2008 summer drop

ADRP’s MISSION:

To provide education, development and resources for the donor recruitment professional.

New Zealand Blood Services Wins AABB/ADRP

Blood Donor Day Award

Inside this Issue:

2008 ADRP Conference Recap Pages 5-9

2008 Scholarship Winners & Chapman,Presidential Essays0-13

2008 Award WinnersPage 14-18

Donor Recruitment ManagementPage 21-22

A Recipe for Hospital RecruitmentPage 23-24

You Are Not AlonePage 26-27

New Zealand WBDD Award ApplicationPage 28-30

Volume 25 Summer 2008

The AABB DR/PR committee, which consists of members from ADRP and AABB, selected New Zealand Blood

Services as the winner of the first AABB/DRPR Committee Award.

AABB and ADRP established the AABB/ADRP Blood Donor Day Award, to

help encourage blood centers to participate in World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) activities. The award recognizes New Zealand Blood Services for its outstanding

efforts to promote WBDD. Turn to page 30 to learn about New Zealand’s WBDD activities.

As this year’s winner, New Zealand receives one complimentary registration to AABB’s 2008 Annual Meeting & TXPO in Montréal, Québec, Canada, and one complimentary registration to ADRP’s 2009 Conference in St. Pete Beach, Fla.

In addition, New Zealand will receive $1,500 to apply toward travel to these meetings for an employee who played an instrumental role in implementing their WBDD activities.

Entries were judged on the following criteria: Creativity; Community/Donor Involvement; Media Coverage; and provided samples. To see what other ADRP members did for WBDD, go to: www.adrp.org/getting-people-involved/world-blood-donor-day.

Have You Submitted an Abstract

for the 2009 ADRP Conference?

Deadline for Submissions: September 19For details, go to http://www.adrp.org/conferences/annual-conference

/ the Drop - ADRP’s Quarterly Newsletter Summer 2008Page 2 / the Drop - ADRP’s Quarterly Newsletter Fall 2007

the Drop - ADRP’s Quarterly Newsletter Summer 2008 /

What an honor it is to be part of the donor recruitment profession and to be elected as your ADRP President for this coming year! We have accomplished much in our 30 year history – yet have so much more to do. Our goals this year are to:· Obtain the necessary funding

to have professionals write the curriculum for the recruiter and recruitment manager certification programs

· Launch the manager and recruiter certification programs

· Develop and expand our partnerships with vendors, CEO’s and non - North American donor recruitment professionals

· Ensure our financial viability

· Encourage diversity on the Board and in the membership of our organization

· Co-host the 2009 conference in St. Pete Beach, FL with Florida Blood Services

· Co-host the 2009 Pacific Rim Conference in Melbourne, Australia

· Expand the membership

We face daunting challenges in the blood banking industry in 2008: aging populations, more tests that decrease the existing donor pool, the struggle for donor’s time to donate blood, competitive environments, the need to decrease costs and increase service,

ADRP Here to Provide

Resources For YOU

donor retention, and increasing the number of non-renumerated voluntary blood donors. However, in spite of these situations our primary mission is still to provide a safe and adequate blood supply for patients in need. We know we cannot rest on our laurels or yesterday’s blood drive. We need to hone our skills and continue to make a difference.

One of the ways to do that is to attend the annual ADRP conference for the diverse learning and networking experiences and opportunities. Regularly scan the website at www.adrp.org for updated recruitment techniques and information. Another is to reach beyond your own blood center or hospital blood bank or military blood bank and volunteer for the ADRP. By giving a little of yourself, you will gain much from the knowledge of others in the industry. When you have what seems to be an insurmountable problem at your place of work, you will have others you can reach out to who will support you and give you possible solutions.

In spite of having an executive director, ADRP is very much run BY members FOR members. Our celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ADRP is an excellent testament to the work of hundreds of past and current volunteers. If not for the ADRP members who volunteer, no-thing would happen. If you would like to become more involved please use

ADRP’s VISION:We are the worldwide industry leader in the field of donor recruitment with an ongoing commitment to shape international policies and standards and to develop marketing strategies and specialized resources for the donor recruitment profession.

ADRP EXECUTIVE BOARDPresident Carolyn P. Mihalko Director of Education American Red CrossBiomedical Services, NE Division E-mail: [email protected]

Immediate Past President Gavin Evans Head of Donor Marketing National Blood Services E-mail: [email protected]

President-ElectJohn HaginsSenior Director American Red Cross E-mail: [email protected]

Treasurer Christine M. Foran Manager, Corporate Relations Hudson Valley Blood Svc, New York Blood Center E-mail: [email protected]

Vice President Scott CaswellDirector, Donor Resource Development & Customer Relations Community Blood Center E-mail: [email protected]

Vice President Joe RidleyExecutive Director, Regional Operations Carter BloodCareE-mail: [email protected]

ADRP Staff and Contact InformationDeborah Swift, Executive DirectorPhone: 512.658.9414Fax: 866.498.6527E-mail: [email protected]: www.adrp.org

the Drop is published quarterly. For editorial information or ad rates, please call 512.658.9414 or check out www.adrp.org.

Continued on page 4

/ the Drop - ADRP’s Quarterly Newsletter Summer 2008

The Gambro BCT service, quality, andcommitment you know with a new name

“ I believe CaridianBCT embodies the key ideals and values of caring, hope and partnership that our company and products have always represented to our customers.”

Leslee Simon-Blum Senior Product Support & Training Specialist

Gambro BCT is changing its name. For years you’ve known us as the company that has brought you innovation, quality and service through products such as the Trima Accel® Collection System and the Vista® Information System.

As the time came to change our name, we wanted to re� ect the values and strengths that make us unique. CaridianBCT, our new name, emphasizes two key ideas; 1) the care, quality, and service that we deliver to customers, donors, and patients. 2) Our global focus and our innovation approach to meeting customer needs.

commitment you know with a new nameGambro BCT is changing its name. For years you’ve known us as the company that has brought you innovation, quality and service through products such as

Information System.

As the time came to change our name, we wanted to re� ect the values and , our new name, emphasizes two

key ideas; 1) the care, quality, and service that we deliver to customers, donors, and patients. 2) Our global focus and our innovation approach to meeting

ADRP Ad 7.25X4.75 V1.indd 1 4/28/08 2:29:17 PM

the Volunteer form on the website to let us know where you would like to serve.

One of ADRP’s ‘founding fathers’ was Rolf Kovenetsky, Vice President of Corporate and Community Affairs at New York Blood Center. He has continued to serve in some capacity for each of the 30 years of ADRP’s existence. This demonstrates his constant declaration to all who will listen that “involvement leads to commitment.”

I encourage you to get involved and become committed to the education of donor recruitment professionals: attend ADRP conferences, contribute to the Drop, become a committee member and aspire to be a Board member.

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said “The greater thing in the world is not so much where we stand as in the direction we are going.”

Come with the ADRP as we strive to provide the best educational opportunities for donor recruitment professionals!

ADRP Here for You...(Continued from page 3)

ADRP Board Members following the Annual ADRP Membership Luncheon: Front row: John Hagins, American Red Cross; Carolyn Mihalko, American Red Cross; and Gavin Evans, National Blood Services.Back row: Betsy Ward, Memorial Blood Center; Scott Caswell, Community Blood Center; Vicki Thomas, American Red Cross National Headquarters; Matt Granato, America’s Blood Centers; Christine Foran, New York Blood Center; Joe Ridley, Carter BloodCare; Chuck Moore, American Red Cross; Andrea Cefarelli, New York Blood Center; and Mary Jane Thomsen 50 Below.Not picture: Maria Elena Geyer, Puget Sound Blood Center; David Graham, Community Blood Center; Kelly High, American Red Cross National Heaquarters; Carol Mitchell, Canadian Blood Services.


