After the Central Texas Methodist Foundation approached the Texas Methodist Foundation some months ago about combining resources, an extensive due-diligence process began. TMF determined that assuming the majority of CTMF’s assets and liabilities would be a positive move for both organizations and, more importantly, for the ministries of the Central Texas Conference. Details of the financial agreement were not disclosed due to a confidentiality agreement.

Established in 1957, the Central Texas Methodist Foundation (CTMF) served Fort Worth, Arlington, Waco, Brownwood and the surrounding communities. The transition coincides with the retirement of CTMF President Patricia Sprayberry-Hall.

“The Central Texas Methodist Foundation has the deepest respect for the Texas Methodist Foundation, and we are pleased to combine resources with such a stellar organization,” Sprayberry-Hall said. “We will work with our clients to ensure a smooth transition to the Texas Methodist Foundation.”

Bishop Mike Lowry of the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church applauded the move, saying, “The Texas Methodist Foundation has an unparalleled reputation for providing excellent financial and leadership services to United Methodist churches and individuals throughout Texas. We have been blessed over the years by the kingdom-building ministry of both foundations. The wise decision to combine resources will greatly benefit the mission and ministry of the Central Texas Conference.”

The Texas Methodist Foundation assists United Methodist churches, institutions and individuals with a variety of financial and leadership resources. Established in 1938, TMF serves the denomination’s five geographic conferences in Texas, in addition to the Rio Grande Conference of Texas and New Mexico. Assets for TMF, following the acquisition, now exceed $400 million.

“The Texas Methodist Foundation is pleased to welcome the churches, investors, donors and others previously associated with the Central Texas Methodist Foundation,” Tom Locke, Texas Methodist Foundation president, said. “The two foundations offered similar services and have always shared the same goal of connecting financial practices with spiritual and social responsibility—in order to strengthen the ability of the United Methodist community to serve God and God’s people. We will provide the very highest levels of service and financial stability to our constituents as we continue to focus on our core values of servanthood, competence and integrity.”

The Texas Methodist Foundation, headquartered in Austin, is a statewide nonprofit organization offering assistance to United Methodists through investments, loans, leadership development, stewardship services, gift planning and endowment services, and grants. To learn more, please visit http://www.tmf-fdn.org.

This position attracted a very strong pool of candidates, but there was something Tessa had that gave her an edge. Of course, her resume was strong, she provided solid writing samples and interviewed well, but she also came highly recommended.

Her reference was from the CEO of the large PR firm in Indiana where she had interned, but he didn’t serve as just a name and number. He wrote a letter extolling the hard work Tessa put forth at his company and even went as far as to schedule a phone call with Elizabeth Christian, ECPR president, to talk about what an asset she would be.

This example shows that you really should consider who you put down as a reference and the professional relationships you have with them. You want to include people who truly know your work and recognize your value as an employee.

A colleague recently told me, “Every day is an interview.” She’s right—our jobs are all about relationships and networking. You always want to put your best foot forward because you never know who will help open a (proverbial) door for you or who will provide that extra push needed to actually get you through it.

Welcome to the team, Tessa!

-Levente Smith

“We are pleased that St. David’s Medical Center is the first in Austin to collect this life-saving resource at no cost to our patients,” according to Don Wilkerson. “By collecting cord blood donations, we have the potential to help save lives, not only in our immediate area, but also across the globe.”

Umbilical cord blood, which is typically discarded after the birth of a baby, is rich in blood-making cells that can be used as an alternative to bone marrow transplants to treat cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma, disorders of the blood-making system such as sickle cell anemia, and severe immune-system disorders.

There is no cost to parents at St. David’s Medical Center who wish to bank their baby’s cord blood through this public cord blood program.

“Prior to the launch of this new program, parents often opted not to donate their baby’s cord blood because the process was costly and time consuming,” Laraine McIntyre, director of women’s services at St. David’s Medical Center, said. “Through the TCBB program, we take that burden off our patients. The only thing an expectant mother needs to do is to let her physician know her intentions prior to delivery.”

