Every Thunderbird graduate signs the oath upon graduation.

Thunderbird OATH of HONOR
As a Thunderbird and a Global citizen, I Promise
I will strive to act with honesty and integrity,
I will respect the rights and dignity of all people,
I will strive to create sustainable prosperity worldwide,
I will oppose all forms of corruption and exploitation and
I will take responsibility for actions. As I hold true to these principles,
It is my hope that i may enjoy an honorable reputation and peace of conscience.
This pledge I make freely and upon my honor.

See more at Communication Arts.

Tim Riester and Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Pete Griffin.

Last night Tim Riester received the 2011 Spirit of Philanthropy Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. He was nominated by Big Brothers Big Sisters in recognition of the three years he served as Chairman of its Board of Directors.

During that time, Tim led a team that re-engineered the executive leadership of the organization which has resulted in improved financial stability and an increased number of children being mentored by the program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the nation’s top charitable organizations for youth. It matches children in need with adult volunteer mentors. The program results in dramatically improved academic performance and high school completion, reductions in drug use and decreased violent behaviors.

Thanks Tim for your service to the community!

Below is one of the many tens of thousands of success stories from Big Brother Big Sisters:

Mike Korologos, photographed at RIESTER’s Salt Lake City office on November 8, 2011.

Mike Korologos was recognized last week as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Utah.

RIESTER is fortunate to have access to Mike’s talents and experience. He not only has an exemplary career as a journalist and public relations professional, Mike also provided a story line for an episode of the original Twilight Zone television series—one of the most creative shows in TV history.

Another major accomplishment is the large role Mike played in helping to bring the Winter Olympics to Utah in 2002.

Mostly we love him because he’s a generous, hilarious, charming guy.

Congratulations Mike for this well-deserved award! We’re privileged to count you as one of our own at RIESTER.

More on the award: The University of Utah Emeritus Alumni Board presents its Merit of Honor Award annually to five alumni who graduated from the University 40 or more years ago (or reached age 65 or better) and who have given distinguished service to the University, their profession, and/or the local and national communities.

Many voters believe our elections are closed affairs offering little choice—and few results.

That is why for the past few months, RIESTER has been honored to work under the direction of a respected group of business and community leaders as they have developed a truly ground-breaking ballot initiative that will be placed before Arizona voters in the November 2012 election.

The Open Government Act will fundamentally change and reform our election process by encouraging more qualified and independent-minded candidates to seek elected office. Candidates guided by common sense, instead of extreme ideology from either side of the political spectrum.

The current primary election system in Arizona, in which only a limited number of voters now participate and are only permitted to cast ballots for the partisan candidates from one party, will be eliminated. Replacing it will be a primary election open to ALL voters and ALL candidates. The top two candidates from that election—regardless of political party—will then face off in the November election.

The result—EVERY voter will be permitted to vote in EVERY election. Voters will have real choices, with candidates who better represent all the people of Arizona rather than just ideology and political parties.

Our task ahead is a big one, from securing the voter signatures, to putting the initiative on the ballot, to conducting the campaign to inform Arizona voters that we can indeed open up our governments in order to better meet our critical needs. As we typically do in ballot measure campaigns we are a part of, we’re putting the full resources of our firm behind this effort.

Of course, we will need lots of help.

Go to our web site at AzOpenGov.org and be one of the first to join our coalition.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

We’ll stay in touch as we prepare to move forward.

Next year, Arizona celebrates its centennial. In many ways, our state is at a crossroads. Those of us who have taken up this cause are determined to choose a better path as Arizona enters its second century. I hope you will choose to join us.

One of the award winning ads.

The UCI Better Communicators Competition was held last night and PacifiCorp was the big winner with 13 awards! Below is a list of the awards and categories:

First place, Complete Campaign (marketing): wattsmart
First Place, Direct Mail: Centennial brochure
First place, Series of Newspaper ads (marketing): wattsmart series (fantasy, inefficient, demanding)
First place, Employee Communications: Centennial video
First place, Single TV ad (marketing): Front Door
First place, It Didn’t Fly: Toilet paper – online bill pay poster

Second place, Outdoor: Fan
Second place, Single Newspaper ad, Image/PR: Flower
Second place: Safety communications: Call Before You Dig TV

Third place, Outdoor: Caulk
Third place, Bill Insert: Home Energy IQ Workshop (with flower)
Third place, Special Brochure: Utah PR brochure

Best in Show, Newspaper/Magazine: Flower

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who worked hard on these communications pieces!

In case you aren’t familiar with this awards competition, The Better Communications Competition is among the longest running awards programs for excellence in utility communications.

Congratulations PacifiCorp!

Smokers’ lives are organized around their nicotine addiction. Forfeiting control to addiction is at the root of a new, original program to stop Arizona youth from smoking and an ‘on-the-ground’ extension of the public service campaign, http://www.venomocity.com.

Today and tomorrow, June 11, the Bureau of Tobacco and Chronic Disease (BTCD) will immerse more than 200 youth from across the state, ages 13-17, into the 2011 anti-smoking youth conference being held at Arizona State University, Old Main Building, Tempe, Ariz. The first-ever 24-hour hands-on learning environment, called The Experiment. Brought to you by addiction. is packed with workshops and presenters.

“Today, teens know about the health impacts of smoking, there is a lot of information they can access,” said Wayne Tormala, Chief, Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Tobacco & Chronic Disease. “But, the health dangers may feel ‘far away’ to this audience so explaining the ‘instant impact’ of nicotine addiction leaves an impression right now. ”

On Saturday, they will wake up to a traditional Navajo tobacco ceremony, adapted for the attendees, presented by a Navajo tribal member.

Participating teens will preview a series of new interactive ‘choose your path’ videos that make saying ‘no’ cool. Designed especially for ‘Generation Net,’ participants will have a chance to create their own versions at the conference. The videos can be seen at http://www.venomocity.com.

Phoenix Theatre will unveil 15-minute plays, “Big Tobacco in the Boardroom” a theatrical performance and lab to explain big tobacco marketing tactics and “Anatomy of a Smoker” a theatrical performance and lab to explain the health effects of tobacco use, ‘live’ from a ‘coroner’s’ lab.

National anti-smoking advocate, Mackenzie Lowry will talk about how losing her dad to lung cancer inspired her work on a cigarette tax increase in her state. A Harvard graduate, she founded the Institute of Politics Tobacco Control Policy Group. Glamour magazine honored Mackenzie as one of the Top 10 College Women, coining her as “The Politician.”

Kids who weren’t able to join us in person, can catch some of the The Experiment in real-time online, at http://venomocity.com/experiment or follow it on Twitter #addictionexperiment.

Event organizers plan to stay in touch with all of the attendees and will encourage organization of anti-smoking efforts in their communities.

Mike Gorrell of the Salt Lake Tribune wrote this profile on Skip: “Fun-loving advertising executive honored with lifetime achievement award.”

Skip Branch, with cocktail, in 1963.

]]> http://www.riester.com/blog/2011/05/18/riesters-skip-branch-featured-in-the-salt-lake-tribune/feed/ 0 http://www.riester.com/blog/2011/04/25/new-section-to-see-riesters-recent-awards/ http://www.riester.com/blog/2011/04/25/new-section-to-see-riesters-recent-awards/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:55:51 +0000 RIESTER http://www.riester.com/blog/?p=3137 We’ve created a new section on our website to highlight our recent awards. Visit it here.