PHILADELPHIA, June 1, 2012 –The Philadelphia Black Public Relations Society (PBPRS) has announced its new leadership team, who will serve a two-year term starting June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2014.

The new President, Darisha K. Miller, is the Director of Media Relations for Ross Associates, Inc. Miller has served as PBPRS vice-president for the past two years, along with the Immediate Past President, Shalimar Blakely. Blakely, president of A Peace of PR, will now serve as Chairperson of the PBPRS Advisory board. Miller has appointed Vincent Thompson, principal of Thompson Mediaman Communications, to serve as PBPRS Vice President.

“As a premier communications organization we are working to promote an innovative organization while ensuring our members receive support from the organization and the community,” states Darisha Miller. “I’m excited to work in this capacity and with community partners to provide a positive business environment and learning experience for all.”

PBPRS new Advisory Board will serve the same two-year term.

• Board Chair and Immediate Past President, Shalimar Blakely
• Immediate Past Chair, David Brown
• Board Members 
• Nichole Badger, Esq.
• Anita T. Conner, CPA, MST, CFP
• Bruce Crawley
• Anita Lewis
• Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake
• William R. Miller, IV
• Jamila Patton
• Dawn Angelique Roberts

PBPRS, who has recently entered into a partnership with the Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC), provides PR professionals with a venue for professional support and development. “It was important for us to put together a team that could continue to move PBPRS in the right direction,” states Shalimar Blakely. “The organization is now in a great position that will allow us to focus on building a strong and active membership base.”

The new team will be introduced during the PBPRS Annual Membership Celebration, taking place June 12, 2012 at the Kimmel Center.

About the Philadelphia Black Public Relations Society (PBPRS):

The Philadelphia Black Public Relations Society is committed to serving as an advocate, a resource and a venue for African-American public relations practitioners and professional communicators throughout the Philadelphia region. Please visit www.pbprs.com for additional information.

With the recent news of Allen Iverson’s financial woes, more concern revolves around the plans upon retiring for NBA basketball players. According to Sports Illustrated, “60 percent of former NBA players are broke after five years of retirement.” Life doesn’t end at forty or fifty years old, therefore these players need to be prepared for the future ahead; at least thirty years or more. After a lifestyle that many players, like A.I, grew accustomed to, a consistent income is imperative.

With that being said, there are many notable NBA stars who have found success after leaving the basketball court.

Magic Johnson, one of the most successful players on and off the court, admitted that he didn’t know anything about business after retiring.  After seeking advice from power brokers, Magic is now counseling players on being prepared for life after a basketball career.  Magic’s success off the court is insurmountable. He is a media figure, motivational speaker, activist, sports commentator, business owner, and most importantly an HIV survivor. “I Stand with Magic,” a campaign initiated by the Magic Johnson Foundation, has provided free HIV/AIDS testing to more than 38,000 Americans in 16 major cities.

Charles Barkley, the 13 time NBA All-star, is definitely one to mention when it comes to business. Being one of the biggest personalities in the NBA, Sir Charles has made a name for himself as a sports analyst for multiple stations after his memorable 16 year basketball career. Not only does he have the gift of gab, but he can write; with two books authored under his belt. With an estimated net worth of $40 million, Barkley is another role model that players who focus solely on their basketball career should learn from.

Then there is Michael Jordan. It can be debated that he is the greatest basketball player of all time, but he is undoubtedly the most recognized in the sport. Michael Jordan is to basketball as Hulk Hogan is to professional wrestling. Jordan’s strategic branding of his name is remarkable. According to Forbes magazine, “Brand Jordan remains a $1 billion sales business for the sports manufacturer.” To add to his business deals, Jordan is also the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, with 80 percent ownership. With numerous sponsorship deals from Nike, Gatorade, Coca-Cola and more, Jordan is the most entrepreneurial sports star to retire from the game that originally gave him his claim to fame.

The 2012 NBA Lockout could be seen as a blessing in disguise. It gave players a realization that there is a life after basketball. It provided an opportunity for athletes experiencing the lockout firsthand to prepare themselves for the beginning of the rest of their lives.

This unusual but admiring attempt of using his spare time for the better, Donte West became an employee of Regency Furniture. Although he had a criminal record, he assured his employer that it was just a misunderstanding as he included on his application.  And while some players weren’t utilizing their time wisely off the court, some continued to play in other leagues and other countries; like Duron Williams who played in Turkey, and Pau Gasol who helped lead Spain to their second straight euro title. Baron Davis is a great example when it came to making the best out of the 149 day lockout. After a 12 year absence, Davis enrolled back in school at UCLA. He planned on becoming a full-time student if the lockout turned long term. Even though it ended, Davis plans to go back to school to become a college basketball coach.

With the entrepreneurial spirit of these active players and hall of famers, the other current stars of the NBA should see these success stories as the answer to real problems they could face after game checks stop rolling in and endorsements slow down.  Also, they should view “The Answer,” aka Allen Iverson’s story as a wakeup call. His recent financial woes is a lesson that living the superstar life without a steady flow of income can only take you so far for so long. An entrepreneurial and innovative mindset can translate into promising business ventures and income; for anyone.   These success (and not-so successful) stories  should teach us to embrace new ventures to keep the wallet full, bills paid and houses out of foreclosure.

