Cindy Seip, Director of Book Design
Born with a crayon in one hand and a camera in the other, Cindy Seip has never ventured far from her creative instincts. Through the years, her creative side took hairpin turns but always finished with a checkered flag.
As an “A+” student in art, it was her 12th-grade art teacher, Mr. Popovitch, that set her on a professional course in design, introducing her to the Ft. Lauderdale Art Institute. There, she would earn her degree in Advertising Design.
She began her career at the Miami Herald Tropic Magazine and later started her own design + underwater portrait photography business.
Over the years, Seip has amassed an impressive client list with some high-profile names like Sony, Nasdaq, Ericsson, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AvMed, Miami International Book Fair, Breakthrough Miami, and many more. Her accolades reflect her keen eye for design.
Seip resides in sunny Miami with her husband, Miami Herald Photojournalist, Al Diaz, two great kids, and a cute Wheaten Terrier named Amanda Bubbles.
President’s Message, October 2009 — Fall has arrived in Gettysburg, bringing with it the beautiful colors of the season.These crisp cool days are a wonderful time to walk the battlefields and contemplate the leadership lessons that abound here in Gettysburg.
A quote from October 3, 1889 by Major General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain comes to mind:
In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by who great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls.
His profound words are that much more impressive when you consider that more than a century later, Budget Travel magazine has listed Gettysburg one of “8 Places Every American Should See.” Look for more information on that honor below.
In fact, we are excited to show off our fair town this month to representatives from Intervet / Schering-Plough’s animal health division, and a large group of Superintendents from our amazing national parks across the country. Their leadership teams will be joining us for our Transformational Journey from Gettysburg program.
And that’s not all that’s happening in Gettysburg.
Read on to learn more about the Pennsylvania Civil War (PACW 150), the Commonwealth’s official planning committee for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War over the next five years. The organization has a fantastic website that is packed with information, including interesting details about the lesser-known leaders of that conflict: http://pacivilwar150.com.
Additionally, below is information about The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which Gettysburg College hosted this month. I was especially struck by the fact that we talk about how in the three days of fighting here in Gettysburg there were 51,000 casualties and the wall holds the names of a similar number — 58,000 killed or missing from a much more recent conflict.
These are both wonderful illustrations of how our nation’s history influences us today and can be a useful tool in identifying and refining our own leadership practices.
With my managing director Angela Sontheimer, I wish you a wonderful month filled with strong leadership and courage. We’ll look forward to talking to you again in November.
Steven B. Wiley
President & Founder, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg
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Promotional pens come in many colors and styles. Potomac Basin chose personalized pens in their corporate colors: blue and green. The neon sheen added dash of extra style. Call for options.
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Promote a healthy planet with these globe-inspired stress balls. A great giveaway at any function or event. Price includes 1 color imprint. Multi-color imprints available. Please call for more details.
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What office is complete without a set of clips that keep all your important papers organized? This alligator clip has a strong magnet capable of holding up to 60 pages and a squared tip for better grip. It features black rubber grips and a variety of colors to choose from. Use it for home or office. Price includes 1 color imprint, but multi-color imprints are available. Please call for more details.
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Save the date: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Time: Noon to 1:30 pm
Location: The Vantage Point Rooftop Restaurant
1900 North Fort Myer Drive
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: 703-807-2000
Topic: 12 Tips for Effective PR
Journalist Hope Katz Gibbs, owner of the PR / publications / media relations / marketing & design firm Inkandescent PR, will talk to the businesswomen of WBIS — Women Building & Investing in Success — about how they can get more attention for their firms by using 12 simple strategies. She breaks her approach down into three bite-sized concepts that are fun to consider and easy to execute.
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by Hope Katz Gibbs, communications specialist
and Peter Noonan, FCPS Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services
Creating a set of clear and consistent best practices for student learning has long been a priority for Fairfax County Public Schools. Last fall, the Instructional Services team accomplished that goal by identifying a set of research- based Best Practices for Teaching and Learning that have been proven to increase student achievement and help every FCPS child reach their academic potential.
“We knew that each best practice would need to be applicable from PreK to 12th grade,” explains Diane Kerr, the Fairfax County Public School ESOL coordinator who helped spearhead the initiative.
“We also wanted to concretely define the concepts and terms, so that every teacher, principal, staff member and administrator throughout the entire county has a common understanding.”
Click here to read the Fall 2009 issue of INSIDE.
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NATIONAL PRESS CLUB, October 8, 2009 — On today’s National Press Club Wire, Inkandesent PR founder and president Hope Gibbs wrote the featured story about a speech given yesterday at the Club by John Potter, Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service.
She wrote: The 234-year-old U.S. Postal Service is in acute financial crisis, John Potter, the 72nd Postmaster General said Thursday during a National Press Club luncheon. After losing a projected $7 billion in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, Potter said he is working to help the USPS reinvent itself. It won’t be an easy task, as 28 billion fewer pieces of mail were sent last year compared to fiscal year 2008, he said. Potter said that holiday mail, one of the traditionally highest volume periods of the year, was flat last year — and he expects it to be flat this December, as well. In addition to more people using email rather than snail mail, and the lagging economy that is causing fewer people to mail printed ads pieces and other promotional materials, Potter believes the USPS’ deficit also grew out of a three-year-old law that added more than $5 billion to annual costs for prefunding retiree health benefits.
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By Scott Golden, CFO and co-founder, Golden & Cohen
Photo: Max Baucus, maxbaucus.info
It would have been tough not to see the headlines this month in the Washington Post and New York Times announcing the big news from Senator Max Baucus, the Democrat from Montana who chairs the Finance Committee.
His slimmed-down price tag of $856 billion over 10 years for health-care reform is a cut from the $1 trillion once proposed. Baucus’ plan also has middle-class American families paying 13 percent of their family income in health-insurance premiums before co-payments, deductibles and other cost sharing. Here’s a look into what we think and why.
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE, September 2009
September has always seemed to me to be a time of new beginnings the start of cooler fall weather, the start of a new school year. This month, we were thrilled to be part of a new start for the Lincoln Leadership Academy in Allentown, Pa., where I spoke as part of the grand opening ceremony on September 8.
Joining me on stage for the inaugural day of this wonderful new charter school were Rep. Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Eastern University President David Black, and our very own Jim Getty, who as always did a great job portraying Abraham Lincoln.
The Lincoln Leadership Academy will provide a holistic education to 250 students in grades 6 to 9 coming from high-risk environments. We are thrilled to be one of their strategic partners. Scroll down to see some photos of the opening.
In this months e-news blast, youll also hear from faculty member Bob Prosperi, who recounts his experience leading President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 when they were working toward the agreement that the following year, was signed as the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty at Camp David.
The dignitaries stopped in Gettysburg for a tour and history lessonand some say that their walk through the battlefield led the three men to make the new start toward finding a peaceful solution to their conflict. As we say during our Transformational Journey from Gettysburg program, you never know when a small pebble can turn into a powerful avalanche for leaders.
Read on to learn more and as always, please send your comments and questions to our managing director, Angela Sontheimer, at angela@lincolnleadershipinstitute.com.
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Disruptive Women in Health Care, Sept. 2, 2008 — On today’s popular health care blog, Disruptive Women in Health Care www.disruptivewomen.net, insurance broker Stephanie Cohen wrote a provocative article about the future of the brokerage business.
“As an insurance broker in the metro Washington DC area, I have been in the trenches of selling, and advocating for our customers for their small group health insurance, disability programs and life insurance plans for over 17 years,” she said. “Needless to say, it has been maddening in the last five years to watch rates rise and our customers get increasingly frustrated with the system. I spend my days arguing with insurance companies about what they will cover and what they won’t — and I’m consistently amazed that these large firms often don’t have a handle on the benefits they provide in their policies. To say the right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing is a dramatic understatement.”
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August 2009 — The future of health reform is making headlines, seemingly daily, so of course it was one of the main topics for our August e-blast. From our perspective as insurance brokers, the health insurance industry was never broken, just sprained. We definitely think the system needs a tune-up, with much less waste and fraud, but there are many ways that this can play out — and everyone involved needs to be responsible for a more positive outcome. Unfortunately, we don’t believe the proposed public plan will work, for a few basic reasons. Read on to learn more.
We also are proud to announce some new partnerships — with ADP and Goodman & Company. And we’re excited to invite all of our clients and friends to an Oct. 22 event featuring author/journalist KATI MARTON and health care publisher ROBIN STRONGIN, who will talk about the future of health care, the Holocaust, and Kati’s life in spotlight. Lastly, don’t miss our tips on protecting yourself from Swine Flu.
We’ll talk to you next month! — Stephanie, Scott & Jack
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PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY, Aug. 31, 2009 — In an article published today in Publisher’s Weekly, reporter Judith Rosen profiled Hooks Book Events.
She writes: A new breed of booksellers, many of whom got their start in the B2B world, are finding success by altering the traditional independent bookselling model. They retain a commitment to independent bookselling and frequently belong to both their regional booksellers’ association and ABA—and they influence the bestsellers by reporting their sales to the New York Times.
