20th IPRN INTERNATIONAL PR NETWORK ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Annual General Meeting held at 9 .15 am on Sunday 10th May 2015
Melrose Georgetown Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20037
MEMBERS ATTENDING
The Chairman: Carrie Jones , JPA Health Communications Washington DC USA
General Secretary: Jonathan Choat Nexus Communications , London, U.K.
Members attending;
Carrie Jones JPA Communications Washington USA
Arnaldo Ragozzino Twister Communications Group – Italy
Jan Gusich Akhai , Hudson USA
Jeff Weiss Harbinger, Canada
Jonathan Choat Nexus Communications UK
Luis Canomanuel LUCA Comunicacion Corporativa– Spain
Poul KragelundKragelund Kommunikation – Denmark
Gitte Hoyer Kragelund Kommunikation – Denmark
Sarah McOnie McOnie Agency UK
Susanne Senft Senft & Partner
Valerie Carter JPA Communications London UK
Wolfgang Weber Thedy Weber Thedy Switzerland
Gert Trager Trager A/S Denmark
Uffe Lindum Trager A/S Denmark
Oliver Chaudhuri JP KOM Germany
Patricio Carvajal Carvajal PR Team Argentina
Pablo Genova Carvajal PR Team Argentina
Jing Cheng Blue Focus China
Aris Hou Blue Focus China
Elena Fuks PR Partner Russia
Daria Afanasyeva PR Partner Russia
1: Opening and Welcome (Chairman Carrie Jones )
2: New Members present welcomed and agency presentations made to the delegates : Jing Cheng and Aris Hou Blue Focus China .
3: Apologies for absence received from; all other IPRN members
4: Votes registered by proxy: Proxies received from Peter Richter Germany; Pawel Bylicki Poland ; Maggi Fox UK ; Mark Knight UK
5: Minutes of the AGM held in London UK May 2014; Approved unanimously and signed by the Chairman.
6. Financial Matters
6.1 Audited accounts for Year ending December 2014: Approved unanimously and signed by Chairman.
6.2 Approval of revised budget and membership fees for year 2015: Approved and signed by Chairman.
6.3 Discussion of any items to consider for 2015/6: Agreed to allocate E6,000 in 2015 to the development of a new mobile and tablet accommodating web site
( see also recommendations to be considered from New Gen Sec, Luis Canomanuel)
7. General Secretary’s Report on 2014
During this last year 2014/5, the Network has run smoothly and I have worked closely as necessary with the Chairman Carrie Jones and web master , Maggi Fox and the other member of the admin committee Keith Webb of Edson Evers, whom I regret to tell you has been through a torrid time with health problems and invasive treatments and whom I hope is now coming out of the last phase of treatment and is on the road to recovery.
There have been no problems between members reported to me for any dispute resolution.
As both General Secretary and a member of IPRN, I have been careful with the budget to keep expenditure within our income and as you will have seen from the annual accounts, that we just stayed liquid last year with a surplus of £2,881 and an accumulated surplus of £6,488.
In this last year 2014/5, I have dealt with 30 enquiries about membership largely through the web site and of these we have gained the one new member in India Spag Consultants in Delhi and the rejoining of Blue Focus China through the good offices of Jorg Pfannenburg of JP Kom.
15 of these enquiries duplicated current member expertise in their countries and were refused. We need to find member agencies in Sweden, Norway, Hungary and more coverage in the major market areas of South America and I must ask members to give me contacts that they have worked with and whom I can pursue.
In 2014 /5 we lost two members -Sprengl in Germany and Opinion Valley in Paris France as Donovan Hawker, its founder , has left to work as an international consultant on his own – and we shall miss him .
One continuing achievement this year has been the very smooth running of our web site under the close supervision of Maggi Fox who regrettably is not here today . She is doing a great job for us and we all owe her a vote of thanks .
Each year I provide a report of the time I have spent administering the IPRN and a report of the detail has been given to the Admin committee for approval. In summary I have spent 159 hours or 22.71 days in 2013, against 20 budgeted days . This is including the extra time need to centralise the UK agencies contributions to the London IPRN Conference.
So IPRN owes me £1,355.00. but we’ll call it a draw.
It is a pleasure dealing with all members as always; everyone is very responsive to queries from other members and possible referrals of business are evidently valuable to our businesses – both as a service to our clients and in gaining new income .
I need to report on those members not attending the past two conferences including this one; these are Autocom Deutsch and JP KOM also in Germany . I would propose that all these paid up members are re-affirmed as members of IPRN.
At the London AGM in 2014 , I said that I was able to continue, with no diminution of interest, as Gen Sec IPRN for 2014/15 and the 2015 conference in USA . After that I hoped to hand over to a new and more vigorous Gen Sec .
Now there has been in very recent weeks , the suggestion that Luis Canomanuel of LUCA in Madrid should stand as Gen Sec and that he has a more enterprising approach which could lead to an expansion of the influence and global presence of IPRN . Personally , as Chairman of Nexus and a member of IPRN, I am all for supporting such an enthusiastic approach as Luis has been a member for many years , was the instigator of a most successful aspect of our conference –the Project of the Year Awards and I do not think has ever missed a conference . Of course he is much older than I am , but that simply deepens his experience . I am therefore standing down as Gen Sec as from June this year so I can snipe at Luis from the sidelines .
