Archive for August, 2010

Peritus congratulates friend and client, Dr. Mark E. Lynn, who joined forces with Bernard Trager of Republic Bank & Trust Co. to raise a record $1.6 million at the 2010 Kentucky State Fair Grand Champion Ham auction. The auction is part of the annual Ham Breakfast sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau.

Dr. Lynn, owner of Dr. Bizer’s VisionWorld and a University of Louisville trustee is donating his $800,000 share of the bid to the University of Louisville, Eastern Area Community Ministries and VIPS (Visually Impaired Preschool Services).

Dr. Lynn is no stranger to raising money for a good cause. The 8th Annual Dr Mark Lynn & Associates Stampede for VIPS, a 5K run/walk, will be held this Saturday at Churchill Downs. In the short history of the Stampede, the event has raised nearly $250,000 for VIPS.

To learn more about Dr. Lynn and Dr. Bizer’s VisionWorld visit www.facebook.com/drmarklynnky ; for the 8^th Annual Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates VIPS Stampede visit www.vips.org.

Team for a Cure:  Peddling with Pelotonia for Cancer Research

By Matthew Henderson

Did I participate again this year?  Absolutely!

Pelotonia is an Ohio-based cycling experience that raises money for cancer research performed at the Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Commonly referred to as the James, the institute is a national leader in creating and testing new therapies based on scientific research, many of which are offered nowhere else in the world.  Pelotonia is on a mission to help the James end cancer and directs 100% of every dollar raised to research – not administration costs.

I learned about Pelotonia from my mom in January 2009 as my dad’s condition with cancer advanced.  I decided to participate because I wanted to do something. I felt helpless against cancer as I watched it work firsthand.  My dad received nearly eight years of treatment at the James.  Last year my mom and I together raised over $5,000 from friends and family. However, my mom was unable to ride last year.

This year was different.

My mom and I were joined by two friends as we rode together:  47, 102 and 180-miles.  I completed the 180-miles from Columbus to Athens and back again on Sunday.  Thousands of volunteers, cancer-survivors, and James patients lined the course to cheer riders like me up the steep Hocking Hills and down the slick road-ways.  To sum up my entire Pelotonia10 experience there can only be one word:  Humbling.

If you would like to support me in our cause, please donate here.

Pelotonia’s first year was in 2009 and raised $4.5 million for the James.  This year, participation doubled with more than 4,000 riders and $8 million raised for the James.

New Space Provides More Amenable Environment for Staff and Clients
By Lauren Reed

We’ve moved! After nearly three years in the 201 Fourth Avenue North building (otherwise known as the old Suntrust building or that building that The City Club is in), Peritus has found a new home in Nashville. As of today, we are now official members of the Cummins Station community. Cummins Station prides itself on being creative, efficient and professional – some of the same qualities that we bring to our work on clients such as the City of Gatlinburg, the African American Lectionary, FedEx and Eye Care Centers of America.

It’s a great, historic building that offers just about everything, including a hibachi grill and sushi bar, a yoga studio, a massage studio, a salon, a bar/restaurant with live music, a printing company, a gym and more. And if we ever need to leave our building, we’re right across the street from the Frist Center and a short walk from the great restaurants in the Gulch or downtown. I see a lot of lunches at Whiskey Kitchen in my future!

As excited as we are about our new home, it is a bit sad to leave our old space. I’ve come to refer to it as our “starter” offices in Nashville and we have a lot of fond memories there. I am sure Katie will never forget the time she showed up at the wrong Suntrust building for her job interview instead of our building. We’ll all remember ringing the bell for some particularly exciting new business wins and mid-afternoon trips to the Painted Cupcake in the Arcade. And I know Steve and Kevin will always look fondly upon that day the power went out and we had to walk down ten flights of stairs in the pitch black because even the back-up lights were down. Most importantly, we’ve gotten some great results for our clients in that office. That is one thing that certainly won’t change.

Give us a call or drop by and visit. We love visitors! Our new address is:

Peritus
209 10th Avenue S.
Suite 341
Nashville, TN 37203

Veteran Communicator to Lead Peritus in Indianapolis
Mike Murphy brings statewide breadth and depth to regional company

Louisville, Ky. (August 10, 2010)—State Representative Mike Murphy (R, Indianapolis) has been named Senior Vice President of Peritus, a full-service communications firm based in Louisville, Ky. with offices in five states. Murphy will lead Peritus’ Indianapolis office, which was established in 2009.
“Mike Murphy is a veteran television broadcaster, writer, corporate communicator, and public policy expert who will bring all his talents to bear on challenges facing our diverse clients,” said Tim Mulloy, CEO of Peritus. “Mike knows Indiana, from South Bend to Evansville, and he has helped shape this state for thirty years.”
Murphy’s company, Murphy Partners, LLC, will merge with Peritus. As Senior Vice President of Peritus, Murphy will be responsible for directing the work of a talented staff of Hoosiers, and for building Peritus into the premier full-service communications firm in the state.
“I have been impressed by the vision Tim Mulloy has for Peritus,” said Murphy. “Peritus is one of the most influential public relations companies in the Midsouth. You will see Peritus extend its reach and influence to several more state capitals in the near future.”
Murphy is completing his 16th and final year in the Indiana House of Representatives, where he became known as a principled fighter for free markets and fiscal discipline. He authored the 2006 Murphy-Hershman telecommunications deregulation law that is still a national model for freeing competitive forces for the benefit of consumers. As chairman of the Technology Committee in 2005-2006, Murphy led efforts to streamline the technology operations of Indiana state government and to lessen the tax and regulatory burdens on technology-based companies. A Spanish speaker, Murphy was nominated for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his advocacy for the constitutional and humane treatment of immigrants.
Prior serving in state government, Murphy was an award-winning television journalist in six midwestern states. His coverage of the political world earned the respect of major political figures and drew him back to Indiana to work for then Lt. Governor John Mutz in 1987.
Murphy went on to help lead corporate communications efforts at two Fortune 500 companies in Indianapolis (The Associated Group, now Wellpoint, and Melvin Simon and Associates, now Simon Property Group).
Murphy is also Chairman of the Board of Monarch Beverage, the nation’s 10th largest beer and wine distributor, based in Indianapolis. He has served as vice-chair of the 2004 World Swimming Championships, Chairman of the Republican Party for Indianapolis, and as a board member for the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Home, Friends of Hidalgo, and the Council of State Governments, based in Lexington, Kentucky.
Murphy earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, and his M.A. in American History from Indiana University at Indianapolis. He has two sons.
About Peritus
Established in the 1990s, Peritus has grown from a political consulting firm into one of the fastest growing full-service communication firms in the nation (61st, O’Dwyer, 2009). Peritus is headquartered in Louisville, Ky., with offices in Lexington, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; and Birmingham, Ala.

