“Our merging firms own two very nice but very different offices,” said Red Chair Architects CEO David Cockrill. “Last month, with our merger launch approaching and needing to establish an address, we initially opted for the Pellissippi Parkway location at 10651 Coward Mill Road. This property was much larger, centrally located from a regional perspective and with parking at the front door.”

According to Cockrill, this decision was intended as an interim location with a near-term goal of returning to Downtown. The Coward Mill office is far larger than Red Chair Architects would ever need, Cockrill said, having also housed an architectural and engineering (AE) firm and general contractor for years. The firm’s strategy was to facilitate a “soft move” to the more spacious and accommodating location for the initial integration of the companies.

“With the Jan. 3 launch, we instantly had many more opinions and factors to consider,” Cockrill said. “In the buzz generated by our announcement, we received many well-wishes as well as regrets that we were leaving Downtown. We also considered that a majority of our newly merged family of employees live within and value the urban core, notwithstanding the spaciousness and convenient access of the Pellissippi location.”

After the launch, the new firm experienced a great deal of real estate “chatter” regarding the Pellissippi property and realized it was looking at the distinct possibility of moving twice within a few months, he said.

“With this fresh perspective, a goal of locating permanently downtown, wanting to avoid an unnecessary move, needing to cohabitate quickly as a new firm and the strong interest in the Coward Mill building, we reversed course and committed to our Fire Street Loft office as the new home of Red Chair Architects,” Cockrill said.

Coward Mill Property for Sale

Completed in 2001, the 10651 Coward Mill Road building is 18,900 square feet and is offered at $3.1 million. The adjacent lot is also available for $285,000. Frank Weiskopf, CCIM, at Realty Executives holds the listing, 865/983-0011; http://www.kaarcie.com/listing/14958343

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RSCI is an Oak Ridge business-education partnership working with middle school teachers in nine East Tennessee school systems to improve students’ STEM skills, based on the new statewide math and science curriculum.

“We welcome teachers, parents and business leaders to discover more about RCSI through the new website and to support this innovative program to achieve real gains in STEM learning for East Tennessee students,” said Gary Goff, president of Roane State Community College and a RCSI co-founder with Barry Stephenson of Oak Ridge-based Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc.

The nine East Tennessee school systems included in the RCSI project are the Anderson, Campbell, Loudon, Morgan, Roane and Scott County school systems and the separate school systems of Lenoir City, Oneida and Clinton.  RCSI is also supported by the East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC).

“The just-launched RCSI website aims to provide a one-stop shop for promoting math and science curricula within these nine rural school systems, and even beyond,” said Goff.

RCSI’s website – written and designed with full in-kind support by Nashville-based Locomotion Creative and Maryville, Tennessee-based Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC – links to the organization’s Facebook page and also provides a blog, media room, partnership opportunities, donor appreciation and teacher testimonials.  

Companies and individuals can participate in an Adopt-a-Classroom program to deliver “Lab-in-a-Box” kits to specific classrooms.  Tax-deductible corporate and individual donations to help fund RCSI can be made through the Roane State Foundation by calling (865) 882-4507. For more information, visit www.ruralstem.org.

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Since joining the world of public relations, I’ve come across some interesting misperceptions about the profession and its practitioners. Oftentimes, I find that those who complain about the field are more than likely the ones who understand it the least.

As the media relations coordinator for our team, I’ve met a few individuals who have thought that public relations is simply an effort to put client-related articles in newspapers, magazines and broadcast outlets.

But simply put, public relations is not the same as media relations.

Is media relations an integral component of a PR campaign or project? Absolutely, but they are not one in the same.

Public relations achieves so much more than a “one-size-fits-all” approach to communications strategies, but my top reason is this: PR builds credibility, ethics and a sense of storytelling. 

When other communications strategies can sometimes seem formulaic and routine, those of us in the PR field are constantly searching for opportunities for our clients to grow – that includes, but is not limited to, the ever-evolving media landscape.

Sure, PR has seen its share of skepticism, but overall the profession is a well-oiled machined primed to thrive and continue to evolve with the times. A reasonable amount spent on PR can not only deliver high ROI, but it can significantly boost the impact of all other marketing and communications strategies.

As a whole, PR is truly the total package.

From my experience, many people have preconceived notions about public relations (PR) and PR professionals; some may be correct, but some may be way off…

According to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), “Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.” This definition describes PR in a nutshell, but there are many, many elements that go into supporting a true understanding of PR.

