March 28-30, 2012 New York City, Con Edison Headquarters Union Square

Ragan Communications and PR Daily present: An event hosted by Con Edison:

PR AND MEDIA RELATIONS

3rd Annual

BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT

No theory or academic concepts. Just hard facts and practical ideas.

Presented by:

Hosted by:

PR Daily

During this PR and Media Relations Summit, you’ll learn how to:Craft a powerful social media pitch that journalists can’t ignoreBecome a journalist’s best resource and win coverage in the digital ageUse powerful storytelling to help squash a crisisProduce a social media news release—reporters and bloggers love themBring numbers to life and create reports that dazzle the C-suiteGet a concise, consistent message out early and often during a crisisThe secret to writing creative content that people can’t help but shareGenerate great content that saves your company thousands of dollarsUse your blog to build more news coverageGrab the attention of journalists using Twitter and FacebookWork with bloggers—without frustrating either them or you

Need to convince the boss to send you? Tell him or her you will:Brainstorm with 200+ fellow PR and media relations professionalsConnect with journalists at CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, Mashable and more!Get the secrets behind the most famous viral video campaign in history so your company knows how to create its own viral buzz

Build strong working relationships with journalistsWrite creative content the media can’t resistUse social media to build your reputation and get your message into places it’s never been

Our star-studded list of speakers includes:Rebecca Jarvis CBS NewsCarlos Dominguez Cisco SystemsZach SewardThe Wall Street JournalLauren Indvik MashableJeremy Soffin Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)Christopher Barger Voce ConnectPaula Berg Linhart Public RelationsRear Admiral Beck Navy Reserve Public AffairsBrooks Thomas Southwest AirlinesGeorge Wright“Will it blend?” CampaignDanya ProudMcDonald’sShel HoltzHoltz Communication + Technology

We’ve gathered the best and brightest PR and media relations professionals to present the hottest issues facing the industry. From media training to social media to traditional pitching—we’ll cover everything that’s important to your career right now!

Proven strategies,

tactics and best

practices.

*You must register separately for these workshops

9 a.m.–11 a.m.BRAND JOURNALISM AND THE NEW ROLE OF THE COMMUNICATOR IN THE AGE OF CONTENT

Companies are quickly becoming their own media outlets. Gone are the days when brands depended on traditional media and advertising channels to win new customers, build their buzz and visibility and engage powerful decision-makers. Today, smart companies overhaul their websites and social media to take messages directly to customers, the traditional media and new influencers. On the lips of every marketer is the mantra, ‘content is the new marketing.’This trend has exploded in the last year. It can be summed up in three phrases:

Some visionary companies do this radically new marketing better than others. The difference lies in how well they practice ‘brand journalism.’

In brand journalism, the company offers to customers, clients and stakeholders news that is nearly indistinguishable from the content in a trade publication, a news site or even a general circulation magazine.

ATTEND THIS PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP AND YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:Aggregate the best content in your niche. Combine this content with research reports, how-to stories and user-generated information from community social media sites controlled by the brandShare content (articles) easily and instantly on many social media sitesUse the new social media editor as a bridge between company content and influencers throughout the Web 2.0 worldEstablish a disciplined approach to content integration that guards against ‘build it and ignore it’Persuade senior leaders that brand journalism requires time and money. While far less expensive than traditional advertising and direct marketing, it’s not cheapAdhere to ROI measurement that begins with goals and a clear understanding of what is possibleIntegrate member-generated content into your company’s Web 2.0 presence daily, including the new content site and social channels

Mark Ragan, CEO, Ragan Communications

12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.ANSWER THE MOST CHALLENGING QUESTIONS: A MEDIA TRAINING CLINIC FOR PR PROS

As PR pros know, the media will ask questions designed to make your organization look bad. But as ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson used to say, “The questions don’t do the dam-age; only the answers do.” Most of the time, media spokespersons have more control than they realize, and can avoid a disaster by offering a tone-perfect response.

IN THIS ENERGETIC SESSION, YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:

Brad Phillips, Author, Mr. Media Training Blog

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS*You must register separately for these workshops

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3 p.m.–5 p.m.THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS FOR PR PROS: HOW TO LISTEN, COMMUNICATE, ENGAGE AND MEASURE USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Have you defined your organization’s social media strategy and still aren’t certain which tools are best to meet your goals?

