Pamela Baggett-Wallis & Persuasion Communication: Crisis Management, Media Training & PR

Philanthropy: head of the class or dunce cap?

Competing oil and gas drilling companies both promised a sizable donation to a school district, but only one followed through. Guess which one people are likely to sell drilling rights to?

Yup, it’s the one that followed through with a breathtakingly large donation, at least in the history of the school district. Fort Worth-based XTO donated a record-breaking $50,000 to the Carroll Education Foundation, an independent nonprofit that benefit the district. The single largest contribution to the group previously was $10,000.

There are several other reasons why this donation is interesting, as pointed out by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake, XTO's rival, has the mineral-rights lease to drill for natural gas under all 402 acres owned by the district itself. The XTO donation, which was made last week without fanfare, will make XTO the "presenting sponsor" at the foundation's only fundraiser this year.

The foundation had been talking with Chesapeake officials about a donation since December. Chesapeake even gave a verbal commitment in February, but despite numerous requests for a signed contract, the foundation still never got a dime.

This isn't the first donation race between these two.

Chesapeake announced in late March that it would donate $1 million to the United Way to establish the Barnett Shale Endowment Fund. Also that day, the YMCA rushed out a news release saying that XTO was donating $500,000 to help modernize and expand its workout space.

As memorable as the $1 million donation is, will it neutralize the negative feelings caused by Chesapeake reniging on a promised donation?

Labels: branding, Chesapeake, crisis_communications, customer service, media relations, philanthropy, XTO

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12:08 AM | 0 comment(s)

Philanthropy moves you to the head of the class, or earns a dunce cap

Competing oil and gas drilling companies both promised a sizable donation to a school district, but only one followed through. Guess which one people are likely to sell drilling rights to?

Yup, it’s the one that followed through with a breathtakingly large donation, at least in the history of the school district. Fort Worth-based XTO donated a record-breaking $50,000 to the Carroll Education Foundation, an independent nonprofit that benefit the district. The single largest contribution to the group previously was $10,000.

There are several other reasons why this donation is interesting, as pointed out by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake, XTO's rival, has the mineral-rights lease to drill for natural gas under all 402 acres owned by the district itself. The XTO donation, which was made last week without fanfare, will make XTO the "presenting sponsor" at the foundation's only fundraiser this year.

The foundation had been talking with Chesapeake officials about a donation since December.
Chesapeake even gave a verbal commitment in February, but despite numerous requests for a signed contract, the foundation still never got anything.

This isn't the first donation race between these two.

Chesapeake announced in late March that it would donate $1 million to the United Way to establish the Barnett Shale Endowment Fund. Also that day, the YMCA rushed out a news release saying that XTO was donating $500,000 to help modernize and expand its workout space.

Not only did one company give a sizable donation, the other one reneged. Now, how do you feel about the two companies?

Labels: Chesapeake, crisis_communications, crisis_management, customer service, philanthropy, XTO

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2:52 PM | 0 comment(s)

Philanthropy moves you to the head of the class, or earns a dunce cap

Competing oil and gas drilling companies both promised a sizable donation to a school district, but only one followed through. Guess which one people are likely to sell drilling rights to?

Yup, it’s the one that followed through with a breathtakingly large donation, at least in the history of the school district. Fort Worth-based XTO donated a record-breaking $50,000 to the Carroll Education Foundation, an independent nonprofit that benefit the district. The single largest contribution to the group previously was $10,000.

There are several other reasons why this donation is interesting, as pointed out by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake, XTO's rival, has the mineral-rights lease to drill for natural gas under all 402 acres owned by the district itself. The XTO donation, which was made last week without fanfare, will make XTO the "presenting sponsor" at the foundation's only fundraiser this year.

The foundation had been talking with Chesapeake officials about a donation since December. Chesapeake even gave a verbal commitment in February, but despite numerous requests for a signed contract, the foundation still never got anything. Where'd I put that dunce cap?

This isn't the first donation race between these two.

Chesapeake announced in late March that it would donate $1 million to the United Way to establish the Barnett Shale Endowment Fund. Also that day, the YMCA rushed out a news release saying that XTO was donating $500,000 to help modernize and expand its workout space.

Not only did one company give a sizable donation, the other one reneged. I send a heartfelt "thank you" to both companies for so beautifully demonstrating the right and wrong methods to position your business in the community's mind. The Chesapeake brand definitely has lost some luster.

How do you feel about the two companies?

Labels: branding, crisis_communications, crisis_management, customer service, good manners, media relations, philantrhropy

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1:46 PM | 0 comment(s)

My first personal loss to a tornado

I spent much of my childhood in the tornado alley of Texas, and I worked for FEMA helping with major tornado recovery. But today is my first personal loss.

I lost a relative overnight to the tornado outside Seneca, Missouri. She lived, as do many people in rural areas, in a mobile home. Yes, it had all the required tie-downs, but tie downs are no match for a tornado of any size.

She couldn't leave her home for safety in a "bar ditch" as we call those drop-offs alongside roadways. She was in her bed. Even so, she gets around on a motorized wheelchair and was on oxygen. Utimately, she made it to a ditch, but not under her own steam. She landed there, with her beloved husband still clinging to her, trying to protect her from injury. A neighbor came by and took them to the hospital, but she didn't make it.

My family grieves this Mother's Day, especially my 82-year-old cousin in Galena, Kansas, for whom my Missouri cousin was her closest relative. They kept each other company via daily email conversations. [Lot's of "cousins" in this blog, but I can't possibly explain the relationships--both women on are the Armitage side of my grandmother's family.]

I learned from my years working for FEMA that one can't measure how "bad" a disaster is, that if it affects you or your family, it's the worst. How true.

My Mother's Day advice: Pull your loved ones close, even by phone or email. Remember fondly those who are no longer with us, no matter their (or our) foibles. Love them for the good they represent. Reach out with your heart for those who are grieving today.

Labels: crisis_management, disaster readiness, FEMA, Mother's Day, tornado

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1:19 PM | 3 comment(s)

What’s in your go-kit?

First of all, I hope you know what a go-kit is. Whether it’s a cardboard box or a crush-resistant, impact-resistant metal case, a go-kit is the container you can grab and run to the site of whatever disaster/crisis hits your company. When it hits the fan is too late to start pulling these items together.

Obviously a laptop computer is one item. Maybe even a satellite phone. Communication is what this is all about, so you need these mechanical tools. How a about a digital camera?

Depending on the size of the company and how many hats you wear, you also may need a company check book to compensate individuals either injured or who suffered property damage. And release forms for individuals who are ready to settle right then and there.

Other items that don’t fit into your go-kit but are equally important:
• “Stealth” Website ready to punch in the pertinent information for news media, general public and even your employees.
• Responsive communication tree both ‘up’ and ‘down’ the communication ladder. Watch for more on this issue in another blog.
• Trained spokesperson on the ground while main spokesperson is en route.
• Expert investigators, as necessary.
• Company or hired-gun defense lawyers to talk to the inevitable ant trail of plaintiff attorneys.

Oh, and for the go-kit, don’t forget a change of underwear!

Labels: crisis_communications, crisis_management, disaster readiness, media relations, vulnerability audit

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12:58 PM | 0 comment(s)

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