Some people base their opinion of PR and PR professionals on past encounters or relationships with other PR people. So, depending on what type of experience you had will dictate what you think about PR.

According to marketing.about.com, one PR myth states “Public Relations is Spin, Slogans and Propaganda.”

In a past life at a former employer, I actually would have employees ask me, “What propaganda are you communicating today?” While I’m sure this cynicism was driven by other factors, the idea of being a propaganda-pusher really offended me as I was communicating pertinent information about the company, which was important for employees to know. More importantly, I was communicating feedback from employees back to management, helping make two-way employee communications a crucial part of the company’s success.

Whether you are communicating with employees or the media, I think ethical behavior plays a key role in how you are viewed. Unfortunately, I know there are some “bad apples” out there practicing PR, and their behaviors tend to hurt the reputation of the larger profession to a very disproportionate degree.

Some journalists have had a bad experience with a PR person, then refuse to work with other PR people. I would venture to say that every PR person knows at least one or two members of the media like this. I really think that this is too bad since the PR and media relationship can be a win-win for all involved.

While unprofessional practices may earn some public relations practitioners their own well-deserved reputations, it’s important to remember that we are all individuals and should be judged on our own merits.

Among the societal curve-balls being thrown nowadays courtesy of our national and global economy is the question of education. 

Yes, in the chaos of today’s headlines, education has actually become a question. 

NBC Nightly News posed it a few weeks ago: “Is a college degree even worth it anymore?”

The issues:

• 250,000 recent college graduates are jobless.
• College tuition has increased 600% more than rising inflation since 1980.
• College loan debt has hit $1 trillion, and for the first time, there is now more student loan debt than credit card debt.
• Two-thirds of college graduates have student loans, with an average debt of $24,000 upon graduation.

Ouch, ouch and double-ouch. 

Despite the pain of it all, the very idea of throwing our hands up and questioning whether education is even worth it creates a tremendous disservice.

The fact is, education – at least the right kind of education – is more essential than ever, but you can’t be stuck in auto-pilot throughout the process of receiving it.  What’s more, institutions of higher learning can’t be auto-piloting the process of providing it. 

Here are some core observations, as I see them:

First, degree programs from “designer” institutions – those that charge tens of thousands in tuition per year at least somewhat predicated on their brand-name – must be aggressive about earning their keep with their students and alumni.

In the good old days, hefty private-institution degrees not only opened entry-level job doors in the most elite organizations, but they also practically paved the commute to work in greenbacks for freshly minted 23-year-olds. 

Now . . . not so much.  More and more stories are emerging of graduates with $100K+ in student loan debt from fairly prestigious schools (a veritable life sentence when melded with car, home and life expenses long-term), scrounging out low-paying whatever-they-can-get and living with Mom.

Secondly, students of whatever means – from affluent to financially challenged – need to take ownership of their learning with a purposeful sense of, “what must I get out of my educational experience, and what do I need to do MYSELF to make sure that happens?”  Take ownership.

This approach requires a fundamental shift away from a passive, osmosis-like assumption that a college campus automatically confers a certain standard of knowledge, to an uber-engaged reality-check:  Quality education is all about knowing what you don’t know and assuming a sizable level of responsibility yourself to fix it. 

Classes, teachers/professors, texts, learning tools and all of those things are merely tools in the process that students themselves need to apply with gusto to take them where they want to go. 

That last part about knowing where you’re going is pretty important, too, particularly in context of the skills that tomorrow’s economy demands and the level of job competition that exists globally.

Translated: that poetry degree might have worked for you 30 years ago to get some job other than teaching, publishing or writing poetry (which is fine if that’s in fact what you want to do), but today, the limitations of non-work-skill-based degrees are overwhelming.  College freshmen:  choose a major wisely.

And as a side note to that point, people who go to school (particularly graduate school) for no compelling reason other than as a job-market avoidance strategy pay for their mistakes – big. 

Finally, high-quality community and technical colleges are becoming the community superstars for thousands of people – young and not young – to hitch their wagons to.  That’s certainly the case in East Tennessee.  These institutions have become dynamic and nimble in creating educational programs that fit the needs of their local job markets, and they are ever-evolving to change as the market changes so that new students and returning students can be prepared. 

Students and the parents who guide them need to be getting good advice.  Education is an investment, rife with risks if decision-making is poor.  The economy has created a situation where customers need to be astute before navigating the educational marketplace. 