Nova Scotia Hospitality meets Strategic Thinking -- What a great combination! ADRP keeps getting better and better -- Sociable!Steve HardingCanadian Blood Services, Ottawa

2008 ADRP Conference in Halifax Earns High Praise from Members

From the opening ceremonies to the Saturday Film Festival, attendees found the education, networking and overall experience they were looking for at the 2008 ADRP Conference.

“The ADRP annual conference has evolved into a first rate, attendance required, professional development meeting for the donor recruiter in the blood industry,” said Bob Fechner, CEO, Carolinas Blood Region, American Red Cross.

As noted in the testimonials, whether it was a relative newcomer to the industry or an experienced veteran, the conference met expectations.

The conference also provided the association an opportunity to celebrate its 30th anniversary. ADRP was fortunate to have nine former presidents on hand to recognize how far the association has come over the past three decades.

Outgoing President Gavin Evans, Head of Marketing for National Blood Service, took time to note the accomplishments made by the board and members under his reign. Among the items he cited:· Fulfillment of first ADRP/AABB

partnership for World Blood Donor Day

· Completion of new website

· New communication vehicles to board and membership through E-News Letters

· Revamp of Drop to include more value for members

· Exploration and establishment of Australian Conference, which will take place next September

· Start of certification program efforts

· Efforts to save administrative costs

· Update of By-Laws to ensure we have the structure to support the future growth of organization

Evans handed the gavel over to 2008-09 President Carolyn Mihalko during the ADRP Annual Business Luncheon. Mihalko, the Director of Education for Biomedical Services, American Red Cross Northeast Division, thanked Evans for his “dedication to ADRP and unstinting perseverance in attaining our goals. ADRP is privileged to have a leader with your skills. We are very grateful for your service.”

In her acceptance speech, Mihalko laid out her goals for the year (see pages 3 and 4) and thanked individuals who have supported her over the years.

“I would like to now extend my appreciation to the following

individuals who have had a profound impact on my career: Dr. German Leparc, Don Doddridge, Tom Kurella and Ruth Zatik of Florida Blood Services, Sharlene Lachance of Canadian Blood Services, Leslie Botos of BloodSource , Kathy Connolly of Rhode Island Blood Center, Joyce Kleist of Carter BloodCare, Sharon Perkins, and Suzanne McCombs. A special thank you to the CEO of the American Red Cross Blood Services, CT Region, Paul Sullivan (my former boss up until a few weeks ago) and my current boss, Dr. Mary O’Neill, the Senior Vice President of the N.E. Division of the American Red Cross Blood Services.

“Also, I have been blessed to have had parents who believed that I could do anything I put my mind to. My dad passed last year, but I would like to publicly thank my mother, Ellen Mihalko. To quote Tina Turner: Mom – ‘You’re simply the best!’”

Mihalko also reminded attendees that despite having an executive director, ADRP is very much run by members for members. “I think the fact we are celebrating our 30th anniversary is an excellent testament to the work of our past volunteer members,” she added.


From the opening ceremonies...and the great hospitality of Canadian Blood Services...

This is the first time for me to join ADRP annual conference. The conference is worth traveling around half the earth for 26 hours. I’ve learned much and felt that we face the same difficulties. The passion and efforts of all attendees will make world better. Salute to all who recruit.Young-Chan JuKorea National Red Cross Blood Service Headquarters


. . .to the speakers who came to share. . .and those who came to learn...

As a relatively newcomer in the field of donor recruitment, the ADRP conference gave me an opportunity to accelerate my learning curve and gain invaluable international exposure.Daniel VinetDirector Donor RecruitmentHéma-QuébecCanada

No matter who you are or whatever level you work at within your organisation, there is real value in attending ADRP. The sessions, workshops and networking opportunities are high level and you cannot fail to learn and benefit from the experience.Andrew CalvertNational Blood ServiceUK


. . .to the 2008 Scholarship and Award Winners...and the presidents of our past...to those who came to net-work and meet with peers -- the 2008 ADRP Conference had it all!


ADRP is a prime example of the expression, “the sum of all its parts”. Great organizers, great leaders and a host of amazing donor recruitment professionals who have to be the friendliest, most caring, and passionate people one can meet. It all comes together into an organization of which I am proud to be a member.Paula DaytonDonor Recruitment CoordinatorUniversity of Iowa DeGowin Blood Center

As a beginning recruiter, the ADRP Conference was a great experience that allowed me to gain a worldwide perspective of donor recruitment, as well as gather great ideas that I can apply in my position. What a wonderful way to energize donor recruiters and remind us all of why we do what we do.Kristin FullerCarter BloodCare

No matter how much experience you have in sales, recruiting and public relations there is always a lot more you can learn. This conference was no exception.Bob CheliBlood AssuranceChattanooga, TN

What better venue to learn and share ideas with others in the same profession than by attending an ADRP conference. Through the years, I have learned something new at each conference. Along with learning new ideas you will meet new people who share your passion. They may struggle with the same problems you do or may have ideas on how to solve those problems. It is an opportunity to grow professionally.Kathy ConnollyDirector PRRhode Island Blood Center

The ADRP annual conference has evolved into a first rate, attendance required, professional development meeting for the donor recruiter in the blood industry. I recommend that every blood center send at least one representative to insure that we leverage the power of sharing best practices. If we are to continue to meet the blood needs of our health care system, we must become more effective at recruiting blood donors and sponsors of blood drives. Our success begins and ends with our ability to recruit blood donors.Bob FechnerCEOCarolinas Blood RegionAmerican Red Cross


2008 ADRP Scholarship Recipients!The 2008 ADRP Scholarships and Awards were presented by 2007-08 ADRP President Gavin Evans and Awards Co-Chairs Chuck Moore of American Red Cross and Lisa Entrikin of Rock River Valley Blood Center during the 2007-08 ADRP Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Nancy J. Chapman Scholarship Emmanuel Michael Masvikeni National Blood Service Zimbabwe

Emmanuel Michael Masvikeni joined National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) in 2001 as a Public Relations Manager. In 2002, he was promoted to the position of Marketing and Public Relations Manager. Following a restructuring exercise, Emmanuel became Blood Procurement and Public Relations Manager.

In his position, Emmanuel has managed to increase blood intake levels and also developed school blood donor programmes that have helped to reduce seasonal blood shortages. Besides his routine activities of managing the Blood Procurement and Public Relations Department of NBSZ, Emmanuel does consultancy work in areas relating to donor recruitment and programme evaluation.

He has served as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Temporary Adviser in developing a PowerPoint training tool kit for Blood Donor Recruiters, and is currently a core facilitator for WHO organised donor recruitment workshops.

In 2000 Emmanuel served as a task force member working with the National Aids Council (NAC) in pioneering and successfully establishing the Zimbabwe Business Council on Aids (ZBCA).

From March to May 2007, Emmanuel was part of a consulting team hired by the Ministry of Health Botswana, to carry out a mid-term evaluation of a Blood Safety and Youth HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme that was implemented by National Blood Transfusion Service Botswana. Emmanuel spoke at the

2007 ADRP conference in Baltimore, MD on “Donor Recruitment in the Developing World- Zimbabwe Keeping Ahead of the Challenges.”

He is currently studying for a Master of Business Administration Degree.(See Nancy J. Chapman Essay, pg. 12)

Presidential ScholarshipBruce ShaversCommunity Development Coordinator Canadian Blood Services, Saskatoon

Bruce Shavers has been working as Canadian Blood Services’ Community Development Coordinator in Brandon, Manitoba since July 2001. No stranger to the non-profit world, Bruce has extensive experience with fundraising, sponsorship, board-development and community outreach.

He has worked both as consultant and employee with a vast array of charitable organizations since 1984. A graduate of Dalhousie University

and the University of Western Ontario, Bruce has been Executive Director of the Manitoba Composers Association, Assistant to the Dean of Music at the University of Manitoba, Music & Touring Officer of the Manitoba Arts Council, Director of Development at Brandon University and Consultant with Contact Solutions.