Perry Pidgeon Hooks of Hooks Book Events in Bethesda, Md., has a bookstore affiliation, with sales going through the registers of nearby Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C. A former marketing director at Davis-Kidd in Nashville, Hooks was hired to work on corporate sales at Politics and Prose more than a decade ago. Soon she found that she was spending so much time organizing events for government agencies like the Department of the Interior that she flopped her work and became an independent contractor, taking a commission from the store.
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Welcome to the dog days of summer! August is proving to be as hot and steamy as it was back during the Civil War. Fortunately, we have the luxury of taking some time off and escaping to a relaxing retreat for some downtime. My special place is Nantucket. The sea, the surf and island life combine to provide a unique and wonderful place to do some of the critical and proactive reflection that we talk about in our leadership program.
Did you realize that Abraham Lincoln himself had a special summer place where he retreated for reflection, peace and solace during the heat of Washington summers? Beginning in 1862, when the pressures of the war and the summer heat got to be too much, Lincoln would escape to a hilltop cottage on the grounds of the Soldier’s Home, just four miles from the White House.
There he would walk the grounds, read, and visit with soldiers. Some historians believe that he spent one-quarter of his presidency there. Now you too can visit Lincoln’s summer retreat, which was restored and opened to the public just last year. For more information visit www.lincolncottage.org. Read on to learn more from LLI faculty member Matt Pinsker, Lincoln historian and author of a book about Lincoln’s bond with the Soldier’s Home.
I encourage you to take some time to find your own retreat for personal reflection. Maybe it is an island, or maybe like Lincoln’s it’s a grassy hill a few miles from home. Wherever your special place is, take the time to consider where your leadership practice is headed. I guarantee it will be time well spent!
Don’t forget to visit our blog at http://blog.lincolnleadershipinstitute.com/. We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
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HEALTH REFORM WATCH, Aug. 28, 2009 — In today’s issue of the Health Reform Watch, published by Seton Hall University, editors wrote about Peter Rodino, who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1989 — at which time he retired to a Professorship at Seton Hall Law until his death in 2005.
Senator Kennedy worked often with Peter Rodino. In her book “Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me,” Joy Rodino recounts that “Upon Peter’s passing , Ted Kennedy said that during the Watergate inquiry, ‘Many of us felt that we were seeing a Founding Father in action, living the highest ideals of the Constitution. I’m sure my brother would have called him a profile in courage. I feel the same way.’”
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ROLL CALL, Aug. 26, 2009 — In today’s issue of Roll Call, the influential publication that covers the people, politics, process and policy on Capitol Hill, reporter Tricia Miller wrote about Joy Rodino’s new book, “Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me.”
Miller noted: “Rodino said her husband would have approved of the election of President Barack Obama and the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. In addition, he “always really looked up to Sen. [Edward] Kennedy,” she said, and the Massachusetts Democrat contributed the quote on the book’s cover.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON DC, AUGUST 21, 2009 — Mark your calendar for September 8 at 8 p.m. when the DC-based author events company Hooks Book Events will host an intriguing conversation at DC’s Avalon Theater between New York Times bestselling writer Dan Pink and award-winning science journalists Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.
The topic of discussion will be Bronson and Merryman’s hot new book NURTURESHOCK, which argues that when it comes to children, we’ve mistaken good intentions for good ideas. “Many of modern society’s strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring because key twists in the science have been overlooked,” the authors explain.
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Systems Contractor News, Aug. 17, 2009 — In today’s Systems Contractor News, HR expert Sharon Armstrong was featured in an article entitled, “Fair Appraisals.” Reporter Carolyn Heinze wrote: “For many, the phrase “evaluation time” conjures up images of classrooms, report cards, parent-teacher meetings and, for those that didn’t do their homework all semester, the prospect of being grounded. It may be years, decades even, since any of us have been in school, but once the announcement is made that our work will be formally appraised, it’s difficult not to slip back into the mindset of a school kid.”
When done right, said Sharon Armstrong, evaluations are ongoing. “That means that you are keeping this conversation going when people are doing the right thing, and nudging them gently when something needs to happen,” she said. “The performance evaluation is a culmination of all of those conversations.”
The key factor, she added, is to train managers that the evaluation is not an annual event; it’s an ongoing conversation, one that should take into account how the business changes throughout the year.
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Date: September 8, 2009
Time: 8 pm
Location: The Avalon Theater
5612 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20015
New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink will interview Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman about their new book, NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children.
NURTURESHOCK is one of the most important books you will read this year,” says Pink, noting Bronson and his co-author Ashley Merryman move parenting out of the realm of folklore and into the realm of science and reveal what decades of studies teach us about the complexities of raising, happy, healthy, self-motivated kids. “As a writer, I was impressed by the prodigious research and keen analysis. As a father, I was consumed with taking notes and exhilarated by all I learned.”
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In this month’s newsletter, Bernard Wolfe, CFP ®, founder of Bernard Wolfe & Associates helps readers understand Roth IRA conversations and the new rules, which go into effect on January 1, 2010. “We wanted to provide a little background, the pros and cons, and help you understand how this may impact your financial management,” he says.
In a second article entitled, “5 Statistics Women Need to Know About Managing their Money — and 5 tips on how to take control,” Samantha Fraelich, a financial representative Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., offers insights for women on how to best manage their money. “Whether you’re a women who is single, divorced, or widowed, it’s more likely than ever that at some point in your life you will need to fend financially for yourself,” Fraelich advises.
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OURBLOOK.com, August 6, 2009 — A website that offers innovative solutions to todays problems, OurBlook, today posted an interview with Scott Golden, chief financial officer of Golden & Cohen, a health benefits consulting company in the Washington, D.C. area. Read on to learn more.
Question: President Obama has made it clear he isn’t working to set up a precursor to a single-payer health care system. Meanwhile, the insurance industry says that any version of a public plan will kill private industry. Is there any precedent for a public/private partnership in health insurance?
Scott Golden: The way the proposal is being described, there are no partnerships, so the public plan would compete against private plans. There is nothing on point with this scenario to date, which is why there is great speculation as to what might happen.
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AUGUST 2009 — Just as the London Symphony Orchestra works in harmony to play a beautiful concerto, any successful collaboration can be one of the most satisfying experiences we have as professionals, explains Dr. Alice Waagen in her July-August e-newsletter.
“That’s because when collaborative efforts click, everyone understands and values each other’s role on the project and the unique contribution each person is making,” she says. “In fact, successful collaborative efforts can often be the height of a person’s professional career.”
So, why is it often so hard to collaborate? That’s a great question, especially given the fact that nearly every project in today’s workforce requires an element of collaboration. First, I’ll assess the problem, then I’ll offer some suggestions for how you can be more effective in your collaborative efforts.
The problem with collaboration In my experience, the biggest obstacle to successful collaboration is that egos are often vying for dominance. It’s natural, given the competitive environment of the workplace. The challenge, then, is to understand it and find ways to tackle the problem from the start.
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The summer is off to a great start here at LLI. We have enjoyed hosting several more Ohio-based teams from Pfizer and welcomed Benco Dental, members of the Inspector General community, and a team from the Office of Personal Management in our leadership program this month.
This month also marks the graduation of our Managing Director, Angela Sontheimer, from Duquesne University. Angela now holds a Masters of Leadership and Liberal Studies. Her thesis focused on viewing the Gettysburg Address through a modern coaching model to show how it functioned as a problem solving document for Lincoln and how it continues to serve as a seminal document that our nation calls upon in times of crisis or stress. We’ve incorporated some of her research into our program and have been having great success with participants using this simple yet effective coaching model in their own leadership practice.
Don’t forget to log our blog at http://blog.lincolnleadershipinstitute.com/. We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback!
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
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Hello, and thank you for taking the time to review our July newsletter. We are very excited to announce that this year, once again we have made the list of the Top 10 largest health insurance firms in Washington Business Journal’s Book of Lists.
We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments, as we have built our business brick by brick. We want to thank all our loyal clients, many of whom have been with us since our inception. We will continue to work hard everyday to make sure each and every client is receiving world-class service and the best possible insurance strategy for their needs and budget. In fact, making Washington Business Journal’s prestigious list just spurs us on to rank even higher — because making this list, or any list, merely reflects the real driver of our growth and success: whether our clients are satisfied and are referring us to their clients and friends.
So a warm welcome to all of our clients, — and potential new clients — with this, our monthly e-news blast. Our goal is to help you get the most out of your health insurance — and to that end, below you’ll find need-to-know information about timely changes in term life insurance, a new health-insurance subsidy for small businesses in Maryland, and the work we are doing with the Greater Washington Association of Health Underwriters. You’ll also find quick summaries of two recent healthcare articles we think you should know about, along with our reactions to them. And finally, we leave you with some parting thoughts on what we consider to be the meaning of success.
