We had a fun evening and I was reminded of how lucky we are to have Tim and Mirja Riester as mentors and  leaders accessible to us every day.

When it was time for Tim to take the stage to make a few remarks, Scott Light of NBC introduced the entire Riester family.

Tim, Mirja and their two boys took the stage. The boys completed his introduction following a testimonial-style video about why they love their dad; by that time there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Tim’s speech was heartfelt. He thanked RIESTER clients Casino Arizona/Talking Stick Resort and MidFirst Bank who generously donated to the Diabetes Association; recognized the RIESTERites in the audience and spoke emotionally about the importance of family.

The event raised almost $300,000 toward the fight against diabetes.

Tim and Mirja Riester with their two boys on stage at the American Diabetes Association's Father of the Year event, June 10, 2010.

Women of RIESTER with Scott Light of NBC. From the left: Onida Perkel, Christina Borrego, Amanda Stiles and Cammy Wagner.

RIESTER's Chief Creative Officer Tom Ortega with his wife Stacia.

While it is an excellent cause, Sven and Finn Riester will say that the title of the award suits their daddy quite well!  Now 6 and 8, respectively, there was a time when they were in the RIESTER on-site day care along with a handful of second generation ‘RIESTERites.’

Tim, with many of us, spent lunch hours playing with the babies, spooning mushy carrots into tiny mouths, changing diapers, even refereeing the use of favorite toys— then moments later, jumping into Client meetings, not missing a beat. It was new territory for many of us, shared in kinship with parents like Tim and Mirja, who always had, and still have, a great perspective on parenting.

Tim will be recognized at the Phoenix Father’s Day Council Father of the Year Awards Gala on June 10.  All proceeds from the Phoenix Father’s Day Council will benefit the American Diabetes Association. For me, the issue of diabetes is close to home given that my mother lives with it every day. Organizations like the American Diabetes Association raise awareness, promote prevention, and help people manage it, so that people like my mom can enjoy a normal life.

There are several ways you can join others in congratulating Tim and help the fight against diabetes.  Click on the link below if you want to learn more. Thanks much!

http://main.diabetes.org/triester

Since that time, human populations have continued to expand and the fragile consensus regarding environmental policy broke down. Humans need wild places, not just as places to visit, but as places they can go even in their imagination. Non-human species are going extinct at unprecedented rates. One example, among many, is the dramatic decline in wild tiger populations.
Biodiversity is more than an abstract concept and it’s more than protecting some of our planet’s most noble and emblematic species like tigers and eagles.  Consider this: If all insects were to die, humans would likely not survive more than a few months.  Visit this website to learn more about the vital functions that creepy, crawly insects perform to make life on Earth possible. All life is interconnected—something that is too easy to forget.

Biodiversity is important for our economy and maintaining the diversity of the gene pool. The Convention on Biological Diversity put it in perspective:  “At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. The richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change.”

If we continue to use more and more resources without thinking of the consequences to the planet, we will be condemning our children and their children to live lives that lack the material prosperity of today. Our choices will also affect the health of those who follow.

Our goal is to leave a healthy planet to our children, and their children.  That is why the RIESTER Foundation works to preserve and protect the environment through habitat preservation and restoration.

Coho salmon

A new project the RIESTER Foundation is supporting is the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network or SPAWN.  SPAWN is a California-based organization that works to protect and restore endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout and the habitat on which they depend.

SPAWN uses a community-based approach to habitat restoration that is in alignment with who we are at RIESTER: Brand Activists for our client’s products and causes.

I encourage you to read more about SPAWN. SPAWN is doing some of the hands on work that is so important for protecting diverse forms of life.

Thank you for helping us make Earth Day every day!

Sincerely,

Tim Riester

Cammy is our Director of Integration, a role similar to the head of account services at other agencies. She is passionate about customer service, a characteristic that serves her and our clients well. This passion is evident in her adept way of working with people who have a wide variety of temperaments.  She simply enjoys people.

In the television show “Mad Men,” set in the early 1960s on Madison Avenue, Lane Pryce, a senior manager at the fictional advertising agency, explained to junior executive Pete Campbell why his competitor was promoted to head of account services instead of him. Pryce told Campbell: “You are excellent at making the clients feel their needs are being met, but, Mr. Cosgrove has the rare gift of making them feel as if they haven’t any needs.” By working tirelessly for our clients, Mrs. Wagner shares this rare gift.

