Castle in Atlanta
We've added two new clients to our growing roster of Atlanta-based companies:
Schoen Insulation Services, the national leader in low-cost manufacturing of non-metallic, machined, turned and cut parts. Schoen recently expanded its operations with the addition of a 60,000 square-foot facility, more than doubling its footprint in Cherokee County. Founded in 1989, the company serves customers in the power generation, aerospace and military, oil and gas, medical, electrical OEM and water markets.
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Castle in Maui
SVP Keri McIntosh attended the 2018 Hawaii Small Business Conference. The two-day event, which focused on "Mapping a Pathway to Success," included a keynote on employee engagement, interactive panels and workshops.
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Best Places to Work
Drumroll, please! Castle was named a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal for the fifth time, and the third year in a row! Thanks to our committed team for making Castle such a special place to work. The final rankings will be announced at the awards ceremony
at Symphony Hall on June 20.
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Castle in the Community
Continuing to foster the next generation of great writers through our community partnership with WriteBoston, Castle supported its annual fundraiser, Pros&Conversation.
The event included a panel conversation with WriteBoston students and bestselling writers, with event proceeds funding student support and teacher training programs.
A longtime supporter of the March of Dimes, our team joined thousands of walkers at its annual Boston March for Babies. The walk, at North Point Park in Cambridge, raised funds to ensure the health of moms and babies. Thank you to everyone who generously supported our Castle team. If you still want to support, please click here.
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Castle in the News
Sandy spoke with PR Daily and PRWeek
about Mark Zuckerberg's crisis communications response, following the Facebook/Cambridge
Analytica data scandal.
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Wendy, Sandy and Hilary joined our 50+ partner agencies from around the world at the Public Relations Global Network
(PRGN) spring meeting in Toronto. The three-day conference, managed by our events team, featured best PR practices from around the world, and presentations on client listening programs, and the challenges of, and possible responses to, fake news.
Hilary presented a case study on social media audits, while Sandy co-facilitated interactive agency exchange sessions with our partner from Cometis Frankfurt.
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Castle Outside of the Office
Castle is sponsoring "Changing the Power Dynamic: Power Inequity and Gender Bias in the Workplace." The June 20 event, by Tomorrow's Women TODAY and The Boston Women's Leadership Council, will focus on strategies for reducing workplace power inequity and gender bias. For tickets, click here.
Castle is supporting The Commonwealth Institute's inaugural Women's Leadership Development Impact Study, which measures what businesses throughout Massachusetts are doing to create a pathway for women leaders. Commonwealth Institute Executive Director Elizabeth Hailer spoke with The Boston Globe about the groundbreaking study.
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Welcome New Clients
We're proud to serve these new PR clients:
In addition, new crisis communications clients include universities in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, and independent schools in Florida and Massachusetts.
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Nine Things to Think About Before Summer Kicks Off
Despite the crazy, decidedly non-Spring-like weather that until very recently occurred along most of the East Coast, we can finally feel it: summer IS coming. Summer--when people are away on vacation, July 4th shortens the week, there are fewer events and networking opportunities, some businesses have "slower" seasons (think: academia), and some are in high gear (think: construction).
So, what should you do before summer hits, to maximize the time before--and after--people begin heading off for a little R and R?
Right now:
In the months, and, especially, weeks, before the summer, meeting and events season is in full swing. Use this time to strategically have face time with important contacts or audiences--for many civic and business organizations, this will be the last meaningful convening until after Labor Day.
Global differences:
Our more relaxed friends in Europe sure know how to vacation. They take real time away... and (gasp!) even stay off email! Some of our PRGN colleagues, for instance, have out-of-office notifications announcing that they're gone for a month, or more. If you work internationally, plan ahead--far ahead--around those long vacations to make sure your overseas needs can be met.
You can still have meetings
: Sadly, Americans don't tend to take long summer breaks. If you need or want to meet with someone, you probably can. Plan early to get it locked in, before vacation schedules or summer hours limit availability. Because some offices are more laid back in the summer, it may be easier to get quality time with the prospective customer, client, reporter or influencer who's been elusive during the busy spring season. Don't assume you can't reach someone... maybe you can!
Or maybe you can't
: Your beat reporter, client contact or point person may be away when you need her. Find out in advance who's covering for your important contacts before they go on vacation. Introduce yourself, especially if you don't know them. Your business--and in our case, our clients' news and events--can't necessarily wait for your usual contacts to return.
