For the past 30 years, affable Bob Sumner has worked in assignment editor roles at Global (25 years) and CTV (five years). Thinking of a possible change in the future and wishing to hone his communications and marketing skills, he took a public relations course at Mount Royal University, which he completed in 2016.
Sumner has been a good friend of Ellen Parker of Parker PR for many years and has since joined her firm as the account director working with its team of account managers.
It’s a role he’s really enjoying, able to bring to the company his relationships, networking and media strategy experience within a collaborative environment that suits his fun temperament.
He is well known as a food buff and has been working with new account Modern Steak in the opening of its new location in the former Catch restaurant space on the 8th Avenue Mall beside the Hyatt Regency Calgary.
Sumner is also primarily involved with clients like Thirsty Naturals, Calgary Folk Music Festival, Alberta College of Art & Design and Deloitte.
An exciting media relations client for Parker PR is chef Darren MacLean of Shokunin, who they accompanied to media events after competition in The Final Table on Netflix.
And watch for the launch of Parker PR TV, a web-based video channel.
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Jacqueline Grabowski has been involved in the marketing of architectural firms for several years, first with Gibbs Gage Architects and for seven years with NORR Architects. Following a maternity leave, she has now joined RJC Engineers.
Grabowski has been named regional marketing specialist working on proposals, advertising and other promotional materials for Calgary and southern Alberta which includes the busy Lethbridge office.
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I caught up with Chris Bedford on his phone travelling from the airport to downtown Vancouver. Since leaving Karo, Bedford has been busy with some brand strategy consulting but his main focus is chair of TCN Network.
Bedford organizes roundtable forums for his CEO groups across Western Canada, five-times-a-year peer-to-peer meetings and an annual retreat.
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Carolyn Watson has departed the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre/Meetings + Conventions to join the Hotel Arts Group as marketing and media relations manager.
She is now busy boasting about Hotel Arts, Hotel Arts Kensington, Yellow Door Bistro, Raw Bar and Oxbow.
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Scott Henderson, managing director of dHz Media, has launched his own Client TV News. Using “only a cellphone, free video editing software and a good reporter,” he is producing video news stories for clients.
The first news-format offering was for client The Malcolm Hotel, the new four-star property in the Spring Creek area of Canmore.
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Parker’s Pick: New committee bidding on the 2023 World Petroleum Congress – good luck.