Bruce is a proud member of the Canadian Blood Services’ marketing team in Manitoba and is responsible for the permanent collection site in Brandon, the mobile clinic program in western Manitoba and numerous outreach activities that liaise with

Partners for Life, “Assignment: Saving Lives!”, communications and the “What’s Your Type?” school program.(See Presidential Essay, pg 13)


Hughes ScholarshipTravis McLaughlinPromotions Coordinator Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Houston, Texas

Travis (TJ) McLaughlin is employed at the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston, Texas and has been a donor recruitment professional for just under two years.

During his time with GCRBC, he has exceeded monthly expectations and helped lead his blood center to two banner years back to back.

TJ is very happy to be in the Blood Banking field. He is currently the top recruitment representative in his department and truly enjoys saving lives daily. Active in his community, TJ volunteers weekly

and even participated on a mission trip to India last fall. Recently, he helped raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis by riding in the BP MS 150, a 150 mile cross-state bicycle trek.

Prior to joining the blood banking industry, TJ worked in the mortgage and real estate industry for six years. TJ graduated from Sam Houston State University with a double major in Business and Kinesiology where he was president of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.

Charles Drew ScholarshipDeLisa Simon-DawkinsFormerly Manager of Diversity Outreach and EducationThe Blood Connection

When selected to receive the scholarship, DeLisa (Dee) Simon-Dawkins was the Manager of Diversity Outreach and Education for The Blood Connection in Piedmont, South Carolina. In this capacity, her primary focus was education and awareness to increase blood donations within the African-American Community. She also served as advisor to The Blood Connection’s Diversity Council.

DeLisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences with an emphasis in Health Education from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She also obtained an Associate’s Degree from Greenville Technical College majoring in Medical Laboratory Science. Her background is broad based. She is certified by the American Society of Clinical

Pathologists (ASCP) and the National Credentialing Agency for Clinical Laboratory Personnel (CLS).

DeLisa has been involved with donor recruitment strategies and community outreach for 10 years at The Blood Connection. Throughout her career, DeLisa has been a guest presenter for local and national organizations since 2000. She was also a contributing author for a donor recruitment resource book published by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).

On a personal note, she has conducted local workshops to improve self esteem in young girls and women. In 2007, to recognize her dedication to this effort she was presented with a Certificate of Achievement by

community leaders. During this year, DeLisa completed her reign as Mrs. South Carolina.

DeLisa is the wife of Mr. Steve Dawkins. Together, they have two children, Destiny and Donovan. She is an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church and Zeta Phi Beta

2008 ADRP Scholarship Recipients!


Winning Essay

Nancy J. Chapman Scholarshipby Emmanuel Michael Masvikeni National Blood Service Zimbabwe

In contemporary management, you have to innovate constantly; if you do not, you die. The challenges brought about by the need to innovate means that one should always get a different perspective on the industry--particularly through interaction with peers and sharing experiences. Unfortunately, Mother Africa as a continent still lags behind both in the development and implementation of innovative and contemporary donor recruitment practices.

As a passionate and deeply committed donor recruitment professional, I want to hone my skills and have a unique blend of expertise. This will enable me to impact policy in the field of social marketing particularly in the specialist area of donor recruitment which is not always taken seriously by the industry and does not have representation at the highest level of many blood services in the developing world.

Positive ChangeI am very keen to be a successful mentor of donor recruiters. I want to strengthen the

profile of donor recruitment within the wider blood banking and transfusion field as an area committed to delivering real benefits and value to customers, which makes a positive change.

A scholarship to attend the ADRP Annual Conference will expose me to contemporary management thinking, and at the same time give me a practical approach to implement planned activities. I also want to be seen as an authoritative figure, as well as an opinion former in my area of specialty.

Although humanitarian/social marketing is a concept that has just recently found its way into this part of the world, it is still in its infancy. The exposure at the conference will be invaluable as it will place me in a better position to deal with donor challenges, who because of globalisation and the fast changing environment are becoming more discerning by the day.

Benefits to NBSZThe National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is a model of excellence in blood donor

recruitment on the African continent and is also a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in Anglophone Africa. The WHO Collaborative Centre status requires robust and dynamic individuals because we are thrust into positions of responsibility with a great deal of exposure. We need networking skills and to understand concepts in a global context. The scholarship will undoubtedly enhance my personal and professional enrichment and help set the direction of our rapidly growing, quality oriented organization.

ConclusionIt is also my personal conviction that whilst I cannot change the world, I hope the

scholarship can make me a better donor recruitment mentor. In turn, I can make a difference by contributing and influencing humanity in a positive way through international exposure gained at a forum for professionals in donor recruitment.

As a leader, I also hope to be of great value to my country in general and the National Blood Transfusion Service. My goal is to work with a clear sense of purpose, direction and vision for the future and benefit of the industry, by imparting my skills to my colleagues.


Winning Essay

Presidential Scholarshipby Bruce Shavers

Community Development Coordinator Canadian Blood Services

I joined the Canadian Blood Services in July 2001 coming from a background in music, fundraising and arts administration. While my experience seemed to be a “leap of faith”, the hiring committee recognized the importance of creativity as pre-requisite for the job of recruiting blood donors. Indeed, the arts rely heavily on altruism as a motivator for philanthropy, especially the creative or “cutting-edge” arts.

While I may have had self-doubts, the task at hand quickly put me to work and my creative instincts kicked-in, as the managers who hired me suspected they would. There was to be a new permanent collection site opened in Brandon that would serve the Western Manitoba region both in- and out-side Brandon thru mobiles. Mobile clinics had not been held in the Westman region in over 12-years with the exception of a handful of ad hoc events. The time-line was 6-months to:

1. Promote and facilitate a move to a permanent collection site in downtown Brandon from the semi-permanent, quasi mobile at the hospital without losing any donor base

2. Start a mobile clinic program in Western Manitoba from scratch that would include at least one mobile for every week in the year

Pretty good challenge for first-week on the job! First, I had to believe that the same motivators for raising money in the arts were there for blood donations and that recruiting donors couldn’t be harder than asking for money. This gave me the confidence to move determinedly ahead, focusing on the task at hand and seeing the project(s) through to completion.

Now, flash forward to 2007. I’m still with Canadian Blood Services and have undertaken many projects involving both the permanent collection site and mobile clinic program. I have been chief cook and bottle-washer in what is essentially a one-person office at a remote or satellite site. I get a lot of help from the team located in Winnipeg, but largely have to handle everything myself. That includes all of your usually segmented programs, or areas of responsibility, such as, media relations, communications, corporate program (Partners for Life), school program (high schools and college/university), permanent collection site and mobiles.

While at times, I feel that I’m being pulled in too many directions and wearing way too many hats, I enjoy the

challenges, diversity of activity and most importantly, the people. There are several things I’ve done that I’m very proud of:

· The first-ever Canadian Blood Services mobile blood donor clinic to visit a First Nations community on their reserve, (Waywayseecappo, Aug 04)

· Development of Part with a Pint program (for businesses and organizations to get involved with the blood program) to grow to include first Winnipeg, and now other communities in Manitoba, as it becomes provincial in scope

· Creation of the “Guns n’ Hoses!” blood donor challenge between firefighters and police that ignited the spark for capital city’s best to do the same (i.e. Winnipeg)

· First-ever Canadian Blood Services recognition event held specifically for the Hutterian community (Hutterite colony appreciation event, Jan 07)

· Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps SWIFTSURE annual Remembrance Day blood drive; the only cadet corps in Canada that undertakes such a task as part of their Caring for Canada contribution

Typically skeptical as well as travel-shy when it comes to conferences, I believe now’s the time to visit ADRP. I believe the opportunity to attend this event will broaden my view of the challenges and opportunities in the field of blood donations recruitment. If given the opportunity to attend, I’m hoping it will help invigorate me for the next five years so I can regain the excitement and enthusiasm I had when I started out six years ago at “square one” building a mobile program from the ground up.


