Archive for the ‘UST MBC’ Category

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Write ‘em up!

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

There’s a policy adage that proclaims the world is run by those who show up.  In a social media influenced world, it is becoming more about those who “write it up,” regardless of the truth.

Recently an “admirer” of Joel Olsteen from Minneapolis admitted to creating an elaborate Internet persona of the evangelist only to make false claims on his behalf, some of which were published in legitimate media before being debunked.  One wonders if the editors at the duped media bothered to apply even a gut test of the claims before running the stories.

The ease with which some social media platforms allow anyone to develop content under assumed identity leads to the potential for great abuse – whether in the name of admiration or something more sinister.  (more…)

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Minnesota spice

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

MN EconomyAfter 10 years living and working in New York City, last year I relocated back to the Twin Cities and discovered that something wonderful had happened while I was gone: Minnesota got itself some swagger.

Almost as much as our “Minnesota nice” culture, the state’s residents are known for being “Minnesota modest.” Arrogance doesn’t fit with our Scandinavian roots; flashiness is impossible when there’s a foot of snow beneath your stilettos.

Many of us locals have always known that Minnesota boasted some of the most innovative and creative companies in the country. In recent months, however, all this Midwestern work ethic has started to get some national attention. (more…)

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What do the best corporate blogs do well?

Monday, April 15th, 2013

Target-blog2Earlier this week, friend, colleague and fellow blogger Aaron Pearson asked me to speak to his class at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. The topic? Corporate blogging. Something I know a thing or two about based on my personal experiences with this blog and the lessons I’ve put to good use for my clients.

I actually titled my presentation “Is corporate blogging dead?” I hope we all know the answer to that question. And yeah, I was having a little fun with the title. But, the fact remains that 28 percent of Fortune 500 companies have a public blog. Not a bad number. Especially considering we’re talking about the biggest of the big. What about the thousands of other blogs from midsized and small businesses out there? No doubt, those numbers are fairly large.

So, corporate blogging is NOT dead. Who’s doing it well? (more…)

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Pick a Horse – Commentary from UST MBA Alumna Emily Buchanan

Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

Buchanan310x233-310x235Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is taking a lot of heat from the recent comments she made on 60 Minutes about the role of husbands vs. wives in a two-career household.

For one, she thinks that women should be doing more at work and making their husbands do more of the childcare and housework at home. And with that, women should also take more responsibility for their career success.

“Everyone knows that marriage is the biggest personal decision you make, but it’s the biggest career decision you can make,” Sandberg said. “Partner with the right person because you cannot have a full career and a full life at home with the children if you are also doing all the housework and childcare.”

So what is so controversial in our society with having a husband that is the primary household manager, child-raiser, laundry-doer, and house cleaner? (more…)

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Alumna Profile: Beth McGuire M.B.C. ’07

Thursday, April 4th, 2013

130314_BETH_1By Rita Kovtun, Class of 2014

For someone whose interests draw from various fields, the key to choosing a satisfying career involves finding a through-line that connects them all. For Beth McGuire ’07 M.B.C. the recurring theme of communication paved the way to her enrollment in the Opus College of Business’ MBC program and an evolving career at Target.

McGuire’s career in communication began with an internship at Campbell Mithun – a position McGuire landed with no prior experience in the advertising and marketing field. Her undergraduate experience at Mount Holyoke College had merged a diverse set of disciplines, including a major in politics, a minor in music, a position as editor for the school newspaper and an internship with the Minnesota Journal of Law and Politics. McGuire soon came to realize that communication was the common thread running through her many passions. The advertising internship marked the beginning of a more strategic approach to her career goals. “Very quickly, it identified a need for me just to get to parity with my peers in terms of that marketing (and) communications background,” McGuire said. (more…)

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UST Master of Business Communications Student Christina Milanowski Honored with Young Professional Award

Friday, March 22nd, 2013
Christina Milanowski with UST MBC program director Mike Porter

Christina Milanowski with UST MBC program director Mike Porter

Christina Milanowski, social media director and account supervisor at Minneapolis-based Maccabee Public Relations, and a student in the Opus College of Business’ Master of Business Communication program, has been named the 2012 Young Professional by the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at the 35th annual Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards. In addition to honoring the outstanding public relations campaigns of 2012, the Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards honor one young professional from the chapter who has made an extraordinary contribution to the professional’s organization, the public relations profession and local community.