Cammy explains how she works to maintain a win/win atmosphere between clients and the agency: “Always stay true to the strategy and do great marketing while never neglecting the goals and motivations of all of the individuals involved.”

When asked to describe Cammy in just a few words and phrases, Mirja Riester said: “She is my American cultural barometer. She is true, the real thing, raw, sassy.”

CEO Tim Riester offers this story, and some observations about Cammy:

“When we first were awarded the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau account, the client had worked with its previous agency for more than a decade.  They decided it was time to move their business to RIESTER, but they were concerned about uprooting such a long-standing business relationship.  Cammy led the transition for Scottsdale.  The client quickly told me they loved RIESTER’s motto, ‘You Got It.  We’re On It.’ Every time they assigned Cammy a project, they discovered that she was already on it.  What is amazing is that motto was not RIESTER’s, it was Cammy’s.

“She is one of those extremely rare, wonderful people who have endless energy and an honest desire to make sure everything is always done right.  She teaches all of our managers how to succeed by providing ‘You Got It. We’re On It’ service.

“I am proud Cammy has chosen to stay with RIESTER all these years. She is truly part of the heartbeat of our organization.”

Nearly 35 years ago, Rick Johnson started an advertising agency in Albuquerque, New Mexico that beat all the odds and became one of the top firms in the western United States.

Through Rick’s inspirational leadership, electrifying personality and unique talent, along with his wife Debbie’s illuminating presence and intelligence, Rick Johnson & Company attracted clients from Texas to California and its campaigns were honored with creative awards from across the country.

Rick had incredible discipline, an unstoppable work ethic and an abundance of energy.  He knew how to do it right and would push for nothing less than perfection.  Rick earned the status of an icon in New Mexico’s business, academic, philanthropic and political circles.

Rick and Debbie served as our most influential mentors during the past decade.  They truly set the highest standard for professional success and personal completeness.  We cherished every moment  we had with them because it was always filled with love, laughs and important lessons about life.

Rick is survived by Debbie and their two daughters about whom he always spoke with great pride, Leslie and Lauren.

Our hearts and prayers go out to them.  We will miss Rick forever, but will always carry part of him in our hearts; the constant energy in his eyes, his selfless curiosity and interest in others and the wisdom he so generously shared.

In fond remembrance,

Tim & Mirja Riester

Tim Riester photographed in Phoenix, Arizona.

A note Tim Riester sent to RIESTER staff late last night:

Today, March 10, 2010, marked the 21st anniversary of RIESTER.  As in past years, we were all too busy to notice.  This may sound odd but I am thankful for that.

I probably worked on at least 21 different projects today, and know many of you did as well.  In a healthy marketing firm that should be the norm.  But, that is not how firms in our industry begin.  RIESTER officially opened March 10, 1989 with one client which had a whopping budget of $1,800.  The client was a whitewater rafting company that operated on the upper Salt River with a very short season (the Salt River only has enough flow to create any whitewater during the annual snow melt, when there is snow).  Needless to say, there was tremendous pressure to find more clients and earn projects from them fast!  Bill Robbins will remember all the phone calls I used to make every day, during those early years, politely asking potential clients if they had any projects for us yet.  Enough said yes every month to keep us going, and Tom Ortega’s creative kept us growing.

We quickly realized we were suckers for a good cause and ended up serving on numerous charitable boards and donating ad campaigns to save the earth, children and animals.  But, even our pro bono work was always top notch.  In fact, we became known as the firm that could deliver commercial results for social causes.  RIESTER’s Brand Activism style of advertising started to earn us some pretty large contracts for extremely important social issues.  But, we continued to treat all clients as if they were small and every dollar invested in marketing with RIESTER needed to deliver amazing success.  As a result, we went from managing one project for Motorola to managing all marketing projects for 12 Motorola divisions.  We went from doing a single ad for a cellular phone company to managing all marketing for Metro Mobile (which became Cellular One) in six southwestern states.  We went from promoting water bottles for a single camping store to managing all marketing in 80 DMAs for Culligan Water.  We went from doing a PSA to prevent smokers from littering to achieving the greatest reductions in youth smoking in United States history.  We went from promoting three bank branches for First National to campaigning for America’s second largest, privately-held financial institution – MidFirst.  We went from the flannel shirts of the Flagstaff Visitors Bureau to the interactive slopes of Alta.  And, we went from acquiring a company that had just lost the Hormel business to working for nine Hormel brands today.

