Winter/Spring 2010 Newsletter: VE & Co. Sets Example for Corporate Social Responsibility

At VE & Co. we strive to carry out the same level of commitment to being a good corporate citizen that we strongly recommend to our clients.  Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are an incredibly critical component to any robust strategic communications plan. So as 2009 came to a close, VE & Co.’s Vice President Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman, who champions CSR programming for us, highly encouraged the tallying of all our charitable giving hours.  As it turns out, our dedicated staff collectively donated nearly 300 hours to charitable, civic and professional organizations in greater Washington, D.C.! This is a number that impressed us and made us proud because it amounts to nearly 10 percent of our working time. 

The worthy organizations we supported in 2009 that enhance the quality of life in our community included:
• The Lisa J. Flaxman MusiKares Fund for the Celebration of the Arts
• The Arc of Montgomery County
• The Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County
• Women in Defense
• The National Capitol Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
• Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic

Our commitment to CSR speaks to the passion of our talented staff and already has us on course in 2010 for supporting Community Ministries of Rockville as it officially dedicates the Mansfield Kaseman Community Health Clinic on March 29 at 8 Middle Lane in Rockville.  The free community health clinic will will serve nearly 2,000 uninsured patients this year and may double its capacity in the coming years. For more information about CMR and the Kaseman clinic, please go to www.cmrocks.org. Consider clicking on DONATE in the "We Need Your Help" section.

We’re happy to share our passion and expertise regarding CSR with your organization. The benefits far outweigh the investment!

- Laura Van Eperen

VE & Co. and Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman Collaborate with the Corporate Volunteer Council to Help the Community 

Building on his commitment to volunteerism, Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman was recently appointed to the Board of Directors with the Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County (CVC-MC), of which he is a founding member. He and VE & Co. will become more involved with the CVC-MC, which educates businesses on how to partner with and support non-profit organizations by developing charitable and volunteer programs that serve the needs of the community. 

The idea of matching companies and non-profits in service for the common good is a winning proposition,” said Kaseman. “I’ve always been about the business of collaboration – bringing together businesses, the government, and community leaders to identify their common interests and uncover the best resources and needs. I’m really excited about this opportunity.”

Find more information about the CVC-MC online at www.cvc-mc.org.

VE & Co. Welcomes Tiffany Bostic As Newest Account Coordinator

We are pleased to welcome Tiffany Bostic as VE & Co.’s newest account coordinator. A 2006 graduate of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Ga., Bostic obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Media Arts with a concentration in Public Relations. She served as vice president and president of the Public Relations Student Society of America and served in various leadership and community service roles on campus. Her previous public relations experience includes full-time work and internships with several public relations and advertising firms and an entertainment marketing company in Atlanta, Ga. In her previous positions, Bostic assisted with community outreach campaigns for Southern Company, one of America's largest generators of electricity. In addition, she managed media outreach for the Dallas Austin Foundation’s inaugural, Don’t Stop the Music Gala and the NCAA Final Four’s Hoop City. Bostic’s communications strengths include branding, outreach strategy, media relations and entertainment marketing. She also brings a unique knowledge of residential real estate and guerilla grassroots marketing to VE & Co.

“Junior” Member Welcomed to VE & Co. Team

Congratulations to VE & Co.’s Vice President, Jennifer Strohm, and her family on the healthy arrival of their first child, Philip John (PJ) Strohm. Arriving on Dec. 3 at 6 pounds 12 ounces and 20 inches long,little Phillip already has some impressive life experiences under his belt— he came home from the hospital in a snowstorm and his first three months included the historic “snowmageddon” of 2010!  Jennifer returned to her duties at VE & Co. on March 3 and is looking forward to another exciting year of superior communications results for the VE & Co. clients.

 Marketing Tip: Be “LinkedIn” and Join the Conversation

Many professionals have created a profile on www.LinkedIn.com, but few are maximizing the online networking tool’s potential. LinkedIn is the number one professional networking site, but we’ve noticed that most colleagues are not fully taking advantage of its growing applications. Here are a few ways to leverage the site:  
1. Add news feeds to your profile to keep content fresh
2. Update your status (directly or linked with your Twitter account)
3. Join groups and network with other members
4. Link your account in signature e-communications
5. Link to us at www.linkedin.com/in/lauravaneperen

Client Successes: A Fresh Start: The Washington Group Rebrands to Show ‘Strength’

Looking to better communicate the company’s differentiators and financial services expertise,
The Washington Group of MassMutual worked with VE & Co. to re-brand its image with a new tagline and corresponding logo, Web site, and collateral materials. The idea of financial strength is woven throughout the new brand so the organization’s management and agents can easily relay the firm’s unique position within the financial services industry.

Visit www.financialstrength.com to see the Web site.

Client Successes: Nation’s Leading Health Care Provider Reaches Out to the Haiti Relief Effort

VE & Co. took part in the rush of aid and support for Haiti earthquake victims by helping the nation’s largest health insurance provider spread the word about a toll-free emotional support, 24-hour help line set up following the disaster. The client also donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which helps victims of countless crises around the world. 

Client Successes: The Arc of Montgomery County Unveils New Web site

With assistance from VE & Co., The Arc of Montgomery County is getting ready to launch a new Web site that will make it easier for the people it serves to find information about the organization’s various programs, events, resources and news. One of the largest and oldest nonprofits in Maryland, The Arc of Montgomery County serves individuals, families and employers affected by intellectual and developmental disabilities

Also, be sure to check out The Arc as a featured holiday charity on FOX 5’s Christmas Tree Special!

Client Successes: AIA’s TARC Alumnus Jerry Maniscalco Shares His Experiences in the US Naval Academy

Navy Lieutenant Jerry Maniscalco is a true success story for the Aerospace Industry Association’s annual Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC), which VE & Co. will continue to promote in 2010. The program aims to encourage middle and high-school students to consider careers in aerospace as the industry faces a looming workforce crisis without enough qualified engineers pursuing college degrees. 

Lt. Maniscalco participated in TARC, which is the world’s largest model rocket competition, in 2003 and credits the program for sparking his interest in rocketry and leading him to the US Navel Academy. He recently reconnected with AIA leaders at the organization’s Arlington, Va. office and shared his TARC-inspired path to becoming a Lieutenant and currently flying the SH-60B Seahawk helicopter at the Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, FL.

Next Up: Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic to Open

VE & Co.’s own Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman is being honored with the Mansfield Kaseman Community Health Clinic being dedicated in his name. As mentioned in Laura’s report above, the free community health clinic will be dedicated on March 29 in downtown Rockville. The opening of the Clinic is a dream realized for Kasey, who aspired to provide healthcare coverage to every uninsured Rockville, MD resident. Operated by Community Ministries of Rockville, the public and privately-funded clinic serves uninsured and under-insured Montgomery County residents with comprehensive primary care, health education services and social services. If you’re interested in attending the event, please contact Laura Van Eperen at laurav@veanco.com.

The Last Word: “The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body.” – Warren Buffett