“With every addition to the public cord blood bank, the registry offers patients a better chance at finding a life-saving match. As ethnicity often plays a key role in finding a match, collecting donations from all ethnicities helps build a diverse registry that will benefit patients of all backgrounds,” Mary Beth Fisk, director of TCBB, said. “We thank St. David’s Medical Center for providing a central Texas location for parents to contribute to the life-saving registry.”

“I am thrilled the Austin community now has the opportunity to donate life-saving cord blood,” Craig Hester, member of Austin Advisory Council for Texas Cord Blood Bank, said. “So many people have worked hard to establish this partnership, and we’re excited to see the bank grow for those in need.”

TCBB’s first collections began in June 2005 at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, and new collection centers have since opened in other cities, including Brownsville, Dallas, Houston, New Braunfels and Waco, as part of the statewide effort to build a cord blood bank that captures the diversity of all Texans.

Other St. David’s HealthCare facilities are also exploring partnerships with TCBB.

St. David’s Medical Center
St. David’s Medical Center is part of St. David’s HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in January 2012. Founded in 1924, St. David’s Medical Center is a full-service medical center offering comprehensive medical care at three locations—St. David’s Medical Center, located at 919 East 32nd Street in Austin; Heart Hospital of Austin, located at 3801 North Lamar Blvd.; and St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, located in Georgetown at 2000 Scenic Drive. The three campuses offer a full range of medical specialties, as well as many other innovative health care services.

St. David’s Medical Center in central Austin includes a 350-bed acute care hospital and a freestanding, 64-bed rehabilitation hospital providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. St. David’s Medical Center provides a complete range of women’s services, including its acclaimed maternity unit, maternal fetal medicine, a high-risk maternal and neonatal transport team, the region’s largest and most sophisticated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The Breast Center, and a fertility center; is home to the internationally acclaimed Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute; NeuroTexas Institute (including the TIA Center for Stroke Prevention and designation as a Primary Stroke Center); complex surgical services; a Bariatric Center of Excellence; and a 24-hour emergency department.

St. David’s Medical Center was named to the list of 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare, in 2009 and 2010 (awarded in 2011). St. David’s Medical Center was the only hospital in Central Texas to be included on the list. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

Texas Cord Blood Bank
Specially approved by the Texas legislature and the first in the State, the Texas Cord Blood Bank – a division of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center – is a source of ethnically diverse, life-saving umbilical cord blood. With more than 30,000 people currently waiting for a transplant to be found, donor families across Texas have turned the birth of one child – their child – into hope for families around the world. For more information, please visit SouthTexasBlood.org.

This year, for the first time, the AHA hosted the Red Dress Dash—a relay race of red-donned participants looking to “dash” the myths about women and heart disease. In this race, style was valued over speed.

The relay consisted of three legs. The first team member had to throw on a red boa, then strut to the other side of the relay lane and perform 30 CPR compressions to the Bee Gees’ song, “Stayin’ Alive.”

Video 1: A Red Dress Dash relay team member knocks out the first leg of the relay with a prize-winning performance!

The next team member had to strut up and down the lane (with the red boa, of course), and then use any of the red articles of clothing (provided by Macy’s) on this table to dress a mannequin. Naturally, the team that can put together the most stylish ensemble wins.

Video 2: This Red Dress Dash team member, representing Macy’s, decked out the team’s mannequin for the cause—while dressed in heels!

The final leg of the relay required team members to jump rope up and down the lane, although I’ll refrain from posting that video, for their sake (who knew that would be the toughest part for these teams!).

Of course, this silly race brought with it a serious message. According to the AHA, heart disease claims the lives of nearly one in three women nationally, accounting for nearly 420,000 female deaths per year. That includes about 25,000 deaths yearly in Texas, an average of 70 lives lost every day. Yet, while some eight million women in the United States are currently living with heart disease, only one in six women believes that heart disease is her greatest health threat.

Thank you to the AHA, St. David’s HealthCare and Macy’s for finding such a unique way to kick off this year’s Go Red movement and educate women about heart disease.

