregory.santore@kornferry.com, 215-656-5331).

2) The Repovich Reynolds Group is leading two searches. One is for the VP of Communications, Marketplace at Western Union in Denver. The other is for a senior director of media relations, PR and financial communications at Avery Dennison in Pasadena, Calif. Contact (Ms.) Shellee Smith (shellee@trrg.com, 626-585-9455).

3) Bloom, Gross & Associates is leading a search for a director of internal communications at a Fortune 500 company (based in Dayton, Ohio). Contact Jocelyn Hecht (jhecht@bloomgross, 312-654-4556).

Much Hullabaloo About (Something)

My personal trainer is quite the lady. She’s also one of the most knowledgeable physical fitness gurus you’ll ever come across. Now in her early 60s, she’s in better shape than 99% of us.

It just so happens she’s also famous — or at least once was. Some still know her as the gorgeous teenage go-go dancer in the cage in the ’60s classic TV show, “Hullabaloo.” She also had some success on the big screen, even receiving top billing in the 1969 movie “Out of It,” opposite Jon Voight. She also appeared in “Love, American Style.”

Meet Lada Edmund Jr., once also known as the most famous stuntwoman on the planet. Her film credits doing stunts (following her brief acting career) include the famous flick, “Smokey and the Bandit.” In fact, during her acting career (and fitness training), she became quite good friends with Burt Reynolds and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

If you “Google” Lada, you’ll get a litany of entertainment accomplishments, including tribute films from fans nationally. On TV, she’s appeared on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and “Banacek.”

Today, she’s a top fitness trainer at the Odyssey Athletic Center in Waldwick, N.J. If you’re looking for a great trainer (and fascinating conversation), look her up. Odyssey’s number is 201-447-6565.

Fiscal vs. Monetary Policy

I’m no economist, but I find the current pursuit of policies designed to reverse our economic nosedive fascinating.  In supporting the PR efforts of Columbia Business School and editing various opinion pieces, I have found that the range of innovative ideas (particularly on the housing front) is broad and seemingly limitless.  But that fountain of ingenuity also makes the policy choices so complex. 

As Pres.-elect rolls out the parameters of his recovery program, I’m struck by the resulting debate on the merits of both monetary and fiscal policy.  To date, led by Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Reserve Chairman Bernanke, the focus has been on monetary policy as the government liquidity spigots are now wide open.  To be sure, there’s a lag in the effect of such moves.  Let’s hope that the resulting increase in the money supply also translates to an increase in money velocity (the average frequency with which money is spent) and more widely available credit.  We’re far from reaching the latter two objectives.

 In the wake of such monetary policies, we’re now seeing the Keynesian economists coming into vogue, pushing fiscal policy-driven initiatives (over monetary-based solutions), and the resulting government spend likely will be enormous. 

 Amid the economic debate, comparisons increasingly are being made to FDR’s efforts to reverse the banking crisis and spur economic activity during the early 1930s.   (Justin Fox of Time magazine notes, interestingly enough, that FDR followed a plan created by Hoover’s Treasury Secretary to solidify the banking system.  FDR simply had the courage to try something and looked for creative ideas wherever they resided, while Hoover struggled with analysis paralysis.)

 I’m a fan of the huge stimulus package being unveiled by Obama.  The situation is so dire, it commands grand action.  However, I’m struggling with how the impact of government spending (if focused on traditional infrastructure projects like roads and bridges) translates to today’s economy.  Obviously, today’s service-based economy is vastly different from the industrial-based economy that FDR faced.  That’s why the debate over not only how much the government spend will be, but also where and on what, is so interesting (and crucial).  Should it be on research, renewable energy, bridges, roads, national parks, education, IT (e.g., broadband), manufacturing, jobs training? 

The next few months will be fascinating to watch because our long-term economic health is in the balance.  At least I’m getting the sense that Obama (like Bush over the last few months) will follow FDR’s lead in being aggressive in at least trying a number of options to see what works.

Discovering PR Job Opps

A few folks in the network are circulating a new job posting at Discovery Networks International, which encompasses Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, among other TV properties.  The company is looking for a VP of International Communications (reporting to the SVP of Global Communications). 

The position serves as the chief spokesperson and is a senior member of the Global Communications and Corporate Affairs team.  The VP will be expected to provide communications counsel to senior divisional leadership, including President, COO, and regional Managing Directors, and will be responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies. 

 

The vice president is responsible for managing international media trades and overseeing coordination with local market communications to ensure consistency of messaging, strategic positioning and the overall corporate brand.  The position is based in Silver Spring, Md., and also includes oversight of international program publicity and talent management.

 

If interested, contact Michelle Russo, SVP of Global Communications, 240-662-2901 or michelle_russo@discovery.com.

 

 

The Real Illinois Loon

No, I’m not talking about embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The real loon seems to be his selection to fill Pres.-elect Obama’s vacated Senate seat, Roland Burris. Unfortunately, it looks like the Democratic leadership in the Senate is going to cave and allow Burris to actually be seated and serve as a U.S. senator, adding another level of lunacy to the legislative body charged with getting us out of this economic mess.

What kind of person erects his own granite mausoleum listing his life’s accomplishments?   Are you kidding me?  This 71-year-old knucklehead has built a monument to himself.  According to CNN.com, under the seal of the state of Illinois and the words “Trail Blazer,” Burris lists his “firsts” in granite, including being the state’s first African-American attorney general and the state’s first African-American comptroller.  Strangely, the memorial also notes that Burris was the first black exchange student to attend Hamburg University in Germany from Southern Illinois University in 1959.

