Where Are They Now: Ben Butler, APR
When asked what
By Olivia Kelley
FORUM Editorial Assistant single word Ben
Butler, founder and
client services director for the Pittsburgh
marketing communications firm Top Hat,
would use to describe his career in public
relations since graduating from college,
he said, “Microwave.” Since the noun did
not exactly evoke a clear connotation,
the former PRSSA National vice president
of public relations went on to explain the
complexity of his seemingly simple response.
“In my mind, there are microwave and
crockpot experiences,” said Butler. “You
need to leverage a combination of both to
get to where you want to be.”
Even before graduating from Geneva
College, it was apparent that Butler was
destined to quickly enter into the microwave
experience. While at Geneva, Butler founded
the college’s PRSSA Chapter and held its
first Chapter President position. During his
junior year, Butler secured the position of
director of marketing and public relations at
a nearby racetrack which subsequently led
to a number of people in the automotive
community requesting freelance work from
Butler. Not long after, Top Hat was born.
“I freelanced until the demand was so great
that I was either going turn away people or
launch something bigger than just me,” said
Butler. “I chose the latter and the rest, as they
say, is history.”
Butler and his team at Top Hat continue to
do just that — make history. Most recently,
the firm won seven awards at the 2018
PRSA Pittsburgh Renaissance Awards. The
pride that Butler felt for his company at this
prestigious event goes unmatched.
“I was like an embarrassing mother showing
off her kids at a graduation party,” said Butler.
“Having the local community meet and
interact with our team, and being honored in
several award categories, was my proudest
moment so far.”
Butler said that achieving this level of success
in such a short period of time was far from
easy, though.
“Post-grad has been intense — I’ve pushed
everything from my health, business and
career as far as I possibly could for the past
five years,” said Butler. “Things have cooked
up fast as a result.”
It is obvious that Top Hat has built a name
for itself but Butler sees new obstacles on the
horizon. He realizes that the better the firm
gets, the more difficult it will be to push itself
to achieve even loftier goals.
“It’s easy for any business, agency, Chapter,
student or professional to settle for what they
find to be their ‘highest level,’” said Butler.
“The moment you do that, your perspective
and your work will suffer.”
Butler continues to challenge himself
personally as he will soon be rejoining the
PRSSA National Committee as the National
Professional Adviser. He credits the leadership
capabilities he displays at Top Hat to his
Firm of the Issue: Boiler Communications
By Ashleigh Kathryn
Vice President of
Professional Devedlopment
In a profession of deadlines,
we can always use more
time. Imagine if you had a
whole day with no classes,
homework or part-time jobs
to focus solely on a public
relations campaign. You
could accomplish so many
tasks in 24 hours. Sounds
like a dream. Sounds like
CreateAthon.
CreateAthon is a 24 hour
pro-bono public relations
marathon that four PRSSA
Nationally-Affiliated
Student-run Firms will
complete this semester.
Boiler Communications
from Purdue University,
recently Affiliated in the
fall, has stepped up to the
challenge.
“A phrase often heard
on Purdue’s campus
is ‘one brick higher,’”
Jacqueline Logan, Boiler
Communications Firm
Director said. “It embodies
the Boilermaker spirit to do
better. Since becoming a
Nationally-Affiliated firm
this fall, myself and our Firm
Adviser, Christi Eden, began
brainstorming about how
to continue to take our firm
to the next level and put
Purdue on the map as a
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destination public relations
school. CreateAthon
presented the opportunity
to showcase our abilities
as a firm and give back to
our community at the same
time.”
Boiler Communications is
a smaller firm by numbers
but is able to develop
professional relationships
more closely through its
tight-knit team. This will
be their strength when
spending 24-hours together
organizing this event.
“Boiler Communication
is unique in the way that
our members take on a
collaborative approach
when editing tactics,”
Logan said. “We learn from
each other and value the
diverse experiences and
skill sets that each member
brings to our practice. I
believe that our passion and
collaboration will carry over
into CreateAthon and be
important tools in facing any
challenges we meet.”
Logan, a graduating
Senior, hopes to leave her
legacy at the Brian Lamb
School of Communication
through firm development
and community service
in opportunities such
as CreateAthon. These
www.prssa.prsa.org/ forum
initiatives are also key facets
of PRSSA’s Strategic Plan.
