IABC Be Heard Weblog

I recently received the news that Mark Schumann, ABC, principal at Towers Perrin, is leaving Houston. He’s headed back to headquarters in Stamford, Conn., to lead the expansion of the company’s communication consulting work. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Mark as he worked in the Stamford office for six years before coming to Houston and he and his family still have a home there.

It’s very much a month of transition for Mark, as he will also be taking on the role of IABC International Chair. He will officially be crowned at the IABC World Conference in San Francisco next week. In my official capacity as the Houston chapter president, I want to thank Mark for his support of our group, from securing Towers Perrin sponsorships of our events, to hosting get-togethers for IABC elite and focus groups and speaking at our programs.

Personally, I will miss Mark as a friend who I’ve gotten to know better during this past year. He has encouraged me every step of the way during my presidency. It’s also been great to connect with Mark as a fellow proud parent of a musician and to learn that Mark has written a musical in collaboration with his son. I anxiously await the world premiere!

I invite others who would like to wish Mark the best in his new adventure to comment on this site. As for me Mark, we’ll always have New Orleans………..

Mark, Sean from South Africa, me and Pam McConathy on Bourbon Street at IABC Conference. Far right is Jane Voisard, Dallas IABC, pretending not to be with us.

Tracy Torma and Mark get wrapped up in their partying.

Mark and Sean get feathered.

What a great time!

By Scott Cytron, ABC, president of Cytron and Company, a consultancy specializing in public relations, marketing and communication.

ROI. Three simple initials that can make or break a campaign.

Why have we become so dependent on ROI? Pretty simple. If management can’t measure something in quantifiable terms, then how will anyone know whether something is effective?

My friends in PR who are reading this are smiling. PR certainly can be measured, but not in black & white or simple numbers. You might be able to figure out how many units were sold based on a media relations campaign, but you won’t know if you changed someone’s impressions of a company unless you ask them for an opinion. And, if you’re still telling your CEO or clients that the last story’s ROI you placed for them in the Houston Business Journal was worth $1,000 based on the number of column inches, you really need to go back to the drawing board.

This is a great time to work in public relations and communications because of social media. I think of social media and public relations as kissing cousins. Given the tools we have at our disposal to tell a story and influence opinion, we now have the ability to be creative, insightful and imaginative with clients and employers – way beyond the static news release.

Let’s share some stories about how our companies and clients are using social media to further their PR efforts. Comment on this blog and I’ll share your responses (by name or anonymously – you choose) during my presentation to IABC Houston on May 28 at Maggiano’s. See you there!

Pam McConathy, our VP for Professional Development, and I had the privilege to be on hand May 12 for the unveiling of IABC UH Student Chapter banner at the Jack Valenti School of Communications. It’s a big deal. Not only does IABC now have a banner presence among other communications organizations like PRSA, AMA and the Houston Ad Federation, it signifies much more. It’s a symbol of a robust chapter filled with students eager to learn about the field of corporate communications. Many thanks to Professor Mike Emery who worked with IABC Houston member Lauren Bohnstedt to revive student interest in our organization a couple of years ago. I love seeing the students attend our programs and events and I’m proud to attend their events–both as the president of IABC and as a UH grad. Go Coogs!

From left, Emily Polcheck, past UH student membership chair, Pam, me, Kehkashan Dadwani, new UH Chapter president, Professor Mike Emery and past UH president David Gonzalez. Emily coordinated the production of the banner with Gardner & Martin, Inc. Many thanks to Rick Gardner for donating his banner making services.

Mike Emery, faculty advisor for the IABC UH Student Chapter, presented past Chapter President David Gonzalez with a graduation present. David will be attending the IABC World Conference in San Francisco in June, sponsored by the Houston IABC Chapter. Watch for David's report in this space when he returns.