What’s next?  Monopoly champion?  Trusted friend of the Elvis lookalike in the Illinois governor’s mansion?  Please stop this insanity.

.

It’s all Relative

As we enter the new year, I’m embarrassed to say how little I know about many of my relatives. Given that my mother (a Mullaney) is one of what was once 12 siblings, while my father was one of seven, I think it’s understandable. With more than 50 first cousins, the family ties are far and wide — but, candidly, rather thin.

In particular, I have lost touch with many on my father’s side, given his death at 52 in 1977. However, I do have fond memories of that side of the family.  Recently, I was surprised to read about the rich life that my uncle, Paul Healy, lived before his death at age 85 on Nov. 21, 2008. While I remember his golf prowess and the Cape Cod golf course that he once owned (given the Healy family’s fanaticism with golf, which I share), I was shocked to read about Paul’s other interests in the Boston Globe obit on his death.

Like my father, Tom, who was a Marine in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Paul joined the Navy in 1942 and fought in the South Pacific. According to the Globe, he was assigned to a PT boat squadron with John F. Kennedy, who trained on Paul’s boat before getting his own command with the now-famous PT 109. Apparently, my uncle Paul and JFK became quite good friends and stayed in touch after the war (although I had never heard about the relationship).

The rest of the obit unveiled facets of my uncle’s life that reveal the background of a driven man who pursued his interests vigorously.

Like me, Paul graduated from Boston University. But that’s where the comparisons end. His first job was based in South America, where he was a plantation manager for United Fruit. He later was a sales manager with Budweiser, covering New England and New York. He then decided to open the “Chuck Wagon” restaurant in Harwich, Mass., on Cape Cod.

Then, the golf bug took hold. He sold the restaurant and bought Brewster Golf Course, a quaint nine-hole track that eventually was transformed by developers into the Ocean Edge Resort and golf course, one of the great resorts on the Cape. I still fondly remember my father and his brothers making themselves at home at and behind the bar after rounds of golf at the club (during the early ’70s), much to the consternation of the bartender.

While managing the Brewster course, Paul also decided to pursue his PGA teaching card. He eventually earned that card and began to teach the game to locals. In 1976, he sold the course and retired with his wife, Virginia, to Florida.

My career and life experiences to date seem so pedestrian vis-a-vis my uncle Paul’s, as well as my dad’s. The latter, Thomas F., saw major battles in the Pacific (including Okinawa) before embarking on a successful career as a commercial artist for major ad firms in Boston. These guys are certainly are a tough act to follow.

Fireman

PR guy fighting the animal

At 45 years old, I recently graduated from Bergen County’s (N.J.) well-respected fire academy in Mahwah, N.J.  As a result, I’m about to shed my probationary status as a member of the Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., volunteer fire department.  At the August graduation ceremony, which encompassed some 30 towns in northern New Jersey (including a few full-time paid departments), I was, by far, the oldest graduate.  Two friends of mine in town, Dan Monchek and Vince McCarthy, also in their 40s, went through the rigorous firefighting training with me — as we proudly represented the older generation in our class. 

Speaking for myself, it was difficult to keep up with those in their late teens and early 20s, but we more than held our own.  Candidly, it was miserable at times, as the training included 50 three-hour classes, including classroom lessons and practical sessions on one of the most advanced firegrounds in the country (e.g., search and rescue, roof ladders, high-rise window entry and exit, fire suppression). 

With makeups and tests, it took me about a year to complete.  But I left the stage at the ceremony with pride that I had undertaken such training, given my background as a public relations pro, typically stuck to computer and phone. 

While I’m not the greatest of firemen (the professionalism, firefighting experience, and commitment in the Ho-Ho-Kus volunteer fire department is truly incredible), I’m learning by the day.  I also have shown some sense of volunteerism to my two grade school daughters, Julia and Elizabeth. 

I’ve included a few shots of me (you can make out the “Healy” on the jacket) from the Academy’s ”practical” test, which somehow I passed.  The photo below is the test to gauge knowledge of footing and raising a 35-foot ladder as a three-member team.  The above shot shows the test station, where I’m backing up my buddy, Vince McCarthy, going after the “animal” on the firegrounds.

Footing the ladder

Pool Party

Oh, the fun continues in the Presidential race.  To steal from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show, how many times was the phrase “small town values” used during the Republican Convention — and what does it actually mean?  When Stewart’s onsite “reporters” asked the delegates, most were literally dumbfounded, although they threw around a number of vague terms: church (Christian), America, unlocked doors, flags, family. 

Count me among the Blue coastliners, so I’m getting worried with the momentum of the McCain/Palin ticket.  The Palin VP choice was brilliant, solely in terms of gaining the attention of waffling moderates. 

Somone just sent me this doctored photo that’s been circulating on the Internet.  The photo, although obviously fake, essentially sums up my view of her qualifications.  Candidly, I don’t think it’s fair to question her decision to run with five kids in tow — nor do I care that she’s about to be a 44-year-old grandmother.  Certainly, a male candidate wouldn’t get such scrutiny.  However, it, indeed, is fair to question her credentials and ultra-conservative policies.  Bottom line: I don’t think she’s the right choice to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency on a ticket where the Presidential candidate is in his early 70s.  My official endorsement is yet to be posted, but I think I’ve had my fill of shot-down and crash-landed fighter pilots as President.     

The "doctored" VP candidate.