“If you’re not at the table, you are probably on the menu,” is a favorite saying of Fred VanNatta. Fifty years after founding VanNatta Public Relations (VPR) in 1967 (formerly named Public Affairs, Inc.), Fred VanNatta has made sure that his company will always be “at the table” representing its clients. VanNatta Public Relations, Inc….
In today’s economy, reasonable prices and good customer service aren’t enough. Modern consumers value experiences more. Eventbrite, an event promotion website, reports that 78 percent of millennial “would choose to spend money on a desirable experience or event over buying something desirable.” Businesses need to re-evaluate how they deliver value to consumers. In a 1998…
If you’ve spent any time in high school, chances are you’ve encountered a “slacker.” Slackers, while fun and perfectly nice people, do just barely enough work to pass a class (think Jeff Spicoli from the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont). In schools, slackers are fun to have as friends, but now, all grown up, not…
Fred VanNatta spent his working career as housing advocate and governmental affairs representative for the homebuilding industry. On Dec. 1 he was awarded the 2017 Home Builders Association (HBA) Lifetime Achievement Award at the Builder’s Ball in Portland. The Home Builders Association presents the award “in recognition of involvement and leadership in the association, contributions…
Whether yours is a “Miracle on 34th Street,” Santa-believing holiday or about your personal faith, it’s the season of believing. Professional coaches and inspirational speakers implore us to “believe in yourself.” A myriad of LinkedIn and Facebook posts tell us if we just “believe we can achieve.” These sometimes sugary sweet, sappy posts might lead…
You’re pretty successful at your job. You’re able to produce good work and get along well with colleagues. You’re pretty happy and make decent pay. This is about the time you’re tapped for a promotion. Enticing…but are you ready to lead? Dr. Laurence J. Peter (1910-1990) a Canadian education scholar and researcher, studied workplace…
VanNatta Public Relations (VPR) brought three trophies back to Salem from the 2017 Oregon Public Relations Society of America’s Spotlight Awards. The yearly event recognizes public relations excellence for practitioners and their clients. The Salem Fire Foundation’s (SFF) “Salem Fire Foundation CPR/AED Training Program for Students” took the top award for Public Service Campaigns. In…
You know it’s the end of the month, quarter or year when the phone rings and sales people have that slightly desperate tone in their voice. Some admit that you are the one person who stands between them and achieving their sales goals for the quarter. You are encouraged to make your decision before the end…
You’re just at a meeting and to speed it along you propose a solution before EVERYONE has a chance to weigh in. Your co-worker sends a poorly written, irritating email to you. You blast off a snippy reply to “all” with typo’s marked in red. You’ve already heard enough during the presentation so you…
It’s summer and many business people will be taking vacation. It’s probably well-deserved and if you are like we are, we seem to plan for months for the one week we might be out of touch. We spent years terrified to leave town for fear something might happen at work, but after 25 years in business,…
VanNatta Public Relations, Inc. Listed in Oregon Business Magazine POWERBOOK list for PR/Marketing Firm 2017 Salem, OR) April 20, 2017. VanNatta Public Relations, located in Salem, Oregon, is listed by Oregon Business Magazine for Advertising/Marketing/PR in their POWERBOOK issue, for January 2017. Of the statewide firm listed, VPR was the only one from the Mid-Willamette Valley. Oregon Business Magazine compiles…
I recently listened to a presentation from a young woman who attended a leadership conference. As a result of what she learned, she was removing “non-contributors” from her life. I found the concept interesting and decided to investigate the “non-contributor” concept further to see how it might help in business. Contributors at work are people whose…
New York, NY, (March 8, 2017) – Mary Louise VanNatta, CAE of VanNatta Public Relations, Inc. (VPR) has successfully completed the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations, entitling her to use APR professional designation. The announcement was made by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communications organizations that directs this competency…
Resolutions for 2017? How about ending the year healthier and happier than you started? You will see dozens of articles this month with a fitness tip here or a dieting tip there, but what’s the lasting power? If by 2018 you could healthier or happier at work then what would you be willing to do…
As a child, I never missed “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” when it came on television. However, re-watching the stop motion special with my own kids made me acutely aware of how our current values clash with the Santa’s 1960s management style. He’s a bottom-line boss. In an amusing review of the show, I considered…
VanNatta Public Relation’s building, located at 3340 Commercial ST SE, is one of Salem’s newest locations for an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). The AED was installed by Willy Giddings, EMT-P of the Salem Fire Department. Mary Louise VanNatta, who serves as the volunteer Executive Director of the Salem Fire Foundation (SFF), received the AED as a thank…
Longtime public relations professional, Willamette University graduate and dedicated Salem community member Fred VanNatta is featured in historian Gene Kopelson’s new book, “Reagan’s 1968 Dress Rehearsal,” a publication mapping Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign enterprise. Referred to as “Reagan’s Oregon 1968 team leader” and headlined as “rock star lobbyist,” VanNatta was mentioned more than 30 times…
(Salem, OR) Dec. 22, 2015. VanNatta Public Relations, located in Salem, Oregon, is listed as one of the top Advertising/Marketing/PR firms in the state by Oregon Business Magazine’s POWERBOOK issue, for January 2016. Of the statewide firm listed, VPR was the only one from the Mid-Willamette Valley. Oregon Business Magazine compiles a yearly book of lists of…
VanNatta Public Relations, located in Salem, Oregon, is listed as one of the top Advertising/Marketing/PR firms in the State by Oregon Business Magazine’s POWERBOOK issue, for January 2015. Partner and CEO Mary Louise VanNatta says, “It is a tremendous honor to be recognized.” While the majority of the firms listed were from the Portland-Metro area,…