Donor Recruiter of the YearBuAnna PhillipsField Consultant Carter BloodCare, Bedford, Texas

BuAnna Phillips has worked in the blood banking industry for more than 15 years. She began her career as field consultant in Oklahoma for Oklahoma Blood Institute. She accepted a position with Carter BloodCare in Bedford, Texas to be near her family where she currently works as a Field Consultant. BuAnna currently manages a large territory, coordinating more than 70 drives a month in 17 communities.

BuAnna is truly dedicated to her job as a recruiter and has commented many times “the love I have for my job has been the driving force for the success I’ve been able to achieve.” She enjoys the relationships with her drive coordinators, co-workers and the families whose lives have been touched. “Having a good support system at Carter has enabled me to be successful in doing what I love to do – working with people!”

Manager of the YearDavid MontgomerySenior Director, Donor Recruitment Community Blood Center of the Ozark

David Montgomery has invested the past 18 years of his professional life in blood banking, with experience in donor recruitment, marketing, telerecruitment, collections, management information systems, and hospital services.

David began his career in donor recruitment at the Missouri-Illinois Region of the American Red Cross in 1990 as a Field Representative and left the organization nearly nine years later as the Director of Donor Services for the 80-county region. He joined the team at Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) in 1999, and is currently the Senior Director of Donor Recruitment and Information Technology, with responsibility for donor recruitment, marketing, print shop, and IT functions for the blood center.

Developing innovative recruitment strategies and establishing clear goals and performance expectations are essential components of his management approach. Under his direction, the blood center has exceeded its goal for the past 31 consecutive months. In addition, annual donations have grown by more than 50 percent over the past eight years, translating into nearly 30,000 more blood donations for area patients each year.

A Special Thank You to the Sponsor of the Recruiter of the Year Award

2008 ADRP Award Recipients!

A Special Thank You to the Sponsor of the Manager of the Year Award


Organization of the YearUniversity of Missouri Nominated by American Red Cross

More than 20 years ago, the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) and the American Red Cross formed a lasting relationship based on the common goal to help save lives. All the way from the selection process of the organizing committee to the day of the drive, the University of Missouri instills the attitude of prestige, philantrophy and professionalism.

Twice a year, “Mizzou” hosts large blood drives in conjunction with two of the university’s major campus events - Homecoming and Greek Week. Combined, these blood drives have collected in excess of 130,000 units of blood, potentially helping save the lives of more than 390,000 people. On April 7, 1999, the University of Missouri was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for attracting 3,539 blood donors and collecting 3,155 productive units of blood in a single day -- a record that still stands today. In recent times, the fall (Homecoming) drive has evolved into a three-day event, the spring (Greek Week) drive spanning two days.

The key to the success experienced by these university events is the student involvement. By working on blood drive committees, students gain work and organizational experience that will benefit them in their future endeavors.

The University of Missouri Blood committee exemplifies the highest standard of professionalism and dedication to the life-saving mission of the American Red Cross. The success of these blood drives is attributed to the focus and energy of the students, as they encourage their peers to become life-long donors and supporters of the American Red Cross.

Media of the YearBright House Networks Nominated by Florida Blood Services

A Special Thank You to the Sponsor of the Organization and Media Awards


The employees and manage-ment at Bright House Networks have made a commitment to saving lives in their community and understand it is a responsibility we all share. It is a wonderful partnership that is invaluable not only to Florida Blood Services, but also to the entire community as the 983 units of blood they donated, potentially helped nearly 3,000 patients in Tampa Bay. From January 2007 to November 2007, Bright House Networks donated 273 units of blood at its corporate offices, potentially saving 819 lives in the community. In November 2007, the 3rd Annual “Thanks for Giving” Blood Drive was held at three Tampa Bay Golden Corral Restaurants and at the St. Petersburg Ribfest Festival. During this two-day blood drive 710 units of blood were collected, 362 more units than in 2006, greater than a 100 percent increase! Leading the effort was Dan Ballister, Bright House Networks Vice President of Public Affairs. Dan gathered a team of Bright House Networks employees to help organize the blood drive and volunteer at the event. Bright House donated all PSA’ s and television commercials promoting the “Thanks for Giving” Blood Drive, which totaled about 5,900 spots. This gift not only helped increase donations for the Golden Corral and Ribfest drives, it also helped increase the visibility of FBS in all four counties helping to its branding efforts and increase collections of FBS blood drives leading into the holiday season. For the first time in years, FBS had a safe supply of all blood types for 38 local hospitals without needing to import this time of year.



Chairperson of the YearFrank MoullettBadger-Hawkeye Region Advisory BoardNominated by American Red Cross

Frank Moullet is passionate about the American Red Cross and donating blood. He was appointed to the Badger-Hawkeye Region’s advisory board as the youth representative. His enthusiasm for the Red Cross and blood donors has helped to reenergize the seasoned and senior advisory members.

Frank began coordinating blood drives in 2005. Prior to his assuming this responsibility, the average campus blood drive resulted in 300 units. Frank’s initial blood drive in the fall of 2005 produced 500 presenting donors, 443 productive units and 142 first-time donors. Frank immediately began working on the winter blood drive, striving to surpass the very successful one in the fall. The spring drive resulted in 461 productive units and 113 first-time donors. During Frank’s first full year as blood drive chairperson, 904 units and 255 first-time donors were realized.

The fall drive of 2006 produced 553 donors, followed by the spring drive of 559 productive units. Over 250 first-time donors gave blood during the school year. Frank began implementing creative ways to promote the UW-Platteville blood drives and started investigating ways to counter the fairly high deferral rate. He determined that the low hemoglobin was the primary catalyst for the deferrals, so he began to educate students to increase their iron intake prior to giving blood.

The fall drive of 2007 broke all previous blood drive records, with 642 productive donors drawn. Since undertaking the role of blood drive chairman, Frank’s leadership, patience and tenacity has grown the fall blood drive from 443 units to 642, a 44.92 percent increase.

Spring drives at UW-Platteville have grown from 461 units to 559, a 21.6 percent increase.

Last summer Frank was one of 20 selected to serve as a Presidential Intern at the National Red Cross. He was instrumental in developing and implementing a national blood drive plan for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA). Frank presents regularly at regional, divisional and national Red Cross meetings on blood donor recruitment.

Frank is every donor recruitment department’s ideal chairperson. He is engaged with the process, committed to the organization’s mission, and inspired to do his very best. He exemplifies what blood drive sponsors should be: internally motivated to reach out and help ensure that the blood supply in his community and beyond is adequate and readily available.


Ronald O. Gilcher, MD AwardGary OuelletteChief Operating Officer Greater Chesapeake & Potomac Region, American Red Cross

Donor recruitment is Gary Ouellette’s lifework and passion. Throughout his 35-year tenure with the American Red Cross (ARC), Gary has been a dedicated and effective advocate for donor recruiters. Gary is an outstanding blood banking leader with an extremely well-rounded technical, sales, and administrative background. He has the all-too-rare distinction of being directly accountable for frontline recruitment goals in various capacities during his early career. He is clearly one of the visionary executives with the wisdom and influence to transcend industry politics to create collaborations serving the lasting good of the blood supply.

Gary began his blood services career 36 years ago at the American Red Cross, Connecticut Blood Region in Laboratory Management. In 1977, he transferred to the New England Region in Boston, MA. He worked in various aspects of blood services as Assistant Chief Technologist, Operations Manager, Regional Director of Collections and Recruitment, and Director of Hospital Marketing and Sales. In September 1997, he accepted the position of COO charged with establishing the Utah Division of the American Red Cross Blood Services, Lewis & Clark Region.

Gary was appointed CEO of the Greater Chesapeake & Potomac Region in April 2001. It is the fifth largest Red Cross Blood Region in the Country and distributes more than 315,000 red blood cell units and 46,000 pheresis platelet units each year to over 65 area hospitals and 10 Trauma Centers in Maryland, Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and South East Pennsylvania.

