Tag Archives: client news

Stepping Up for Charity

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Throughout the year, Kimball Hughes Public Relations participates in a number of philanthropic endeavors alongside our partners and clients in an effort to give back to local communities and those in need. We enjoy supporting all the good our clients do in whatever ways we can, but when we can also get them comprehensive, quality news coverage on their charitable endeavors – that is a sincere thrill.

We did just that earlier this month when Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM) held a head-shaving event fundraiser during their National Meeting benefiting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting childhood cancer research. We secured the attendance of three Philadelphia network-affiliate television news crews to show their audience 17 members of PLM’s team, including CEO John Smith and Assistant Vice President of Marketing Lindsey DiGangi, shaving their heads after raising more than $150,000 for the important cause. Agency Vice President Eileen Coyne and PR Manager Hari Rajagopalan were in attendance at the event, enjoying live string band music from the famous Philadelphia Mummers. Kimball Hughes PR was honored to make a monetary contribution to PLM’s fundraiser as well. Well done, PLM. We’re proud to work with you. To learn more about the St Baldrick’s Foundation and their mission, please visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/. 

Our team at Kimball Hughes PR is also getting our collective steps in for charity by participating in the fourth annual Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) Step Up Challenge. From April 24 to May 21, 2023, the team at Kimball Hughes PR, alongside thousands of insurance professionals, their friends and families will participate in a four-week exercise competition to raise funds for children and communities in need across the US and UK. This will be our team’s third year participating and we’re looking forward to some friendly competition benefiting local nonprofits. Last year, agency President Rod Hughes took home the gold among our team with a whopping 331,329 steps. This year, it’s anyone’s game.

Both teams and individuals are welcome to participate in the challenge. A total of four IICF winners, the top two from the team and individual categories, will be able to allocate a grant to a nonprofit of their choice. To learn more about and sign up for the fourth annual IICF International Step Up Challenge, visit their website, https://stepup.iicf.org/. 

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Giving Thanks: Acknowledging the Small but Mighty Work of The MOG Project

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By Eileen Coyne, Director of Public Relations, Kimball Hughes Public Relations

During this season of Thanksgiving, we want to take time to recognize a special organization for the tremendous good they are doing and for the hope they are inspiring in at least one small part of the rare disease community.

The MOG Project is a young nonprofit working to promote awareness of a rare neuroinflammatory autoimmune disease found in people of all ages and children in particular. Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disease (MOG-AD) is a newer disease only recently identified via an antibody test in 2017. The disease causes dangerous inflammation in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. Due to its similarities with Multiple Sclerosis, it is often misdiagnosed as MS, which The MOG Project is fighting to change. Such a misdiagnosis can lead to incorrect treatments and prove harmful to the patient.

For us at Kimball Hughes Public Relations, we are passionate about donating our time to non-profit organizations, and for me, the MOG Project is personal.

In the Spring of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, my elementary school-aged son was diagnosed with MOG-AD. Unfortunately, it took weeks of frightening symptoms including tear-inducing headaches, fevers, relentless vomiting, chronic fatigue, severe leg weakness, long hospital stays and the loss of nearly 20 percent of his body weight before the doctors came to a diagnosis. Lesions on his brain and spine found in an MRI led his team of physicians to ultimately test for MOG-AD. He was positive. And, as I understand it, we were lucky. My son was a patient at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a leading pediatric institution recognized around the world for its research, treatment and care.

Again, we are fortunate to be a patient at CHOP where my son’s MOG-AD has been well managed. I am convinced that many hospitals around the country would not have known to test for this rare disease and may have even misdiagnosed him. He had two MOG-AD flares early on that manifested themselves by blurring and darkening his vision, but since receiving regular therapy, he has been healthy and well with 20/20 vision – attending school, playing sports and having fun with his friends.