-Erin Ochoa

One of ECPR’s clients is Concordia University Texas, and the university’s mission is to develop ethical servant leaders. Dr. Mary Darden, dean of Concordia University Texas’ San Antonio center and author of the book Beyond 2020: Envisioning the Future of Universities in America, recently wrote an article about ethical leadership.

I think the article is a good reminder for public relations practitioners as we advise our clients and evaluate our own work ethic and leadership capabilities.

I believe whether you are a CEO of a large company or an entry-level employee, you can and should take the initiative and do so in the right way. It is important to remember there are leadership roles that we all can take, and when we are in a position of authority we must act ethically.

How will you be a leader today?

Darden’s article was published in the North Central News in San Antonio, Texas.

What traits make up an ethical leader?

In light of numerous recent public leadership controversies and with elections nearing, I have been thinking about what makes an ethical leader.

Having power can lead to corruption. With power comes temptation, perhaps to take short cuts or to find an easier path. So, how do great leaders deal with temptation and walk the ethical path? I think a leader should take a multi-faceted approach.

Doing what is right.
As a leader, it is important to carefully select worthwhile goals that have outcomes that are good, fair and just. Discerning what is worthwhile is a skill that good leaders develop through time, experience and commitment to doing what is right. In the process, it is important to protect others from harm whenever possible.

Have the courage to take risks.
Leaders must be willing to take necessary risks. An ethical leader should even be willing to risk their career when necessary. It is possible—as many people in the military and public service know—sometimes ethical leaders may even risk their lives.

Political Awareness and Diplomacy
Limited political savvy may hinder forward progress for an organization. It is important to consider all relevant constituents and circumstances and to move thoughtfully and carefully toward a goal, while communicating clearly and compassionately at each step.

Honesty, Accountability and Humility
Great leaders must be committed to truth and honesty and be willing to surround themselves with a similarly committed community to provide continuous accountability.

It is also important for leaders to move themselves out of the way. Humility helps to eliminate barriers, build trust and sustain necessary focus.

I encourage you to think about the leaders you respect. What traits do they possess that make them a good leader?

-Meredith Michelson

“The jury and the Conservancy are indebted to the teams that submitted their thoughtful and complete portfolios regarding ‘Design Waller Creek’ and want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each participant. The Conservancy’s Governance Group reviewed the recommendations of the jury, confirmed that the evaluation process was executed in adherence to the selection procedures, and has directed that the following teams be invited to participate in Stage II,” Melba Whatley, president of the Waller Creek Conservancy, said.

The lead design teams chosen by the independent jury to advance to Stage II:

• Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos and Miró Rivera Architects

• Civitas and BIG New York City

• CMG and Public Architecture

• James Corner Field Operations and SHoP

• !melk and Page Southerland Page

• Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and Thomas Phifer & Partners

• Stoss Landscape Urbanism and Saucier & Perrotte

• Turenscape and Lake | Flato Architects

• Workshop: Ken Smith Landscape Architect, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects and Rogers Marvel Architects

“Through the competition process, we enlisted the leaders in urban landscape, innovation, sustainable design, theory and practice,” Donald J. Stastny FAIA FAICP FCIP, competition manager of “Design Waller Creek: A Competition,” said. “The submittals help to define the design challenge and inform the jury and Conservancy about an appropriate mix of design professionals to undertake this complex task. We find within the teams a very strong promise of collaboration and experience in ‘integrated’ design—how different disciplines come together to share talents and skill sets to create environments that are not only functional and sustainable, but contribute to raising the human experience.”

In Stage II, the lead designers must assemble complete integrated design teams that are capable of executing the project. To assist in this effort, the Conservancy will host a networking session to provide an opportunity to local consultants and contractors, including small, women- and minority-owned and small, disadvantaged businesses, to meet with the nine lead design teams for potential opportunities to team up during Stage II of the competition. The networking event will be held February 28, 2012 at the Palm Door on 401 Sabine Street from 10 a.m. to noon.

The lead designers will decide who and which disciplines they choose to include, with a focus on the design phase as opposed to construction. The target audience for the networking session includes architects and landscape designers; civil, structural and MEP engineers; cost consultants; project/program management; urban planning and design, and specialty design consultants.