When Gary accepted difficult management assignments in any area, he created turnaround successes, built upon health recruitment and collection fundamentals. Gary enthusiastically pioneered new tools to facilitate the job of recruitment, not the least of which was the donor loyalty program that launched Integrated Management


Systems (IMS). Gary aggressively encouraged best practice adoption within the ARC and beyond. Through Gary’s extensive civic involvement, he has set a sterling example that recruitment is fundamentally a relationship-based calling. Additionally, as a proven talent builder, he is a dynamic champion for fostering recruitment leadership needed for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Gary was active in town committees and served for six years as an elected official on the Board of Selectmen in Millis, Massachusetts. He has published and presented papers both nationally and internationally. He holds a BA in Economics and an MBA. He is a Member of the International Honor Society of Economics and was the recipient of the AABB Chapman-Franzmeier Memorial Award. He is a former board member and President of ADRP and recipient of the American Red Cross Level I, Level II, and Level III Tiffany Awards for management excellence. The Greater Chesapeake & Potomac Region was awarded “Region of the Year,” in FY 2006.


Ron Franzmeier Lifetime Achievement AwardKathleen ConnollyDirector of Public Relations Rhode Island Blood Center

To be successful in donor recruitment, one must be motivated, flexible, optimistic, unselfish, creative and achievement oriented. One must be an expert in task and time management, inspiring and energetic, all of which describe Kathleen Connolly, Director of Public Relations at Rhode Island Blood Center.

The true test of one’s recruitment ability is: Do the patients have blood when they need it? In her position at the Rhode Island Blood Center, Kathy makes sure they do. She works long hours, both in the evenings and weekends to ensure that the planned media events are successful. In other words, she will do whatever is need to have blood available for patients.

Kathy’s impact on donor recruitment is legendary. She is a strong and effective advocate both for the individual recruiter and also for the growth and development of our organization’s outreach. She is well known among her peers for her unselfish support and providing help for new recruiters, as well as her long-standing friendships and support among her veteran colleagues. If ever someone needs assistance, Kathy would be the one to call upon. If she doesn’t know who to call or the answer to a question, she will research it and respond promptly.

Kathy has an extensive background in the field of blood banking. Starting as a Blood Bank Tech in a hospital transfusion setting, she has been with Rhode Island Blood Center since it’s inception in 1979. Here she honed her sales and public relations skills by working in the PR/CR/Recruitment field. Her commitment and dedication to this profession is evident by all of her accomplishments on a local, regional and international scale. She has touched


the lives of so many patients in her area and received recognition and awards for her community service. In 2006, she received the Neighborhood Champion Award presented by The Bank of America and the Pawtucket Red Sox. In 2007 she was the recipient of an Appreciation Award from the Tomorrow Fund.

Over the years, Kathy has been very active in all of the major blood banking organizations, AABB, ABC, and ADRP. She is a past president of the ADRP 2001- 2002. A former Chair of the AABB’s Donor Recruitment/ Public Relations committee, she now serves as Chair of the Communications Committee of America’s Blood Centers. Kathy has made numerous professional presentations, has been published several times. In 2003, Kathy was awarded the AABB Chapman- Franzmeier Memorial Award.

the Drop - ADRP’s Quarterly Newsletter Summer 2008 / 1

ADRP SCHOLARSHIPS – SUMMARY

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria Submission Requirements Description of Award

Nancy J. Chapman Scholarship

Current member of ADRP Applicant must be in a management position in donor recruitment ADRP Board members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship

Typewritten 500 word essay stating why this scholarship would enhance your professional development Typewritten letter of endorsement from applicant’s immediate supervisor

Registration fee for a pre-conference workshop Registration fee for the ADRP annual conference Two nights of lodging in the host city for the annual conference A commemorative award in recognition of the scholarship Essay to be published in the Drop Serve as honorary judge for Tools of the Trade submissions at conference

Presidential Scholarship

Current member of ADRP Applicant must have been a donor recruiter for two years or more ADRP Board members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship

Typewritten 500 word essay stating why this scholarship would enhance your professional development Typewritten letter of endorsement from applicant’s immediate supervisor Typewritten letter of endorsement from a blood drive coordinator

Registration fee for a pre-conference workshop Registration fee for the ADRP annual conference Two nights lodging in the host city for annual conference A commemorative award in recognition of the scholarship Essay to be published in the Drop Serve as honorary judge for Tools of the Trade submissions at conference

Hughes Scholarship

Current member of ADRP Must have been involved in donor recruitment/community relations for less than two years ADRP Board members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship

Typewritten 500-word essay describing a creative recruitment idea that you have developed or that you would like to develop and implement Typewritten letter of endorsement from applicant’s immediate supervisor

Registration fee for the ADRP annual conference Two nights lodging in the host city for annual conference A commemorative award in recognition of the scholarship Essay to be published in the Drop

Charles Drew Scholarship

Current member of ADRP ADRP Board members are not eligible to apply for this scholarship

Typewritten 500-word essay describing a successful technique you developed that resulted in an increase in minority donations Typewritten letter of endorsement from applicant’s immediate supervisor

Registration fee for the ADRP annual conference Two nights lodging in the host city for annual conference A commemorative award in recognition of the scholarship Essay to be published in the Drop

For a copy of the ADRP AWARDS SUMMARY,

please go to http://www.adrp.org/


The Association of Donor Recruitment Profes-sional (ADRP) announces its annual call for award nominations and scholarship applications.

Eligible individuals include those working in the field of donor recruitment and / or blood center management, as well as organizations that support recruitment efforts.

Awards will be presented during ADRP’s Annual Conference in St. Pete Beach, Florida, May 13-16, 2009.

There are so many wonderful and innovative things being done in the field of donor recruitment, and this is a great opportunity to publicly acknowl-edge these accomplishments.

For those who have dedicated their careers to en-suring a sufficient supply of blood, tissue and stem cells this is a great chance for you, a deserving peer or one of your loyal organizations to gain recogni-tion from an international premier organization.

ScholarshipsThere are four ADRP Scholarships: Nancy J.

Chapman, Presidential, Hughes and Charles Drew. These are available for managers and recruiters looking to enhance their expertise in the donor re-cruitment industry. An ADRP Scholarship provides the opportunity to expand recruitment skills, knowl-edge and career development by covering the ADRP conference fee and some other expenses.

Recruiters: Presidential, Hughes or Charles Drew Scholarships

Managers: Nancy J. Chapman, Hughes or Charles Drew Scholarships

Deadline for scholarship applications: Friday, December 12, 2008.

Awards

There are seven ADRP Awards: Recruiter, Manager, Organization, Media, Chairperson, Ron-ald O. Gilcher, MD (Executive Award) and Ron Franzmeier Lifetime Achievement. These awards recognize individuals that have demonstrated qual-ity performance, commitment and dedication to our profession. Nominate a staff member, co-worker, supervisor, peer, or community sponsor you believe deserves recognition.

Award Eligibility: Individuals working in the field

of donor recruitment and/or blood center manage-ment, as well as organizations and persons that sup-port recruitment efforts

Deadline for award nominations: Friday, Decem-ber 12, 2008.

Daniel J. Eberts Film /Radio Awards and

the Tools of the Trade AwardsThis is an opportunity for your blood/tissue center

to be recognized for the design of their educational and creative marketing messages and recruitment printed materials.

Film/Radio Awards

Four Categories: BEST of - Recruitment Video: Direct Market Video; Television PSA; Radio PSA

Deadline for submissions: Friday, January 30, 2009.

