PPRA Hall of Fame Induction of Mark Tarasiewicz

May 7, 2012

11:30 a.m. -- Guests arrive

11:50 a.m. – Guests begin entering ballroom

12:00 Chris Lukach: Good afternoon, everyone and welcome. My

name is Chris Lukach, and I am this year’s President of the Philadelphia

Public Relations Association, also known as PPRA.

Today, we proudly induct Mark Tarasiewicz of the Philadelphia Bar

Association as the 40th

member of the prestigious PPRA Hall of Fame!

For those who may not be as familiar with PPRA, let me take a moment

to acquaint you with the company you keep today….

The Philadelphia Public Relations Association is in its 67th year of

operation. Today, PPRA has more than 300 professional practitioners in

the field of public relations and communications, making PPRA the

oldest, largest and one of the most-admired organizations of its kind in

the country. Not only does PPRA promote the public relations and

communications industry in the Philadelphia region, its members

collegially acknowledge and appreciate the excellence their fellow

public relations professionals show in the industry.

On behalf of PPRA, I extend a very special thanks to those who have

shown their appreciation and respect for Mark’s accomplishments,

including our committee and our sponsors:

PECO

Philadelphia Bar Association

PJM Interconnection

Shire Pharmaceuticals

Simon Public Relations

The Legal Intelligencer/ALM

The Star Group

Anne Klein Communications Group, LLC

News Watch

Bonnie Squires, Squires Consulting

BurellesLuce

Daniel Cirucci

Metrospective Communications

Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

VIN Partners, LLC

As someone who values excellence in his own life and career, Mark was

pleased to invite a key member of the media whom Mark…and many,

many viewers in the Philadelphia region and around the

nation…..admire for her excellence in broadcast journalism…It’s my

pleasure to introduce Aditi Roy!

Aditi is a nationally recognized reporter for NBC10, and we are pleased

to have her with us today as our emcee. We’re all familiar with Aditi’s

outstanding news reporting for our own NBC10, as well as for The

Today Show and NBC Nightly News. Now let’s have a warm welcome

for Aditi Roy….Aditi….

(Aditi takes the podium)

12:02 Aditi Roy: Thank you, Chris. Good afternoon, everyone. It is an

honor to be part of Mark's induction into the PPRA Hall of Fame. He

will be joining a legendary group of the Philadelphia area’s finest

professional communicators and public relations practitioners.

Since these Hall of Famers are the company we keep today, we think it’s

important for each of us to know a little something about them. In your

program there is an insert that contains brief bios about each PPRA Hall

of Famer. They all share superior professional skills, stellar public

service efforts, and superb dedication to this organization. It is my

privilege to present to you the members of the PPRA Hall of Fame who

are with us today in the order of their induction into the Hall.

12:04 Procession of Hall of Famers

(ADITI INTRODUCES THE HALL OF FAME MEMBERS BY YEAR AND NAME. AS THEY

WALK IN, THEY TAKE THEIR PLACES ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE ROOM FACING THE

AUDIENCE AND REMAIN STANDING UNTIL THE INTRODUCTION AND MEMORIAL

TRIBUTE IS COMPLETE. WHEN ADITI ANNOUNCES LUNCH SERVICE, THE HOF

MEMBERS TAKE THEIR ASSIGNED CHAIRS.)

CONFIRMED LIST OF HALL OF FAME MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE WILL BE ADDED;

AFTER LAST HOFer IS ANNOUNCED (MATT CABREY) ADITI INTRODUCES MARK.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Philadelphia Public Relations

Association’s 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Mark Tarasiewicz of the

Philadelphia Bar Association, escorted by our event co-chairs, Dan

Cirucci and Lisette Bralow.

Welcome, Mark, and congratulations!

At this time, we would like to recognize two beloved Hall of Famers

who have recently passed. Abe Rosen, who was inducted in 1988, and

Nessa Forman, in 2002. Both Abe and Nessa made a tremendous impact

on PPRA and in the Philadelphia area. For this we will always remain

connected with them….please join in a moment of silence for Abe and

Nessa (pause)……..

