• Pablo Olay has been hired as a vice president in the agency’s New York office. Prior to joining CRT/tanaka, he was chief marketing officer at Progressive Book Club. He will serve as the campaign director for the Wines from Rioja (Spain) account.
• Tracy Carlson has been hired as a senior account executive in the agency’s New York office. She previously worked with Moet Hennessy USA where she was marketing coordinator of Estates & Wines. Carlson joins the Consumer Practice to work on the Wines from Rioja (Spain) account.
• Viviana Pinzón has been hired as an assistant account executive in the agency’s New York office. Prior to joining to CRT/tanaka, she worked as a paralegal at the prominent law firm, Skadden Arps. Pinzon joins the Consumer Practice to work on the Wines from Rioja (Spain) account.
• Karen de Groot has been hired as a senior account executive in the agency’s Los Angeles office and will lead the agency’s Charles Schwab & Co. and Air New Zealand accounts. Before joining CRT/tanaka, she was a marketing communications manager at Fidelity Investments.

 About CRT/tanaka                                  

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with more than 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, PetNovations, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

The initiative is being led by SNCR Fellows Dr. Craig Lefebvre, Ph.D., an expert in public health and social media; Geoff Livingston, a social media communications expert with experience working with nonprofits; and Katie Paine, an expert in social media measurement.

“The issue of racial and ethnic health disparities is complex and affects millions of Americans. It involves the management of health, health care and the finance and delivery of health services,” said Patricia Baker, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health).

Despite the wide-reaching nature of this problem, SNCR’s research shows there is limited discussion online or offline about racial and ethnic health disparities and health justice. Therefore, the first phase of the SNCR-led initiative will focus on raising awareness among Connecticut residents about health equality. Public will and activism will follow increased awareness of health disparities in the state.

The grant will enable the team to launch the “Health Justice for CT” initiative. The goal of the program is to use social media channels as the foundation for creating a movement of Connecticut residents dedicated to working together to raise awareness about the issue of racial and ethnic disparities, find innovative solutions and ultimately achieve health justice for everyone in Connecticut.

Program elements will include the creation of an advisory board, which will function online and offline, a wiki to share educational and informational resources and foster collaboration, the use of Facebook and Twitter, online surveys, polls, an online education campaign and partnerships with other existing online and offline networks to raise awareness of the issue and to find solutions to achieve health justice for all Connecticut residents.

The program is launching with a survey to measure the current level of awareness of racial and ethnic health disparities. The survey is available in English at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6P3M9LP and in Spanish at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YVMB9N5.

“CT Health is committed to eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities and recognizes that social media is a strategic and powerful tool to raise awareness and engage communities that are most impacted. This grant to SNCR recognizes the utmost importance of beginning the conversation with this fast-growing and influential online community,” Baker said.

“SNCR is extremely honored to have been selected as the recipient of this grant,” said Jen McClure, founder and president, Society for New Communications Research. “This program goes beyond exploring the value of social media from a theoretical perspective and allows the Society to be involved in real, vital and much-needed social change.”

About the Connecticut Health Foundation
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Connecticut Health Foundation is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving lives by changing health systems. Since it was established in July 1999, the foundation has supported innovative grant-making, public health policy research, technical assistance and convening to achieve its mission — to improve the health of the people of Connecticut. Over the past 10 years, CT Health has awarded 492 grants totaling $39.1 million in 44 cities and towns throughout the state in three priority areas: improving access to children’s mental health services, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities and expanding access to and use of children’s oral health services. For more information, visit www.cthealth.org or call 860.224.2200.

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbeSM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties — Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with more than 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include the Society for New Communications Research, Air New Zealand, American Physical Therapy Association, Bon Secours Health System, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.  

About the Society for New Communications Research
The Society for New Communications Research is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank focused on the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. For more information, visit http://sncr.org.

Founded by emergency department physicians, T-System’s products include the T-System®  enhanced modular paper and technology-enabled solutions, which are the leading template documentation system in the United States; T SystemEV®, the most clinically accepted electronic emergency department information system (EDIS) solution in the United States; and T-Data, a powerful data analytics toolset. These customized solutions enable emergency departments to meet important clinical and administrative goals such as improving patient care, increasing provider satisfaction, decreasing variability, improving workflow and increasing reimbursement.

“We look forward to working with CRT/tanaka to help us elevate our public relations and marketing efforts as we continue to bring new ways to help the healthcare community and our customers meet their clinical and business goals,” said Joe Lastinger, chief marketing officer of T-System.