A diagnosis of a rare disease, like MOG-AD, is more than just frightening. It can feel isolating at times. While I had the support of my family, friends and incredible colleagues at Kimball Hughes PR, I needed more. When I was ready to seek additional guidance and support, I came across The MOG Project. Little information was available online about MOG-AD, but The MOG Project was there to show me and my family we weren’t alone. Other patients, doctors and researchers are working diligently to encourage research, enhance treatments, and in due course, finding a cure. I immediately connected with the founder of The MOG Project Julia Lefelar and soon after Kimball Hughes PR began providing public relations services on a pro bono basis.

As public relations professionals, we inherently recognize the value in raising the public profiles of our clients. We understand the meaningful impact a smart media placement can have on an any organization – let alone an advocacy group so passionately dedicated to advancing awareness, educating the medical community, supporting patients and caregivers, and promoting research around a rare disease.

We hope to help this amazing group of remarkable individuals and industry-leading researchers bring MOG-AD to the forefront. Working with The MOG Project, the patients it supports and the influential doctors on its board, we’ve learned that in fighting for better outcomes for patients with one rare disease, we can help promote better outcomes for all. Please check out The MOG Project at https://mogproject.org/.

Chef Polignano of the Ryland Inn brings his own flavor to one of the state’s premier restaurants

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Fulfilling one of his culinary dreams, Chef Craig Polignano of Basking Ridge, New Jersey joins the Ryland Inn as its newest executive chef. Find out how he and one of the best eats in New Jersey are making Craig a top chef and the Ryland Inn a top restaurant, in this NJBIZ feature story.

On A.M. BestTV, AAMGA’s Bernie Heinze discusses recent visit to Lloyd’s

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BernieandJohnWeber

Earlier this month, Bernie Heinze, executive director of AAMGA, briefed A.M. BestTV’s John Weber about his recent visit to Lloyd’s to discuss the role of MGAs in transfers, audits and more. Watch the interview here.

New Hope’s Logan Inn makes history, sells for $5.6 million

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Jersey City developer promises to restore, expand Bucks County landmark

Addison Wolfe Real Estate, a boutique real estate firm specializing in distinctive properties, today announces New Hope’s historic Logan Inn has sold for $5.6 million to Landmark Hospitality, headquartered in Jersey City, N.J.

According to Addison Wolfe Realtor® Caryn Black, who represented Landmark Hospitality, the Logan Inn deal represents the largest commercial real estate transaction in recent history within the borough of New Hope.

“This deal has been in the works for some time, and promises to remake the face of downtown New Hope while remaining true to the building’s historic roots and New Hope’s distinctive character,” says Black. “Landmark Hospitality has an impressive track record of restoring historic commercial properties and turning them into remarkable destinations that complement their environment. The same will be true of Logan Inn.”

Established in 1722 as a tavern, the Logan Inn at 10 West Ferry Street in New Hope is Bucks County’s oldest and only in-town, continuously operational inn on the National Register of Historic Places.

Frank Cretella, principal of Landmark Hospitality, intends to work closely with New Hope’s Historical Architectural Review Board and Doylestown Architect Ralph C. Fey, AIA, to enhance the property’s curb appeal. In its current form, Landmark’s plans call for constructing two additional permanent structures that will add 17 new guest rooms and a pebbled court yard.

“As we did with the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station a few years ago, our intention is to return the Logan Inn to its true landmark status,” explains Cretella. “Logan Inn has been a centerpiece for New Hope since the dawn of this town, and we intend to renew its promise, restore its history and remake it as a showplace of fine dining and lodging for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the area annually.”

Landmark Hospitality, a leader in urban renewal and adaptive reuse practices for historic and existing commercial structures, also operates Liberty House Restaurant in Jersey City, Stone House at Sterling Ridge in Warren, N.J., and Celebrate at Snug Harbor in Staten Island, N.Y., in addition to the Ryland Inn. The company also recently unveiled its other distinctive New Hope property, the fully renovated Hotel Du Village on River Road.