“I give kudos to Councilman Johnson for taking the right step forward in his Daily News Opinion letter and taking action regarding US Airways and the airport expansion project,” says William R. Miller, IV, Ross Associates CEO. “As a citizen and business owner, I grow tired of every growth project intended to move Philadelphia forward getting bogged down in political posturing; so I applaud Councilman Johnson’s roll up the sleeve style and urge to continue to press this issue until we get results.”

Through his Daily News piece and his actions as a Councilman for less than a month, we know that Johnson has answered our question; he’s bringing innovative thinking to the city of Philadelphia.

From the Ross Associates family to yours, happy thanksgiving!

This could be a sad end to a love story, or a strategically crafted public relations/publicity tactic. We have Kris Humphries, a victim of the NBA lockout with miniscule relevance off of the court and Kim with no husband or child, compared to her sisters. The Kardashians knew that Kim’s “Fairytale Wedding” would rake in millions of dollars, viewers, bigger endorsement deals, a potential spinoff show and countless opportunities.

This is what you call maintaining relevance in an irrelevant climate. Any publicity is regarded as good publicity, especially when it comes to this family. With Rob Kardashian competing on “Dancing with the Stars”, Kourtney’s controversial relationship and life as a mom and Khloe recently celebrating her two-year anniversary with husband Lamar Odom, where does Kim fit in? If there isn’t relevancy in your brand, you must create it.

And that’s just what the Kardashian camp did. The wedding captured millions in sponsorships and endorsements. The extravagant event covered newspapers, television screens and magazine covers nationwide (dare we say, worldwide!). The wedding took over the social media scene as “Kim K’s wedding” was a Twitter trending topic globally. This covered three components of public relations: branding, media relations and social media.

So, while others may be saddened by the split, we’re quite proud of Kim Kardashian for pulling off one of the best publicity tactics we have seen in a long time! Although she has taken the meaning of marriage to another level, she has given us a PR refresher course that all PR pros can appreciate. Kudos, Kim!

Ross Associates is proud to welcome the National Association of Black Journalists to Philadelphia for their 36th Annual Convention and Career Fair. With over 3,000 estimated in attendance, this is sure to be an unforgettable experience for journalists nationwide.

The nation’s most notable journalists will be in Philadelphia, August 3-7  to be exact, to share their talents and ideas through panels, workshops, and social events. We encourage journalists, media professionals, PR professionals and everyone in between; near or far, to make your way to the Philadelphia Convention Center (and other venues) for these informative and entertaining days of networking, learning and career development.

As an African-American owned strategic communications firm of 30 years, Ross Associates takes pride in NABJ and our local chapter, PABJ (Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists), for their years of service to the black journalist community. We commend their innovative ways to extend the importance of leadership and development through the convention and other events.

To learn more about the NABJ 36th Annual Convention and Career Fair, including registration info, event schedule and overall NABJ info, visit www.nabj.org. For more information about the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists, visit www.pabj.org.

On behalf of Ross Associates, welcome all NABJ convention participants!

Verna’s historical role in itself is the thing of which legacies are made, and simply an attribute to the collection of fond memories about her tenure.

She leaves public life with a legacy, having served with dignity, fidelity and compassion. After nine terms in City Council and three as its president, Mayor Nutter called her “one of our city’s great public servants . . . a great leader, a savvy politician, and a person who has played a critical role in making our city a better place in which to live and work.”

Some Council members have talked about Verna’s classiness, fairness, consensus building and integrity. And of course there were her suits. On even the dreariest days, President Verna shone like a beacon, brightening the dimly lit Council Chamber as she presided over the people’s business.

For Anna Verna, the people were always her top priority. If you were lucky enough to live in the 2nd Councilmanic District, you know she put you above all else.

President Verna was a champion for quality of life issues for her constituents and for the citizens at-large. Some of her legislative successes include:

• Consistently supporting wage and business tax reductions while holding steadfast on the City’s obligation to provide its citizens with appropriate levels of public services.
• Sponsoring the property tax reform bill that freezes tax assessments and tax rates for low income senior citizens.
• Fighting for $6 million in funding for an additional 100 police officers and advocating for $30 million for capital improvements of recreation, police and fire facilities to help fight crime.
• Ensuring additional funding for public education and sponsoring initiatives to investigate high school dropout rates.
• Working to regulate nuisance bars and stop-n-go’s and instituting a citywide ban on public drinking.

In her district, President Verna made the renovation of neighborhood housing and affordable housing a top priority, earning her the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging’s statewide “Public Official of the Year.”

President Verna dedicated sixty years of her life working to helping others. Times change, priorities change, and people change, and Anna Verna adapted to the changing elements while remaining steadfast and true to her core values. She may have entered public service doing the Bop, the Stroll and the Cha Cha, but through the line dances of the 90s and 2000s, she never forgot the people who brought her to the dance – her constituents, neighbors, friends and colleagues.

We are very fortunate that President Verna dedicated her life of public service to making Philadelphia the best city it could be. We wish her god speed on the next phase of her journey, with our gratitude for fighting a good fight on our behalf.