Interns
: Here they come... fresh off their Spring semester and ready to learn and work. Plan NOW for the projects they can tackle. You know you have them... those great ideas no one's had the time to attack? The lower, but still interesting, priorities? They may be as tactical as a database clean-up or as strategic as research and recommendations about a new market. Interns want to contribute and can add significant value when there's a good fit, provided they have clear direction and expectations. Set them up for success.
Summer events
: Should you plan one? Have realistic expectations around attendance and costs. Some places are famously less expensive during the summer (Tucson in August?) while other places, like our headquarters hometown, Boston, are tight--and expensive--in terms of hotel capacity. Still other places could be affected by hurricane season; if you've got an event planned for a risky location, have a crisis plan-and insurance-in place (for more on that, read Keri McIntosh's article on best practices for event risk management).
Quiet season
: For industries like academia, which truly do have a slower summer pace, this is a good time to plan for the new academic year. Revisit crisis plans, update media contacts, and revise web content so you're ready to hit the ground running in the fall. Don't overlook the opportunity to pitch your beat reporters--they're getting fewer pitches during the summer, so you have less competition. An interesting education angle can be just what a reporter needs when news is scarce. An "evergreen" pitch may stand a better chance now; if there's one you really believe in that didn't succeed before, update it and give it another shot.
Busy season
: Industries like construction are in high gear. Build in extra time to get approvals, contracts, revisions and other materials processed. Think about the efficiencies you might build into your processes--they may actually make things more productive long-term. For media, find the best angles; don't waste your time with "evergreen" or less compelling pitches when a beat reporter is covering an industry during its peak season.
Finally, unplug: If your company culture permits (and I hope it does!), try to unplug when you're on vacation. Vacations are for relaxing and having fun, experiencing the world and spending time with loved ones. Taking time away helps us recharge and refresh, and better prepares us for our re-entry to the workplace. We all want to return energized and with new ideas. It's true; the work will still be there when you get back, so enjoy your time off.
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Castle Events Around the World
Since our last newsletter, we traveled to Buenos Aires to manage a five-night sales incentive program for an $8.5 billion multinational software and hardware provider;
Scottsdale
, to manage an exclusive sales incentive experience for a leading global CRM software company;
and
Cancun
, to lead a four-night incentive program for
one of the nation's largest software and hardware resellers
. Closer to home in
Boston
, we planned and executed
Wentworth Institute of Technology's
commencement ceremony and celebration.
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Client News
Healthcare
Dr. Michael Jaff, president of Newton-Wellesley Hospital and a renowned vascular medicine specialist, helped Paralympian Tatyana McFadden battle back from blood clot issues to compete in--and win!--the 2018 Boston Marathon. Tatyana, who competes in the Women's Wheelchair Division, and Dr. Jaff spoke to Boston Magazine about what it took to get Tatyana back to competing in marathons.
Higher Education
The College of Saint Rose
has been invited by the Pussycat Foundation to join the BOLD Women's Leadership Network
. The Foundation has awarded a BOLD grant of $1 million to fund a program for women student leaders at Saint Rose over the next few years. BOLD now operates at seven colleges and universities, each of which is led by a woman president. In addition, as a way to "champion women of superior accomplishment," and to honor President Carolyn J. Stefanco and her leadership, the Foundation has awarded a $100,000 Helen Gurley Brown Genius Grant to the President's Fund at the College.
Financial Services
Salem Five
will acquire Sage Bank, a state-chartered cooperative stock bank with retail locations in Lowell and mortgage offices throughout Middlesex County. Salem Five President & CEO Ping Yin Chai spoke with the Boston Business Journal
and the Lowell Sun
about the pending acquisition.
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Nonprofit
Parenting Journey
will hold its inaugural benefit, Breakfast for Dinner, on June 20. Former State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, now vice president of diversity, inclusion and community relations, Suffolk Construction, is among the recipients who will be honored. There will be lively activities throughout the evening and the opportunity to participate in the main event --a Family Feud style game show with special guests. Click here
for tickets and more information.
After White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar suffered a brain aneurysm during a game, The Brain Aneurysm Foundation
was featured on the lifestyle websites People.com
and Bustle
in articles about the signs and symptoms of brain aneurysms. BAF also recently hosted its 17th Annual Arterial Challenge to support research for early detection and treatment. The annual event at Fenway Park is the Foundation's largest and longest-running local fundraiser, bringing together more than 1,000 community supporters. Boston 25 News, NBC Boston and WBZ-TV
covered the event and spoke with BAF staff and Challenge participants.
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The Castle Group 2018 Issue 03 |
Contact Us - 617.337.9500
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