IABC/Greater Cincinnati

Local Communication Professional Earns International Accreditation

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – 1 November 2009 – Donna Sontag Grummich, Owner and Principal at Box Canyon Group Communication Consultants to HR, has earned the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

 

IABC’s accreditation process measures the strategic abilities and technical skills of a communicator, and is a critical step in a communicator’s career growth. The process consists of rigorous evaluation that identifies and recognizes the highly qualified, well-rounded communicator through a review of his or her portfolio of work, and written and oral examinations. Candidates meeting the exacting requirements of the process earn the ABC designation.

 

For more than 25 years, Grummich has developed award-winning pay and benefit communication strategies and detailed multi-media implementation plans that have achieved specific metric-based goals. Keys to success include executive alignment and visibility, research (qualitative focus groups and statistical survey methods), and creative media delivery (face-to-face, print, online, and audio-visual solutions). The majority of her work recently has been in the areas of retirement program changes, health care wellness and consumer-directed plan introductions, and providing summary plan descriptions and other benefit compliance materials.

 

Clients Grummich has worked with over the years include:

·      AK Steel ·      Cincinnati Bell Inc. ·      Cummins Inc. ·      EaglePicher Incorporated ·      Fifth Third Bank

·      General Electric ·      Kao Brands ·      Procter & Gamble ·      Purdue University ·      Remy Inc.

·      The Bank of New York Mellon ·      The Reynolds & Reynolds Company ·      Tower Automotive

One of her roles is to serve as Co-Director for the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of IABC.  Grummich has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and serves as the President of the CCM Alumni Board of Governors.

 

“Most candidates find that the accreditation process itself is highly valuable,” said Anna Willey, ABC, chair of the IABC accreditation council. “The application, portfolio preparation and examination are an excellent evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses as a strategic communicator, and a ‘road map’ for future professional development.”

 

To earn the accreditation, Grummich had to demonstrate an understanding of the goals and philosophy of organizational communication; discuss the role of the communicator and communication in modern organizations; present what communication can and cannot do; and display the knowledge to plan, direct, implement and evaluate a broad range of communication programs applying that knowledge to practical, real-life situations. 

 

“We see accreditation as an integral part of IABC’s commitment to the education of its members and the development of the profession in general,” said IABC president Julie Freeman, ABC, APR.

 

A recent study of accredited business communicators in seven countries found that IABC’s accreditation program is a gateway to learning and advancing the practice of strategic communication management. Large majorities of the ABCs surveyed said that becoming accredited improved their resumes, increased their confidence, enhanced their credibility and gave them peer approval and recognition. A majority of current and former supervisors who participated in the study said ABCs provided more credibility to their departments or organizations, while a majority of clients perceived ABCs as having an increased understanding of effective communication practices.

 

There are more than 830 accredited business communicators throughout the world. For more information about IABC accreditation, visit www.iabc.com/abc.

 

November Meeting: It's not Web 2.0. It's not Web 3.0. It's simply life

We have more technology than ever before. We can reach more people than ever before, in shorter amounts of time. But that doesnt mean we should do it! You can have all the tools in the world it doesnt mean you know what to do with them!

When Help a Reporter launched in March 2008, it quickly became one of the most successful word of mouth programs ever, attracting more than 75,000 current members without spending one penny on advertising.  How?

The beauty of social and viral technology is that it allows us to reach many, many people in nanoseconds. The danger of it? The exact same thing.

Peter will discuss social networking, viral marketing and all the fun ways to use them and perhaps most important why sometimes not using any of them is your best bet.

He'll show you how marketers, businesses, publicists, and everyday humans are:

• Using social media (or a facet thereof) to spearhead new marketing campaigns and initiatives
• Realizing that just because it exists, doesnt mean you have to use it
• Getting smarter about social networking every day
• Learning that its not about making something viral, but about making something good

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Place: The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH  45202
Visit www.thephx.com for directions
Time: 11:30 am - noon   Check-in & Networking
Noon                    Lunch & Program
Cost:
Cincinnati PRSA Members - $30.00
PRSSA Members - $30.00
Non-Members - $42.00

Special Offer for IABC Members:  IABC will pay the $12 difference between PRSA Member rate and Non-Member rate for the first seven (7) IABC members to sign up.  These reservations must be made and prepaid online using the link below.
RSVP: by NOON pm on Wednesday, November 4
Reservations are required and can be made one of three ways:

(Any PRSA Member and ALL PRSA Non-Members)
1. Register and prepay NOW online

NEW AS OF 3/09:  ALL PRSA non-members must prepay all reservations.  Also, no reservations will be accepted if you still owe a balance from a previous event.

(PRSA Members Only)
2. Send an email to acampbell@fuse.net
3. Leave a voicemail at 513-792-0402.

Menu: Exact Menu to be determined. Please state if you will need a chef's choice vegetarian meal when you make your reservation.
Cancellations: Will be accepted until final RSVP deadline listed above.  After that time you will be billed for the cost of your reservation, even if unable to attend.  Please understand that once we guarantee our count to the location we are billed for the meal you order whether you use it or not.

Register for IABC meetings
Simply send an e-mail with your:

• name
• company
• phone number
• member status

to iabc_greatercinti@yahoo.com.
Your reservation will be acknowledged with a return e-mail.

Please note cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance to avoid billing. To cancel your reservation, please email iabc_greatercinti@yahoo.com