Ruby’s Raiders Rock!

Just a few days ago, on Saturday, April 25, the annual MS Walk took place at UCI. And, just as we have for the past 10 years, we fielded our team, RUBY’S RAIDERS. This wasn’t our biggest year, as far as team members or money raised. But it was one of the most rewarding years for me, personally. I’d love to tell you why . . .

We had close to 40 walkers this year and each was very special to me, not the least being my co-captain at the walk and in my life, my husband Layne. And as each team member strolled up to our team tent, I felt pure joy, and incredibly honored, that they made this a Saturday morning priority. Friends, current and prior HKA’ers, PR colleagues, NAWBO buddies, Lions Club pals, current and former clients, vendors, the list goes on. Some had a loved one or friend with MS and felt a personal connection to the MS Society’s quest to raise money for research and patient services. Most, however, were there simply responding to my invitation to be a Ruby’s Raider and support my quest. Being surrounded by a group of people like this – all wearing ruby red Ruby’s Raider shirts! – is about as good as it gets.

Presenting the 2009 Ruby's Raiders

So who is this Ruby? Some people have guessed the team is somehow tied to the nostalgic restaurant chain bearing the same name, but not true. Ruby was my mom, an amazingly wonderful woman who suffered terribly from the clutches of MS. I couldn’t have asked for a better mom, but I sure could have asked for a few more years for her without the devastating effects of MS. My mom has passed away and there’s nothing more I can do for her. But in her memory, I’m trying to do what I can to support the vital work of the MS Society.

Water tastes especially good with the biodegradable Ruby's Raiders BioGreen sports water bottle! Thanks Steve!

On Saturday morning, we donned our red shirts and grabbed our brand-new Ruby’s Raiders BIODEGRADABLE water bottles generously provided by our client Steve Finch of Cal Springs (maker of BioGreen biodegradable sports water bottles). Go ahead, check them out at www.biogreenbottles.com and you can even buy them here on Amazon). Our team members chatted (I spotted at least one new great connection being made), posed for our team pic and then set off on the short course through the pretty UCI campus. Our team also had three pooches, a baby, a toddler and several pre-teens and teens. We were multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-gender – and 100% perfect!!

Here are the HKA Hotties, check us out!

Oh yeah, so how did we do? Our numbers aren’t in yet – and the MS society continues to accept online and offline donations until May 29 as part of our team tally. But I believe we will get close to our $10,000 goal. Besides the 38 folks who walked on April 25, another couple of dozen generously donated to the team as virtual Ruby’s Raiders.

My fabulous Ruby’s Raiders team gives me great reason to smile and to be thankful. I think Ruby is smiling too. (if you want to see more pix, please check our Flickr photos on the side of this blog.)

Room on the Bus for More

I think most people would raise their hands when asked, “Who in this room is ethical?” Sure, there are varying degrees of ethical behavior and integrity, but I believe the average Joe or Jane sees himself or herself as acting ethically.

That’s why it felt so strange when Russ Williams, the leader of Ethical Edge and someone who has spent his lifetime studying and encouraging ethical behavior, called me in January and asked me to be one of the first people he would interview on the topic of ethics.

I was surprised and asked, why me? I’m no different. True, I received the 2008 Ethics in Business Award and was very proud to be so honored. I was thrilled to share the stage with four fellow recipients who clearly were the epitome of ethics. And even then, I asked, why me?

Well, Russ was persistent, not taking no for an answer, and so I shyly agreed to be interviewed and have the resulting interview podcast for all to hear. Of course, I knew “all” was possibly a small audience and this was somewhat reassuring.

This morning, I grabbed a cup of java, settled back in my office chair and forced myself to listen to the just-posted podcast – the first five are now live on Russ’s Ethical Edge site. ( I’m in good company, with podcasts from Ed Arnold, Lew Webb, Brandy Birtcher and Richard Porras.