Are you overwhelmed by social media noise and just want help pinpointing a handful of effective tools for your public relations? If so, this pre-conference workshop is for you.

power of social media for your PR strategy. He’ll explain how these incredible social platforms can help you listen, communicate, engage and measure your success.

THE TOP 10 TOOLS PETE WILL COVER DURING THIS SESSION:

FacebookGoogle AdWordsGoogle AnalyticsGoogle FeedBurnerGoogle ReaderLinkedInShortStack—to create Facebook pagesTwitterWordPressYouTube

Pete Codella, President, Codella Marketing

5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.DINNER WITH MARK RAGAN

YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:Monitor what’s being said on Twitter using RSS and third-party applicationsAutomate Twitter status updates and the people you followSet-up RSS feeds and readersOptimize Facebook and LinkedIn pages for businessGenerate and read a Google Analytics report

phrases to guide your online publishingUse WordPress to power a microsite focused on news, video or blog contentCreate and publish video content on your own YouTube channel

CONFERENCE AGENDA

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THURSDAY, MARCH 29

8:45 p.m. – 9 a.m.WELCOME WITH MARK RAGAN, CEO, RAGAN COMMUNICATIONS

9 a.m.–9:50 a.m.OPENING ADDRESSHOW THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT FOR CBS NEWS USES SOCIAL MEDIA TO TAP SOURCES AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Rebecca Jarvis is not your ordinary journalist. Jarvis sank her teeth into social media early and found Twitter to be an astonishing source of story ideas. Her keynote will show you how you can harness social media to get great story ideas and pitch stories irresistibly to journalists. Jarvis will inspire you to rev up and re-charge every single aspect of your PR and media relations programs.

DURING THIS SESSION YOU’LL LEARN:How journalists use Twitter and Facebook as listening-postsWhy traditional press releases are not effectiveBuild relationships and earn trust with the mediaBecome a journalist’s best resource and win coverage in the digital ageCraft a powerful social media pitch that journalists can’t ignoreHow Jarvis gathers story ideas from her 6,000+ followers on Twitter

Rebecca Jarvis, News Anchor, “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” and Business and Economics Correspondent, CBS News

10 a.m.–10:50 a.m.OPENING KEYNOTENEW WORLD, NEW RULES: SURVIVING, LEADING & THRIVING IN THE NEW WORLD

Technology is changing the world at an unprecedented pace: We are always connected, consuming and contributing. This in turn is disrupting existing business models and creating new market opportunities.

In this keynote presentation, Cisco’s Carlos Dominguez “the tech nowist” will tell you how to thrive in this changing world and win the hearts and minds of your customers.

YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT:The speed of change. How do you work in the present while preparing for the future? What do you need to know as leaders?The power of social media. It’s not what you say anymore, but what they say about youPower to the people. Carlos calls it “the contribution revolution.” It’s not who you know anymore, but what you knowWinning companies. Why some companies fail and others re-invent themselves to find new success with new ways of doing business

Carlos Dominguez, Senior Vice President, Office of the Chairman of the Board and CEO, Cisco Systems

CONFERENCE AGENDA

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11 a.m.–11:50 a.m.TELL IT AND SELL IT WITH A STORY: BALANCING BRAND WITH BUSINESS

It’s hard to argue that there isn’t a crisis of poor eating habits and obesity in America. But it’s easy to blame one company. How has McDonald’s USA, LLC c used PR to build business and brand trust, and mitigate a host of issues to stay a leader? Join Danya Proud, McDonald’s Director of U.S. Media Relations, to learn how to engage consumers and build brand advocates by being relevant, being bold and being first.

IN THIS SESSION, YOU’LL LEARN:

Danya Proud, Director of Media Relations, McDonald’s USA

11:50 a.m.–1:10 p.m.NETWORKING LUNCH

1:10 p.m.–2 p.m.SHOW ME THE ROI: SOCIAL MEDIA MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING

Anyone who uses social media sees its power and possibility. The ultimate challenge: Convince clients, peers and leaders to invest the resources needed to succeed. Measurement can be a powerful tool, but charts and graphs alone won’t inspire change. PR practitioners must use e numbers to sell their story.

Paula Berg, Digital Media Leader at Linhart Public Relations and former Manager of Emerging Media at Southwest Airlines, will show how she used measurement and reporting to start organizational change, win resources, demonstrate ROI...and predict the future!