“Christina exemplifies the core values of PRSA,” said Tracy Carlson, APR, president of Minnesota PRSA.  “She is an advocate for the advancement of public relations and proves to be a compelling thought leader who recognizes the value of strategic communications. Christina is a pillar of excellence among young professionals in our industry.”

As social media director and account supervisor at Maccabee Public Relations, Milanowski blends the new world of public relations with that of PRSA’s rich legacy. Directing public relations, marketing and communications strategies for GNP Company (Gold’n Plump and Just BARE brands), RBA and PsyBar, Christina also champions campaigns involving YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and Google Plus, corporate and thought leadership blogs, and content-driven inbound marketing.

“Christina’s personal thirst of PR knowledge is only matched by her enthusiasm for contributing to the professional development and career advancement of her co-workers, a selflessness and generosity, which I find rarer than diamonds in our discipline,” said Paul Maccabee, president of Maccabee Public Relations.

A member of Minnesota PRSA for more than six years, Milanowski currently volunteers as a co-chair of the Membership Committee.

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Who owns you?

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

people-commodity

During the last month, people in my household were treated as property by service providers a couple of times, based on the assumption by corporations managing service businesses that all current customers “belong” to the business.

Case in point, the hair stylist my wife has followed from salon to salon since 1998, Sheila.  Just before my wife’s last scheduled appointment at a major department store salon, a receptionist called to confirm her appointment with another stylist.  Upon inquiry, the salon contact refused to explain how to find Sheila.  Upon finding Sheila through other means, we learned that the salon also refused to provide any list of the customers that had followed her to the salon, as “those customers belong to us.”  Really?  My wife would beg to differ. (more…)

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Would you like context with that?

Monday, February 25th, 2013

This commentary is by Dr. Michael Porter, Director of the UST MBC Program.

On February 14, I was taken aback while watching the press conference announcing the new president of the University of St. Thomas, Dr. Julie Sullivan.  Not by anything she or the other participants said or did, but by a question from a reporter.  He asked: “How will your role as wife and mother influence, if at all, your presidency?  Will it flavor that at all or change it?”  I immediately wondered if he would have asked a question about fatherhood of a male layperson.

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A number of people watching the event via simulcast in Minneapolis expressed similar concerns, as we had no idea at the time who asked the question because the person was off camera. (more…)

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Ask the Consultant

Monday, February 11th, 2013

UST Faculty regulary answer questions in the Star Tribune‘s Ask The Consultant column. Here’s a round-up of a few recent questions. Ask your own question.

How to improve visibility on the Internet?
Being in the wig business since 1969, we have seen many changes in our business. We find the Internet the most challenging. To promote our website (www.jacquelynwigs.com) we have been doing search engine optimization and pay-per-click. We have tried in-house and freelance companies to do the work for us but we still feel we are not getting enough qualified leads. Any suggestions?

GEORGE MAYER, JACQUELYN WIG CO., NEW YORK, N.Y

Read the answer from Mike Porter, director of the Master of Business Communication Program

How do I manage family members who work for me? (more…)

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Complicated Complicity

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

A number of years ago I participated in a conversation facilitated by researchers at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., regarding the complicity of municipal police officers during Nazi rule and occupation of Europe.  The parties involved were law enforcement officers studying in a police leadership master’s program and doctoral candidates in leadership and policy.   Based on review of detailed information from the museum research staff, the group frankly considered the behavior of ordinary citizens who found themselves swept away from their ordinary behavior by a tide of unspeakable actions.  Everyone in the room acknowledged that a range of action represented “complicity,” from actively supporting the fascist agenda to merely turning a blind eye.  In between, a great deal of discussion hovered around the ethics of “doing the job” as directed: following orders, or the status quo, as justification of the actions.  The group of leadership-oriented students did not find satisfaction in these excuses, yet acknowledged limited ability to completely contextualize the actions of individuals immersed in a culture so far beyond our own experience.

In the present day, there are those associated with the media who rationalize overtly questionable activities with justifications similar to those of the police we discussed.  Paparazzi engage in stalking behavior made legal only by the public nature of the individuals they hound.  While for some, the compliment of a throng of photographers may be welcome, in exercising their “right” to report and photograph the off-stage life of famous people, the more rabid of these “reporters” have led directly or indirectly to damage beyond exposure to public scrutiny – even to the death of their prey.  (more…)

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