If you enjoy reading our monthly newsletter, we’d be thrilled if you would tell a friend. Simply click the button at the top of this page, or send us the emails of anyone you’d like us to reach out to and we’ll extend a personal invitation.
Here’s to your health!
Stephanie Cohen, stephanie@golden-cohen.com
Scott Golden, scott@golden-cohen.com
Jack Cohen, jack@golden-cohen.com
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER / JOBS.COM, July 28, 2009 — In an article published today on the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jobs.com website, reporter Dawn Klingensmith interviewed Workforce Learning president Alice Waagen for an article entitled, “Are you coming on too strong?”
Alice said, yes, you might be seen as overly aggressive if:
• You send more than a succinct thank-you note after an interview. “Some applicants send flowers or candy,” Alice explained. “This is not a date — it’s a job.”
• You can’t take the hint. “If you’ve left messages and e-mails and don’t get a response, that’s either a strong indication you’ve been rejected or that the hiring manager is “a poor manager lacking basic skills,” Waagen said.
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BALTIMORE BUSINESS JOURNAL, July 24, 2009 — In an article entitled, Complexity, cost concern local insurers, featured in this week’s Baltimore Business Journal, reporter Elizabeth Heubeck writes:
If Scott Golden were a gambling man, he wouldn’t bet on the U.S. government creating a federally-run universal health care system. “I think Obama is using that as a threat so that the insurance carriers will step up and put in their own price controls,” said Golden, co-founder of the Gaithersburg-based health benefits consulting firm Golden & Cohen. Given this scenario, Golden envisions insurance carriers saving money by “spending less, giving less to brokers, or requiring that subscribers pay more.” Ultimately, Golden believes, brokers like him will make less money.
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Newark, NJ / Washington DC, July 2009 — In her new book, “Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me: Love, Inspiration and the Constitution,” author and attorney Joy Rodino offers insights into the question, “Why is the Preamble to the Constitution relevant today?”
She accomplishes the task by discussing the life history and lessons learned by her late husband, Congressman Peter Rodino, a 40-year legislator and defender of the Constitution and the Chairman of the House Committee that in July 1974 voted to impeach President Richard Nixon.
“Peter believed the Preamble is our country’s soul, not only projecting a vision of who we are as a people, but also expressing the limitless possibilities of all we can be,” says Joy. “In these troubled times, when nothing is certain, people are searching for meaning in their lives. These 52 words of the Preamble remind us of the importance of upholding our highest ideals, and that there is security in the values and principles inherent in the foundation of our nation.”
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GAITHERSBURG MD, June 2009 — The owners of the health benefits firm Golden & Cohen are pleased to announce that this year, once again, they have made the list of the Top 10 largest health insurance firms in Washington Business Journal’s Book of Lists.
“We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments, as we have built our business brick by brick,” says Stephanie Cohen, CEO of Golden & Cohen. “We want to thank all our loyal clients, many of whom have been with us since our inception. We will continue to work hard everyday to make sure each and every client is receiving world-class service and the best possible insurance strategy for their needs and budget.”
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MOTLEY FOOL.COM, July 17, 2009 — In an article entitled A New Business Model for the Digital Age, posted today on the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, reporter Jennifer Schonberger writes:
Since 2002, David and Tom Gardner have returned 32.89% while the S&P 500 returned -8.78%. There is no question that traditional media is in disarray right now. Major news outlets from CBS (NYSE: CBS) to Gannett (NYSE: GCI) to The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) are being forced to transition to a different model because of the underlying economics of their mediums (in most cases, a digital model).
But transitions to digital by media and other types of companies have left many questioning what the magic formula for profits is. At a recent event sponsored by Hooks Books and The Motley Fool, Chris Anderson, editor of Wired magazine and author of the new book Free: The Future of a Radical Price, offered a solution to the conundrum.
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PHYSICIAN’S MONEY DIGEST, July 14, 2009 — From real estate to the job market, the current recession has impacted just about everyone and every segment of the economy,” writes reporter Ed Rabinowitz in a July 14 article published in Physician’s Money Digest. “However, according to an article in the New York Times, concierge medical practices, while certainly not recession proof, do not appear to have been impacted as severely as might have been expected. Consumers/patients are still forking over $1,500 per year and up for what is promised to be personalized care and around-the-clock access.”
He says: According to Scott Golden, chief financial officer of the health benefits firm Golden & Cohen, for physicians with a loyal following, the opportunity exists through the concierge model to make equal or more money than before, see fewer patients, and practice medicine the way they want. And he expects that trend to continue. “One of the goals of the Obama Administration is to get the uninsured in the system,” Golden says. “That means more people and probably the same amount of doctors, so you’re going to see the same [access] problem getting worse. But only the practices that can deliver on their promises will be able to survive.”
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SELLING ESSENTIALS MAGAZINE, July 3, 2009 — In an article entitled, “When the CEO called, I had to say no,” Steven B. Wiley, founder of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, writes in a first person article:
I received a call out of the blue from a meeting planner for a very large and well-known company. “We’re looking for a keynote speaker for our annual meeting,” she said. “Could you send me some background information?”
“My company conducts leadership training, and I knew that a speaking engagement could open the door to many more opportunities. I had plenty of testimonials. But I knew from experience that they were just the beginning. This sale – like every sale – was all about trust. Selecting a speaker is a high-risk proposition. If you choose well, everybody remembers the speaker, not the person who hired him. But if the speaker misses the mark, everybody asks, “Who picked that guy?”
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YouTube video, June 2009 — To promote his June 20 event at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC, New York Times reporter Warren St. John — author of the new book, “Outcasts United,” hired Inkandescent Public Relations to create a YouTube video. Our videographer Zach Starr shot the film on the roof of Warren’s NYC apartment building, and spliced in interesting clips. Watch the video here.
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NJ STAR-LEDGER, June 27, 2009 — “It took a committee of five Founding Fathers six days to perfect the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution,” writes New Jersey Star-Ledger reporter Mark DiIonno in a feature article published today. “It took Peter Rodino a lifetime to dissect it, study it, relish it, and uphold the tenets of it.” The story is told in a new book by the late Congressman’s wife, Fifty-two words My Husband Taught Me.“
Independence Day should be a time of reflection on what America should stand for, and the long taken-for-granted answers are in our first documents: The Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution and its subsequent Bill of Rights.
“Given the troubled times we’re living in, with all the stories of greed and corruption and the problems with the economy, I think people are searching for more meaning,” Joy Rodino said. “It’s perfect time for us to remember the ideals of our founding fathers and the foundation of this country.”
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WASHINGTON (AP) July 2, 2009 — In an Associated Press wire article posted today in several U.S. newspapers, Sharon Armstrong — author of The Essential HR Handbook and owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates — talked about ways older job seekers can overcome age barriers.
To avoid appearing out of touch, she explains, they can use their time between jobs to become familiar with the latest technologies and social networking sites.
AP economics writer Christopher Rugaber wrote: Sharon Armstrong, a career consultant in Washington, D.C., urged one client fearful of seeming too old to discuss her use of Twitter and Facebook during job interviews. “I don’t think anyone needs to know when you graduated from college,” she said. “Don’t give people reasons to discriminate against you.”
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WEBSITE — Congressman Peter Rodino
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
About Joy Rodino’s “Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me”
“I was so inspired by Peter’s commitment to the principles of the Preamble that before his passing in 2005 I decided that I wanted to memorialize his passion for those principles that are so relevant to our lives today,” says Joy Rodino, author of Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me, a book about love, inspiration, and the Constitution. “I hope that my tribute to his legacy will inspire within you a commitment to share those blessings and “live a life that matters.”
Her uplifting memoir pays tribute to the inspiring legacy of Congressman Peter Rodino, and illuminates his passion for the brilliant vision of our Founding Fathers and the fifty-two words of the Preamble to the Constitution. For Peter Rodino, “We the People” was more than just the first few words of the Constitution, it was a way of life and a sacred duty.
Newark, NJ / Washington DC, July 2, 2009 — As we celebrate the July 4th holiday, it is the perfect time to ask, “Why is the Preamble to the Constitution relevant today?” For the answer, pick up a copy of “Fifty-Two Words My Husband Taught Me,” by attorney Joy Rodino.
She offers insights through the eyes of her late husband, Congressman Peter Rodino, a 40-year legislator and defender of the Constitution who believed the Preamble is our country’s soul, “not only projecting a vision of who we are as a people, but also expressing the limitless possibilities of all we can be.”
“In these troubled times, when nothing is certain, people are searching for meaning in their lives,” Joy says. “These 52 words of the Preamble remind us of the importance of upholding our highest ideals, and that there is security in the values and principles inherent in the foundation of our nation.”
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Hello and welcome to the inaugural issue of Golden & Cohen’s monthly e-newsletter. We’re also proud to announce that we have a new website, www.golden-cohen.com. It’s chock full of information that you and your employees need to stay fully informed about your benefits.