“I fell in love with public
relations because I realized
it was a way for me to utilize
my unique skill set to make
a positive impact on the
world,” Logan said. “I am
most excited to help the
amazing organizations that
we will be working with
reach their goals and carry
out their mission. The best
part about CreateAthon
is working for a cause that
matters.”
Boiler Communications
hosted their CreateAthon
April 13. PRSSA was cheering
them on as they pursued
this challenging opportunity,
especially as a younger and
smaller Nationally-Affiliated
Student-run Firm. It proves
that not only Student-run
Firms but PRSSA Chapters
from any circumstance can
seize opportunity through
grit and aspiration.
experience in
PRSSA and can
now play an
integral role
in passing his
knowledge of
leadership down
to the next set of
public relations
entrepreneurs.
By Shannon Jack
As PRSSA Chapter
Ohio Northern University leaders and members,
Awards appreciate the individuality of each
Chapter by offering 12 different categories
for submission. These categories range from
broad topics such as Outstanding Chapter, to
specific specialties such as University/College
Service. Teahan Awards recognize Chapters of
all different sizes and achievements. Chapters
can feel confident applying for at least one, if
not multiple Teahan Awards.
Butler said that his mastering of this approach
to leadership has been essential to Top Hat’s
ability to work as effectively and efficiently as
it does. we work hard to
uphold the standards set by our predecessors.
Whether it’s innovative firm work, an updated
website, a well-planned fundraiser or a strong
PRSSA/PRSA relationship, there are countless
ways a Chapter can be successful. However,
Chapter success doesn’t come easily. It takes
collaboration and cooperation from multiple
members. It requires a steadfast leader and a
motivated team who are willing to work extra
hours and surpass expectations. The Dr. F.H.
Teahan Chapter Awards not only recognize
various forms of Chapter success but they also
symbolize the hard work and commitment
necessary to advance your Chapter and the
Society. If you haven’t considered applying
for Teahan Awards this year, here are a few
reasons why you should.
“If I was a dictator and didn’t delegate well,
I don’t believe for one second we’d be even
close to the level of success we experience,”
Butler said. There’s a category for every Chapter.
Each Chapter excels in different areas,
whether it’s diversity, community
service or Chapter development. Teahan
While it appears that Butler still has a full
plate and keeps progressing at a rapid
pace, he hopes to settle into a slower rhythm
and finally enter into the aforementioned
crockpot phase of his career. Key Takeaways: PRSSA National Assembly
“One of the
hardest things for
a leader to learn
is: how to lead without being a dictator
and how to delegate well,” said Butler. “My
experiences in PRSSA not only made me
aware of those but gave me the setting to
begin building an approach for them.”
“You can’t keep anything in the microwave
for too long so it’s time for me to transition
into a “crockpot” period, I think,” said Butler.
Growing Through Conflict:
Handling a Conflict Within Your Chapter
There are many things
By Rachel-Ann Jones
in life that cause fear
Wayne State University
in people — spiders,
heights and financial insecurity are just a few.
Facing conflict within your Chapter should not
be one.
Face the problem today, not tomorrow.
Always face the problem head on. Avoiding
and prolonging a situation can be stressful on
members of the Chapter as well as yourself.
Instead of pretending that there isn’t a problem,
use the time recognizing that it is a problem
while taking steps to resolve it. You will save
valuable time and avoid unnecessary stress.
Tip: If you’re nervous about discussing a problem,
ask your adviser or faculty member to be a
mediator.
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
No one likes to be yelled at or called out. Neither
are they fond of passive-aggressive behavior.
Always remember when confronting an issue
that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
Your response to the conflict can be a viable
solution but if you are yelling, your message can
be ignored. It can even increase tensions. Keep
tensions low by only stating the facts about the
conflicts and possible solutions in a neutral, level
tone.
Tip: Be mindful of the tone of voice you use.
Make eye contact with the members when
discussing the conflict. Speak slowly and provide
reasonable solutions to help resolve the problem.
See Conflict, page 9
Photos courtesty of
Boiler Communications Facebook
Your Chapter Should Apply for Teahan Awards,
and Here’s Why …
!
Spring 2018
!
Just a few
weeks
ago,
nearly 200 delegates came
together in Miami, Florida for
a weekend full of networking,
professional development
and of course, the warm
weather. Below is a recap of
the speakers and sessions that
delegates had the opportunity
to hear and learn from.
