11 Sep 2009

Business as Usual: A New Ship is Setting Sail

By Cissy Wendt

Bettendorf, IA - Sonja Sorrel is senior media relations consultant for the Life and Health Division of the Principal Financial Group® will be speaking to local public relations, marketing and media professionals on September 24, 2009 at 3:00 pm at the Butterworth Education Center located at the corner of 7th Street and 12th Avenue, Moline, IL on behalf of the Public Relations Society of America - Quad Cities Chapter.

Sonja will be speaking about the impact the economy has had on the financial services industry and how it has changed the way they communicate. Also she will discuss what Principal did for employee communication, advertising and media relations and how it was measured. PRSA members, Local Public Relations, Marketing and Media professionals, students, and the general public are invited to hear Sonja discuss Principal's new communication techniques.

Sorrel has more than 10 years experience in strategic public relations and national media relations. She joined the company in 2004 and was promoted to her current position in 2007. She is responsible for managing media relations for all risk products including, life, health, disability and dental product lines. In her role, she conducts media outreach, executes issues management and advances thought leadership.

Prior to joining the company Sorrel was an account supervisor with Public Communications Inc, a public relations firm based in Chicago. Most of her work was concentrated on media relations for not-for-profit health care organizations, but she also represented well-known Chicago icons like Water Tower Place and the Museum of Science and Industry. Sorrel earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Iowa State University. She serves on the communications counsel for America's Health Insurance Plans. She is also a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

The Principal Financial Group? (The Principal ®) 1 is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $257.7 billion in assets under management 2 and serves some 18.8 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

Formed in 1978, the Quad Cities Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America serves public relations and communications professionals throughout the greater Quad Cities region. The chapter offers programs, resources and networking opportunities for area PRSA members.

To RSVP for this event please email Cissy Wendt, Chapter Administrator at qcprsa@gmail.com by Sept 22, 2009.

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31 Jul 2009

Crisis Response Cedar Rapids Response to the Flood of 2008

By Cissy Wendt

Bettendorf, IA - Jessica Palmer, Director of Marketing and Research at the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CRACVB) will be speaking to local public relations, marketing and media professionals on August 20, 2009 at 3:00 pm at the Quad City Area REALTOR Association office located at 1900 State Street, Bettendorf, IA on behalf of the Public Relations Society of America - Quad Cities Chapter.

Jessica will be speaking about the Cedar Rapids flood and the overall crisis response from your organization to the citizens and businesses. Also she will talk about what was done as a city to overcome the devastation and how the community retained and encouraged area businesses to stay in the community after the floods.

PRSA members, Local Public Relations, Marketing and Media professionals, students, and the general public are invited to hear Jessica discuss the CRACVB's response and overall role in this crisis.

Jessica Palmer is currently director of marketing and research for the Cedar Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CRACVB). Her responsibilities include working with community and partner organizations to support regional needs. She is responsible for strategic planning, marketing and communication activities. Prior to joining the CRACVB, Jessica was manager of communication and research with Priority One.

Jessica serves as a board member of YPIowa, Co-chair of ImpactCR, Chair of the Corridor MPO MAC, Cedar Rapids Area Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Team, Rebuild Iowa Economic and Workforce Development Taskforce, United Way Young Leaders Society Committee, Cedar Rapids Downtown District Committee, Eastern Iowa Marketing Roundtable and is a 2008 graduate of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber Leadership for Five Seasons program. In 2007, Jessica was named as one the region's "40 Under 40" by the Corridor Business Journal. A Cedar Rapids native, Jessica earned a B.S. in business marketing from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids.

The Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CRACVB) is the area's official destination management organization. The CRACVB is entering its fourth decade of operation. Over the past 30 years, the CRACVB has played a variety of roles in the community from destination marketing leader, to event developer, to facility development advocate.

To RSVP for this event please email Cissy Wendt, Chapter Administrator at qcprsa@gmail.com

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