- Your suggestions for a great location took us back to New Orleans, and boy...was this city ready for PICA to visit. What relevant, moving, inspiring stories New Orleans had to share with us! And how fortnate we all were to be able to listen to and absorb them.
- Your topic requests helped us find extraordinary speakers! Every single one gave us useful information that we can take back to our companies and put to good use.
- Your input, conversations and interactions with each other and our speakers remind us of why we're in this organization anyway - to share ideas, learn new information and fine-tune our skills. Each of your involvement - and your company's involvement - increase the value of our workshops and we appreciate it!
Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thank You - BEST Workshop Ever!
PICA is comprised of some of the best communicators and creative talent in the insurance industry. It is because of you that PICA held such an amazing conference in New Orleans this week:
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
2011 PICA Workshop in New Orleans is Almost Here!
Hi Everyone –
After months of planning by your Administrative Committee, it’s hard to believe that the 2011 PICA Workshop is finally almost here!
I’m very excited about the program the team has put together and, once again, we’ve taken advantage of our location to get some new and interesting perspectives on the cornerstones of our name – “Insurance” and “Communications.”
On the Insurance side, we’re grateful that Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is able to join us to kick things off and provide his view of the industry’s challenges and opportunities. As a communicator employed by an insurance company, I’m keen on learning from our agent panel about what types of company communications work – and what doesn’t. I think everyone will also be ready to hear something good about the industry when we hear from another area agent, Angelyn Treutel, who will present some real world examples of the difference insurance can make with our customers.
On the Communications side, we’ll also learn about the latest in social media and do some exercises on how to best utilize these ever-evolving tools. Professor Ashley Nelson from Tulane University will concentrate on writing for social media, while PICA favorite Cindy Crescenzo steps up as lead presenter to provide insight on how to make social media work for your organization.
We’re also honored to have Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross, on hand to talk about the importance of disaster preparedness and how we can share this information with our policyholders. We’ll also have the traditional open forum as we discuss our own specific challenges while also looking for ways to make PICA a more effective organization.
One program change note: On your original program, we were going to do some volunteer work with a local agency on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, and despite some extensive research and investigation by one of our committee members, the original plan fell through and new logistics for this activity could not be arranged. Therefore, you will have some extra time that afternoon to explore more of what New Orleans offers, whether it’s the Audubon Zoo, the new “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond” exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum, the World War II Museum or a trip to one of the many interesting neighborhoods outside the French Quarter.
In the meantime, I hope you’re excited about this year’s Workshop – and we haven’t even talked about the special charms of New Orleans! Bring your appetites, as the Crescent City was named “The Most Affordable Dining City in the Country” by Zagat in November. We’re not just talking Krystal, either, with some of the finest restaurateurs in the country setting up shop. Of course, the city is also known for its live music, so whether you like blues, jazz, folk, country or rock – there will be something for you to enjoy. Finally, New Orleans was named one of the “Coolest Cities in America” by the search engine Bing – which we already knew.
See you there and laissez les bons temps rouler!
Patrick Faherty
Public Relations Manager - Grange Insurance
Chairman - PICA, Inc.
After months of planning by your Administrative Committee, it’s hard to believe that the 2011 PICA Workshop is finally almost here!
I’m very excited about the program the team has put together and, once again, we’ve taken advantage of our location to get some new and interesting perspectives on the cornerstones of our name – “Insurance” and “Communications.”
On the Insurance side, we’re grateful that Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is able to join us to kick things off and provide his view of the industry’s challenges and opportunities. As a communicator employed by an insurance company, I’m keen on learning from our agent panel about what types of company communications work – and what doesn’t. I think everyone will also be ready to hear something good about the industry when we hear from another area agent, Angelyn Treutel, who will present some real world examples of the difference insurance can make with our customers.
On the Communications side, we’ll also learn about the latest in social media and do some exercises on how to best utilize these ever-evolving tools. Professor Ashley Nelson from Tulane University will concentrate on writing for social media, while PICA favorite Cindy Crescenzo steps up as lead presenter to provide insight on how to make social media work for your organization.
We’re also honored to have Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross, on hand to talk about the importance of disaster preparedness and how we can share this information with our policyholders. We’ll also have the traditional open forum as we discuss our own specific challenges while also looking for ways to make PICA a more effective organization.
One program change note: On your original program, we were going to do some volunteer work with a local agency on Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, and despite some extensive research and investigation by one of our committee members, the original plan fell through and new logistics for this activity could not be arranged. Therefore, you will have some extra time that afternoon to explore more of what New Orleans offers, whether it’s the Audubon Zoo, the new “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond” exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum, the World War II Museum or a trip to one of the many interesting neighborhoods outside the French Quarter.