To learn more about Peritus, visit our website at www.perituspr.com
Media Contacts:
Mike Murphy
317-414-0964

Mary Cecil
502-510-4790
mcecil@perituspr.com

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Louise Crow joins Peritus as an account coordinator in our Birmingham office. In the past five years, Louise has accumulated a wealth of practical experience working within the field of communications.
In addition to an extensive background in both politics and public relations, Louise brings to Peritus a tremendous drive and passion for leadership, cultivating and managing relationships, and service.

To learn more about Louise, please visit the Our Team page.

Peritus Internship Program…

In 2006, Peritus launched a summer internship program to help students prepare for the future by providing them with the most challenging, dynamic work environment possible. Since its inception, the program has provided college students with the hands-on, professional work experience needed to help give them a head start on their competition. Whether students are interested in media relations, communications, politics, marketing or graphic design, Peritus’ goal is to place interns on the right team to learn from some of the most talented communications professionals in the industry.

Each year, the eight-week paid internship program culminates with an internship competition.  The Peritus interns are split onto two teams, given a small budget and asked to create a public relations campaign for a client or find a solution to a challenge faced by the public relations or public affairs industry.  For the first year, under the supervision of Peritus directors, the 2010 competition challenged each team of interns to research and support a public relations campaign for a local nonprofit organization.

Nonprofit Challenges…

In the nonprofit world, organization leaders are typically strapped for resources and juggle many responsibilities; especially during the summer months when needs go up while volunteer help goes down.  The Peritus competition challenged the interns to support a nonprofit program that would alleviate the some of the challenges faced by the staff and raise funds or awareness for the organization.  

The two nonprofit organizations chosen to benefit from the Peritus interns’ efforts were the local chapters of The American Diabetes Association and The Salvation Army. The Peritus interns paired with the American Diabetes Association were challenged to help the ADA collect pledges and raise funds for the small changes>Lifelong Results campaign. The second team of interns partnered with The Salvation Army was challenged to raise awareness for the Salvation Army’s Christmas in July promotion.

Win, Win, Win…

While the internship team representing the ADA claimed victory in the 2010 Peritus internship program competition, the program was a win-win-win for all involved. For Peritus, it was an avenue to help support Louisville-area nonprofits. For the nonprofits, the friendly internship competition was an opportunity to receive much needed support during the busy summer months. For the Peritus interns, it was a chance to get hands-on experience in their field of study and learn new skills while making an impact in the community.  Both nonprofit organizations expressed their sincere thanks to Peritus and the team of interns for their efforts.  See below for thank you letters from The American Diabetes Association and The Salvation Army.

The American Diabetes Association:

July 30, 2010

Dear Peritus Intern Team!

Thank you for your tremendous support of the American Diabetes Association’s, Fruit 20 Challenge!  Your marketing plan has proven to be a huge success for the Southern Ohio and Kentucky office of the American Diabetes Association.  As a result of your efforts, the local ADA office will receive a $5,000 contribution to support diabetes research, advocacy and education efforts, reaching over 1.5 million residents in Kentucky alone. 

Specific areas of funding include, but are not limited to:

• 9 ADA-funded researchers at Kentucky institutions (2 at University of Louisville & 7 at University of Kentucky)
• 5,000 kids with diabetes and their family members through our Summer Camps and Family Resource Network
• 6,400 people who called 1-800-DIABETES for information on supplies and other diabetes resources
• Nearly 10,000 students and educators through school-based educational programs encouraging healthy life choices
• 40,000 African-Americans through targeted church-based programs and community events
• More than 53,000 adults through workplace and community health fairs and National Diabetes Day activities
• 300,000 Kentucky residents with diabetes and their families through advocacy efforts aimed against discrimination and in favor of improved insurance coverage
• Thousands more through our award-winning website: www.diabetes.org

Again, I sincerely thank you for your support and for allowing us to continue our mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all those affected by diabetes.  We are honored to have been selected to receive your proficiency in marketing!

Sincerely,
Beth Wilson
Executive Director

The Salvation Army:

August 2, 2010

Thanks so much for all you have done for The Salvation Army and the people we serve during the month of July.  The awareness level has definitely increased. Your team did a wonderful job and we are truly grateful.  I am so happy that you were able to go on the tour with us at the beginning of your project.  I believe that it was certainly eye opening for you.  And it showed in your passion for the project.  

Marilyn Markwell
The Salvation Army
Community Relations Director