“Waller Creek presents a unique landscape challenge and we will see some incredible teams formed to respond to this challenge in the next phase,” Stephanie Lee McDonald, executive director of the Waller Creek Conservancy, said. “This process, the first of its kind for Austin, has been thrilling and we are eager to see the work of the teams selected to advance to Stage II.”

About the Waller Creek Conservancy
Leveraging philanthropic leadership with local government, the Waller Creek Conservancy is a community partner to the City of Austin through a public-private partnership. Its goal is to serve as the steward of Waller Creek by playing a vital role in the preservation, redevelopment, and maintenance of the creek’s surrounding parks, nearby businesses, adjoining neighborhoods, and community at large. The Waller Creek Conservancy, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, was founded in 2010 by Tom Meredith, former chief financial officer of Dell, Inc.; Melba Whatley, who runs MDW Interests, a private oil, gas, and real estate investment firm, and Melanie Barnes, a philanthropist and lawyer. For more information about the Waller Creek Conservancy, please visit www.wallercreek.org.

I can’t help but dedicate this blog to a recent mishap by on-again, off-again GOP frontrunner and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. At ECPR, we treat our client work as if it were a political campaign. From the first client meeting, we clearly establish what is considered a “win” and set an “election day” that we target in all of our planning and execution.

This brings me back to Mitt Romney. Somewhere along the way, Romney’s advisors and team skipped an important step. In the planning process for a political campaign, or any campaign for that matter, it is imperative to identify all potential issues that could arise. By identifying what you know could be an issue before it turns into one, you are able to get ahead of the message and in turn, control not only the issue but also the public’s perception of it.

Romney’s team should have recognized early on the potential issue presented by his capital gains earnings. By doing so, his team then could have advised him to be the source that shares this information with the American public. This would have allowed Romney to control the message and frame it in a much more positive light than what actually happened when his opponents forced him to share his tax returns. If he had been forthright and honest, the current issue with his taxes would not be the issue it is today.

We always advise and work with our clients to control the message rather than react to it. Just as we treat PR like politics, politics could sometimes benefit from a lesson in PR.

-Lindsey Gehrig

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) is committed to fighting corporate account takeover, a form of corporate identify theft in which cyber thieves gain control of a business bank account by stealing user passwords and other credentials. Electronic crimes are on the rise and have resulted in significant financial harm to Texas banks and their business customers.

IBAT is a participant in the Texas Bankers Electronic Crimes Task Force. This group, formed in April 2010, is comprised of a diverse group of banks, regulators and law enforcement agencies with the goal of mitigating the risk of electronic crimes. Additionally, the task force provides education about prevention and early detection of these fraudulent acts. Most recently, the task force was instrumental in developing “Best Practices” for banks to detect and deter this growing cybercrime threat.

The following tips from Dell SecureWorks can help owners of small and medium-sized businesses protect, detect and block malicious activity that leads to corporate account takeover.

1. Use a computer that is dedicated only to handling online banking and bill pay. That computer or virtualized desktop would not have any other capabilities, such as sending and receiving emails or surfing the Web, since Web exploits and malicious email are two of the key malware infection vectors.

2. Online computer users should avoid using weak or default passwords for any online site and should refrain from using the same password for multiple sites. Use a “password manager” to put all your passwords in one database and avoid using the same password for more than one website.

3. Institute and enforce a centralized plan for keeping computer applications, operating systems and security software updated. Make sure servers and workstations are fully patched promptly and regularly.

4. Implement a robust Intrusion Prevention Solution (IPS) to defend against cyber threats. An IPS provides policies and rules to block suspicious network traffic such as Web exploit kit attacks, SQL injection attacks, and banking Trojans that infect computers and steal data that allow intruders access to your banking accounts.

5. Before clicking on links or attachments in emails, always verify that the correspondent sent you the email with the link or attachment. Hackers are known for breaking into email accounts and sending malicious links and attachments. Verify with the sender to confirm the links or attachments are safe to click or open.