Gloria Nilson & Co. opens Toms River office

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Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate today announces it is scheduled to open its newest office in Toms River at 411 Main Street in early December 2015. This newest location brings the company’s total number of offices to 24 throughout New Jersey, with two locations in Bucks County, Pa., and more than 700 agents working throughout the region.

“Toms River is an extremely diverse and dynamic downtown environment that continues to be a destination of many throughout the state,” explained Jacqueline Paterno, the broker-associate branch manager who will lead the Toms River office. “With so many of our clients looking to Toms River and surrounding areas for homes, this was the next logical location for our business and our agents. We’re thrilled to be joining the local community.”

In addition to Paterno, 12 additional sales associates from Gloria Nilson & Co.’s Brick, N.J., office will join the Toms River office. Plans for an official grand opening celebration in the first quarter of 2016, as well as recruiting for additional experienced and well-trained local sales associates, are also underway.

Sales associates who will work from the Toms River office include: Ramona Bruno, Anna Fimagnari, James Hawkes, Michael Meehan, Sima Parisi, Loretta Parody, Peter Paterno, Tom Rafferty, Sarah Rullo, James Schneider, Roseann Smith and Donald Stout

“One of the reasons Gloria Nilson & Co. has continued to grow as a successful real estate brokerage is because our expansion is strategic and it focuses on meeting the needs of our buyers and sellers,” said company President Pat Bell. “Toms River gives us another key regional location in Ocean County as well as further reach into other desirable shore communities where buyers are most interested.”

For more information about Gloria Nilson & Co. and its new Toms River location, please visit www.glorianilson.com or call Paterno at (201) 218-6388.

Sustainable Energy Fund committed nearly $4 million to 2014-2015 energy projects in PA

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At its recent annual public meeting in Lower Macungie Township, Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF), a nonprofit non-governmental organization dedicated to educating, supporting and financing energy users seeking sustainable energy options, announced it had committed nearly $4 million dollars to regional renewable and sustainable energy projects during its fiscal 2014-2015 calendar year.

Those commitments, totaling $3,952,871, represent low-cost loans to help fund a variety of energy projects across approximately 20 different organizations, including nursing homes, condominium developments, day care centers, museums, municipal governments, non-profits and various commercial enterprises.

A sampling of these projects include:

  • $1 million for Community Energy Renewables in Radnor, Pa., to allow the organization to develop future solar PV projects.
  • Nearly $45,000 for Fairmount Homes in Ephrata, Pa., for a retrofit lighting project incorporating LED lighting at the organization’s Wheat Ridge Drive location.
  • Approximately $34,000 for Youth Advocate Programs in Harrisburg to retrofit the organization’s North 3rd Street location lighting with energy-saving LED lights.

“We continue to see in both the non- and for-profit sectors a recognized need to control costs, plan for the long-term and commit to more sustainable energy alternatives,” said John Costlow, president and CEO of SEF.

TRSA’s Hygienically Clean healthcare certification earns AORN Seal of Recognition

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TRSA, the leading global textile services trade association, today announces its Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certification program standards have received the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Seal of Recognition™ for its certification materials.

The AORN Seal of Recognition confirms the certification program has undergone a thorough quality review by AORN and is consistent with the organization’s Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. According to AORN, this is not a product endorsement but rather a demonstration that the educational and informative material provided about the certification program is sound and reliable. Specifically, the Seal of Recognition recognizes the certification program’s materials on the “Standard for Producing Hygienically Clean Reusable Textiles in the Healthcare Industry.”

“Since the creation of the Hygienically Clean certification in 2012, TRSA has continued its work to raise the bar and standards within the commercial laundry industry through this program,” explained Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “We’re honored to have successfully earned AORN’s Seal of Recognition for our Hygienically Clean program and we’ll continue to work with our membership to ensure the industry is held to the highest possible standards of cleanliness and safety.”

