By Angela Byers, IABC Tulsa President
Hello and happy spring!
You’ll be happy to know some of our IABC Tulsa Chapter members are representing us regionally and globally. We truly have some of the best communications leaders in our chapter, and a few of them have been chosen for VIP roles within IABC.
Ginger Homan, ABC, has accepted the role of Director on the 2014-2015 International Executive Board of IABC. Ginger is the founder and owner of Zia Communications and a founding partner in MODA, a branding and architecture firm. Both firms focus on building communities and creating a thriving culture. Homan specializes in getting a client’s message heard, understood and acted upon. She is a recipient of the 2011 Tulsa Chapter IABC John Hartman Professional Communicator of the Year, former president of the Tulsa chapter and the former Director of North America for the IABC Accreditation Committee. Her work has been recognized with IABC Gold, Silver and Bronze Quills, as well as local and regional ADDY’s, SMPS Marketing Achievement Awards and by PRSA. We are lucky to have Ginger represent IABC Internationally. She will play a vital role in shaping the future of IABC.
Shannon Frederick, ABC, will be on the slate to possibly be voted in as the new Secretary for the IABC Southern Region this summer. Shannon is also the past-president of the IABC-Tulsa Chapter. She has been honored with multiple awards from IABC and PRSA for her strategic communications management, writing, media and internal communications work experience. She joined Walmart in 2006 as a senior manager for Media Relations. Shannon is currently the Senior Director for Global Associate Communications, and her group is responsible for communicating to the company’s over 2 million associates worldwide. I know she will do an incredible job in this new role at the Southern Region. IABC-Tulsa applauds her!
Next month is IABC’s World Conference in Toronto. Joe Williams and John Clemons, ABC, APR, from IABC Tulsa will be two of the 20 IABC Fellows that will be at the Fellows’ Circle of Wisdom at World Conference. The Fellows’ Circle of Wisdom will be the largest group of present IABC Fellows in the history of World Conference. The Fellows’ Circle of Wisdom will be a unique and very personal learning experience for not only the 500 that attend, but also the 20 Fellows involved as well. Each will share knowledge on “What they’ve found to be true” from their careers in communication. Joe Williams will be giving relationship advice to help us make impactful presentations. John Clemons’ main topic will be that great work alone will not get you “there”.
Joe Williams, IABC Fellow and founder of Joe Williams Communications, has been an IABC Fellow since 2009 and has been given 12 Gold Quill awards. To be named as a Fellow is the highest honor in IABC. The association takes into account the applicants’ career achievements, leadership, authorship and overall contribution to the field of communications. Unlike other IABC annual awards, being named an IABC Fellow is a lifetime title. Joe’s achievements are endless, and he’s all-around a great guy.
John Clemons, ABC, APR, and IABC Fellow has served as the Chair of the International Executive Board. At Walmart, John is responsible for development, implementation and measurement/evaluation of internal communication programs, and strategic communication initiatives for the Walmart Leverage organization. Prior to joining Walmart in 2012, John served as the IABC Interim Executive Director. In 2001, he was the Chairman and Chief Volunteer Officer for IABC’s International Executive Board and in 2012, he was named an IABC Fellow. Besides the Fellows’ Circle of Wisdom, John Clemons will also be on another panel at World Conference with two other Fellows. The topic will be Internal Communications Unplugged; there they will be revisiting some internal communication firm rules. We are lucky to have such an incredible communicator in our chapter.
These members have put their hearts and souls into IABC. Be sure to tell Shannon and Ginger congratulations on their new roles, and be sure to sign up to hear Joe and John at the upcoming World Conference.