Hilary and Russ exchange ethical thoughts for podcast

It’s tough to listen to yourself. Period. It’s even tougher to listen to yourself talking about ethics and integrity. But I was surprised that it did sound like me. I’m not a silver-tongued speaker and will never be, despite my Toastmaster Club’s encouragement. I think both Russ and I got a little more relaxed as we went, so the last half is better than the beginning. At least that’s my take on it. And the conversation hit on topics I think are critical. Kudos to Russ for continuing to rally our individual and collective consciences in the matter of ethics.

When you have a minute, click here and take a quick listen. Then, think about how you, too, are living a life of ethical behavior, as well as ways in which we ALL can improve. And if you are interested in helping Russ in his quest to bring this topic clearly into the light, get in touch with him. Plenty of room on this particular bus.

A Hero Coming to Town

There are alot of things I get excited about at HKA. Some involve our clients,  some involve the different groups I’m in. Today, I’m excited about having Liz McCartney come to town.  She’s an honest-to-goodness hero — in fact, she was named the 2008 CNN Hero of the Year.  She’s the co-founder of the St. Bernard Project in New Orleans, where she’s been rebuilding the lives of Katrina survivors.  I can’t wait to meet her!

Liz is coming to O.C. on Friday,  May 1, as keynote speaker of the Women’s Philanthropy Fund (WPF) annual breakfast. Yep, you can go too — it’s open to the public, at the Irvine Hyatt Regency. Vikki Vargas of KNBC is the MC. The WPF is inspirational on its own — a group of dynamic, giving women who donate significantly  through the United Way to help women and girls in need in OC. The breakfast itself has raised more than $650,000 during the past 5 annual breakfasts — and boy are they inspirational. I’m on this year’s breakfast committee and am getting excited to see it take shape this year. Take a peek at the webpage,  http://tinyurl.com/c6ec7p . Maybe I’ll see you there!

NOT Grown Up Digital

I like to think I’m fairly open-minded and progressive (OK, maybe not all agree with this assessment). Still, I readily admit I’m a Baby Boomer and this gives me a certain life perspective quite unlike the Gen Y perspective, or even Gen X, for that matter. I recently learned that these labels can be sliced and diced even further, with Boomers divided into Early Boomers and Late Boomers, each different in some ways from the other. But that’s another story, and maybe more on that later. . .

In reading a review of the recently published Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott (who earlier wrote Growing Up Digital), I reflected on how very true it is that Gen Y (or Net Gen or Millennials, many names for the “kids” born between 1977-1997) is completely different on so many levels. Working with several Gen Y folks here at HKA, I can attest to the challenges – well, let’s call them frustrations! – in dealing with Gen Y thinking. Fortunately, far more frequent are the pure joys of working with people who immediately, intuitively and enthusiastically “get” just about anything digital. And are happily willing to share their digital and virtual “toys.” And are patient with what must seem to them the agonizingly slow Boomer pace of “getting it.” You guys here are terrific! 

Launching InsightsOUT by HKA, Inc.

All of us at HKA, Inc. are excited to be launching our new blog, InsightsOUT.  We will be posting regularly — but don’t promise a regular schedule. Life at HKA is way too hectic to make rash promises. But we hope to be informative, interesting, provocative and, yes, occasionally entertaining too.

This first post is by Hilary, the person who started HKA back in the Eighties. Our PR agency is far different today, but still filled with creative people and cool ideas — and we look forward to sharing some Insights with everyone OUTside of HKA in the days, weeks and months to come. We have everyone from Gen Y to Baby Boomers  (yours truly), a great mix.

Not sure who will be reading our blog — maybe clients, colleagues, friends and strangers who will become friends. We look forward to comments and hope to get conversation going. Lots is going on in public relations.  Let’s chat. New media. Traditional Media. And we’ll give you a more personal glimpse of the people behind the HKA brand and reputation. Each one of our team members is well worth meeting, look for thoughts from all of us.

Until next time,

Hilary