PRSA Silicon Valley Call for Board Nominations 2009

2009 PRSA Silicon Valley Board
Call for Board Nominations

WHEN
We are taking nominations now!
The Nominating Committee will consider all the nominations and select the Board in mid-December. Nominations may be received until November 21. Board chairs will serve from January 2009 to February 2010.

A Message from PRSA Silicon Valley President Travis Murdock

We have had a very successful year and it is time to nominate the Board for 2009.

PRSA Silicon Valley is an all-volunteer organization that works to advance the public relations profession. Board members benefit by networking with leaders in the PR industry and also have an opportunity to give back to the profession.

The available positions in 2009 are listed below. Please send an email to Travis Murdock with the names of the positions you are interested in pursuing. If you have the name of a colleague that may be interested in participating in the Silicon Valley chapter Board, please forward their name. A brief overview of the Board roles is also provided below.

The Nominating Committee will consider all the nominations and select the Board in mid-December. Nominations may be received until November 21. Board chairs will serve from January 2009 to February 2010.

A description of each chair and committee is listed below. If you are unable to fill a Chair position, we are eager to have you volunteer on a committee. These positions are a great way to be involved if your time is limited.

If you have questions about any of the positions, please don’t hesitate to call or email. I’m eager to discuss a role with you.

Travis Murdock
Travis.murdock@edelman.com
PRSA Silicon Valley President
650-740-6055

Available Positions

• President Elect/Blockbuster Events Chair (3 year term)
• Blockbuster Events Co-Chair
• Secretary
• Networking Co-Chairs/Event Management
• Sponsorship Chair
• Marketing Services Chair
• Membership Chair
• Mentorship
• Diversity Chair
• APR Chair
• Ethics Chair
• Advocacy Chair
• Partnerships & Alliances Chair
• Job Bank Chair
• Board Members-At-Large
• Board Member Emeritus

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Committee Descriptions 

Advocacy - The goal of the Advocacy Committee is to create a broader, deeper understanding of the value of public relations among key internal and external stakeholders. The role of the Chapter Advocacy Chair is to fulfill advocacy goals and build recognition of PRSA as the profession’s leading voice on important industry, societal and global issues in the Chapters we represent.

APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment.

Diversity - PRSA began its first diversity outreach more than 20 years ago, when a number of interested professionals approached the national leadership about forming a committee. Soon thereafter, a multicultural communications committee was formed that worked as part of the national leadership committee structure for a number of years.

Ethics - The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is committed to ethical practices. The level of public trust PRSA members seek, as we serve the public good, means we have taken on a special obligation to operate ethically. The goal of this committee is to promote and inspire the highest levels of ethical behavior and performance among Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapter members.

Job Bank - PRSA Silicon Valley Job Bank is the best way to reach communications and public relations individuals in the Silicon Valley. Volunteers in this area will assist with the posting of job opportunities, interface with employers who desire to post job openings, and generally market the job bank area to our members, as part of their member benefits.

Marketing Services - Marketing services volunteers are need to help edit and write compelling copy that is ultimately distributed in email communications or posted on the PRSA Silicon Valley website.

Membership - Our Chapter’s mission is to bring together communications and public relations professionals for education, professional enhancement and networking. The PRSA Silicon Valley should be first on every professional's list for the advancement of our careers and profession. If you’re not already involved, now’s the time to come aboard and heighten your profile in the industry. This not-for-profit organization gives each of us valuable tools to stay on top of cutting-edge best practices and prepare for the next level in our careers. Volunteers can help with membership in a number of ways: by staffing the sign-up booth at events, reaching out to new National members in our area, or spreading the word about promotions.

Mentorship - With the profession becoming more diverse, now more than ever PR pros need to be mentoring young professionals so they can be positioned to take leadership roles in the industry, their companies and communities. Volunteers on this committee will work closely with the Public Relations Student Society of America, PRSSA. Today the Public Relations Student Society of America has more than 9,600 members in 284 universities across the country.

Partnerships & Alliances - PRSA Silicon Valley develops partnerships and/or alliances with other associations or groups that compliment its overall goal and mission. Volunteers in this area will assist in ensuring that the commitments made to our partners are met and that new partnerships and alliances are initiated as identified.

Sponsorship - PRSA Silicon Valley seeks sponsorships to underwrite the programs and services we offer to our local PR professionals. Sponsorships are aligned with specific initiatives of the Chapter and encompass both financial and in-kind services to enhance the quality and extent of our member benefits. Volunteers in this area will seek to renew existing sponsorships or develop new ones as necessary.

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Chapter Events

Blockbuster Events - The Blockbuster Events Committee is charged with developing and delivering thought-leadership events that tackle the serious issues our industry faces. Hard-hitting, provocative and typically populated by the most talented professionals in and around Silicon Valley, these events are designed to spur discussions that attract many factions of the communications industry. Within the committee, we strive to identify topics, speakers and themes that have appeal to technology industry yet have relevance for other industries such as bio-tech, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, etc. that occupy an important place in the Valley economy.

Professional Development Workshops/Seminars - The Professional Development Committee is seeking volunteers to market and execute events for PR professionals who range from entry level to advanced professionals. This could also include speaker recommendations and coordination, site logistics, email campaign development, or other coordination efforts relating to the events.

Networking Events - Network with your peers and expand your circle of colleagues and contacts at Chapter events. Chapter events give you the opportunity to network with your peers and expand your circle of colleagues and contacts. This committee is looking for volunteers to help coordinate and manage the networking events, typically held at PR agencies throughout the Silicon Valley. We also have at least one joint meeting with the San Francisco Chapter and have adopted the practice of the "Annual San Jose Giants Baseball Game" event sometime in June/early summer.

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Officer Roles

The Officers of PRSA Silicon Valley shall be President, President-elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary and Treasurer. The office of President is a three-year commitment, including service in the first year as President-Elect, second year as President, and third year as Immediate Past President. The Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected by the Chapter for a term of two years or until successors are elected and installed.
 
President. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer; shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Chapter; shall nominate all standing and special Committees for appointment by the Board of Directors; and shall be ex officio member of all Committees.
 
President-elect. The President-elect, in the absence or disability of the President, shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of the President. He/she also shall assist the President and perform such other duties as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President-Elect also serves as Programs Chair, including Blockbuster Programs.
 
Immediate-Past President. The Immediate Past President shall, in the event of the inability of the President or President-Elect to act, perform all duties of the President. He/she shall act as Professional Development Chair and perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may assign to this office.
 
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall develop an annual budget to track and control income and expenditures; shall provide safekeeping for and keep records on all PRSA Silicon Valley funds; make regular financial reports to the Board of Directors; make available an annual financial statement to the Chapter membership; and prepare and file financial and tax reports as required by law. The Treasurer shall collect, deposit, and disburse all funds after proper approval by the President and/or Board of Directors and perform such duties as are customarily assigned to this office.
 
Secretary. The Secretary shall keep records of meetings, handle PRSA Silicon Valley correspondence, be custodian of important documents, and perform such other duties as are customarily assigned to this office.

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