As an organization we believe that without a well-trained workforce, the promise of clean energy is unattainable. Therefore in 2009 and beyond, MWW Group will extend its partnership with Carbonfund.org and support specific, verifiable renewable energy projects that create the infrastructure and skills necessary to drive a global, clean energy economy and further reduce carbon emissions. This year MWW Group will support the Iowa Lakes Wind Energy and Turbine Program, an initiative of Iowa Lakes Community College responding to the growing demand for skilled technicians who can install, maintain, and service modern wind turbines. Information on the program can be found here: http://www.ilcc.cc.ia.us/programs_study/industrial/wind_energy_turbine/index.htm.

MWW Group remains firmly committed to doing our part to protect and preserve the environment. We challenge our peers in the industry, as well as our clients and partners, to join with us in this important work, or to adopt your own programs to help bring about a clean energy economy.

In all likelihood your organization is actively monitoring the Swine Flu crisis and like many, you’ve already communicated to your employees travel warnings, guidance on limiting exposure to the virus and procedures to follow should they feel ill.

Now, just how ready is your organization to manage the necessary communications triggered by a confirmed infection among your employees? What about a suspected infection or even a rumor?

The Centers for Disease Control and both state and local health organizations have clear guidelines for dealing with public health issues. Companies experiencing a confirmed case will be directed to identify and notify other employees, customers, etc. with whom there was likely contact. In the case of a suspected infection or a rumor, some organizations may even lean towards preemptive notification in an effort to stay ahead of the issue.

It will be extremely difficult to keep such notifications "quiet," particularly with an issue of this scale and potential impact. Internal memos quickly become public and social media platforms virtually guarantee exposure within minutes. And for organizations whose employees who interact with the public on a regular basis such as retailers, restaurants, universities, hospitals, etc., communicating through the media may be a necessary part of the response plan.

In all cases it is critically important that the communications process be handled correctly and the message be right. Downplay the incident and you appear uncaring. Overplay the incident and you start a panic. Both can have a devastating impact on an organization's reputation and business prospects.

If you are not already thinking about "what's next" you should be. Among the many things to be thinking about, a few include:

• Employee communications detailing corporate policies and advising on precautions
• Contingency planning, notification procedures and related communications associated with confirmed and/or suspected cases among employees
• Website content, social media communications and call center scripts on the issue
• Investor communications detailing risk management protocols, business impact, etc.
• Monitoring media and online sources for rumors and promptly addressing them
• Media relations support including the fielding of incoming calls
• Spokesperson training
• Tracking industry / competitor reactions to the crisis
• Working with industry associations on statements and activities related to the crisis

In the end, this points out the need for strong contingency planning by American companies and institutions…because there is always something unexpected that happens…and not being prepared is often worse than the event or disease.

I am pleased to share with you MWW Group's first annual Corporate Citizenship Report. Since 1986, MWW Group has strived to be a positive influence in the communities in which we live and work. This report highlights our recent accomplishments, outlines our focus going forward and will serve as a baseline against which we measure and report our future citizenship activities.

Through our company-wide efforts and the personal commitments of our employees nationwide, MWW Group and its employees continually strive to demonstrate citizenship in action. Through our contributions of time and financial resources to charitable organizations, our strict focus on environmental responsibility, our industry-leading employee programs and our great work on behalf of clients, the people of MWW Group can take great pride in our societal committments.

I would like to personally thank our partners in philanthropy, citizenship and sustainability for all your contributions to date and for your future efforts.

Click here to view the report

While each of us should know that anything we post on our Facebook has the potential to be seen by the entire world...so poster beware...that is materially different than Facebook taking ownership of your content, of your private information...with the right to do with it as they please. This policy was truly shocking for a company that grew organically on trust and must depend on organic growth to keep them moving forward. Did they think that people wouldn't notice or care? Or is it just inexperience, a miscalculated revenue grab or arrogance? Whatever the motive, they have created real doubt in the minds of their consumers...time will tell if it they have inflicted long term damage on themselves or if this was just a short term hick up...and kudos to them for recognizing that they had a real crises and handled it quickly and apparently competently...but, now more than ever they will have a bull’s-eye on every move and a magnifier on every policy...how they move from here will determine whether they remain an enduring brand or one that has begun to jump the shark.