IN THIS SESSION, YOU WILL LEARN:How to avoid common pitfalls in measurement and reportingHow to read between the numbers to spot trends and “ah-ha moments”What to do when the numbers aren’t impressiveHow to bring numbers to life and create reports that dazzle the C-suiteWhy it’s not always about the numbers

Paula Berg, Digital Media Leader, Linhart Public Relations

CONFERENCE AGENDA

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2:10 p.m.–3 p.m.PANELTHE PERFECT PITCH: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HAS REVOLUTIONIZED JOURNALISM AND HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU AS A PR AND MEDIA RELATIONS PROJoin us for an interactive panel with the top PR pros, journalists and social media experts.

Mark Ragan (moderator), CEO, Ragan Communications

Rebecca Jarvis, News Anchor, for “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” and Business and Economics Correspon-dent, CBS News.

Zach Seward, Editor of Outreach and Social Media, The Wall Street Journal

Steve Bromberg, Former Executive Editor, FoxNews.com and AOL.com

Michael Sebastian, Editor, PR Daily and the blog PR Junkie

Lauren Indvik, Associate Editor of Marketing and Media, Mashable

3:10 p.m.–4 p.m.TWO AMAZING CRISIS COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES:

CASE STUDY 1HOW THE LARGEST SUBWAY SYSTEM IN THE WORLD COMMUNICATED A SHUT-DOWN DURING HURRICANE IRENE

people by subway, bus, commuter rail and bridges and tunnels. But the largest public transporta-tion system in North America had never faced the challenge of shutting down its entire sprawling

Jeremy Soffin, the MTA’s Director of Media Relations, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the agency communicated with the public to ensure a safe and successful shutdown and rapid re-opening of the transit system.

THIS SESSION WILL FOCUS ON SEVERAL KEYS TO GOOD CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS:The importance of developing and implementing emergency plansHow to get a concise, consistent message out early and oftenThe role of social media in crisis communicationsManaging expectations through honest, clear communications

Jeremy Soffin, Director of Media Relations, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

CONFERENCE AGENDA

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CASE STUDY 2BATTLEFIELD TESTED CRISIS COMMUNICATION

When a crisis hits, you should be prepared. But how do you know your plan will work? How do you ensure your leadership team is onboard? And, what happens when many emergencies hap-pen simultaneously? Navy Rear Admiral Vic Beck, a senior reserve military officer who ran news and public affairs in Afghanistan and Iraq during the surges in both wars, will share crisis commu-nication tips from the battlefield.

IN THIS SESSION YOU WILL LEARN:Practical tips to prepare your leadership team for the inevitableTechniques you can use immediately to get around internal roadblocksHow to gain support for crisis communication initiativesStrategies to improve communication team dynamicsHow to reach your audience when time is of the essence

Rear Admiral Beck, Vice Chief of Information, Navy Reserve Public Affairs

4:10 p.m.–5 p.m.BRAND JOURNALISM AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: USING YOUR CONTENT AS A CURRENCY

Southwest Airlines’ award-winning company blog, Nuts About Southwest, has become the center-piece for storytelling and sharing Southwest events and news with customers. Using Facebook and Twitter, Southwest instantly broadcasts its story to millions of people.

Brooks Thomas, Nuts About Southwest’s managing editor, will demonstrate how to train your com-pany’s employees and customers as storytellers and brand journalists.

YOU’LL LEARN:Why the quality of your blog starts with the quality of your company cultureHow generating great content can save your company thousands of dollarsWhy your blog can hold the key to more news coverageHow storytelling can help squash a crisisHow to repurpose content from internal efforts

Brooks Thomas, Communications Specialist for Emerging Media, Southwest Airlines

5 p.m.–6:30 p.m.CONFERENCE COCKTAIL PARTY (ON-SITE)

CONFERENCE AGENDA

9 a.m.–9:50 a.m.CREATING VIRAL CONTENT THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME: INSIDE THE “WILL IT BLEND?” CAMPAIGN

Advertising Age refers to George Wright’s “Will it Blend?” campaign as the “best campaign in the

marketing ideas... Ever!

Is it possible to find and package content that will go viral, content that not only transforms com-pany goals, but also lifts the company to undreamed-of heights in sales and profits?