You’ll also find contact information and details about our team, our press mentions, articles, and excerpts from the book we’re writing, “You gotta laugh: Life and the death-defying reality of the health insurance debacle.”
The newsletters will also be filled with short but interesting details we think you need to know each month.
We look forward to staying in contact with you, and always know you can reach us 24-7 to help you with your health insurance needs. Talk to you soon!
Stephanie Cohen, stephanie@golden-cohen.com
Scott Golden, scott@golden-cohen.com
Jack Cohen, jack@golden-cohen.com
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AAPA Annual Conference, June 2009 — At this year’s annual American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) conference, organizers launched a new logo and wanted a little something special to show it off. They hired Inkandescent Public Relations to create an animation of the logo, which appeared behind the president of AAPA as she made her welcome speech.
“The animation was a hit,” organizers said. “The audience wasn’t anticipating that the clip would be so spectacular, or have music, and when the logo presentation was unfurled it exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
To view, right click on Open Link in New Window: APA Flash Animation
Tto hire Inkandescent PR to create a special animation project for your organization, contact Hope Katz Gibbs, founder.
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June Newsletter: Lincoln Leadership Institute — Hello from Gettysburg! A recent article in The Washington Post caught my eye. It turns out that in a survey of federal workplaces, strong managers rank high.
Entitled Money’s Nice, but a Good Boss Is Better, Post staff writer Steve Vogel wrote in the May 20 article: “When it comes to sizing up the quality of their workplaces, federal workers value strong leadership and straight answers from their bosses more than even pay and benefits, according to a new comprehensive study of the federal workforce.”
The study, based on the Office of Personnel Management’s biennial federal human capital survey taken last year, highlights the importance of having good, strong leadership skills and clear lines of communication. In fact the top-ranking agency in the study (the Nuclear Regulatory Commission) earned good marks “because senior management takes the time to listen to the staff.”
This is something we consistently talk about in our Transformational Journey from Gettysburg program because it seems so easy to just listen — but too often it doesn’t happen in the workplace. As you’ve probably heard me say “listen ‘til it hurts.” I guarantee that it will help you be a better leader, colleague and family member.
Give it a try this month and let me know what happens! Talk to you in July.
Best regards, Steven B. Wiley
As always, send your comments and ideas to our managing director, Angela Sontheimer, at angela@lincolnleadershipinstitute.com.
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The Kojo Nnamdi Show, NPR, June 16, 2009 — On today’s NPR broadcast of the Kojo Nnamdi Show, New York Times reporter Warren St. John was interviewed by the popular radio host about his new book, Outcasts United.
“In the 1990s, the town of Clarkston, Georgia became an unlikely refugee resettlement center,” explained Kojo. “As scores of families from the world’s war zones descended on the town, one new arrival decided to create a youth soccer team to unite refugee children. Today we will hear the story of that team — dubbed the “Fugees” by its members — and how its members adapted to life in the U.S.”
Listen to the entire broadcast here: WAMU 88.5 FM, The Kojo Nnamdi Show.
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The Times London, June 11, 2009 — How football helped refugees in a US town is the focus of a June 11 article in The Times London.
Reporter Mike Atherton explains: “Shamsoun Dikori remembered the first time that he saw aircraft high above the Nuba Mountains in central Sudan. He thought that they were birds – until the bombs came raining down. Jihad followed the bombings; within two years about 200,000 people (20 per cent of the local population) had been killed and the survivors of the 50 or so ethnic groups that inhabited this fertile region had been displaced.”
“The remarkable story of this football family has now been told by Warren St John, a reporter from The New York Times who immersed himself in the immigrant footballing community of Clarkston. Like all good books about sport, this is about much more than sport. It is about how the inhabitants of Clarkston came to terms, or did not come to terms, with a decade during which their town changed beyond recognition; about how immigrants coped with the kind of upheaval most people cannot imagine, and about how sport helped, to a small extent, to ameliorate the process for both.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs, Director of Communications
Tigerlily Foundation, www.tigerlilyfoundation.org
703 346-6975 / hope@inkandescentpr.com
RESTON VA — Mark your calendar for the evening of June 25 when the Tigerlily Foundation, a non-profit breast foundation dedicated to educating, empowering and lending financial and emotional support to young women with breast cancer, hosts it first annual DIVA Night Out.
“To us, a DIVA is Divine, Inspired, Vivacious, and Aware,” explains Tigerlily’s President and Founder Maimah Karmo, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 at the age of 32 and has been cancer-free since founding the organization in 2006. “We at Tigerlily are excited about this event, which will of course be a great party, but also will be inspiring as we bring together survivors and women who are struggling with breast cancer.”
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GAITHERSBURG MD, June 2009 — The owners of the health benefits firm Golden & Cohen are pleased to announce that this year, once again, they have made the list of the Top 10 largest health insurance firms in Washington Business Journal’s Book of Lists”:http://www.bizjournals.com/.
“We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments, as we have built our business brick by brick,” says Stephanie Cohen, CEO of Golden & Cohen. “We want to thank all our loyal clients, many of whom have been with us since our inception. We will continue to work hard everyday to make sure each and every client is receiving world-class service and the best possible insurance strategy for their needs and budget.”
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Washington DC, June 8, 2009 — If you love soccer, a great story, and believe in supporting kids with big dreams, mark your calendar for Saturday, June 20 from 1-3pm when New York Times reporter Warren St. John, author of “Outcasts United” (www.OutcastsUnited.com)— a book that is sure to be an educational and soccer classic — hosts a remarkable event at DC’s famous 9:30 Club (www.930.com).
In collaboration with the DC-based book event company, Hooks Book Events (www.hooksbookevents.com), the afternoon will be action-packed with great activities for kids including a juggling clinic with the Los Angeles-based soccer freestyle troupe, the Futboleros (www.fultboleros.us), a brief introduction by Warren St. John about “Outcasts United” (www.OutcastsUnited.com), followed by a performance by the wildly popular Afrofunk big band Chopteeth (www.Chopteeth.com).
Tickets are $10, and the proceeds benefit the Fugees soccer team (www.FugeesFamily.org), which the book features, explains St. John, who decided to set the event in DC because he wanted to celebrate with kids and adults are some of the biggest soccer fans in the country. “I love DC, and since Chopteeth is based here, it was an obvious selection.”
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 7, 2009 — Reporter Len Boselovic wrote in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
As the recession rages outside, about 20 CEOs of Western Pennsylvania companies are comfortably ensconced in a meeting room at St. Clair Country Club, sipping bottled water or coffee and watching clips from ‘The Killer Angels.’ When the carnage in the movie about the battle of Gettysburg comes to an end, speaker Steven B. Wiley comes to life, telling the attentive executives that learning from Gettysburg’s heroes — including a willingness to listen — can make them better leaders.
“If you think about listening until it hurts, it could change your life,” Mr. Wiley exhorts them.
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Washington Business Journal, June 4, 2009 — “It’s one of those favorite half-full observations for a human resources department: A down economy is a great opportunity to pick up top talent that might not otherwise be on the market or in your price range,” writes Washington Business Journal reporter Jennifer Nycz-Conner. “That, of course, is easier said than done. But it’s a key move right now.”
Nycz-Conner interviewed several local firms, including HR expert Sharon Armstrong, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook and owner of Sharon Armstrong and Associates.
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A Transformational Journey from Gettysburg is the title of the most recent YouTube video release that Inkandescent Public Relations helped create for Steve Wiley’s Lincoln Leadership Institute.
Based on the intensive three-day leadership training program that well-known speaker Wiley has been hosting for years, this video by Inkandescent’s videographer Zach Starr, features insights and lessons from generals, ambassadors, and the other LLI faculty members who each year teach hundreds of managers and executives from top U.S. firms how to be more effective and efficient.
“We use the battle of Gettysburg as a metaphor, but our program is not a just a history lesson,” says Wiley. “We focus on the key things that helped the North secure the win on those critical July days in 1863.”
Watch it now on YouTube.
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YouTube video, June 2009 — To promote his June 20 event at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC, New York Times reporter Warren St. John — author of the new book, “Outcasts United,” hired Inkandescent Public Relations to create a YouTube video. Our videographer Zach Starr shot the film on the roof of Warren’s NYC apartment building, and spliced in interesting clips. Watch the video by clicking here..
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
YouTube, June 1, 2009 — A Transformational Journey from Gettysburg is the title of the most recent YouTube video release that Inkandescent Public Relations helped create for Steve Wiley’s Lincoln Leadership Institute.
Based on the intensive three-day leadership training program that well-known speaker Wiley has been hosting for years, this video by Inkandescent’s videographer Zach Starr, features insights and lessons from generals, ambassadors, and the other LLI faculty members who each year teach hundreds of managers and executives from top U.S. firms how to be more effective and efficient.
“We use the battle of Gettysburg as a metaphor, but our program is not a just a history lesson,” says Wiley. “We focus on the key things that helped the North secure the win on those critical July days in 1863.”
This is the third video Zach Starr has created for The Lincoln Leadership Institute.