“CRT/tanaka’s Health Practice has a deep bench of healthcare PR and marketing professionals who understand the nuances of how hospitals work,” said Deborah A. Myers, CRT/tanaka executive vice president and Health Practice director. “We’re excited to be working with a company like T-System that is helping to transform the way emergency departments deliver care.”

About CRT/tanaka                                  

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with more than 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, American Physical Therapy Association, Bon Secours Health System, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com. 

About T-System

Founded in 1996, T-System, Inc. and T-System Technologies, Ltd. (The T System), combine an uncommon collaboration of clinicians, technologists and service professionals dedicated to serving the current and future clinical information and technology needs of emergency medicine. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, T-System is the leading provider of clinically accepted emergency department information system (EDIS) solutions. Today, more than 1,800 civilian and military EDs in the United States, Puerto Rico, Australia and around the world partner with T-System to make the best patient care a reality for everyone. For more information, please visit www.tsystem.com or contact Joe Lastinger at (800) 667-2482.

The publication cited CRT/tanaka’s work with Liz Claiborne (through one of its predecessor agencies, Patrice Tanaka & Company, Inc.) as “one of the most impressive cause-related marketing programs of all time,” which also earned The Holmes Report’s first-ever Lifetime Achievement SABRE Award in 2002.

“The campaign was distinguished first by the company’s choice of a tough, sometimes controversial issue - domestic violence - as its centerpiece, a choice that enabled Liz Claiborne to own the issue and position itself as a leader; and later by an unusually deep and sustained commitment that included employee volunteerism, fund-raising and educational components,” according to The Holmes Report.

“We are thrilled that Liz Claiborne, Inc. is being recognized for the company’s courage in taking on the ‘unpretty’ issue of domestic violence in 1991, when no other national corporation in America was willing to do so,” said Patrice Tanaka, CRT/tanaka co-chair and chief creative officer. “The company’s pioneering efforts helped to ‘mainstream’ the issue and make it safe for other corporations to get involved with domestic violence awareness and prevention.”

“The important contribution of Liz Claiborne and other companies was in ‘re-positioning’ the issue of domestic violence from a private, hidden family matter to a public health crisis, which is what needed to happen before appropriate public, private and non-profit resources could be marshaled to deal with this societal problem that affects nearly one in four women in America and at least one in every three women globally,” Tanaka said.

The other four campaigns of the decade are:
• Shell Oil Company, the U.S. Army, the National Wildlife Agency and MGA Communications for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal clean-up and wildlife preserve campaign
• The National Heart Lung & Blood Institute and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide for The Heart Truth campaign and The American Heart Association and Cone for the Go Red for Women campaign
• Several technology and telecommunications companies - SBC Communications, Yahoo! and Cingular Wireless among them - and Fleishman-Hillard for relief efforts to help individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina
• Frito-Lay and Ketchum for teaming up to encourage loyal customers to create a Super Bowl ad for Doritos (Doritos Crashes the Super Bowl), which was named the Best Campaign of the Decade

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, PetNovations, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

The novel appliance simplifies the lives of cat owners by eliminating the need for cat litter and the litter box. CatGenie is the world’s first appliance for managing cat waste. It utilizes the dependable technology found in most modern appliances and senses when a cat has used the box. The device then flushes waste, disinfects, rinses and dries itself, leaving the box ready for its next use. The new concept cat box works on the same principle as a dishwasher and only requires the touch of a button to move into action.

“We are looking forward to working with CRT/tanaka to improve the lives of cat owners. We are confident that the agency’s experience in housewares, combined with its unique and creative approaches, will help to capture curiosity and interest for the CatGenie,” said Steven Yampolsky, North American President of PetNovations Inc. “CRT/tanaka’s talented team complements our team, and together we are looking forward to great success.”

“PetNovations has revolutionized the pet industry with the invention of the CatGenie. This unique product not only makes lives easier for cat owners, but it also supports the environment by eliminating the need for cat litter, which ends up as permanent waste in landfills. In addition, the CatGenie supports good health. Every time a cat uses a litter box, fecal matter, germs and urine attached to litter and litter dust steps out with him. And, everywhere he travels, from bed to sofa to laundry basket, go nasty germs and contaminants - not anymore with CatGenie,” said Marcy Walsh, CRT/tanaka vice president and general manager of the agency’s Los Angeles office. “We are thrilled to introduce cat parents to the future in cat waste management.”

About CRT/tanaka                                  

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, PetNovations, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com. 