George Wright, the creator of “Will it Blend?”, unfolds Blendtec’s unbelievably, inspiring story and outlines the business strategy that created this amazing campaign. Wright will draw practical lessons that any company can use to develop a successful content strategy.

IN THIS SESSION, YOU’LL LEARN:How to prepare your brand for crazy viral exposure – things you should do before you develop contentThe secret to developing creative content, content that people can’t help but shareHow to use a content strategy to achieve business objectives

George Wright, Creator, “Will it Blend?” Campaign

10 a.m.–10:50 a.m.HOW TO PRODUCE A SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS RELEASE AND MANAGE AN EFFECTIVE ONLINE NEWSROOM

Research confirms that social media news releases get picked up more than traditional releases. Social media consultant Shel Holtz will review the elements and permutations of the social media release in this example-rich session. He’ll also introduce you to the social media newsroom, a rethinking of the online media center that encourages sharing of the company’s digital assets and helps people find the channel they like for keeping up with company news and engaging with company representatives.

YOU’LL LEARN:Why social media news releases are preferred by editors, reporters and bloggersThe easiest ways to produce a social media news releaseThe elements of an effective social media newsroomHow to use your newsroom as a content marketing channel

Shel Holtz, Founder, Holtz Communication + Technology

CONFERENCE COCKTAIL PARTY (ON-SITE)

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FRIDAY, MARCH 30

CONFERENCE AGENDA

11 a.m.–11:50 a.m.NO NINJAS OR JEDIS ALLOWED: THE INSIDE STORY ON BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAM

The pace and scope of the change wrought by social media have made “social media strategy” one of the hottest specialties in marketing and communications. Predictably, social media “experts” have popped up like mushrooms on a forest floor. But telling a company from the outside what it should do is one thing; making it happen from the inside is quite another.

Avoid falling for a social media Jedi mind trick and learn from someone who’s actually been inside big organizations and built corporate programs. Christopher Barger, SVP of Global Social Media

for Voce Communications and former social media director at both General Motors and IBM, will walk you through the critical elements of a social media strategy – and give you practical advice, tested and rooted in reality.

IN THIS PROVOCATIVE AND ENTERTAINING SESSION, YOU’LL LEARN:The arguments for why each department in your organization should “own” social media and which one of them is rightThe internal structure necessary to support a successful social media programWhich metrics are truer indications of social media success (it’s not follower or fan counts!)How to work with bloggers—without frustrating either them or you“Moneyball”—how to achieve social media success without a Yankee-level budgetHow to handle crises in social networks

Christopher Barger, Senior Vice President of Global Programs, Voce Connect

Noon–12:45 p.m.CLOSING KEYNOTESTANDING OUT: BREAKING THROUGH THE CLUTTER OF TODAY’S INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND CROWDED MEDIA ENVIRONMENT

Distributing news through the media was once a relatively simple proposition. Write a press release, fill it with corp.-speak that no human ever actually uttered, stick it in the fax machine and shoot it out.

Today, however, not so much.

Reduced traditional media revenue streams mean fewer reporters who are stretched thin and must cover the top stories. Usually that news isn’t found in your release. And even if you can tempt a reporter to notice, does that mean your target audience will see it? Often times, no.

DURING THIS OFFBEAT, SOMETIMES IRREVERENT, AND ENTERTAINING SESSION YOU’LL LEARN:Why the methods of just five years ago are ineffectiveHow to break through the clutter and get the attention of media todayWhy Panda bears may not really be vegetariansWhy even if you do catch the media’s attention, what you still need to do to ensure your target market sees the newsHow to ensure you surround your audience and turn them into brand advocates

Aaron Perlut, Partner, ElasticityCONFERENCE COCKTAIL PARTY (ON-SITE)

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SPEAKER BIOS

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MARK RAGAN is the CEO of Ragan Communications in Chicago. He arrived at Ragan after

In addition to overseeing new product development and the day-to-day operations of the company, Mark acts as editor in chief for the daily Ragan.com news site.

BRAD PHILLIPS is the president of Phillips Media Relations, a media and presentation training firm with offices in Washington, DC and New York City. Mr. Phillips has trained thousands of media spokespersons, is regularly quoted as an expert by the media, and writes the world’s most-visited media training blog, Mr. Media Training Blog.