About the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT)
Formed in 1974, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) represents Texas’ community banks. The Austin-based group is the largest state community banking organization in the nation, with membership comprised of more than 2,000 banks and branches in 700 Texas communities. Providing safe and responsible financial services to all Texans, IBAT member bank assets range in size from $3 million to $16 billion, with combined assets statewide of $163 billion. IBAT member banks are committed to supporting and investing in their local communities. www.ibat.org

Now, if you’re an ECPR client, you’ve more than likely heard us reference the importance of visuals to help tell a story and draw attention. Visuals are an essential piece of the puzzle that pull together a story that is impactful and memorable.

In today’s digital era, there are various ways to tell a story beyond traditional media, and social media is a force that cannot be ignored. With more than 800 million users on Facebook and more than 100 million users on Twitter, everyone is familiar with the now “traditional” social media. Yet, there are two new players in the social media scene that are capitalizing on visuals and creating waves—Pinterest and Instagram.

Pinterest is a “virtual pinboard” that allows users to clip and organize items they find on the web and share those items with the virtual community. Instagram is currently an iPhone app that allows users to edit photos and share with others.

Sounds simple, so what’s the big deal? In addition to their growing database of users, these new players are proving to be opportunities for companies and media. Pinterest is starting to attract major brands and media outlets like Whole Foods, AMD, the Travel Channel and the Today Show. Even universities like Miami University and Texas A&M have joined the scene. Instagram is also sharing the limelight with users like ABC World News, CNN, General Electric, NBC News and Barack Obama.

Major players are turning to Pinterest and Instagram to use visuals to further expand their brand and share information. Since visuals are a major puzzle piece in telling a story, it’s time for more organizations to start thinking about how these new social media channels can help enhance their overall business plan.

Keep on eye on Pinterest and Instagram, folks. While technology is ever changing, these two entities have created a big splash and it looks like more media, companies, nonprofits and various organizations will begin to fully capitalize on the possibilities these two social media channels offer.

-Erika González

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) will host the 10th Annual TechMecca Technology Conference and Expo Jan. 23-24 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas. TechMecca is the largest regional financial services conference in the nation and is specially designed for community bankers.

The technology-focused conference will offer educational opportunities for employees at all levels within community banks. Seven hours of general and concurrent sessions led by industry experts will address specific topics related to technology, marketing, customer service, compliance and risk management. In today’s ever- changing and evolving financial services market, attendees will learn targeted strategies to meet the unique challenges of community banking.

“We welcome the opportunity to help educate and equip community bankers across Texas, as well as those who attend TechMecca from outside the state, about emerging technologies and solutions that will help their financial institutions move forward in these tough economic times,” Chris Williston, president and CEO of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, said. “TechMecca not only provides invaluable information but it also gives us time to network and get to know our industry peers.”

Nationally acclaimed speakers Jason Dorsey, best known as the Gen Y Guy at the Center for Generational Kinetics, David Schneider, president of PULSE, and Lee Wetherington, director of strategic insight at ProfitStars, will host general sessions. Dorsey, who has been featured on 60 Minutes, 20/20 and The Today Show, will present “Deep Dive Into Y-Size Your Bank,” Schneider will present “State of the Payments Industry-Post Durbin” and Wetherington will present “Innovating for Impact: The Art and Science of Strategic Foresight.” Other sessions will address topics such as “Emerging Technology and the User Experience,” “Next Generation Compliance” and “Mobile Banking Marketing Strategies,” among many others.

Additionally, more than 100 vendors from across the country will feature the most sought-after technology products and services for the banking industry. To learn more about TechMecca, 2012, visit www.ibat.org.

About the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT)
Formed in 1974, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) represents Texas’ community banks. The Austin-based group is the largest state community banking organization in the nation, with membership comprised of more than 2,000 banks and branches in 700 Texas communities. Providing safe and responsible financial services to all Texans, IBAT member bank assets range in size from $3 million to $16 billion, with combined assets statewide of $163 billion. IBAT member banks are committed to supporting and investing in their local communities.