About PetNovations

PetNovations, Inc. makes high-tech pet products to enhance the relationship between pets and pet owners. Its flagship product, the CatGenie, is the world¹s only self-flushing, self-washing cat box. PetNovations is based near historic Valley Forge in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and was founded by CEO Tal Gordon. A former rocket scientist and longtime entrepreneur, Tal and his team of engineers created the CatGenie to revolutionize the way pet lovers take care of their cats sanitation needs. More information is available at www.catgenie.com.

• Catherine Banton has been promoted from account coordinator to assistant account executive in the agency’s Los Angeles office. A member of CRT/tanaka’s Consumer Practice, Banton provides traditional and social media relations support to clients such as Air New Zealand, Avocados from Mexico and PetNovations.

• Cassandra Bianco has been promoted from account coordinator to assistant account executive. Based in the New York office, Bianco is a member of the agency’s Consumer Practice and specializes in food and wine marketing and public relations, working with clients such as Wines from Rioja (Spain) and The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.

• Emily Valentine has been promoted from account coordinator to account executive in the firm’s Richmond, Va., headquarters. Valentine supports both the Corporate and Consumer Practices, providing counsel to clients including BISSELL Homecare Inc., Satmetrix and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

“These promotions reflect Catherine, Cassandra and Emily’s dedication to flawless execution, extreme client service and CRT/tanaka’s whatcanbe spirit,” said Mike Mulvihill, president of CRT/tanaka. “All three of these employees have contributed greatly to the success of the agency this year, and we look forward to their continued growth in 2010.”

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, PetNovations, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

CRT/tanaka was recognized for superior work on “The Right Care, Right Here,” a television ad that featured a patient following heart surgery. The ad was one of a four-part television advertising series communicating the new brand of the hospital by focusing on key clinical services.

“CRT/tanaka is honored to be recognized by one of the highest advertising competitions for healthcare,” said Deborah A. Myers, executive vice president and CRT/tanaka Health Practice director. “This is a testament to our ability to help hospitals tell their story through branding, communications, marketing and advertising.”

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbeSM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Health, Consumer, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with more than 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include American Physical Therapy Association, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Bon Secours Health System, Charles Schwab & Co., Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Fleet Laboratories, Girl Scouts of the USA, Schering-Plough, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

Great Expectations is a statewide initiative of The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) and Virginia’s Community Colleges to provide educational opportunities that will improve the likelihood of life success for foster youth. The program provides support and encouragement to foster youth by focusing on the value of a college education as the best way to gain employment and achieve independence. The program and its Online Resource Center help at-risk youth transition from the foster care system into living independently.

“Youth in foster care often lack the support of a stable family, and the Great Expectations program and Online Resource Center offer them the support and information they need to be successful,” said Dr. Jennifer Gentry, executive director of VFCCE. “CRT/tanaka has significant experience with Web and program development in the field of higher education, and we are thrilled to have them as a partner in our statewide awareness campaign.”

“Great Expectations is a program that will enhance opportunities not only for youth coming out of foster care, but also for Virginia,” said Natalie Smith, CRT/tanaka vice president. “We are excited and honored to support the program’s mission to create strong, self-reliant individuals and communities.”

About Great Expectations
Great Expectations is a statewide initiative of The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and Virginia’s Community Colleges to provide education and employment opportunities that will improve the likelihood of life success for foster youth. Great Expectations is designed to even the odds for foster youth. Established in 2008, the program provides transitional support to at-risk foster teens as they finish high school and leave their foster homes. Great Expectations focuses on the value of a college education as the best way to gain employment and achieve independence.

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbeSM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with nearly 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

Prior to joining CRT/tanaka, Myers was director of corporate communications for Sentara Healthcare, a seven-hospital integrated health care system in Virginia, where she managed public relations, corporate communications and government relations.

Before entering the field of public relations, Myers worked in radio and television as a newscaster, assignment editor, news director and talk show host.

Myers earned a B.A. degree in mass communications from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio and an MBA from Averett University in Danville, Va.

About Marietta College
Celebrating its 175th anniversary during the 2009-10 academic year, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college located in Marietta, Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy begun in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today, Marietta College serves a body of 1,400 full-time students. The College offers 42 majors and has been listed among Baron’s Best Buys in College Education and Peterson’s Competitive Colleges, and has been recognized as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review as well as one of the nation’s best by Forbes.com. For more information on Marietta College’s 175th anniversary celebration, visit www.marietta.edu/175 or contact the Office of College Relations at (740) 376-4408.

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbeSM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties - Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social. The agency has been recognized with more than 300 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare, Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel, Quebec Maple Syrup and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.