To be considered for Hygienically Clean Certification, facilities handling healthcare linens are inspected for adherence to best practices and quality assurance requirements. This inspection is preceded by two rounds of bacteriological testing of laundered textiles by an independent, TRSA-approved laboratory. Samples must pass a total of three rounds of testing to qualify for certification.

To maintain certification, facilities must regularly repeat the tests: the Replicate Organism Detection and Counting (RODAC) protocol, quarterly, rather than the previous protocol of twice per year; and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 62, for microorganisms most commonly found in healthcare environments, twice yearly. This frequent quantification of performance fosters continuous improvement through adoption of new laundering techniques to deliver a better level of cleanliness.

“Hygienically Clean standards have a very large and positive impact on public health in general because they lower the overall community infectious disease risk burden,” said David F. Goldsmith, MSPH, Ph.D, an occupational and environmental epidemiologist with George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health in Washington, D.C., who recently conducted a third-party review of the certification program. “TRSA Certification offers a serious marketing advantage versus competitor laundries who have not adopted the Hygienically Clean process.”

According to TRSA, by Dec. 31, 2015, it expects approximately 50 percent of commercial laundries exclusively handling linens and other textiles from healthcare facilities will have earned its Hygienically Clean certification. Complete information on the program and its newly revised protocols and best practices can be found on the program’s new website at hygienicallyclean.org.

Pando International launches with innovative embossed paper coffee cups

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Distinctive hot cups offer superior insulation and ample branding opportunities

Today, Pando International, a Lehigh Valley-based producer of single-use, takeout paper containers, announces the introduction of its Embossed paper hot cup family of products to the U.S. market. The visually striking product line offers a unique, economical and safe hot beverage container for restaurants and other food and beverage businesses.

New to the U.S. market, this style of coffee cup has been adopted successfully in Europe and Asia, where it is currently in use by a global fast food brand.

The Embossed cups offer a distinctive and affordable alternative to paper cup sleeves or double-walled hot beverage cups. The outer, textured paper layer provides users with insulation and a tactile, slip-free grip. For businesses, the built-in insulation translates to savings and inventory reduction as they need only purchase one SKU instead of the usual pair—one for the cups and one for the accompanying insulating sleeves.

The texture of the Embossed product line also provides branding opportunities traditional paper cups cannot offer. The embossed patterns are customizable. With the help of Pando’s proprietary manufacturing process, custom printing is quick and easy to change as needed. A host of basic styles are available.

The cups come in all standard coffee cup sizes: 8, 10, 12, 16 and 20 ounces. They are made of paper coated in polyethylene, but can be coated in PLA to make them 100 percent compostable.

Addison Wolfe achieves milestone: 50 agents in 9 years

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Addison Wolf Real Estate , a boutique real estate firm catering to estate and historic home buyers and sellers, today announces it has achieved another growth milestone with the addition of two new Realtors, bringing the firm’s official headcount to 50 real estate sales professionals.

“I’m immensely proud of the success we’ve achieved as a team,” says Art Mazzei, owner and partner of Addison Wolfe. “Nine years ago we set out to create something different in the real estate business, and our business model has rewarded us with outstanding clients and immensely talented and dedicated realtors who make it all possible.”

According to Mazzei, the two new realtors, Greg and Johanna Hanson, formerly of Lisa James Otto Country Properties, officially joined the firm at the end of April.

“Agents of Greg and Johanna’s caliber and loyal client following are few and far between, and we’re excited to welcome them to Addison Wolfe,” says Mazzei.

As the firm marks its ninth year in business, Mazzei says he’s already begun anticipating the next milestone of the company’s upward movement: more space. Mazzei notes that with the additional personnel, Addison Wolfe is now at maximum capacity for its 4,000 square foot office space in New Hope.

“We’re going to need more space, or a second space soon to continue our growth strategy. The good news, though, is we’ve got plenty of great agents who can help us find the perfect location,” notes Mazzei.