It is a pleasure and privilege to work with you all and the greatest value to me has been to have so many amusing meetings with the good friends I have made through IPRN.
Members absent for more than 2 AGM;’s ; Peter Richter Autocom Deutsch
All absent members listed above were approved as full members unanimously.
8. Election of officers:
8.1 General Secretary
Presentation made by Luis G Canomanuel
Dear Colleagues and members of IPRN,
Jonathan has proposed that said I should succeed him in the position of Gen Sec of IPRN, if you approve.
The reasons behind are the following:
I have been pushed by some of you to move forward for this–in the AGM in London, and also in former AGMs-, but I was unable before due to my activities and work. Now my business and activities allow me to dedicate more time to IPRN, without spending an extra penny of the budget approved. I would like to take the leadership of some excellent ideas and challenges many of you have put on the floor several times and we have not been able to pursue, having being discussed, supported by many and some even approved.
I have been collecting some of them and that is the reason why, with the incorporation to the network of countries like China, India and others, I decided to work on the plan: “IPRN Internationalization”, that I have sent to you to collect your feedback. This is a plan to discuss, approve what members decide and not mix with my decision -the administration work and the extra one I am ready to do. It’s just another example of pro-activity and initiative. It has to be approved what you, the majority of the members want, like everything in IPRN.
A change in the position of Gen Sec –the only executive and remunerated position we have in IPRN- is highly recommended from time to time. Jonathan has been at the wheel for the last 15 years, doing a great work, but this is not an organization attached to a country or an individual.
Several members are also in favor to put a limit –for example 3 plus 2 years- to this position, to make sure the network profits of change, doesn’t rely too much on an individual personality and benefits from different leaderships. This is the change many of us recommend our clients. In IPRN we have the chance to elect for the position members from different countries, cultures, experience and talent, willing to dedicate the time and effort the work requires, what can only enrich and empower IPRN; with new ideas, more pro-activity, different initiatives and ways of doing things, discussing more with the membership and implementing new solutions. This is the great power behind IPRN that we need to profit more.
I have been in the network for almost 20 years, participated in all AGMs and know personally all you except those that have not attended yet an AGM or I didn’t had the chance to visit in my trips to your countries. I have also convinced several agencies to become members of the network being one of its proud senior members. I have contributed to create our Constitution, Guidelines, Protocols, Motions Approved, etc. and I am the founder and chair of the “Project of the Year”, that requires the work you know and is a good example of the potential IPRN has and we don’t use to a full extent.
Our network has moved in the last years in a very different way from the early ones with Ellis Kopel, that make it grew quickly and put a lot of work, and the first years of Jonathan, who gave a new impulse with his personality, work and charming style. But we have lost that impulse, innovation and creativity. I am not blaming anyone, maybe the organization. Our profession, clients and the time we live in demand more impulse, change, innovation, leadership, etc. that I have the feeling we are missing.
I will do the work of the Gen Sec and will lead the activities that IPRN needs and you approve for the actual budget. My compromise will be to dedicate to IPRN 200 hours or 30 days per year (+36%) for the same budget. If I have your approval I will explain more in detail what I will do with this extra time.
I am convinced to be able to lead the network to a new level, implement the ideas that you the members approve and push some more action to reach our objectives. Then hand it over to the next one that wants to take the wheel after a few years (not so many as Jonathan) and help him to take the leadership.
I will be presenting also some ideas and a concrete plan of activities in a special session later, dedicated to “Internationalization, Communication and Marketing”. It has the objective to make sure IPRN continues growing and progressing. I want to discussed this with you and decide which actions you want to approve.
Thank you all
Luis Canomanuel proposed as General Secretary by Jonathan Choat Seconded by Jan Gusich. Approved and passed unanimously .
8.2 External auditors: Appointment pending arrangements for banking and administration in Madrid Spain .
8.3 Admin Committee: Luis Canomanuel ; Maggi Fox, Keith Webb,Approved unanimously
8.4 Chairman for the year 2015/2016; Ms Chantal Carrere Cuny of Passerelles, Paris and Bordeaux , Franceproposed by Jeff Weiss and approved unanimously.
9. Location of AGM/ Conference 2016.
Bordeaux France . Location to be advised ; Dates Saturday 14th – Wednesday 18th May 2016 ; Proposed by Jan Gusich . Approved unanimously
10 .Election of Vice-Chairman and conference location 2016/17
Proposed alternatives ; China ; Russia ; To be investigated
11. Motions received from members
None received
12. Date and place of next meeting
Saturday 14th – Wednesday 18th May 2016 Bordeaux France . Location to be advised ;
13. Any other business;
Luis Canomanuel General Secretary elect requested a budget of E 6,000 for the redesign and maintenance of the website, with additional capacities and a more tablet and mobile friendly ; Approved by the meeting .