We all have dealt with someone who is extremely difficult to get along with, whether in a work setting or on a personal basis.  It can be a nightmare dealing with some people, but how do you manage someone with a difficult personality? 

I would venture to say most organizations have experienced some type of difficult personality in some way in the past, but how you choose to mitigate the issues associated with difficult people is the key in the resolution.  Public Relations is not immune to these issues, either.

According to Psychology for Business, “Most organizations experience problems concerning employee relationships, whether peer-to-peer or manager-to-subordinate.  These types of difficulties are often cross-generational…or simply based on divergent and difficult personality conflicts.  Organizations that downplay or ignore these ‘undercurrents’ often find themselves with significant productivity, morale and even safety and security issues.”

All the research that I have ever read on employee morale shows that a happy employee is indeed a much more productive employee.  So, it is imperative that an organization keep its best assets content, and it will improve the bottom line as well. 

Working with and managing a difficult personality starts with the basics:  communication, communication, and did I say communication?    The issues associated with a difficult personality must be addressed in a professional setting with all involved.  Face-to-face meetings seem to work better, from my experience. 

It is critical that you learn how to deal with conflict since it is a part of everyday life.  Just think how boring life would be without conflict.  Learning how to manage conflict instead of avoiding it is the key in diffusing a difficult personality and situation in the workplace.  

According to HelpGuide.org, “Conflict is a normal and necessary part of healthy relationships…When conflict is mismanaged, it can harm the relationship. But when handled in a respectful and positive way, conflict provides an opportunity for growth, ultimately strengthening the bond between two people. By learning the skills you need for successful conflict resolution, you can face disagreements with confidence and keep your personal and professional relationships strong and growing.”

Visit HelpGuide.org for several conflict resolution tips and an outline of Conflict 101.

The East Coast may have been earthquaking, Libya may have been liberating and the stock market may have been doing whatever it always seems to do these days . . . but the only story yesterday for Tennessee natives and UT alumni worldwide was the health announcement by University of Tennessee Women’s Basketball Coach Pat Summitt.

For those whose home is outside the Volunteer State, there is something that should be known about Coach Summitt: there arguably may be no individual in the state of Tennessee – man or woman; sports, political, business or entertainment figure – who has earned the same universal and unwavering public admiration and respect as this person.

 The most winning NCAA coach in basketball history – men’s or women’s – Coach Summitt is unique.  A complete original.  Pure Tennessee spirit at its most ideal.  And her brand of leadership was on full display yesterday in the face of the most difficult announcement of her career.  The last four sentences of her written statement said it all:

“I love being your coach and the privilege to go to work every day with our outstanding Lady Vol basketball student-athletes. I appreciate the complete support of UT Chancellor Dr. Jimmy Cheek and UT Athletics Director Joan Cronan to continue coaching at the University of Tennessee as long as the good Lord is willing.  I’ve been honest and shared my health concerns with you and now we’ll move forward to the business at hand…coaching a great group of Lady Vols. For the time being, I hope you will respect my privacy regarding this matter.”

The simplicity and clarity of the message was vintage Summitt, loosely translated as, “Yes, I have some issues, but I am moving forward and hope everyone else will choose to do so as well.  Next!”

While Coach Summitt must be acutely aware of the new layer of scrutiny that will now be applied going forward to her job performance, she has this little fact working in her favor: the work product she delivers on her worst day is multiple times better than that of many, many coaches on their best. 

Upon the announcement, Facebook lit up like a Christmas tree with the full gamut of emotional outpourings, some way too post-mortem-ish for my taste (or hers).  Coach Summitt would probably thank them for caring but also advise them to remember themselves: she’s still here.

In an economy and in a world where instability is the order of the day, it’s Coach Pat Summitt who is teaching by example the ultimate playbook in keeping on keeping on, and with not one iota of distraction from the task at hand of rising to every occasion, come what may.  Let us learn.  

Maryville, Tenn. — Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC, a public relations and reputation management firm in Maryville, Tenn., won “Best in Show” and multiple top honors at the annual awards dinner of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Volunteer Chapter on May 12 at Hunter Valley Farm.

The event also honored Kevin Painter of LeConte Wealth Management with the Community Service Award, which recognizes an individual or organization who has used public relations practices to improve the quality of life within East Tennessee communities.