Watch it now on YouTube.
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Join Bernard Wolfe & Associates June 2, 6-8 pm, when the financial planning firm hosts an educational session on income-generating strategies for 2009 and beyond
Chevy Chase, MD, May 26, 2009 — As most people continue to navigate the volatile economic climate, the top-rated financial planning firm Bernard Wolfe & Associates (http://www.bernardwolfe.com) is taking the initiative to educate all investors by hosting informative seminars every other month to teach investors about the new landscape of financial planning.
“I have been in finance business for nearly 30 years, and am committed now more than ever to being a trusted advisor to all of our current and potential clients who might need to rethink their current financial strategies,” says Bernard Wolfe, a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), and one of the first members of the Registry of Financial Planners in the Washington DC area.
What makes Wolfe’s firm stand out from the rest, he believes, is that he operates from a strategy he learned when he played for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals for nearly five seasons.
“As Wayne Gretzky used to say, ‘a good hockey player plays where the puck is, a great hockey player plays to where the puck is going to be,’” says Wolfe, who was named the Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Athlete of the Year, and All Canadian by his alma mater, Sir George Williams University in Montreal. “That metaphor couldn’t be more appropriate than it is in this current economic crisis. What we try to do in our business is exactly what Gretzky spoke about in hockey. We try to anticipate how best to situate our clients and not rely on what worked over the last 20-30 years, but what will work today and tomorrow.”
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RESTON VA, MAY 25, 2009 — Tune in to the Oprah Winfrey Show today at 4pm (Monday, May 25) when Maimah Karmo, the founder of the Tigerlily Foundation, appears on the top-rated daytime talk show. This is a repeat of a show that originally aired last year. View that here].
Following is an excerpt from the broadcast, entitled “Breast Cancer Battles,” which also features actress Christina Applegate, who had a double mastectomy soon after she landed the starring role in the ABC comedy series, Samantha Who?
Oprah then interviewed Tigerlily’s founder about her work to help women 40 and under who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Following is an excerpt from the interview.
“Millions of women around the globe struggle with the day-to-day reality of living with breast cancer,” Oprah told the audience. “Maimah never believed she would be one of them. Since a young age, Maimah was taught to always do self-examinations—even though there was no history of the disease in her family. At age 32, she discovered her biggest fear, a lump.”
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Leesburg Today, Thursday, May 15, 2009 — In an article featured in the May 15 issue of the Leesburg Times, reporter Kara Clark wrote about HR expert Barbara Mitchell, co-author of The Essential HR Handbook who spoke at the May 14 Sterling Women luncheon about her experience as a business owner.
“Human resources expert Barbara Mitchell takes exception to the term “bucket list”. Instead, she refers to her list as things to do while I’m still living,” Clark wrote. “She encouraged the 100-plus women in attendance to make such a list. She said she got the idea for her list after reading a newspaper article and immediately sprang to action. She happily reported that she has been able to accomplish the top two priorities on her list: starting a business and writing a book.
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WEBSITE — Golden & Cohen
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
About Golden & Cohen
Top-rated specialists on group and individual insurance benefits and retirement planning, Golden & Cohen launched a new website on May 1, 2009 to provide their current and potential clients with more detailed information on the best insurance options: http://golden-cohen.com.
“The new website outlines all of the products we offer—from group and individual dental, disability, and life insurance, to group vision insurance and individual pension plans,” explains Stephanie Cohen, co-founder and the company’s chief operating officer. “Beyond that, we offer benefits management services such as benchmarking, cafeteria plans, COBRA, and wellness programs. We also provide our clients with access to human resources management, including employee benefits plans and performance reviews.”
Providing first-class customer service is the priority at Golden & Cohen, she says.
“We pride ourselves on providing the best customer service possible, and are here to assist 24 hours a day with any insurance issues that may arise,” Cohen affirms. She points to the firm’s offerings of claims assistance as well as its insights into the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and legal and compliance information. “From billing to claims resolutions and appeals, our experienced team understands how the system and processes work, and goes the extra mile for all of our clients.”
FEDERAL NEWS RADIO, APRIL 24, 2009 — Hooks Book Events co-founder Perry Pidgeon Hooks was featured on today’s 10 a.m. radio broadcast of “Inside Government,” during a recap of this week’s Government Executive’s 2009 Excellence in Government Conference on www.federalnewsradio.com, 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C., area.
Hooks discussed her company’s role in connecting big thinkers with the federal government to tackle the most pressing issues. Case in point was the keynote speaker she brought to the April 20 Government Executive’s 2009 Excellence in Government Conference — the award-winning broadcaster Cokie Roberts, who discussed her latest book, “Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation,” as well as President Obama’s initiative to increase public service.
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What will make your meeting or conference stand out? The speakers you hire! We know the goal of every meeting planner is put together an event that gets people thinking and brainstorming unique solutions that will take your company, organization, or industry to new heights. Our outstanding speakers have been chosen because they have the ability to connect with an audience and deliver a powerful message that moves, intrigues, and inspires the crowd.
Our menu of services includes:
Meeting design and coordination
• Setting the agenda, and designing meeting activities and breakout sessions
• Arranging pre-meeting dinners and tours
Logistics and administration
• Selecting and booking meeting venues
• Handling meeting registration, and creation and distribution of meeting materials
Graphic design and illustration
• Designing meeting logos, posters, flyers, and other artistic components
Audiovisual needs
• Professional photography
• Video, CDs, podcasts
Meeting promotion: PR and marketing
• Press releases
• Placed articles
• Blogs
• Advertisements
• Media outreach to journalists: print, television, and radio
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If you are an experienced speaker and a thought leader who is respected in your industry, we want to hear from you.
Quality is key. Therefore a speaker evaluation is required. Send a sample video, audio, and digital copy of any presentations that you have made to speakers@inkandescentpr.com.
Don’t have a press kit, audio, or video? You aren’t alone. We know that sometimes great speakers may lack all of the pieces necessary to market themselves successfully—and we can help.
Click below for our tier of services that will help us market your talent.
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HEALTH NEWS DIGEST, April 2009 — “The economic downturn is taking its toll on employees in all industries — but health insurance companies will increasingly be a good place to look for work,” writes Scott Golden, chief financial officer of the Maryland-based health benefits brokerage firm Golden & Cohen, in this week’s issue of HealthNewsDigest.com.
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E-COMMERCE TIMES, MARCH 26, 2009 — “Apple wants a bigger chunk of the desktop computer market, but it’s unlikely to head downstream with stripped-down consumer offerings,” writes reporter Erika Morphy in a March 26 article for the E-Commerce Times and MacNewsWorld entitled Will Artists Still Love Macs Tomorrow?
“Artists and designers are loyal customers, but Apple already owns that segment. The enterprise is likely the most fertile ground for expansion,” she said. “Can Apple deliver a high-end product that meets both corporate and creative needs?” To find out, she interviewed illustrator Michael Gibbs, owner of Michael Gibbs Illustration & Design and art director of Inkandescent Public Relations.
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In the News: Maimah Karmo Speaks at Press Conference Along with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in Support of EARLY Act
March 23, 2009, Washington, DC — At a press conference in the Capitol building today, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) was joined by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN), to announce legislation they will introduce to highlight the breast cancer risks facing young women under the age of 40 to empower these women with the tools they need to prevent and fight this deadly disease.
They were joined by Rep. Melissa Bean (IL-8) as well as local cancer survivor Maimah Karmo, Executive Director of the Tigerlily Foundation, and Dr. Sandra
Swain the medical director of the Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center.
“I found my cancer early because of knowledge and awareness,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “I knew that I should perform breast self-exams, and I was aware of what my body was supposed to feel like. We need to ensure that every young woman in America can rely on more than luck because their survival depends on it.”
“It is critical that we support the EARLY Act and get this legislation passed,” said Ms. Karmo. “There are over a quarter million women living in the United States today who are diagnosed with breast cancer under 40. These women are not just statistics, they’re heart beats. They need education, they need to be aware, and they need hands on support.”
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, MARCH 20, 2009 — We are incredibly sad to report that one of our favorite clients, The Delaware Market House in Gladwyne PA, is going out of business tomorrow.
“People are watching their finances, and when they’re looking to make cuts, gourmet food is the first to go,” owner and chef Kim Alvarez told Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Kathy Boccella. “They think, Do I really need that rotisserie chicken for $7.99 or can I pick one up at Costco?”
Read the entire article on Philly.com, or click inside to read more. Recipes are available on Chefs Kim & Edgar’s website: www.delawaremarkethouse.com.
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GLADWYNE PA, March 17, 2009 — The downturn in the economy has taken its toll on The Delaware Market House, say owners Kim and Edgar Alvarez, who will be closing their Gladwyne gourmet store on Saturday, March 21. “With the increase of food costs and the decline in revenue, the market has been unable to keep up with the drastic changes in this tumultuous economic time,” says Chef Kim. “We will officially close our doors at 5pm.” The couple admits closing the store is like losing a dear friend. “We thank all of our customers for the support they have showered on us since we bought the store in 2004,” Kim says. “We’ve had a wonderful time cooking for you, talking with you, and having you as a part of our Delaware Market House family. Please stay in touch.”