One of the best-known media trainers in the United States, Mr. Phillips has also trained clients in Central and, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has worked with hundreds of top-level executives, including corporate CEOs, presidents of nonprofit organizations and trade associations, and directors of government agencies.

PETE CODELLA is accredited in public relations. He operates Codella Marketing, created the NewsCactus online newsroom software, and co-hosts the Online PR Podcast.

Pete writes for PR Daily and is co-author of Integrated Marketing in the Digital World. He has taught public relations and social media courses for UNLV, UCI and the University of Utah. He’s a veteran award-winning, strategic business communicator. Pete is a consultant and presenter who leads workshops and webinars on social media and public relations.

He has served as president of local chapters of the Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Business Communicators, and the Social Media Club. He has been a member of the PRSA executive committee for the Independent Practitioners Alliance, served as a

Delegate-At-Large for PRSA.

REBECCA JARVIS is the news anchor for “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” as well as business and economics correspondent for CBS News. She is based in New York. Jarvis joined

commodities market news from the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ, and the New York Mercantile Exchange. While there, Jarvis contributed to MSNBC and NBC News programs, and regularly guest-anchored the “Closing Bell,” “Squawk on the Street,” and “Power Lunch.” Additionally, Jarvis covered big stories such as the Chrysler and General Motors bankruptcy, the Bernard Madoff scandal, the collapse of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers and the sale of Merrill Lynch as well as the 2008 Presidential elections.

CARLOS DOMINGUEZ (@carlosdominquez) is a technology evangelist and self proclaimed “tech nowist”—describing that as someone who embraces change, understands what technology is available today, and ultimately leverages it. He gives humorous, highly-animated presentations

of Cisco, he speaks about how technology is changing how we communicate, collaborate, and especially how we work.

SPEAKER BIOS

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CHRISTOPHER BARGER, Senior Vice President of Global Programs, Voce Connect, arrived at

companies, and nearly a decade and a half of building corporate communications strategies.

Before Voce, Christopher was director of global social media at General Motors, building the company’s social media program and managing its presence on multiple social networks. His work to repair GM’s reputation in the social web earned him PR News’ “Social Media Leader of the

communications for IBM.

Christopher is the author of the forthcoming book “The Social Media Strategist” (McGraw Hill, fall

You can usually find him at the ice arena close to his home near Detroit watching his son play hockey; they’re both avid Detroit Red Wings fans. Catch him on Twitter @cbarger.

PAULA BERG, Digital Media Leader, Linhart Public Relations, a national PR and corporate communications counseling firm based in Denver, CO, where she specializes in social media strategy, integration, infrastructure, and crisis management. Paula earned her social media stripes

Media, responsible for the development of the airlines’ acclaimed online communication and social media strategy. She also led the airline’s six-person emerging media team, integrating social media into every internal and external communication to support company objectives and meet customer expectations. Under her leadership, the airlines’ blog, “Nuts About Southwest,” was

publications, from Wired magazine to The Wall Street Journal, for providing a community for loyal customers, serving as a virtual focus group and influencing business decisions. Before her stint in social media, Paula was a company spokesperson working in media relations and reputation management. Paula also supervised production of “Airlines,” Southwest’s reality series for the A&E Television Network.

ZACH SEWARD is the editor of outreach and social media at The Wall Street Journal, where he leads a team working on news for the social web. He also teaches digital journalism as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Cater Journalism Institute. Previously, he was assistant editor of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard, reporting on the media, and covered education, health and investment fraud for the Journal’s Boston bureau. He lives in West Harlem, New York City.

STEVE BROMBERG turned to journalism when it became tragically apparent that he would never, ever be able to hit the curveball, bend a note like B.B. or sing like Ray. He has been night sports editor and assistant managing editor at the New York Post, special editor at The Journal News, executive editor at FoxNews.com and AOL.com, co-principal of a PR and design firm and an editorial consultant.

SPEAKER BIOS

MICHAEL SEBASTIAN is the editor of PR Daily and the blog PR Junkie. For two years, he wrote a weekly column on corporate blogs. Michael is a former Chicago-area newspaper reporter. He enjoys reading and eating pie.

LAUREN INDVIK is the associate editor of marketing and media for Mashable, where she covers digital marketing news, the fashion industry and the media from Mashable’s New York

Dartmouth College, where she received her B.A. in English with Honors.