The agency won “Best in Show” for the 2010 holiday media relations campaign for Dandy Lions as well as 10 “Award of Excellence” honors in the following categories:

• Public Service: Blount Education Initiative
• Media Relations: Dandy Lions 2010 Holiday Campaign
• Public Affairs/Government: Expanding Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Scientific User Community
• Marketing Consumer Products: Rainscapes
• Marketing Consumer Services (Financial): LeConte Wealth Management
• Marketing Business-to-Business: Interactive Springboard 2010 Launch Campaign
• Writing (Column): LeConte Wealth Management “Purpose-Built Portfolio”
• Collaterals (Direct Mail): Rainscapes 2010 Direct Mail Campaign
• Website (Professional Service): Rainscapes website
• Blogs: Mary Beth West Consulting “In the Profession” Blog

Joe Bogardus, Mary Beth West, Amy Schwinge, Mallorie Mendence and Tyra Haag following the V Awards ceremony.

Interactive Springboard – a collaboration between Mary Beth West Consulting and Knoxville-based Blue Media Boutique – shared top honors for the newly redesigned Avistelé website; Avistelé Lifestyle Communities is managed by Knoxville-based RenaissancePG.

 “I’m so appreciative of the clients we’ve been privileged to serve,” said agency principal Mary Beth West. “Throughout my career, I’ve held tremendous respect for the public relations profession; my team is honored with the overwhelming response by our colleagues to recognize the work we so highly value.”

Painter – a graduate of Maryville High School and co-founder of LeConte Wealth Management– was  honored with the Community Service Award.

“Kevin has been a client for three years and a dear friend for many years longer,” said West. “Of all the colleagues I have in my age cohort in the local community, I can think of no one who takes on more community service efforts to support the non-profit, social service and arts sectors than Kevin.” 

Established in 2003 and located in the Law Building in downtown Maryville, Mary Beth West Consulting works with clients to advance their communications, relationships and reputations to meet business objectives. 

The firm’s services include integrated brand marketing communications strategies and campaigns; media, community and employee relations programs; social and interactive media strategies and program management; crisis preparedness; and special events.

Knoxville, Tenn. — Websites, social media and other interactive communications can involve many similar processes to develop, but companies should beware of being sold a “cookie-cutter” approach when creating these tools for their own brands, according to Knoxville-based joint venture Interactive Springboard.

Tori Rose of interactive firm Blue Media Boutique, LLC, and Mary Beth West of public relations firm Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC, will partner with independent market researcher Rebecca Bryant of Bryant Research to present do’s and don’ts of interactive tool development at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Memphis Chapter’s 11:30 lunch meeting at Fogelman Executive Conference Center on the University of Memphis campus, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011.  

The message: template-driven approaches can be profitable for interactive agencies and firms that sell website and social media development, but they rarely produce good results for the client.  

“It’s like many industries steeped in manufacturing or process-driven business models,” West said.  “The way many interactive firms want to make the most money fast is to develop a “cookie-cutter” approach that can be packaged and sold to produce websites, mobile applications and other social media programs.  But if those tools aren’t driven by a well-researched understanding of the client’s brand, its audiences and what the user experience needs to be, then it can be a major disservice to clients – namely, a waste of money.”

“Customization is the hallmark for any interactive tool to be effective,” Rose said.  “Every company is unique, with its own set of products, services, audiences and competitive marketplaces.  The tools of social media must reflect the brand’s uniqueness in order to provide a meaningful customer experience online.  There’s just no way to easy-bake that outcome.”

Rose and West will share reasons and strategies for avoiding generic online marketing communications at the February 9 PRSA event. They will also present with Bryant Memphis-focused results of Interactive Springboard’s 2010 statewide study, focusing on how communications professionals view social media’s importance and challenges.

About Interactive Springboard
Interactive Springboard is a joint venture between women-owned firms Blue Media Boutique, LLC and Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC, providing an integrated, research-based approach to social media, supporting client communications and business objectives.

• Eric Barton, Chairman, Relyant 
• Bryan Daniels, President and CEO, Blount Chamber Partnership
• Tom Gallaher, President and CEO, Gallaher & Associates
• David Schwall, Vice President of Marketing, Clayton Homes
• Mary Beth West, APR, Principal, Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC

The magazine selected 40 total recipients from the Greater Knoxville area among nearly 250 applicants who were nominated by peers. 

All honorees are under 40 years of age and, according to the publication, have “climbed corporate, professional and academic ladders or struck out on their own . . . pursued their passion for helping others (and) earned the respect of their peers.”