By Emma Ingram
American University
Day 1
For those who registered early,
the Day-of Competition took
place with its sponsor, rbb
Communications. Teams had
one hour to put together a
campaign for their client. The
winning team was announced
during the welcome reception.
This was also when students
heard from keynote speaker
Tina Elmowitz, executive vice
president and partner at
rbb Communications. She
discussed common myths of
the public relations field that
left students inspired and ready
to take a finance course.
Day 2
Students kicked off the day
with attending Chapter
Development sessions in which
they were able to discuss
common challenges or issues
!
It reaps the rewards of your hard work.
Nothing feels better than receiving
an award you worked hard for. After
diligently working throughout the year to
achieve great things for your Chapter, you
deserve to reap the benefits. Teahan Awards
are a great way to do so. They recognize the
outstanding achievements of PRSSA Chapters,
their members, adviser s and sponsoring PRSA
Chapters. Winners will be announced at the
2018 National Conference in Austin, Texas and
receive cash prizes as well as an engraved
plaque.
facing their Chapters. This was
followed by two leadership
sessions led by the National
Committee. One dealt with
pitching techniques while the
other focussed on getting the
most from executive board
positions.
Before the lunch break,
National President Andrew
Cook provided the State
of the Society Address in
which he discussed the
multitude of things PRSSA
has accomplished over the
past year. Highlights included
hosting the first Spanish Twitter
Chat, launching the Regional
Ambassador program and
transferring the dues process
online. At the end of the day,
students attended a special
session, “The Art of Conflict
and Crisis,” presented by Dr.
Raquel Perez, Aileen Izquierdo
and Heather Radi-Bermudez.
The interactive session took
students through the practice
of crisis communication while
also looking at well-known
case studies.
Day 3
This was the day everybody
had been waiting for. Twenty-
two candidates had the
opportunity to run for next
It sets a standard of success.
Applying for Teahan Awards sets a
standard of success for your Chapter.
It shows confidence in the efforts made to
uphold and improve certain aspects of your
Chapter each year. It tells your members that
their hard work and dedication are worth
recognition. Applying for Teahan Awards gives
Chapter members a tangible goal to work
toward and a long-term source of motivation.
If you win, your Chapter will be announced
among the best and brightest public relations
students and professionals in the country. Now
that’s saying something!
Regardless of the outcome, simply applying for
Teahan Awards is a valuable experience. As
PRSSA Chapter members, you have nothing to
lose and so much to gain.
year’s National Committee.
The day was filled with brilliant
speeches, thoughtful questions
and inspiring solutions. By the
end of the day, delegates
had successfully elected eight
new students who will serve
the Society for the 2018-2019
school year.
Day 4
Before Assembly was officially
over, students heard from
Patrick Ford, professional-in-
residence at the University
of Florida. Ford gave a
powerful speech regarding
the characteristics needed
to be a strong leader. His
words resonated with students
and left everyone ready to
head back to their Chapters
to incorporate all they
had learned over the past
weekend.
The 2018 National Assembly
was by far a success. Student
leaders worked together to
learn, grow and inspire one
another over the course of a
few days. The future of PRSSA
is in good hands thanks to
the newly elected National
Committee as well as all the
Chapter leaders around the
globe.
To Apply, Visit the
PRSSA Website
Conference,
Continued from Page 1
At Conference, you will be given
a chance to interact with PRSSA
members from all over the country in
the fastest growing major city in the
United States. Learn the ins-and-outs
of event planning in “PR Gets Festive.”
Discover the fashion industry through
a public relations lens in “PR Wears
Prada.” Embrace your philanthropic
side at “Not for PRofit,” a panel about
non-profit public relations. At “The
Art of PR,” there is something for
everyone.
The PRSSA 2018 National Conference
will have so much to offer. Going
to Conference means you will
learn about public relations from
the professionals who practice it
every day. You will make invaluable
connections with peers who are
following paths that run parallel to
yours. By attending Conference,
you are investing in yourself and
your future. Register today and
take advantage of this amazing
opportunity.
We look forward to seeing “y’all”
down here in Austin!
Photos courtesty of Skye Clayton,
Dixie State University
Spring 2018
www.prssa.prsa.org/forum
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