With good reason, I am truly convinced RIESTER can accomplish anything we set out to achieve and I look forward to our next 21 years with great anticipation.  However, we must always remember it took us years to earn the clients and relationships we enjoy today.  Treating them like they are all still small and need us to deliver amazing results with every dollar will ensure we all continue to have the privilege of working together.

Thank you all for everything you do for RIESTER, and happy 21st anniversary!!!

A young Haitian photographed at the Hope Center for Orphaned Girls in 2009. Even before the devastating earthquake Haiti already had a high number of orphans.

While too many people are suffering from the earthquake in Haiti, children are among those who need our help most.  In fact, even before the January 12 quake, Haiti already had 200,000 orphaned children – the legacy of floods, hurricanes, poverty, disease and other disasters.

Toby Munson Banks is a childhood friend of mine. We went to high school together and played in the same rock and roll band.  With her husband Tim Banks, Toby runs the Hope Center for Orphaned Girls in Haiti. She has lived there for many years doing this important work.  The orphanage suffered severe damage during the earthquake. It is only four miles from the epicenter.

The RIESTER Foundation is raising money for the Hope Center to help Toby and Tim Banks care for orphans in Haiti during what will be many difficult months and years ahead.

Please make a donation today for young Haitians without parents. Until March 1st, all donations received through the RIESTER Foundation PayPal page will be directed to the Hope Center orphanage in Haiti. Anything from $10 to $1,000 or more will go a long way toward helping children who live in a situation with extremely limited resources.

The RIESTER Foundation is matching all contributions dollar for dollar up to $2,500.

These are tough times in the United States, but even during times like this we are a nation of wealth and resources that are unimaginable to the people of Haiti. Please join me in doing what you can for a group of children with no parents and no other way to help themselves.

Please send a check to:

RIESTER Foundation–Haiti Fund
802 North 3rd Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85003

The Hope Center for Orphaned Girls sustained major damage during the earthquake. The building didn't collapse but, as you can see from this interior shot, it suffered major damage. Currently the building is not being used out of concerns for its structural safety.

We will be posting additional information. To read all posts from RIESTER regarding Haiti and the Hope Center go to http://www.riester.com/haiti/

Corozalito Beach, Costa Rica.

Below is a report I received by email from researchers funded by the RIESTER Foundation to study the nesting habits of sea turtles at Corazalito in Costa Rica.  Corazalito is a rare nesting site where thousands of sea turtles lay their eggs.  For the past several years, the location was attacked daily by poachers who would steal the eggs and sell them.  RIESTER Foundation funding has provided security to protect the beach from poachers, and dedicated researchers from universities around the world to document activity at the site and tag the visiting turtles.

Subject: Good news from Corazalito!

Great news!  Last Sunday night (the 20th) we observed and tagged a rare Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting at our project in Corozalito, which has been extended until January 31st.   She was the only turtle on the beach this night, and our team followed her meter wide track to discover where she was preparing her egg chamber (over 60cm deep!).

After depositing 87 eggs, researchers applied tag numbers NX786 and NX787 to the fore-flippers of this previously unobserved female for future identification.  This specific green sea turtle had a carapace (upper shell) 86.2cm long [2.8ft] and 76.5cm wide [2.5ft], and its relocated nest represents another piece of hope for the future of green turtles in Costa Rica.  We hope to see her return again this year!

Saludos,

Jeff Kutz
Co-Director and Technical Coordinator of Nesting Beaches
PRETOMA

Olive ridley turtles in the waters off of Corozalito Beach.

Murphy is setting an example for lower fuel use and cleaner air in Maricopa County. Visit http://www.cleanairmakemore.com/ for more information on ways you can follow Murph’s example and make our air cleaner. Michael Murphy works on the clean air campaign and it’s affected the personal choices he makes for getting around town. Michael has the orange shirt with horizontal stripes:

Sustainability communications is an area of expertise for RIESTER and is especially relevant this week with Greenbuild Conference in Phoenix. Ortega is not only leading by example as he prepares to break ground on his family’s home, he is also a leader in creating campaigns that effectively communicate why it is important and necessary to live lives with sustainability in mind. His new home will be powered with solar electricity, he will be harvesting rainwater on his property and the home will be built with sustainable materials.

Sustainability is more than a buzz word. We all must adopt more sustainable lifestyles if we hope to pass on a healthy and prosperous world to our children and grandchildren.