In the meantime, I hope you’re excited about this year’s Workshop – and we haven’t even talked about the special charms of New Orleans! Bring your appetites, as the Crescent City was named “The Most Affordable Dining City in the Country” by Zagat in November. We’re not just talking Krystal, either, with some of the finest restaurateurs in the country setting up shop. Of course, the city is also known for its live music, so whether you like blues, jazz, folk, country or rock – there will be something for you to enjoy. Finally, New Orleans was named one of the “Coolest Cities in America” by the search engine Bing – which we already knew.
See you there and laissez les bons temps rouler!
Patrick Faherty
Public Relations Manager - Grange Insurance
Chairman - PICA, Inc.
Monday, March 28, 2011
May is Right Around the Corner
We say it every year, but if you are sitting this year's conference out, you are missing the best one yet. Never before have we had:
- an insurance commissioner address us
- a chance to interact with agents
- the opportunity to give back to the community in which we're meeting
- the chance to look at insurance through the eyes of an area that has needed our industry's help in a big way
If you've attended a workshop before, you already know how you feel when you leave - informed, rejuvenated, focused and ready to tackle the World of Insurance Communication. If you've been, you know just why you simply must find a way to attend again this year.
But if it's been a while, or if you've never attended, you're missing out on a great opportunity. I encourage you to sign up, or if you'd like more information, simply comment below and we'll get it for you.Friday, January 28, 2011
PICA's 2011 Workshop Agenda - Let's Try Something New!
Friends,
We've finally got our plans together and we're ready to tell you the GREAT news about our 2011 Workshop Agenda.
And wow. I mean, WOW! We have had some fantastic speakers at past workshops, but this year...this year...well, just see for yourselves:
We've finally got our plans together and we're ready to tell you the GREAT news about our 2011 Workshop Agenda.
And wow. I mean, WOW! We have had some fantastic speakers at past workshops, but this year...this year...well, just see for yourselves:
We've got:
- Louisiana's Commissioner of Insurance, Jim Donelon, to give us the scoop on insurance trends and the state of our industry
- Professor Ashley Nelson of Tulane University to talk to us about effective writing using social media
- Cindy Crescenzo to give us a crash course on using all lines social media to promote our companies the right way
- Kay Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter Red Cross to talk about disaster preparedness and response
- An AWESOME panel of local Agents, moderated by Ted Besesparis (and yeah, you get to ask them questions about how they'd like to receive communications and what they need from our organizations!!)
- Angelyn Treutel of the Treutel Insurance Agency to revive our spirits and remind us of all the good our industry does.
- A field trip to a Habitat for Humanity site where we can literally dig in and HELP someone in need
See what I mean? This year has so much potential...this might be the GREATEST PICA WORKSHOP EVER!
The only thing that will make it better is if you are there...so, what do you think? Are you in?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Headin' to New Orleans in 2011!
Hello, PICA People!
Great news - we've got location, dates and the beginnings of a fantastic agenda for you. Here's a message from our Chairman, Patrick Faherty, (who also made the awesome logo for the conference...thanks, Patrick!)
Great news - we've got location, dates and the beginnings of a fantastic agenda for you. Here's a message from our Chairman, Patrick Faherty, (who also made the awesome logo for the conference...thanks, Patrick!)
Dear PICA Members and Friends:
Make plans now to join PICA May 16-18, 2011, for our Annual Workshop in New Orleans!
More details will follow, but for those working on budgets for next year:
• We’ll stay at the Royal Bourbon Hotel, located at 800 Iberville Street in the heart of the French Quarter. We’ve secured a room rate of $139, including for those who would like to check in up to two days early or stay an additional two days. Click here for more information about this property.
• Workshop rates remain flat, with Early Bird Registration set at just $400 for PICA members and $550 for non-members. We will keep Early Bird rates available until mid-March for those of you who need to pay out of your 2011 budget.
• One-way transportation costs from Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport (MSY) are $15 on the shuttle and $29 by taxi.
Thanks to the surveys from our 2010 conference, we’ve picked some great topics for the 2011 workshop. We’re still developing a firm agenda that we’re confident you’ll enjoy, including opportunities to:
• Dig into a half-day session about how to really use social media to benefit your company and establish a credible online presence
• Hear from independent agents about their communication wish lists from insurance carriers
• Learn about how New Orleans triumphed over catastrophe and what role insurance played as the city bounced back.
This promises to be a most interesting workshop in a very interesting location. For more information, be sure to bookmark the PICA website and we look forward to seeing you in the Big Easy next May!
Thanks,
Patrick
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