PR Face2Face is a special series of interviews with the top public relations and publicity professionals in the country, as well as with people involved in the public relations world. The second part of the fifth installment is Warren Bickford, the incoming chairman of IABC.
IABC Chair blog was hailed at first as a good idea and intention, but has now come under fire. What would you change about the IABC blog? Are you going to continue the blog? (Editor's Note: Allan Jenkins, Eric Eggertson, Ragan's, Allan Jenkins, Neville Hobson come to mind. Jay Rosen, and Lutz' blog at General Motors, for example?
It's interesting to watch how the whole blogging world is evolving. The past year has grown leaps and bounds. It is an interesting new way for an organization or company to communicate with their members or customers.
Blogging will continue to evolve in the next few years. It is presenting information in an unmediated way, and it's going to be fascinating to see the results of that. Right now, it's too early to tell.
One thing, though, is that it is changing the mainstream thoughts of what journalism is and is not, that's for sure.
Your board is going to be only 12 people, as opposed to the current 20+- You're moving to a regional structure, away from a district structure. How can you take advantage of that to improve IABC?
We're moving away from a regional structure because the people on the board are no longer regionally elected. We have moved to a competency-based board. The regions and districts will still have a voice, though.
It's going to be significantly different because the size current of the board sometimes impedes movement. With a board of 12, we can be more nimble and make decisions faster than we were able to before. And, the board is going to be able to work on policy issues instead of operational issues, or specific regional issues.
You've served as Finance Director under Charles Pizzo and Vice Chairman under David Kistle. What lessons did they teach about what to do and what not to do?
David Kistle, I have learned much by watching his interaction with individuals and chapters. Maintaining a healthy respect for the leaders we have around the world and making sure to stay connected to those people is important. David spent time reconnecting with chapters and regions.
What that means to me is that if a chapter wants me to be there - no matter where they are - I will try to be there. It's important to have strong chapters and regions and I will do whatever I can to help them be and get healthy.
When you look back in 2006 over your chairman post, what do you hope to point to as your successes for the year?
I haven't given that a lot of thought. I would be happy at the end of the year if you could see that I stayed connected with members and in some way that I contributed to the conversation about IABC as an organization and the profession in general.
POP! Public Relations, a public relations firm based in Arizona, USA.
He authors the popular
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