The national mood, I think, is particularly eager for change. Not only a change in this administration … though certainly that … but a change in direction. We have major issues to tackle and we’re collectively tired of waiting to do so. I think you’ll see a tremendous outpouring of national energy in the coming days and months.

In that spirit, I’m proud to announce that MWW Group has issued a national call to action, to harness some of that energy in the effort to create positive change. We are calling it “100 Words for 100 Days.” We have asked for 100-word submissions from organizations and individuals across the country, either written or in video form. The submissions should answer two questions:

What change are you ready for in the first 100 days?

And what can you do to bring about this change?

The entries will be gathered at www.mww.com/change. We will review every one and will select two winners – one organizational winner and one individual.

The winning organization will receive three months’ worth of pro bono PR support from MWW Group, amounting to $30,000 worth of assistance to help them spread their message of change. The winning individual will earn a $5,000 paid internship at any of MWW Group’s offices, where we will teach them the PR skills necessary to help them achieve their goal.

The inauguration of a new President gives us all a chance to think about how we can do our part to help change our nation for the better. That’s what this campaign is about.

At MWW Group, we’re proud to do our part. We look forward to receiving these entries, and to making these promises a reality.

As it stands today, the Obama energy plan calls for investment of $150 Billion in clean technologies over the next ten years. As part of the plan the President-Elect is pledging to:

~ double energy R&D funding,
~ convert the nation’s manufacturing centers into clean technology masterpieces,
~ commercialize and deploy cellulosic ethanol,
~ expand locally-owned biofuel refineries,
~ require a national 25% renewable electricity standard by 2025, and,
~ invest $50 billion in the Clean Technologies Venture Capital Fund over the next five years.

For smart businesses ready today to take lead-steer positions on key environmental issues and help shape the national dialogue, the Obama energy plan may well represent an opportunity unlike anything seen before. That said, ‘today’ is the key part of that statement. The President-Elect is not waiting until Inauguration Day to begin and this train is warming up and about to ready the station.

Given the dollar amounts involved, the Obama Administration will first need to engage the Congress and a multitude of Federal agencies before it can turn its environmental vision into a reality. The drafting and submission of a massive new energy bill (or a series of bills) will soon commence and a spirited debate is expected in Congress as the Administration presses for passage of the legislation. Intense public interest…and public need…will mandate swift action on the Hill and the window of opportunity will quickly close for companies seeking to be a part of the process…and share part of the opportunity.

Right now, clean technology companies should be launching public and government relations campaigns if they hope to contribute to the national energy plan and create a receptive environment for putting those dollars into action. Flags must be immediately planted in Washington while the legislation is still in a conceptual state, before the drafting is finalized and while the guiding principles are being discussed by members of Congress, their staffs, and the soon-to-be-confirmed top energy officials in the Obama Administration.

The next two to three months are going to be intense. Many companies’ futures will be made and many more will miss out. For those of us who do this for a living, and who will be neck deep in the process on behalf of tomorrow’s clean technology leaders, it will no doubt be an exciting reminder of why we got into this business in the first place.

The PR News PR People Award showcases the top talent and the passionate professionals who, day in and day out, are making communications matter in the marketplace. This award highlights those who set the benchmark for PR and underscores the outstanding PR achievements of the last year.

