With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season upon us, it’s important to reflect on the goals we set for ourselves in 2016.
As President of CPRS Calgary, my primary mandate is to ensure members are getting value from their membership. At our 2016 Annual General Meeting, the Board committed to providing more opportunities for members to connect with each other, and with the Society. Thinking back to the opportunities we offered, I’m pleased with our progress.
In the spring, Cross Wise Communications President, Glenna Cross, kicked-off our events season with a workshop focused on Building Your Personal Brand. This timely presentation focused on standing out in person, online and on paper in today’s marketplace. When a stellar resume isn’t enough to guarantee your dream job, the session offered tips and tricks to help our members stand out.
Our fall and winter seasons were especially busy with social and PD events. Beginning with our annual September Soiree, members re-connected with each other and met the 2016/2017 CPRS Calgary Board of Directors. The Student Networking & Professional Speed Dating event was a fun opportunity for Communications students to meet PR professionals who shared advice and guidance about careers in PR. And our MentorPITCH 2016 event drew practitioner/student duos tasked with building a solution to a real-life CPRS issue, with their unique solutions presented in a dragon’s den style pitch competition.
The year rounded out with an APR Information Session for those considering CPRS accreditation. If the APR is in your future, the CPRS National website provides a wealth of information on the accreditation process. This was followed by an exciting Trump vs Clinton event, where members watched and discussed the outcome of the US election. In late November, CPRS Calgary’s own Sheridan McVean (who was recently inducted as a CPRS Fellow) hosted an Evaluation Lunch and Learn to review the three O’s evaluation method (Outputs, Outtakes, and Outcomes) and the Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles. The session was an important reminder about demonstrating the value of PR as a critical business function.
Finally, the CPRS & IABC Annual Holiday Soiree saw members of both associations network, reflect on the year and take a break from all the hard work that went into 2016.
I hope all members found these events and PD opportunities as valuable as I did, and I can’t wait for the rest of our program year to begin.
I would like to thank all of our Board members and volunteers who helped make the last six months so successful for CPRS. With so much to be proud of, and even more to look forward to in 2017, I hope you all enjoy this year’s holiday season re-connecting with friends and family.
On behalf of my board colleagues, happy holidays!
Shawn
Shawn Davis, MBA, BA Coms, APR
2016/17 CPRS Calgary President