JEREMY SOFFIN is the Director of Media Relations at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), where he has been handling crises for nearly five years. At the MTA he daily informs

initiatives and advances the policy agenda of one of the most highly scrutinized public agencies in the country. Prior to joining the MTA in 2007, Jeremy was the Vice President for Public Affairs at the Regional Plan Association, an urban planning think tank that advocates smart growth in the New York region. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and expects to complete his master’s degree in public administration at Baruch College this year.

As the Vice Chief of Information, REAR ADMIRAL BECK leads the Navy Reserve Public Affairs program worldwide. He is the primary advisor and principal reserve liaison to the Chief of Information, providing strategic communication counsel to Navy leadership.

Beck has been mobilized twice to run news and public affairs operations during the surges in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Kabul, he was the director of Public Affairs for headquarters NATO,

Multi-National Force Iraq from August 2007 to April 2008. In Dubai, he was the director of an In-ternational Media Engagement Team for U.S. Central Command from April 2007 to August 2007.

BROOKS THOMAS, a refugee from the news industry, graduated from Southern Methodist University in broadcast journalism. He then set sail for the sandy beaches of… wait for it… Waco, Texas. Brooks cut his teeth producing and reporting news. After about a year, he found himself blinded by the big city lights of Dallas, Texas, where he called FOX 4 News home for nearly three years, building the station’s social media. He discovered that social media was fun, so he tried to find a full-time gig. Southwest Airlines was brave enough to take

award-winning blog, Nuts About Southwest, in addition to the odds and ends he helps tie. His mission is to tell the company’s stories in an interesting and timely manner

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SPEAKER BIOS

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GEORGE WRIGHT is known for developing cutting-edge marketing strategies. As a creative thinker, he has developed a strategy for business and marketing that has been proven to grow businesses and build brands.

His work has been cited in many business publications from noted authors like Seth Godin, Josh Bernoff, Andy Sernovitz and is currently published in marketing textbooks and taught by Universi-ties across the country.

In addition to being a natural leader and a marketing strategist, George has demonstrated that YouTube and other social media sites can be harnessed to achieve corporate purposes.

marketing campaign set a new standard for social media based content. Delivering an impressive 700 percent increase in sales, and delivering more than a half-billion online views, “Will it Blend?” has proven that social media tactics can be used to accomplish corporate objectives.

SHEL HOLTZ

or co-author of six communication books, he is also a blogger and co-host of the first and longest-running communications podcast, “For Immediate Release.”

DANYA PROUD now serves as Director of Media Relations for McDonald’s USA. Proud manages media relations, crises and issues that support McDonald’s. business priorities, programs, leadership initiatives and executives. Her media relations strategies strengthen U.S. business results and help promote and protect brand McDonald’s by increasing consumer trust.

A founding partner of St. Louis-based Elasticity, AARON PERLUT has spent nearly 20 years in media, marketing and public relations, helping some of the largest U.S. and global organizations manage their reputations and market brands in an evolving media environment.

A former Fleishman-Hillard vice president who has previously led media relations and internal communications efforts for two of the nation’s largest energy companies, Aaron develops market-ing communications and reputation management strategies that straddle both new and traditional media realms and has worked with companies and brands including UPS, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Capital One, Charter Communications, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Papa John’s, Unilever and Entergy.

While Perlut was an early adopter in the social media space, creating online communities and working closely with bloggers before they became accepted in mainstream media, he began his career as a television producer and maintains his affinity for journalism as a regular contributor to Forbes, and writing on various subjects for HuffingtonPost and JoeSportsFan.

March 28-30, 2012 New York City, Con Edison Headquarters Union Square

Ragan Communications and PR Daily present: An event hosted by Con Edison:

PR AND MEDIA RELATIONS

3rd Annual

BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT

Four ways to register: CALL FAXBROWSEMAIL the completed registration form to:Ragan Communications

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012 9 A.M.

Brand journalism and the new role of the communicator in the age of content with Mark Ragan

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. Answering the most challenging questions: A media training workshop for PR professionals with Brad Phillips

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 3 P.M.. – 5 P.M. The 10 most important social media tools for PR pros with Pete Codella

CONFERENCE INFORMATIONCon Edison Headquarters

Lawrence Ragan

Communications, Inc.

316 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 400

Chicago, IL 60601