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WASHINGtON BUSINESS JOURNAL, March 13, 2009 — Layoffs are never pleasant and often scary, but if you stay upbeat, make a plan and get busy, this seismic shift could help push your career in a better direction, human resources training and consulting expert Sharon Armstrong explained to Washington Business Journal reporter Jennifer Nycz-Conner in a feature that appeared today on pages 26-27. Following are tips that Armstrong offered to help you bounce back.
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Illustration by Michael Gibbs
Client: Vint Hill Craft Winery
Assignment: Create flyer to announce grand opening of Vint Hill Craft Winery
Opening for Harvest 2009
Orders taken beginning in March craft winery
Vint Hill Craft Winery will deliver a unique experience that focuses on winemaking; the skill, art and passion that surround it. Veteran Virginia winemaker Chris Pearmund is spearheading this new concept in personalized winemaking; ensuring quality, success and sustainability.
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Illustration by Michael Gibbs
Client: Vint Hill Craft Winery
Assignment: Create business card to promote Vint Hill Craft Winery
Client: Ray Summerell, CEO, and Chris Pearmund, winemaker
This business card by Northern Virginia illustrator / designer Michael Gibbs was created for Vint Hill craft winery’s grand opening in the spring of 2009.
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Illustration by Michael Gibbs
Client: Vint Hill Craft Winery
Assignment: Create rack card to promote Vint Hill Craft Winery
Client: Ray Summerell, CEO, and Chris Pearmund, winemaker
This rack card by Northern Virginia illustrator / designer Michael Gibbs was created for Vint Hill craft winery’s grand opening in the spring of 2009.
Clients: Ray Summerell, CEO, and Chris Pearmund, winemaker, approved the design and are distributing the rack cards at their other two wineries: Pearmund Cellars and The Winery La Grange.
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Illustration by Michael Gibbs
Client: Vint Hill Craft Winery
Assignment: Create flyer to announce grand opening of Vint Hill Craft Winery
Opening for Harvest 2009
Orders taken beginning in March craft winery
Vint Hill Craft Winery will deliver a unique experience that focuses on winemaking; the skill, art and passion that surround it. Veteran Virginia winemaker Chris Pearmund is spearheading this new concept in personalized winemaking; ensuring quality, success and sustainability.
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Gettysburg PA, March 16, 2009 — Why is having an executive presence so important? Today Steven B. Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, released a YouTube video about why, and how, to achieve the highest standard of leadership. In this video by Inkandescent Public Relations videographer Zach Starr of Starr Media, Wiley interviews Lincoln about what it takes to be as effective as the 16th president.
View the video on YouTube and read the entire transcript below.
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Gettysburg PA, March 16, 2009 — Why is having an executive presence so important? Today Steven B. Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, released a YouTube video about why, and how, to achieve the highest standard of leadership. In this video by Inkandescent Public Relations videographer Zach Starr of Starr Media, Wiley interviews Lincoln about what it takes to be as effective as the 16th president.
View the video on YouTube and read the entire transcript below.
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WASHINGTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, March 13, 2009 — Layoffs are never pleasant and often scary. Stay upbeat, make a plan and get busy. This seismic shift could help push your career in a better direction, human resources training and consulting expert Sharon Armstrong told Washington Business Journal reporter Jennifer Nycz-Conner in a March 13 feature on pages 26-27. If you become one of the unfortunate ones, read the following are tips to help you bounce back: washington.bizjournals.com.
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At the start of 2008, investors believed they were getting true diversification on their stock portfolios by investing in a variety of asset classes such as commodities, bonds, and real estate investment trusts (REITs). The prevailing thought was that these other asset classes would provide some hedge against pure stock portfolios.
Then the bottom dropped out. Last year’s global financial margin call, including a general collapse in the housing market and mass deleveraging of the financial system, caused many investors to liquidate everything and anything that had a market value. The spreads of many underlying securities widened, and prices dropped across the board. Keep in mind, certain bond positions dropped significantly, even in cases where there was no exposure to troubled assets.
So we began rethinking our strategy. Traditionally, many financial planners bought in to one philosophy: Buy and hold. This strategy has typically worked for the last 80 years. Indeed, studies have shown* that if you held a fully invested stock portfolio over that time period, your returns far exceeded those of bonds, treasuries, and cash. However, there aren’t many people who have 80 years to wait for their investments to increase. And we believe our retired clients, and those nearing retirement, cannot afford to go through another 2008. Our new motto: Row, don’t sail.
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WEBSITE — Habitat Women Who Build
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
About Habitat Women Who Build
Formed in the fall of 2008 by Dr. Alice Waagen, a longtime board member of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia and president of the management training firm Workforce Learning, Habitat Women Who Build is a grassroots effort that brings together women from all walks of life to help build the newest Habitat for Humanity of Northern VA project at Maple Ridge in Fairfax, VA.
“To build a house for a family-in-need is a tall order,” Alice admits. “We need to raise $180,000 in total. But like the good builders we are, our first ambition is to raise enough to sponsor one work day: $5000.”
Designing and posting this website, which was donated by Inkandescent Public Relations, was the first step toward accomplishing that goal. Make a donation here.
WEBSITE — Habitat Women Who Build
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
About Habitat Women Who Build
Formed in the fall of 2008 by Dr. Alice Waagen, a longtime board member of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia and president of the management training firm Workforce Learning, Habitat Women Who Build is a grassroots effort that brings together women from all walks of life to help build the newest Habitat for Humanity of Northern VA project at Maple Ridge in Fairfax, VA.
“To build a house for a family-in-need is a tall order,” Alice admits. “We need to raise $180,000 in total. But like the good builders we are, our first ambition is to raise enough to sponsor one work day: $5000.”
Designing and posting this website, which was donated by Inkandescent Public Relations, was the first step toward accomplishing that goal. Make a donation here.
Habitat Women Who Build Fashion Show, March 18, 2009 — At Inkandescent Public Relations, we’re often asked to contribute to and participate in raising funds for worthwhile causes. We couldn’t say no when our prez Hope Katz Gibbs was invited by our client Dr. Alice Waagen, owner of Workforce Learning to be one of the founding mothers of Habitat Women Who Build, a fundraising group dedicated to raising at least $5000 to sponsor a build day later this year.
As of today, are 1/5th of the way there! And in the spirit of bringing in the bucks — and bringing together a lot of other women who are inspired to help this cause — on March 18, Habitat Women Who Build will be the beneficiaries of funds raised at a wonderful “Night of Fashion,” hosted by Your Own Entourage and Moore Cadillac Chantilly. Sponsorships are also available. REGISTER HERE!
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Scholastic Administrator Magazine, February 2009 — Educator Peter Noonan, Fairfax County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services, was named a one of the “Top Educators Under 40” this month by Scholastic Administrator magazine.
In the article, reporter Caralee Adam discussed how a younger generation is changing the face of education. Among other things, Noonan shared his education policy wish: “We need to take a hard look at NCLB. The intent and spirit was good. But we have some outstanding educators and schools that have been labeled as failing, and that has a devastating effect on the community.”
Read the entire article here.
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WUSA: DC Channel 9 News NOW — HR expert Sharon Armstrong was invited with her colleague Marshall Brown on December 30 to talk about the best approach to find a new job in the current economic downturn. A human resources consultant, trainer and career counselor, Armstrong has interviewed and helped hundreds of job candidates land the perfect job. Brown, a certified career, executive coach, and author of “High-End Resumes,” focuses on strategies for succeeding in interviews and making it to the final candidate list in this tough market.
“Don’t panic,” Armstrong told WUSA reporter Mike Walter. “Just start working right away on a new plan.” Watch the clip on YouTube
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Gettysburg PA, February 24, 2009 — The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg launched a special YouTube video this week to celebrate the move into its new offices in the historic David Wills House — the location where the 16th president spent the night before reciting the historic Gettysburg Address. “We are thrilled to have our headquarters in this beautifully restored historic landmark,” says Steven B. Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, who spoke at the opening luncheon prior official ribbon cutting for the museum.
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Gettysburg PA, February 24, 2009 — The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg launched a special YouTube video this week to celebrate the move into its new offices in the historic David Wills House — the location where the 16th president spent the night before reciting the historic Gettysburg Address. “We are thrilled to have our headquarters in this beautifully restored historic landmark,” says Steven B. Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, who spoke at the opening luncheon prior official ribbon cutting for the museum.
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Gettysburg PA, February 24, 2009 — The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg launched a special YouTube video this week to celebrate the move into its new offices in the historic David Wills House — the location where the 16th president spent the night before reciting the historic Gettysburg Address. “We are thrilled to have our headquarters in this beautifully restored historic landmark,” says Steven B. Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg, who spoke at the opening luncheon prior official ribbon cutting for the museum.