Tools of the Trade AwardsSix Categories: BEST of - Poster/ Flyer; Brochure;

Postcard / Mailer; Newsletter; Advertisement; Edu-cational Material

Deadline for submissions: Monday, April 6, 2009.For 2009 awards information and descriptions, go

to www.adrp.org Download applications and submission forms. If

you have any further questions, please feel free to contact:

Awards Chair: Charles Moore, Carolinas Blood Services Region

Phone: 704.676.1291E-mail: [email protected]

Awards Co-Chair:Lisa Entrikin

Rock River Valley Blood Center Phone: 815.961.2321 [email protected]

or ADRP at 512.658.9414

2009 Award and Scholarship Deadlines


by Paula RobertsUnited Blood Services

Why am I always hiring new Donor Recruitment Representatives? How can I ever make goal when I am constantly covering a vacant territory? Who is that Representative called “vacant” anyway and why are they always appearing on my staff list? How can I get these people to understand the importance of working together? And it seems our incentive program is making it worse, not better. This just isn’t fair!

Hopefully this is an exaggeration of your situation; however, finding a crystal ball so you can predict the work habits of new employees is a continuous quest. In order to jump free of the revolving door when turnover is off the chart, donor recruitment managers must utilize tools and strategies. In addition, keeping staff motivated and engaged in the business practices of your blood center requires setting clear expectations and creating an environment where your staff feels that they are treated fairly. However, even in the best of circumstances, there will be times when covering a vacancy is inevitable.

This article will provide some suggested tools, focused in three important areas, to ensure a successful environment in your blood donor recruitment department: Setting Appropriate Collection Goals, Setting Appropriate Performance Standards and Expectations, as well as Hiring and Retaining Appropriate Donor Recruitment Staff.

Setting Appropriate Collection Goals

Perhaps the most important challenge for the Donor Recruitment department management staff is establishing appropriate and achievable collection goals for every area. There are several objectives during the goal-setting process. Obviously, the blood center’s primary goal is to meet the blood needs of patients in area hospitals. Hospital usage information Continued on page 22

Donor Recruitment Management:

Setting Appropriate Collection GoalsSetting Appropriate Performance Standards and Expectations

Hiring and Retaining Appropriate Donor Recruitment Staff

is the starting point for annual goal setting. It is also important to achieve success as a department and a blood center. Everyone wants to work in an environment where staff are recognized and rewarded for success. Setting goals that are fair and achievable is also very important.


This requires detailed analysis of previous results for each field territory as well as individual fixed site location results. The most important data is the most recent data. In addition, donor recruitment management must strive to establish an equal workload for each staff member. Work load does not mean that everyone manages the same number of blood drives or that each territory monthly goal is equal. There are many factors that might impact workload such as territory size, how well the territory has been developed and demographics from the community.

Once the annual goal for the center has been established, donor recruitment management must determine the ratio between fixed site collections and field collections. Each fixed site location should be reviewed to determine potential in the coming year. In addition, the current field territories must be evaluated. There are several areas to review including three-year trends by territory, windfalls or one time occurrences, individual blood drive timing, previous give-aways, emergency appeals, and activity by a competitor. The experience level of each Donor Recruitment Representative, population growth by territory, and the business environment will also influence the goal setting process each year.

Documenting the process used during goal setting will allow management staff to check their assumptions at mid-year. By doing an assessment at the mid point of the year, there is time to create a fall back plan if there are significant changes in the environment.

Setting Appropriate Performance Standards and Expectations

The next area to discuss revolves around performance management.

The first step is to define key success factors. There are a number of important key success factors for the Donor Recruitment Department. Typically goal achievement tops the list; in addition projection accuracy for individual operations, the number of operations that achieve an acceptable projection percentage, new business development, drive frequency, the percentage of goal represented by drives booked in advance and the number of operations changed or cancelled with short notice are all important to the success of the department. Once the key success factors are determined, performance standards should be written. Performance standards should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Performance management requires open channels of communication between department management and staff. Performance standards should be communicated to employees prior to the start of a new year and feedback should be given on a regular basis.

Hiring & Retaining Appropriate Donor Recruitment Staff

Hiring the right donor recruitment representative begins with an assessment of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the job. It is generally accepted that the Donor Recruitment Department functions as a sales department. Hiring salespeople involves specific criteria in order to find the right staff. Salespeople typically are goal oriented, comfortable in a competitive environment, motivated by money/compensation, high energy, individualistic, and able to gain a commitment from others. In addition, salespeople are confident, aggressive, superior communicators, able to think quickly on their feet, risk takers,

intuitive and able to build strong relationships. It is important to add a few other characteristics of ideal donor recruitment representatives beginning with mission driven followed by detail oriented and organized. Most highly successful donor recruitment representatives understand the important role a blood center plays in the community.

Creating a workplace that is attractive to the type of individuals who best meet the needs of the blood center is very important. The cost of hiring new staff is staggering. When turnover is reduced money becomes available for other programs such as employee development, enrichment programs, bonuses, and incentives. Senior management has a great impact on keeping good people. Policies, practices, systems, and culture play a part in making the blood center an attractive place to work. One study found that 50 percent of work life satisfaction was determined by the immediate supervisor. Conduct formal and informal surveys to determine what is important to your staff. Create programs and expectations that support growth. This can include lateral moves, enrichment opportunities, realignment and vertical moves.

By setting appropriate and achievable collection goals coupled with appropriate territory alignment the blood center will have a good foundation for success. Layering on sound performance standards and good communication will enhance results. By using good judgment when hiring the right individuals to take on the role of a donor recruitment representative, the department will be in a position to achieve goal and see growth year after year.

Donor Recruitment Management...(Continued from page 21)


by Andrea JohnsonMD Anderson Hospital

Hospitals are unique. They use tremendous amounts of blood for their patients but when we need them to provide blood at one of their blood drives, they do not always come through for us. At The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Blood Bank we wanted to change that.

M. D. Anderson transfuses over 165,000 blood components yearly which makes us the largest transfusing hospital in the United States. We provide transfusion services for over 60,000 cancer patients each year. We collect our own blood as well as import from regional blood centers.

Whether you are a recruiter for hospital based blood center or for a regional blood center that has hospital blood drives, our recipe will help you increase the number of donations.

A Great Recipe for Hospital

Beating the Summertime Blues

In past years, M. D. Anderson has been faced with shortages that threatened to cancel surgeries requiring blood during the summer. It was time to try something new for the summer of 2007. Using basic sales techniques we opted for “low hanging fruit.” Who would be the easiest to reach with the least amount of effort and cost? M. D. Anderson employees – there are over 16,000 of them! They are a captive audience, understand cancer patient blood needs and have access to centrally located donor rooms across our campus. How hard can that be?

And the Research Says…

Looking at 2006 employee donor statistics, we were shocked. Only 608 out of 16,000 employees donated

blood. That is only 3.8 percent participation. The national average of donors is 5 percent and we were below that. We also found out most employees did not know we had three easily accessible donor rooms and 45 percent of the donors only donated during hospital wide blood drives held in common areas.

Campaign Time

We realized in order to provide more blood for our patients, we needed a grass roots approach. These are the ingredients we needed for a successful hospital blood drive campaign:

· Great Team of Recruiters· Catchy Slogan· Outside the Box Thinking· Strategy – Basic Sales· Get Some Help· Promote! Promote! Promote!

Continued on page 24


“do what you have always done and you will get what you

have always gotten.”

Great Team of Recruiters

M. D. Anderson Blood Bank has recruiters who have diverse backgrounds and strengths which needed to be utilized. We had to come together, set a goal, be creative and overcome obstacles. The responsibilities to develop, implement and track were also part of the package. Above everything else we had to remember we serve our patients.

Catchy Phrase – “Make a Donation Before You Vacation”

We needed to catch the employees’ attention. It is fresh, new, creative and has a call to action. Once school lets out, everyone is thinking about their vacation and our goal was to get them into a donor room before they actually leave. Everyone takes vacations at different times so we could make it a steady flow throughout the season. There are a lot of different activities that go on in a hospital so the catch phrase had to grab their attention quickly.

Outside the Box Thinking

My favorite quote is “do what you have always done and you will get what you have always gotten.” We explored options for promotions

and utilized our vendors in larger capacities. We asked everyone we could to donate blood and knew all the facts about how it benefits our patients. We focused on departments to help spread the word.