PR News' 2008 PR People of the Year are:

	Saurabh Wahi - Brand Marketer of the Year - As Group Vice President in MWW Group’s Consumer Lifestyle Marketing practice, Saurabh has worked closely with Nikon’s internal marketing team to completely transform public perception of Nikon cameras through compelling, multi-faceted and fully integrated communications, digital media and experiential marketing campaigns.
	Michael Sacks - Account Executive of the Year - Since joining MWW Group over a year ago, Michael Sacks has earned the distinction of "go to guy" for clients and colleagues alike. His willingness to pitch in wherever he is needed and eagerness to take on new projects make him a valuable employee, teammate, and PR counselor. More importantly, he delivers unparalleled results for clients that exceed their business goals. Mike has played a vital part in programs for Samsung and Deloitte while also helping to secure new business such as the coveted Adecco account.

	Claire Koeneman received an honorable mention for the Investor Relations Professional of the Year award. Claire continues to  be a game changer for her clients’ businesses as well as someone that CEOs and CFOs across the country and the world seek out for counsel, leading Claire to be a trusted advisor to some of the leading companies in the world.
	Tracy Calabrese also accepted her award as one of PR News' 15 to Watch for PR professionals under 30 years old. Starting as an intern 4 years ago, Tracey has become a true MWW Group superstar. Her passion for PR and can-do attitude has helped her fast track her way to becoming an SAE where she now helps to manage PR programs for Samsung, one of MWW Group’s largest accounts.

Please join me in congratulating our colleagues on their prestigious and well-deserved recognition.

A new President will be elected tomorrow. It will create an exciting and long overdue change for our country. So, whoever you support, I only ask one thing: make sure you vote, make sure your friends vote…being involved in the process gives you a stake in our nation’s success, and that’s a great thing, no matter who wins.

Given the incredible challenges facing society, the economy and our industry, I have been giving a great deal of thought about the lack of leadership by the “leaders” in our industry. Why is an industry built on communication so lacking in public figures? Why do we not take strong positions of our own and defend them aggressively? We certainly do so for our clients, every day, yet there is a mystifying reticence to do so on our own behalf. Why are so few willing to stand up and take a position? Why are our leaders so silent? I, for one, think it’s time for us to “leadership up.”

Individually and collectively, we are more than just the heads of public relations firms. Our industry is growing rapidly in both size and influence. In the U.S. alone, we employ almost 250,000 people, and manage more than $1.5 billion in revenue. We serve as trusted counsel to thousands of global leaders, spanning business, entertainment and politics. We help craft and deliver the messages that help Americans sort through the issues that impact them every day. Our unique position lends us a collective insight that should, by all rights, make us more likely to step up and speak, rather than less.

So, why don’t we publicly and openly discuss our opinions? Clearly we have them. Can it be that we are just too lazy or could it be something deeper? Looking at the vast majority of our industry leaders, I can only speculate that their reticence to take a stand, to really put a stake in the ground, is driven by fear that a passionate opinion made public would alienate a potential client or employee. And in some cases, depending on the opinion and the client, that may be true. But follow that line of thinking through. What is the real risk? Do we want to represent clients whose beliefs are diametrically opposed to our own? Isn’t that the definition of hypocrisy? And wouldn’t a potential client be more inclined to seek the counsel of a PR practitioner who demonstrates a deep awareness of the issues and has the confidence and standing to try and impact them? I know prospective employees deeply respect those with the courage to stand up for what they believe.

And what about issues that directly impact our industry? Our partners? Our Employees? Staying silent on those is an even greater sin.

This continued silence does not help us. It furthers the perception of PR pros as ciphers, mouthpieces who are willing to espouse any position once the client’s check clears. Nothing is further from the truth. In my decades in PR I’ve been proud to work alongside some of the smartest, passionate, thoughtful and…often, most opinionated people in business. Many of our peers are deeply committed to our profession and critical social issues. And many have deeply rooted and highly charged opinions that they are willing to impart during a private meeting or a casual meal.

And yet, oddly, among the leaders of our profession, there is little said publicly. Their opinions rarely see the light of day. Just this pervasive, eerie quiet. It’s time for us to lead the debate…for our leaders to lead.