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Washington DC, February 24, 2009 — Laura Lee Williams, owner of the Washington DC-based luxury handbag company Laura Lee Designs, got word this week that she was named a Top Women Entrepreneur in North America by Enterprising Women magazine.
“These awards recognize some of our nation’s most talented women business owners,” says Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women magazine, which is based in Cary, NC. “Our mission with this award celebration is to showcase the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable group of women entrepreneurs, both in their industries and local communities.”
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Babylune blog, February 20, 2009 — Writer and PR specialist Hope Katz Gibbs was featured today on Babylune, a blog for moms about moms. In this Q&A, Hope talked about a business she launched in 2001, Great Handmade Gifts, which showcases the work of dozens of artists, artisans, authors and crafters on an e-commerce website that also sells their beautiful work.
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C-SPAN BOOK, February 15, 2009 — At 3pm today, C-SPAN BOOKS aired the speech that microfinance expert Dr. Muhammad Yunus gave on Feb. 4 at the Lisner Auditorium on the campus of the George Washington University. WATCH DR. YUNUS’ SPEECH HERE
“Our thanks go out to the 1400 people who packed the Lisner Auditorium to hear the the wonderful 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Winner speak to us about ways we can create a world without poverty,” says Perry Pidgeon Hooks, co-owner of Hooks Book Events, who with her partner Loretta Yenson brought Dr. Yunus to D.C. to share his wit and wisdom. “Dr. Yunus inspired everyone with his impressive thoughts on the importance of microfinance and social business from his important book.”
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BACON IS MEAT CANDY BLOG, February 9, 2009 — A blogger whose motto is, “Bacon in meat candy,” recently found the recipe by Chefs Kim and Edgar Alvarez, owners of the Delaware Market House, for Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction — and was blown away. He wrote: Recently I was contacted by the Delaware Market House website which is a funky 100+ year old establishment that is in the heart of historic Gladwyne, PA and is owned by Chefs Kim and Edgar Alvarez — a nice Jewish gal and wonderful Guatemalan man who jokingly call themselves Kosher Salsa. All joking aside they have a fabulous menu and have won dozens of awards from pubs ranging from Philadelphia magazine to Main Line Today. I asked if Chef Alvarez would be willing to share with us how he might prepare a Filet Mignon Steak.
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Continental Airlines magazine, February 2009 — In an article published in this month’s issue of Continental Airlines magazine, reporter Robert McGarvey quotes our client Steve Wiley, president of the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg.
In an entitled, Smarten Up: New-style education initiatives prepare savvy executives to master the tough times ahead, McGarvey says …
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Newsletter by Hope Katz Gibbs with Peter Noonan
Design by Michael Gibbs
Fairfax County Public Schools
Fall 2008: BEST PRACTICES
Click here to read the entire Winter issue of INSIDE
“We stand at a unique point in the history of U.S. education — a point which the potential for truly meaningful school reform greater than it ever has been,” write educators Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock in their classic textbook, A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works.
Their research has been synthesized in the 378-page book, including the nine
categories of useful instructional strategies proven to improve student achievement:
1. Identifying similarities/differences
2. Summarizing and note taking
3. Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
4. Homework and practice
5. Representing knowledge
6. Learning groups
7. Setting objectives, providing feedback
8. Generating, testing hypotheses
9. Cues, questions, advance organizers
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Michael Gibbs has been a freelance illustrator and designer since attending Pratt Institute as a photography and illustration major in the mid-70s. His award-winning artwork has appeared in Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Worth Magazine, Consumer Reports, Harvard Business Review, and publications for United Airlines, Verizon, IBM, Sears, American Airlines, CitiGroup and Oracle. He has also illustrated the covers and features of dozens of alumni magazines including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, the University of Chicago and American University.
His illustrations have been recognized by prestigious art publications such as Communication Arts, 3×3 Magazine, Print, and Spectrum. His work has also been exhibited at a variety of museums and galleries including the Society of Illustrator’s Museum of American Illustration in New York City, the Billy Shire Fine Arts Gallery in Los Angeles, and in Washington area at the Corcoran Museum of Art, the Sumner School Museum, Montgomery College Gallery and the University of Maryland Gallery.
View Michael’s portfolio at www.michaelgibbs.com
Discover his award-winning alter ego M Glenwood at www.mglenwood.com.
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News Channel 8, January 15, 2008 — Just days before Barack Obama’s Inauguration, luxury handbag designer Laura Lee Williams, owner of Laura Lee Designs, was featured on the noon broadcast of Washington DC’s ABC Affiliate News Channel 8 about the best accessories to carry for the big event.
Options, said the Northern Virginia-based designer, include her collection of styles, ranging from the M Bag, which measures 8×3 inches and has 3,500 beads — perfect for carrying make up, money and a cell phone — to the Positively Pink bag, which is like the M Bag and created to support breast cancer research. She also brought along her higher-end Sitting Pretty bag, a signature purse that’s big enough to handle all the goodies a woman might need to carry.
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Human Resource Executive, January 2009 — In the HR News section of this month’s Human Resource Executive magazine, reporter Scott Westcott interviewed Dr. Alice Waagen, president of the leadership development firm Workforce Learning, for his article, “Layoff Landslide.”
Westcott wrote: “With the economy in an official recession, HR leaders unfortunately will get plenty of practice to hone their skills in presiding over reductions-in-force.”
Dr. Waagen commented: “In HR, we’ve been through this before so there should be lots of lessons learned in how to handle layoffs in a humane and dignified way. The key tenet is massive amounts of open and timely communications — both for the employees leaving and those staying.”
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Washington DC, January 11, 2009 — Why do you fall in love with one person rather than another? That’s the question biological anthropologist Helen Fisher will address one month from today when she speaks about her new book “WHY HIM? WHY HER?” at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 11 at 6pm.
Dr. Fisher’s new book — the fifth from the world-renown Research Professor and member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in the Department of Anthropology at Rutgers University — stems from her current work as Scientific Advisor to the Internet dating site, Chemistry.com, a subsidiary of Match.com. Her data and ideas are based on her analysis of patterns of attraction among 28,000 men and women, as well as data from genetics, neurochemistry and personality studies.
Dr. Fisher has developed a personality test that reveals some of the basic biological aspects of who you are, your temperament. And using data from her new book, “WHY HIM? WHY HER?” she discusses four “natural” personality styles that stem, respectively, from activity in the neural systems for dopamine, serotonin, testosterone and estrogen/oxytocin.
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Washington Business Journal, January 9, 2009 — In this week’s Washington Business Journal, HR expert Sharon Armstrong is quoted in an article on page 13 entitled, “Gotta make a plan for inaugural day madhouse.”
Armstrong said executives and human resource professionals have a joint mission: “Communicate, disseminate information, anticipate and get the word out.”
_Work with your human resources team to keep your staff informed of our plans (“We’re closed,” “We’re open, but you can take a vacation day,” etc.) and what’s going on around them. Put together a contact sheet or online list of links to public information about inaugural activities, such as road closing locations and times, suggestions for travel and the like. Get the information to your staff as soon as possible. Then follow up with reminders leading up to Inauguration Day.
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Washington DC, January 4, 2009 — Anyone who understands the importance of micro-lending as a means to end global poverty will want to join Hooks Book Events when it hosts a special event with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. on at the Lisner Auditorium on the campus of the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
The Grameen Bank founder and managing director will be speaking about his latest book, “Creating a World Without Poverty,” which outlines his vision for a new business model that combines the power of free markets with the quest for a more humane world. He’ll share the inspiring stories of companies that are doing this work today.
This event is open to the public. A portion of proceeds from book sales will benefit the Grameen Foundation. Tickets to event are $25 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. For more information visit www.hooksbookevents.com.
About Dr. Muhammad Yunus
A native of Bangladesh, Dr. Yunus was educated at Dhaka University and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study economics at Vanderbilt University. In 1972, he became head of the economics department at Chittagong University. He is the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, a pioneer of microcredit, an economic movement that has helped lift millions of families around the world out of poverty. Yunus and Grameen Bank are winners of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
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WEBSITE — Hooks Book Events
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
*About Hooks Book Events *
Hooks Book Events is a DC-based company that believes in the power of new ideas. This minority women-owned business specializes in providing low-cost book and author events for U.S. government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, trade associations, and corporations of all sizes.
“We know that by bringing the most important authors of our age into your organization, employees and constituents will be stimulated and inspired to develop new insights on important topics,” says Perry Pidgeon Hooks, who co-founded HooksBookEvents with Loretta Yenson in 2007, and since has arranged and organized hundreds of book events and given thousands of people the opportunity to listen to, talk with, question and applaud the world’s top thinkers — all in the comfort of their own offices.
In December 2008, Hooks Book Events hired Inkandescent Public Relations to update its website — just in time for a feature article to be published in The Washington Post Magazine.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the new site, and are so glad that Hope, Mike, and Max moved fast enough to get it launched before The Post article hit newsstands,” Hooks says. “We have gotten a ton of compliments.”