Strategy – Basic Sales

We had to know who our target audience was, what we wanted them to do and how to reach and motivate them. In 2007 we had

16,000 employees who held different types of jobs in non-patient care and direct patient care areas. We have a large population that does not work anywhere near patients. M. D. Anderson has 75 owned or leased buildings not attached to the main campus and the message needed to reach them. We wanted them to donate blood three times during the summer because cancer does not take a vacation. We showed our appreciation to each donor by sending thank you e-mails, prizes and pins for their badge holders which let everyone know they were a summer blood donor.

Get Some Help

We asked our internal communications department to promote our campaign. We also asked people in other departments to promote our summer campaign as well. Each department has a different

culture and we must adapt to their unique position to gain the most units. As recruiters, we realized that we can not be everywhere all the time and there are plenty of people who will volunteer their time to spread the word about our patients blood needs.

Promote! Promote! Promote!

We made it our mission to ask every employee to donate blood. We purchased very inexpensive items such as cups, magnets, pens, and sticky note pads and gave them to every employee we could find. Three times during the summer we went to hospital entrances handing out the goodies and asking every employee to make a donation before they vacation until we ran out. A few of the ways we communicated to hospital employees included posting signs throughout the campus, sending e-mail blasts, and writing articles about the campaign for different department newsletters as well as speaking at their meetings. We utilized every opportunity there was to get the word out.

We did it!

We had a tremendous increase in the number of employee donors and donations. We had 1,037 employees roll-up their sleeves and donate 1,350 units! We more than doubled our collections from the previous year!

This summer we have our 2nd annual “Make a Blood Donation Before You Vacation” campaign. We are doing a lot of new things and are off to another record setting year. If you want more details on this campaign or want to see how we are doing in 2008, send an e-mail to [email protected].

Together we can all beat the summertime blues!

A Great Recipe ...(Continued from page 23)


With You Every Step of the WayADRP Annual ConferenceSt. Pete Beach, FloridaMay 13-16, 2009

Mark Your Calendar


We had very humble beginnings. Grace Gehrke had just returned from the 2004 ADRP Conference where Marion Novack, the Recruitment Supervisor from Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center was one of the presenters. They had the opportunity to share ideas and they thought about getting together with other hospital recruiters in the area. Although, Grace and Stu Rosenhaus were co-recruiters at the time, they had often spoken about trying to get the other Hospital Based Recruiters together, but we were not sure how that would be received by the other institutions. We were one of two hospitals that had more than one recruiter. But after speaking with Marion we gave it a try the following fall.

Together we researched other donor programs that were run under the auspices of area hospitals and had met Maura Timmons from Staten Island University Hospital who was just starting out in recruitment. We also knew that another hospital right in our neighborhood, Lutheran Medical Center, had just started up a donor program. Between the internet

You Are Not Alone: The New York City Hospital-Based Donor Recruiters Network

and word of mouth, we were able to identify nine New York City Hospitals with donor programs. A letter was sent out to the programs we had identified, inviting them to a meeting just for Hospital Based Recruiters.

Our first meeting took place later in 2004 at our office in New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. It was very informal, mostly telling each other about our programs and what problems we faced. As recruiters, we loved to talk. We shared information about our programs, how we got into recruitment and our educational backgrounds. We talked about some of our frustrations and the things we really liked. A few laughs were shared and we decided that this was a good idea and should do it again. But with all our other responsibilities, we decided it would be best to meet quarterly.

A few months later we had our second meeting at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan and our small group of four recruiters had now blossomed into nine hospital center affiliations.

At the meeting at Memorial Sloane-Kettering, we had decided that it would be nice to rotate our meetings

between the different hospitals as space permitted. Along with a quick tour of their Blood Donor Center, the majority of our meetings are spent talking about our programs, our successes and our problems. We get to inquire about current campaigns and promotions and the overall need for more resources, both financial and behind the scenes support. Everyone who attended was curious as to what the other people where doing, how they were doing it and balancing all the other responsibilities that come with being a Supervisor in a hospital.

One of the things that quickly became evident was that all our recruiters were not just recruiters. Aside from our recruitment responsibilities, we were the person responsible for designing flyers and brochures, supervising and training the collection staff, ordering collection and recruitment supplies, doing data entry, reviewing donor forms, writing SOPs, supervising on blood drives and a host of other things. Of course, the bosses all wanted to know what we were doing to increase collections and keep the costs down.

We found that everyone was

by Stuart RosenhausSenior Management Consultant

Xoney Island Hospital and

Grace GehrkeSupervisor of Donor Recruitment

New York Methodist Hospital


open to sharing ideas on how they had overcome obstacles in order to improve their programs. Even the newest person, although usually busy taking notes, always had something to add to the meeting, a new twist on things or an independent ear to problem solving. After all, we are all in this together, so to speak. What may be old at one institution is a new way of thinking about it in another place.

What we found from the first two meetings is that we were in a room full of people who ‘get it’. We could help each other solve problems because we had similar experiences and shared similar constraints. We had contacts with different vendors, were on a variety mailing lists, and had different fortes and talents. But mostly, we understood how difficult it can be to organize a blood drive, or even recruit a single new donor or sponsor group.

We offer the new people the mentoring and resources we were looking for when we started; someone to help show us what to do. Many of us remembered what it was like when we started in our new position. We filled a vacant position and were lucky if we found some notes left by our predecessor. Most of us walked into an empty desk, or had some files on past blood drives and a book of SOP’s on collection rules. We could look up a rule on how much a donor must weigh or which medications are acceptable, but nothing on recruitment. Nowhere was it written on the best day of the week to have a drive, or to make sure you double the juice and cookies order when you are going to a high school.

Most of us report to someone in the Blood Bank. While our Blood Bank supervisors are well informed on the technical side, they may not understand what it really takes to be in recruitment. New recruiters can now benefit from the experiences of the more veteran recruiters in the group. Now with a vacant position, along with some file folders is always left a note... Good Luck in your new

position. When you get started, here is a number to call to meet some people who are in our field that can help you get started. We have become the mentors for the new recruiters. We have become the “Training Course” for what to do to get started in the field. Although each institution has its own constraints, we can be the resource for the “How to Do This Job”. We have also seen an interest from the Blood Bank Supervisors and Medical Directors that attend our meetings so they too get to see what the recruitment side is all about.

A network was created and we decided as a group that we would meet quarterly and continue to rotate through the different hospitals. In between meetings there are phone calls and e-mails so that everyone has the opportunity to keep up to date with what’s happening in the field of donor recruitment or to ask a question on how to solve a problem. If one person learns some new information or reads an interesting article on line, the link is forwarded to all the members.

We have even taken it one step further with resource sharing. One of the members who just does fixed site collections, had a request from one of their branches to do an employee drive at that external location. Instead of purchasing mobile equipment for a very infrequent event, they were able to borrow a set of mobile donor beds from one of the members in the group so they could accommodate this request without the financial burden of buying and storing equipment.

The overriding sentiment of our group is that it’s a good thing to share information. It’s not like we are sharing the “secret recipe”. We are sharing however, the recipe for success. All of our programs have benefited in one way or another from this information sharing. In just the same way, you feel invigorated and refreshed with new ideas when you return from the ADRP annual meeting, we look at ourselves as a local chapter

of ADRP, a place where we can share resources and information to make everyone better at their job.

Of course there are limitations to our group. Trying to find a date to get everyone together is always a challenge. We have also seen a lot of turnover in our membership. Currently two of the nine hospital programs have vacancies, once filled, if the new person decides to join us, we will spend time getting that person “up to speed” with the world of donor recruitment. Increasing the membership size of the group is also an obstacle. Due to travel constraints, we have chosen at the moment to reach out to Hospital Recruiters in our immediate area. We, of course, welcome the idea of one day expanding to the neighboring counties. But for now, we are staying close to home.

