http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/celebrating-100-years-of-alfa-romeo-at-the-concorso-italiano/?scp=1&sq=Concorso%20Italiano&st=cse

I now see a renewed interest in speakers bureaus.  And, I should add, with good reason:  well-run speakers bureaus offer a terrific, low-cost way to convey your organization’s key messages.  The operative phrase here is “well-run.”    

During the coming weeks, I’ll share some tips for managing an effective bureau and some tips for training your speakers. 

If you have a success story to relate about your organization’s bureau, let me know.  I’ll be glad to help you share the good example.

Last week, when I taught my annual Advanced Speechwriting seminar, I talked about the importance of introductions and urged the participants to write their speakers’ introductions with great care.  Never rely on a conference chair or a moderator to write the introduction for your speaker.  Who knows what the moderator might say … or forget to say … or mis-state?

Tie down biographical details to prevent mishaps. 

Consider:  NYC Mayor Bloomberg, at a recent public event, referred to Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner as having worked at Goldman Sachs — but Geithner never worked at Goldman.

One other point to keep in mind:

When you write an introduction, be sure to include the phonetic pronunciation of your speaker’s name.  What’s worse than having the moderator mis-pronounce it?

Other speakers come from a wide range of organizations, including Wright Patterson Air Force Base, the Protocol School of Washington DC, Indiana Wesleyan University, AT&T Ohio, Cincinnati Bell, Miami Valley Hospital, and the City of Dayton.

To learn more, visit www.wibnleadership.com

While one chapter is a brief history of PAFB, the book focuses on the reuse efforts that followed base closure.

Marian writes that interested readers may also enjoy viewing PAFB-related videos at www.youtube.com/corporatehistory.

 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/energycentral/iu_20100506/index.php?startid=44#/46

As a long-time ASJA member, I’ve gladly contributed to the Writers Emergency Assistance Fund – and I’m glad to use this forum to bring attention to WEAF’s good works.  

Can you join ASJA’s blogathon to spread the word about WEAF’s financial needs?   Send a link to your post to WEAFHelp@gmail.com, and ASJA will add your post to their links.

 The cries for help from fellow writers are heart-breaking:

• A single mom with credits in top magazines and a four-year-old daughter is unable to work during chemotherapy for breast cancer. Worse, her high-deductible health plan isn’t adequately covering her huge medical bills.
• A proud dance critic, age 89, who has written professionally for more than 50 years, has no money to pay for nursing care needed after developing serious complications after a hip replacement.
• Another widely published writer faced foreclosure and cutoff of her utilities after her son’s potentially life-threatening illness drained her savings.

If you can contribute financially to WEAF, that’s wonderful.  If you can help spread the word about WEAF, that’s wonderful, too.  Thank you!