Luis Canomanuel proposed a series of measures to increase the international presence of IPRN and attract more members and more client referrals . He agreed to provide all members with a schedule of items proposed and their cost for approval of all members before undertaking any actions.
14. Web Site report from Maggi Fox ;
Many of the members have taken advantage of the IPRN website and provided both news and hot topics that have then been uploaded. It is important for us, as an organisation, that this continues to happen as it allows IPRN to remain high in the Google rankings.
The website can be made more topical if you wish the Maggi/webmaster to trawl for topical information, alternatively just send an email and point out an area of discussion that’s prominent in your own country and it can be followed up. Please remember however that there is a cost to this as the Maggi/webmaster is paid for work done at the rate of £70.00
Charges are accurately worked out using HourGuard software, which allocates time, to the second, spent on a particular task. The charges per month are downloaded to a Task Sheet and submitted with the invoice to the General Secretary. Over the past year the cost of writing up and uploadning stories for the website has been £1182.00 against a projected cost of £3,500.
Additionally the services of Alex Lyon are used. He is an expert at WordPress, and charges £35.00 per hour. This is an extremely good rate and whenever problems arise that the IPRN webmaster cannot fix easily then Alex Lyons is asked to sort it out. In some instances it is cheaper to ask Alex to do something, like change the rotating pictures on the website, as he’s faster and so cheaper than the IPRN's webmaster - Maggi. We spent a total of £700 compared to the budgetof £1500.
For some reason Google Analytics has not been sending the monthly reports that used to get sent and so I have now, I hope, fixed this and they should be forthcoming at the end of each month. Meanwhile, the reports for November 2014 to today, 6th May 2015 are attached.( distributed to the delegates)
A vote of thanks and appreciation for the work done by Maggi Fox to up date and keep the web site topical , was passed unanimously by the delegates.
14. New members ;
Noted that we need new members in Brasil , Mexico , Colombia , Chile , Peru to cover South America comprehensively for inter country, continental business exchange ( pace Patricio Carvajal Argentina ) ; Nordic countries - Sweden , Norway for business area exchange ( pace Poul Kragelund / Gert Trager Denmark)Europe -Portugal,Belgium,Hungary, Greece; South Africa ; Australia . Far east – Malaysia, Indonesia ; additional agency in Japan to supplement Ohtaka Jimushu.
15; Staff Exchanges:from the bursaries won at last Year’s PotY competition
Susanne Senft is to visit Edson Evers in June 2015.
16; All delegates were requested to give their views on the 3 main areas of activity on which IPRN should concentrate over the next year and in the future, as a guide to the new General Secretary, Luis Canomanuel, in his thinking for a development plan for IPRN. LG agreed to develop a plan and cost this by item which he will submit to all members for general approval and possible IPRN annual budget revision in 2016 .
The conclusions of these views to be sent to all members separately from the conference minutes and absent members will be encouraged to give their views . ( action JC)
17. Developments in IPRN communication:
17.1.Oliver Chaudhuri JP KOM volunteered to assist Luis Canomanuel in all the video and photo material development of a new IPRN web site design.
17.2.Sarah Mc Onie agreed to edit and produce a quarterly news letter for all IPRN members for internal circulation only to begin with . members to contribute regularly with news and info on their companies and the market in their country.
17.3 Jan Gusich volunteered to do a summary of the Conference for all members to be adapted to an external press release by Carrie Jones and used in the first newsletter by Sarah McOnie
17. Project of the Year Entries ; Chairman of the POTY committee, Luis Canomanuel reported on the current rules and the participants .
He also queried whether he should remain as Chairman of the POTY Committee when he is taking on the role of Gen Sec . To be discussed with the membership as another Chairman would be required to organize the POTY competition
IPRN Ellis Kopel PROJECT OF THE YEAR 2015 Participants
2015 Project of Year
Finalists & Winners
Agency / Country / Client / Project Title / Category / CertificatePR Partner / Russia / Fibrum / Fibrum Launch in Russia Video game / B2C / Finalist
Nexus / Great Britain / UK Potato Council / National Chip Week / B2C / Overall & Category Winner
JPA Health Communications / United States / Melanoma Research Foundation / #GetNaked skin cancer awareness / B2C / Finalist
The McOnie Agency / Great Britain / Arco / A Successful Cover Up
Ebola protective clothing / B2B / Category Winner
PR Partner / Russia / Innoprom / Innoprom Fair Ekaterinaburg Industrial fair / B2B / Finalist
JP / KOM / Germany / HSBC / Growth Initiative middle sized companies investment / C / Finalist
JPA Health Communications / United States / Children's Hospital Association / Family Advocacy Day ‘Little people ‘CNN feature / C / Category Winner
Twister / Italy / Italian Pavillon / Milan Expo 2015Regional city involvement. Show Press office October 2015 / C / Finalist
The overall winner receives a £1000 travel bursary and the two category winners £500 each agency to be claimed by May 2016.
JC 20.5. 2015