We chose the title: “You Are Not Alone,” for our 2008 ADRP Conference presentation and this article to reflect the feeling that many of us had when we first started in the field of hospital based Blood Donor Recruitment: We Are Alone. Through networking and knowing that a friendly voice is just a phone call away, none of us needs to have this feeling again.

At the present time, the New York City Hospital Based Donor Recruiters Network, consists of nine participating hospitals located throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Each hospital is an independent blood donor program that is a department within the hospital and does its own marketing, collections, staffing and recruitment. We are also not affiliated with any blood center affiliation such as the Red Cross or ABC. Our hospitals vary in size from 410 beds to almost 1,110 and are private, city or have a specialty such as a Cancer Hospital. Our 2007 combined collections were approximately 19,000 RBC and 15,000 SDP.


World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is the New Zealand Blood Service’s (NZBS) major awareness raising event of the year. The aim is to create a series of media opportunities in the week leading up to WBDD as well as a major media push on the day itself.

NZBS adopted the international theme for WBDD “Give Blood Regularly” and adapted it to relate to the New Zealand situation.

NZBS loses an average of 3,000 donors each year and needs to reverse this trend to ensure the continued supply of blood. WBDD publicity focused on motivating lapsed donors to resume the practice of giving blood regularly. The key ‘call to action’ focused on getting these past donors to call the 800 toll-free phone line and update their contact details or to make an appointment on-line through the NZBS web site www.nzblood.co.nz

To create a mainstream media hook NZBS conducted online research with 2,000 people prior to WBDD. The resulting information was used to create compelling media releases and fact sheets which proved very effective.

Events celebrating WBDD started with a blood drive at the Australian High Commission in Wellington. Staff members and ambassadors from various embassies were invited to donate blood together (Delegates from the UK, Ireland and France leant a helping hand with tea and biscuits!)

A focal point of the campaign was the involvement of a highly popular local primetime TV drama series “Shortland Street.” We organised a media opportunity on the set of this hospital-based drama and two of the leading actors gave blood and met with a blood product recipient. Target media were invited to cover the story with significant coverage achieved

New Zealand Blood Service Wins AABB / ADRP Blood Donor Day Award

in both leading national Sunday newspapers and the high rating TVNZ news bulletin, Tonight.

At other locations, recipients of blood or blood products were made available for media interviews to provide an emotional human interest angle - two of these stories were picked up by national media.

To ensure we covered the serious clinical angle, a leading Clinical Haematologist, Hilary Blacklock, was briefed to talk to the media about the important clinical requirements for regular blood donation. This story was picked up by a high rated primetime current affairs show, Campbell Live (see below).

The 2008 campaign also incorporated a youth focus, with the coordination of a blood drive at an Auckland high school. Teen Magazine, Girlfriend was invited to participate and created a buzz about the issue amongst students, engaging

their interest and prompting them to consider becoming regular blood donors. The magazine covered the event in its hard copy publication and on its website.

All 11 regional donor centres throughout the country celebrated the event by decorating their sites with helium balloons, ‘blood buddies,’ and

posters. Each centre had celebratory cake and goody bags to give away to all donors who visited on the day.

The “Give Blood Regularly” theme was further expressed by tying a note highlighting the date of the next mobile collection in each town to the hand of a blood buddy toy, given to all the donors who attended the mobile van on the day to remind them when we would be back again.

A TV advertising campaign throughout June/July designed to encourage people to become regular donors ran the week before and the week after WBDD.


How we involved the community:

Donor Recruitment teams set up a marquee in the main squares in Dunedin and Wellington, inviting people to sign up to become a donor. Each time a donor signed up, a blood buddy toy was put into a big clear box for people to see.

Nationwide hardware store “Bunnings,” partnered with the NZBS to encourage all staff nationwide to give blood on or around WBDD. A tally was kept of the number of people donating from each store.

Milestone and first time donors were invited to give blood together at the various donor centres throughout the country.

At the Manukau Donor Centre in South Auckland, the local newspaper covered “Junior” from local hip-hop band ‘Nesian-Mystik’ donating blood. This was of significant assistance to the campaign in this area as the main population demographic in South Auckland is Polynesian and Nesian-Mystik are highly respected locally.

Continued on page 30


A family of O Negative donors was invited to donate on this special occasion.

Three brothers who have given plasma together every fortnight since the early 90’s were invited to donate on WBDD.

Local rugby teams (NZ’s national sport) were invited into donor centres to support the cause and to talk with donors.

Media coverage included:

Live on-air donation by radio DJ on “The Edge” a national, youth-focused radio show.

NZBS Marketing Manager interviewed on talk back station, Radio Live.

Various other radio stations mentioning WBDD as public announcements during the week leading up to 14th June.

Coverage across all Major TV current affairs/news programs including:

TV3 - Segment on “Campbell Live,” one of the highest rated current affairs programmes in New Zealand conducted an interview with a haematologist from a large Auckland hospital speaking about the need for regular blood donors and how their donations help. The response to the

call centre immediately after this broadcast was the biggest spike we have ever generated - 280 calls in 15 minutes.

TV3 - Segment on national weekend TV news bulletin with William Pike, a young New Zealander who lost his leg while trapped on an erupting volcano in 2007. Mr. Pike thanked blood donors for saving his life, and encouraged others to do the same.

TV1 – Segment with the “Shortland Street” actors and a blood recipient on New Zealand’s top rating national news programme.

Prime News – news bulletin on Sky News channel interviewed NZBS CEO Fiona Ritsma about WBDD and the need for regular blood donation.

Segment on “Te Kaea” (a cultural News programme in Maori),

encouraging Maori people to donate and highlighting the specific blood requirements of their culture.

A question on blood donation included on “Wheel of Fortune,” a popular TV Game show.

The Broadcasting School created a radio advertisement to play during WBDD to thank donors.

Numerous media clippings from national, regional and community-based newspapers. Approximately 50 printed media articles across the country.

Live radio interview on Monday 16th June as a follow-up to WBDD. The announcer, Danny Watson, took part in a live donation on New Zealand’s number one talk-back show, “NewstalkZB”, whilst NZBS Marketing Manager, Paul Hayes, answered questions from callers.

New Zealand...(Continued from page 29)


One Donor/Recipient’s Story

by Gary KirklandWriter

LifeSouth Community Blood Centers

In her two years working for LifeSouth, the mantra “give blood, save a life,” pops up daily for Karen Borden. She just never expected to be on the receiving end of that phrase.

Borden is the community development director for LifeSouth’s North Alabama District in Huntsville. She’s a regular blood donor who works to find other donors. But in April she was feeling weak and dizzy. After a weekend where she hardly had strength to get off her couch, she went to the doctor. After one quick blood test he told her to go directly to the hospital for an emergency blood transfusion. She had a difficult time believing what she was hearing.

“I didn’t feel that sick, I hadn’t been in a car accident, I didn’t have cancer, it kind of caught me off guard,” she said. The doctor’s initial blood work, however, indicated she

was indeed that sick. She was short nearly two-thirds of her blood volume. Complication from a bleeding ulcer and fibroid tumors were the cause. “He stressed numerous times that if I’d waited one more day, I wouldn’t have made it,” she said.

The ulcer is getting help from a prescription, while the tumors required surgery. But before the sources of the problems were ever diagnosed, Borden received four units of blood.

“By the second unit my color was starting to return and I was feeling a little better,” she said.

She was back to work quickly, but the surgery provided additional complications, and she needed three more units of blood and more time away from work. She says the entire episode provided several lessons. One, she knows when her body is trying to tell her something, she should listen. It’s also helped her prioritize. Little unimportant details are just that, unimportant. She’s focusing on the big picture these days. And while she’s

seeking a better balance between work and play, she has gained a personal perspective on the task of finding more blood donors.

“I have a whole new passion for it,” she said. “What we do here saved my life.”

ADRP Pacific Rim Conference

Melbourne, AustraliaSeptember 16-18, 2009

Information online at www.adrp.org


P.O. Box 150790Austin, Texas 78715

2008 summer drop

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