January 4, 2009, The Washington Post Magazine — In today’s issue of The Washington Post Magazine, reporter Elizabeth Chang profiles Hooks Book Events owners about their growing book events business. “Perry Pidgeon Hooks and Loretta Yenson say Washington is the perfect base for a business that brings books and ideas to public and private organizations,” she writes. Says Perry: “Washington’s kind of the central place for thinking and thought production.” Read the article here.
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WEBSITE — Hooks Book Events
Click image for larger view Illustration and design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
About Hooks Book Events
Hooks Book Events is a DC-based company that believes in the power of new ideas. This minority women-owned business specializes in providing low-cost book and author events for U.S. government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, trade associations, and corporations of all sizes.
“We know that by bringing the most important authors of our age into your organization, employees and constituents will be stimulated and inspired to develop new insights on important topics,” says Perry Pidgeon Hooks, who co-founded HooksBookEvents with Loretta Yenson in 2007, and since has arranged and organized hundreds of book events and given thousands of people the opportunity to listen to, talk with, question and applaud the world’s top thinkers — all in the comfort of their own offices.
In December 2008, Hooks Book Events hired Inkandescent Public Relations to update its website — just in time for a feature article to be published in The Washington Post Magazine.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the new site, and are so glad that Hope, Mike, and Max moved fast enough to get it launched before The Post article hit newsstands,” Hooks says. “We have gotten a ton of compliments.”
Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, January 1, 2009 — “His voice resonates with vibrant passion,” writes reporter Adam Kulikowski in the January-February issue of Celebrate Gettysburg. “It fills any room he presides and fills the minds of those in attendance. At 6 foot 3 inches, The Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg President Steven Wiley’s stature in business and in person commands attention.”
And so begins a thoughtful article about the successes and failures that helped Wiley learn firsthand about what it means to be a true leader in the world of business. For as those who have heard Wiley speak know — his first company, an exterior restoration business, grew from a $50,000 start-up to a multi-million-dollar organization with more than 130 offices in three countries. But in 1989, he lost $4.5 million.
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WASHINGTON, DC, January 1, 2009 — Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg president Steven B. Wiley is featured in a new book released this month, “42 Rules™ for Driving Success With Books,” by Mitchell Levy, publisher of Happy About, a quick2print publishing company based in Southern California.
Wiley writes: “I have had the great honor of being invited to speak at some of the biggest organizations and Fortune 500 companies in the world to make presentations based on a book I wrote during the toughest period in my life. It is called ‘The Human Side of High Performance,’ and I am thrilled to say that its message has resonated with some of the most famous, and infamous, leaders of our time who have hired me to speak to their sales teams and managers.”
“I didn’t just wake up one morning and decide I wanted to be a celebrated author and speaker who helps people be more productive and effective as sales and business professionals. I began by trying to help myself.”
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PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC, January 1, 2009 — Insight into how her three books have helped HR expert Sharon Armstrong’s business is featured in a new book released this month entitled, “42 Rules™ for Driving Success With Books,” by Mitchell Levy, publisher of Happy About, a quick2publish book publisher based in Southern California.
“The authors in this book wrote content that allowed them to demonstrate innovation, share their marketing strategy, improve client retention, and share tricks and techniques on using a tool or service,” Levy explains. “The fact that they put this content in a book gave their ideas weight and increased their credibility and reputation. Having the books show up on Amazon, BN.com and other bookstores as well as personally delivering their books to clients/prospects really helped to drive the impact of their message.”
Armstrong is the author of three books: The Essential HR Handbook, 2007, Stress-Free Performance Appraisals, and Healing the Canine Within. For Levy’s book, she contributed the text for Chapter 25: Get Immediate Credibilty.
She writes: “I hadn’t planned on writing ‘Stress-Free Performance Appraisals’ back in 2002. But when an agent at Career Press read my first book … she liked it, and thought I could write another one for her. The next one was for HR professionals, and right up my alley … “
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Download Sharon Armstrong’s white paper: 100 Best Behavioral Interview Questions
Washington DC, January 1, 2009 — Released today is a free gift from HR expert Sharon Armstrong, “100 Best Interview Questions,” a guide that will help job candidates master a tried and true interviewing technique called behavioral interviewing.
“Behavioral interviewing is defined as a technique used by employers that asserts that past performance is the best indicator of future behavior,” Armstrong explains. “More and more employers are using this approach to make solid hiring decisions.”
How can you best present yourself during a behavioral interview — when it really matters? Armstrong admits these 100 questions can be tricky to master. “With the economy in the doldrums, I wanted to give job candidates a leg up on the interviewing process,” says Armstrong, who suggests job seekers practice answering the 100 questions on pages 2-5 of her guide by:
• Thinking of examples when you have cut costs, introduced a new approach, increased productivity, and encouraged teamwork.
• Giving concrete examples of the technical skills and competencies required for the position.
• Responding to answers using the CALL format:
C = Circumstances: What were you tasked with doing and why.
A = Actions: Explain what steps you took.
LL = Lasting Legacy: Explain the result you achieved.
“Potential employers aren’t trying to trick candidates,” Armstrong assures. “They just want to be sure to match the right person with the right job. These questions help them see inside an applicant and in the end this process assures everyone wins.”
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PLACED ARTICLE
WASHINGTON, DC, January 1, 2009 — Insight into how her three books have helped HR expert Sharon Armstrong’s business is featured in a new book released this month entitled, “42 Rules™ for Driving Success With Books,” by Mitchell Levy, publisher of Happy About, a quick2publish book publisher based in Southern California.
“The authors in this book wrote content that allowed them to demonstrate innovation, share their marketing strategy, improve client retention, and share tricks and techniques on using a tool or service,” Levy explains. “The fact that they put this content in a book gave their ideas weight and increased their credibility and reputation. Having the books show up on Amazon, BN.com and other bookstores as well as personally delivering their books to clients/prospects really helped to drive the impact of their message.”
Armstrong is the author of three books: The Essential HR Handbook, 2007, Stress-Free Performance Appraisals, and Healing the Canine Within. For Levy’s book, she contributed the text for Chapter 25: Get Immediate Credibilty.
She writes: “I hadn’t planned on writing ‘Stress-Free Performance Appraisals’ back in 2002. But when an agent at Career Press read my first book … she liked it, and thought I could write another one for her. The next one was for HR professionals, and right up my alley … “
Read More
WASHINGTON, DC, January 1, 2009 — Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg president Steven B. Wiley is featured in a new book released this month, “42 Rules™ for Driving Success With Books,” by Mitchell Levy, publisher of Happy About, a quick2print publishing company based in Southern California.
Wiley writes: “I have had the great honor of being invited to speak at some of the biggest organizations and Fortune 500 companies in the world to make presentations based on a book I wrote during the toughest period in my life. It is called ‘The Human Side of High Performance,’ and I am thrilled to say that its message has resonated with some of the most famous, and infamous, leaders of our time who have hired me to speak to their sales teams and managers.”
“I didn’t just wake up one morning and decide I wanted to be a celebrated author and speaker who helps people be more productive and effective as sales and business professionals. I began by trying to help myself.”
Read More
December 2008 — As one can imagine, there was a desire to unite, celebrate, and honor the fallen soldiers during the Christmas of 1863 — especially in Gettysburg where people were still reeling from the incredible loss of thousands of husbands, sons, fathers, and kin.
Traditions we hold dear today — such as Christmas cards, carols, special foods, holding winter dances — all date back to this time. New traditions were also born, such cutting down fir and pine trees that were brought into the home. Unlike today, the trees were tabletop size and arranged with greenery and mistletoe — items thought to bring good luck to the household.
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Produced by Inkandescent PR for our client Golden & Cohen, this YouTube video was created by our videographer Zach Starr. Click HERE to watch!
Gaithersburg MD, November 2008 — The much-anticipated DC Health Summit drew more than 100 business leaders interested in the future of health insurance reform to a packed the ballroom at the Mandarin Hotel. They were eager to hear what health insurance company executives, physicians, hospital administrators, and politicians had to say about how workplace wellness programs can lower insurance rates.
“This was a groundbreaking event,” moderator Andy Hines told the crowd. “For the first time, decision makers and players from every industry that impact the cost of health insurance gathered in one room. Fortunately, no chairs were thrown, and we had a very interesting discussion.”
That was the goal for Stephanie Cohen, CEO of the health benefits firm Golden & Cohen, who hosted the event.
“I have been in the trenches of the health care insurance industry for more than a decade, and what I see happening to my clients when they try to collect on their benefits not only disturbs me as a business owner — it infuriates me as a U.S. citizen and a mother,” Cohen says. “That is why my partners and I at Golden & Cohen decided to host the DC Health Summit. Our goal is to bring the decision makers together—politicians, health insurance company executives, physicians, academics and hospital administrators—so we can start to come up with workable solutions.”
To hear some of their remarks, view a video of the event on YouTube.
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