jim delorenzo public relations: highlights july 1, 1999 to july 1, 2016
TRANSCRIPT
JIM DELORENZO HIGHLIGHTSJuly 1, 1999 to July 1, 2016 – From JHD Enterprises to Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
OPENING DAY, JULY 1, 1999I resigned from my position as Director of Public Relations at one of the nation’s first Internet advertising/marketing/design agencies in mid-June 1999 as our successful IPO was approaching. On July 1, 1999, I officially launched my career as a Public Relations Consultant with JHD Enterprises, later to become Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations.
LOTS OF GREAT MOMENTSOver the past 16 years or so, I’ve had some wonderful clients and wonderful professional experiences. To capture all of them might be impossible, but I’ve got a couple highlights, such as my work beginning in May 2008 with ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen on his ventures. From left to right, Bill Rasmussen, me, Dan Baker at Citizens Bank Park, September 13, 2009, as Bill threw out the ceremonial first pitch celebrating the 30th anniversary of ESPN preceding that night’s Sunday Nigh Baseball broadcast on ESPN of the Phillies/Mets game.
MEDIAMARK SPOTLIGHTI first met Gina Ferraro, founder and CEO of MediaMark Spotlight, in the fall of 2006, and since then, we have partnered on a number of projects. MediaMark Spotlight is an award-winning Marketing and Business Development Agency that is home to the revolutionary Creative Pod™. I am pleased to have successfully nominated Gina for a number of industry awards, including the Brava! Award from SmartCEO Magazine, and most recently, in November 2015, the Circle of Excellence Award for Minority-Owned Business in Philadelphia.
MLB ALL-STAR GAME 2005Working on the launch of The Players Choice Club for the Major League Baseball Players Association, I had the pleasure to work with a few Baseball Hall of Famers and some future HOFers as well. A highlight? Coordinating interviews for George Brett and Dave Winfield at the MLB All-Star Game in Detroit, July 2005.
DONNA ALLIE & TEAM CLEANMy efforts on behalf of Donna Allie and her entrepreneurial start-up, Team Clean, resulted in several awards. In 2010, Allie was one of the recipients of the inaugural 2010 Brava Award for Women in Business as selected by Philadelphia Smart CEO magazine. In addition, Team Clean was selected by Inc. Magazine to their fourth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Iin 2009 Allie was honored as one of the inaugural Minority Business Leaders by the Philadelphia Business Journal. In 2008, she was named one of the Philadelphia region’s Women of Distinction by the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Philadelphia Business Journal.
DAVID RIVERS OF TEAM CLEANAnother highlight of my work with Team Clean was the feature profile in the Philadelphia Business Journal of the company’s CEO, David Rivers, including this memorable photo shoot in front of the decommissioned aircraft carrier, the John F. Kennedy, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCERWorking with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and CEO Chris Branscome (pictured here from a Philadelphia Business Journal profile) since his hiring in late 2009, I have had the opportunity to consult with one of the nation’s largest youth soccer associations as they re-branded, expanded, and enhanced their role in the region. Among my projects have been the re-design of their quarterly magazine, editorial roles with several publications and newsletters, as well as serving on the host committee for the 2011 and 2012 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Lancaster. I also had a hand in the organization’s 40th Anniversary planning in 2012, and was honored to be Master of Ceremonies & PA Announcer for the Opening Ceremonies at both the 2011 and 2012 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships.
WIZARD WORLD PHILADELPHIA COMIC CONStarting in 2011, I have been honored to be the Philadelphia Public Relations lead for the annual Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, held each year at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. From gaining earned media coverage and coordinating celebrity guest interviews, to moderating panel discussions and introducing potential media and business partners to this national company in the Philadelphia market, it has been one of my annual highlights. Among my happy memories: introducing key Wizard World executives to Philadelphia media partners including the Philadelphia Daily News, 6 ABC, and the Philadelphia Phillies; Getting the Incredible Lou Ferrigno to throw out the first pitch at a Phillies game; Driving celebrities including Lou Ferrigno, Michael Rooker, Mitch Pileggi and others to TV and Radio appearances across the city; and meeting fans and guests over the course of each day of the convention. It also means a lot to me personally that during the six years I have worked on the Philadelphia show it has grown into one of the company’s top shows in the country.
THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTIn the summer of 2015 I started working as the Philadelphia-based Public Relations Consultant to The Basketball Tournament, the $2 million winner-take-all event played during July and broadcast in part by ESPN. After a successful engagement wrangling media opportunities for the Northeast Regional of TBT in Philadelphia last summer, I was engaged again this summer to not only work the Northeast Regional in Philly coming up July 16th & 17th, , but also the Super 16 the following weekend (July 21-22-23), both at Philadelphia University.
PENN MUTUAL COLLEGIATE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPStarting in the summer of 2014 as an “observer” with my colleague Joe Favorito (pictured at left with yours truly), I’ve been honored to work with the team at United World Sports, NBC Sports and Penn Mutual on the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship. I’ve been fortunate to gain earned media coverage in the Philadelphia market for this event in 2015 and 2016 in media outlets including Sports Radio 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, KYW Newsradio 1060, NBC-10 and others, as well as a number of newspapers and blogs in the city, the region, and the country. And both years, the event has experienced record attendance and television ratings.
DERMAMED SOLUTIONSOver the past several years, I’ve worked with Mark Pinsley (left) and Ginger Hodulik (right) in gaining earned media coverage for their company, DermaMed Solutions, and their skincare line, dm Skincare. Mark and Ginger bought the company in 2011 and have expanded the product line for their target market, dermatologists and skincare professionals. Together we’ve achieved earned media coverage on SiriusXM Business Radio Powered by The Wharton School, the Philadelphia Business Journal, Lehigh Valley Business, and several skincare trade publications.
MOD SOLAROver the course of about 10 months in 2014 and 2015, I worked closely with Mod Solar, a start-up solar technology company in Philadelphia, on building their brand awareness. I gained Earned Media Coverage for ModSolar in Solar Power World, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Business Journal and other outlets, culminating in my successful nomination of founder & CEO Mike Dershowitz as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award Winners in May 2015.
A wide variety of clients & projects since July 1, 1999…
…have kept me busy in a wide variety of industries.
My clients have also included some personalities and some books!
Sometimes my business turns into pleasure…some highlights along the way…
ONWARD & UPWARD!
Thank you to all of my friends, colleagues, clients and especially my family for everything along the way. If you had asked me in July 1999, “Would you still be doing this?,” I probably would have been shocked. Here’s to even more fun in 2016 and beyond – I’ll see you in the stands!
Jim [email protected]://www.JHDENTERPRISES.com