A special thanks to Ashley Lane and the entire MWW Group Dallas team for going Passionately Pink for the Cure yesterday to help raise funds for the fight against breast cancer, the Dallas team showed their support by wearing pink and donating money to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Right now, the value of a smart, experienced financial communications professional has simply never been higher. So, what should public companies do during this time of unprecedented turmoil? Say nothing and wait for things to get better? Just the opposite needs to happen and with lightning speed. At a time when all companies are being painted with the same brush, at a time when the market cares little for a company, balance sheet and product differential, companies need to communicate more openly than ever before. Whether the news is good or bad, companies need to communicate to their key stakeholders to differentiate their strategy, to give faith in management and to clearly articulate their corporate assets. This is not a time for arrogance or to pretend you have all the answers. Clearly, this is a time for the expertise of senior level communications professionals to have a key seat at the table.

When each piece of news reaches different stakeholders – shareholders, employees, customers, competitors, communities – they respond with questions of their own. Are my assets safe? Do I have a job? Why did this happen? Is this crisis over, or continuing? Will the company survive? Communications executives are charged with delivering answers, in real time, to these questions … and they’re also responsible for looking ahead to see what issues and questions will be asked but haven’t.

And, the critical value of internal communications has also risen in turn. The way that important information is shared with employees can have a longer term impact than a short term liquidity issue. It can be tricky to determine when to disclose critical information and in what form. Do you jump-start a crisis by disclosing it with employees in full, the moment you understand its parameters? Do you wait until all potential remedies have been tried? It’s a delicate process that requires experience and punishes those without it.

Lack of experience tends to result in delays. Delays can be disastrous, as PR Week has noted. Your response needs to travel as quickly and as widely as the bad news that called for it. Shaping that response requires the input of experienced financial communications pros who understand the impact of different words on different audiences. The same is true for all communications emanating from Wall Street, as Ad Age notes. This difficult stretch isn’t over – more bad news is coming, which means the expertise of such thoughtful professionals will definitely be on display…communications with key stakeholders must be a top priority. Those who don’t treat it that way put their shareholders, employees and consumers in serious peril.

It is easy to see these seismic events as part of the natural order of things, as a sort of corrective action that will stabilize our economy. And, while there may be merit to that argument, witness the victims of this corrective action: the secretaries, office workers and small investors who woke up today jobless, penniless or both. It takes a series of stupid decisions to destroy institutions that have weathered a century or more. Illiquid investments, market to market manipulation, inept or complicit rating agencies, massive leverage and grossly excessive executive pay are both symptoms and results of our current regulatory environment. Personally, I don’t have any sympathy for the people who made those decisions – they’ve certainly stockpiled the personal financial resources to help them muddle through (it was with no small amount of surprise and relief that I read that regulators plan to deny Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives the golden parachutes that tend to accompany failures such as theirs).

The economy spurs innovation and creativity in abundance, but without oversight, that energy can manifest itself as creative destruction. To be clear, I don’t believe regulation and over regulation is the answer to all of these problems…in fact, I fear that government will do what they always do…instead of reacting in a sensible and proactive manner, they will now overreact and potentially make the long term solutions worse. But, reasonable and common sense regulation is a must…the past two weeks have seen financial earthquakes that have rattled Wall Street, sent the Dow tumbling, smashed the nest eggs of thousands of bystanders…and put our economy in peril.

We have persistent issues to face here and abroad; wars, health crises, heightened competition, the list goes on. Without a robust economy, we’re hamstrung in our ability to manage these issues. And as long as a level of appropriate regulation continues to be seen as a bottleneck, our economy will continue to be held hostage to cycles of excessive greed and dislocation.

The news wires had, to that point, been the only game in town. The wires represented a traditional, old school method of dissemination that, while in accordance with governing rules, didn’t truly meet the current needs of players in the financial market.

While, I still believe there is an important and complementary role for newswires, the tools of social media – blogs, RSS feeds and the like – represent a modern mechanism for the distribution of financial data in a fair and equitable manner, particularly when you consider the speed with which such information is received and acted upon. Schwartz declared Sun’s method of disclosure to be "a small, but exceptionally symbolic change."

Understandably, the wires reacted poorly to such symbolism; this poses a clear threat to their business model. At that time, many cautioned them to embrace this change, rather than fight it as it was clear that such changes were coming, with or without them.

And, on July 30, the SEC declared that companies can now leverage their Web site and blogs to meet public disclosure requirements under Regulation FD, which mandates the “full and fair disclosure of information by issuers.” Sun’s “symbolic change” has spurred a sea change. My hope is that our friends at wire services will embrace and help shape the future rather than trying to stave it off. The future isn’t en route – it has arrived.

As a result, I have decided to fully and actively support Barack Obama for President. As a result of my decision, I have also joined Barak Obama’s National Finance Committee and have committed to playing a significant fundraising role for his campaign both here in New Jersey and across the country.

After meeting on several occasions with Hillary and Senator Obama over the past several weeks, I have come to the conclusion that we must elect Senator Obama as our next President. Even though I remain somewhat concerned about Senator Obama’s lack of experience, he is a true leader and is our best hope to restore America’s prestige around the world and address our problems at home. The task is huge, potentially bigger than any one person. But, as Senator Obama continues to inspire me, Senator McCain comes across as angry and frankly, incoherent. In Barack Obama I have found a person who is extraordinarily comfortable with who he is, someone genuinely warm and welcoming and most importantly, someone with an impressive inner strength. While I may not agree with him (or Hillary Clinton) on every issue, he has the intelligence and conviction to work for positive change…and has the potential to be a transformative figure in American politics. And recently, with the addition of many Clinton advisers onto his staff and inner circle, I have seen a softening of rhetoric and the adoption of policies that are more in line with my views and that of many of my friends. Additionally, I have known many of the senior Obama staff people for many years, they are a terrific and motivated group and I look forward to working with them.

While my support for Senator Obama is strong and enthusiastic, I would be remiss and dishonest if I didn’t also state some of my thoughts concerning the critical need to respect and energize the Hillary Clinton base. Senator Clinton won more votes than anyone in history of the nominating process. She is a great leader and has been extraordinarily gracious in defeat. Now, it is up to the Obama campaign to be as gracious in victory. In order to energize the Clinton base, Senator Obama and his supporters must double up on their effort to help Hillary pay off her debt. Their effort so far has been feeble. And, Hillary Clinton must be allowed to place her name in nomination at the Convention in Denver. It would be unprecedented for this not to happen and would energize Hillary and her supporters more than any other action the Obama campaign can put forward. She has earned it, deserves it and I feel strongly it is in the best interest of the Democratic Party and Senator Obama’s election.

Working with Hillary Clinton over the last 18 months has been one of highlights of my life. I have deep and personal affection for her. It has been an incredible experience. But now it’s time to turn our attention to making sure that we elect a Democrat as President in 2008. The choice between John McCain and Barak Obama is clear. I’m on the Obama team and I hope you will join me.

The irony is that the drumbeat for Clinton's withdrawal -- coming on the heels of her recent wins and right before what may be her biggest in Pennsylvania -- is rooted in the collapse of the effort to redo Michigan and Florida. The theory is that she should quit because there is no way she can win, and that there is no way she can win because two states she could win, at least one of which she actually did win, will not be counted until she gets out. Barack Obama would thus become the nominee -- not because of an honestly earned if precariously narrow lead in the final national vote, but because of two elections he would not let happen.

If that sounds like a curious way to end a nominating contest that 30 million to 33 million voters will participate in before it's done, even stranger is that the DNC is following only some of its rules -- and that the real culprits who caused this debacle are Republicans, who are now relishing the catfight they provoked.

Read the whole thing for more on why Dean needs to seat these delegates now and sign the petition urging him to do just that.