Now….seated around us is the best of the best in the Philadelphia Public

Relations community, the members of the coveted PPRA Hall of Fame.

(Dan, Lisette and Mark walk into the front of the ballroom together and take their seats)

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy lunch and we’ll be back shortly to

continue our program.

12:10-12:40 – LUNCH

Chris: At this time I would like to thank several others who invested

significant time and resources to help make this day special, and I ask

each of them to stand….our Board of Directors…..and our Hall of Fame

Induction Committee members….let’s please extend a round of

applause…..

I want to acknowledge the work of Mark’s Bar Association colleagues

Wes Terry who created today’s event invitation and Jeff Lyons for

handling the photography for today’s event. I also want to thank Carlo

Fiammenghi for the fantastic centerpieces at all of your tables…. please

stand….(to them)….Thank you for everything you’ve done to make this

such a special day for Mark!

12:40 Aditi: Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen…it’s time to

continue our program. As two examples of excellence in Philadelphia,

Mark and Mayor Nutter have a close working relationship helping those

in need in the city. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the honorable

Michael A. Nutter, mayor of the city of Philadelphia…

12:45: Presentation by Mayor Nutter (time may fluctuate based on schedules)

(Mayor Nutter remarks; return podium it Aditi )

12:47 Aditi: Thank you, Mayor Nutter. Sharing this unforgettable

occasion today with Mark are some special guests:

Mark’s mother, Barbara, and his father, Ted, are here with his

sister, Lisa.

Mark’s partner, Carlo, also the designer of the great

aforementioned centerpieces

In addition, many of Mark’s colleagues from the Bar Association

and the Philadelphia legal community are here.

To all, we say a big thank you from PPRA!

Mark Tarasiewicz has certainly “trademarked” the manual for

demonstrating excellence in all aspects of the public relations and

communications world, and you all have played important roles.

12:52 Aditi: I’d now like to introduce one of our luncheon co-chairs

and a fellow Hall of Famer, Dan Cirucci. Dan and Mark first worked

together at the Bar Association and have remained good friends ever

since. Dan is currently a lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn

State Abington and a former President of the Philadelphia Public

Relations Association….Dan…. (applause)

(Dan remarks)

12:58 Aditi: Thank you, Dan. Our next guest is Bobbi Booker. Bobbi, a

fellow newswoman from the Philadelphia area, covers news, culture,

lifestyle, business, sports, politics and entertainment for diverse

publications including The Philadelphia Tribune, Examiner.com,

Philadelphia Magazine and Philadelphia Weekly. ….Bobbi….

(applause)

(Bobbi remarks; interviews Amaris Elliott-Engle, AEE gives

anecdote; interviews Valerie Knight, VK gives anecdote)

1:03 Aditi: Thank you for some stellar reporting, Bobbi! I’m now proud

to introduce the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association,

Ken Shear. Ken has dedicated more than 25 years of distinguished

service to the country’s oldest bar association…. Ken…. (applause)

(Ken remarks)

1:11 Aditi: Thank you, Ken, for those kind words. As some of you may

know, Mark is an avid fan of Broadway and its music. I want to extend a

warm welcome to Dan Martin of Biello & Martin Studio. Dan, a

nationally recognized composer whose work has been performed at

Lincoln Center, on national television, and here in Philadelphia, has

garnered various esteemed honors and awards for his beautifully written

songs. He’s here today to perform one of Mark’s favorites…(applause)

(Dan performs)

1:17 Aditi: Dan, that performance was wonderful, thank you! I

understand that Bobbi Booker has a few more people she’d like to talk

to…

(Bobbi interviews Judge Rizzo, JR gives anecdote; Bobbi interviews

Betsey Leebron Tutelman, BLT gives anecdote)

1:22 Aditi: Mark has dedicated more than 17 years to the Philadelphia

Bar Association, an organization that promotes justice, professional

excellence and respect for the rule of law. Please welcome the 2012

Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, John E. Savoth….John

….(applause)

(John remarks)

1:25 Aditi: I’d now like to introduce Cathy Engel Menendez, manager

of external communications at PECO and a former PPRA president.

Cathy has something special she would like to present to Mark …

Cathy… (applause)

Through the years… (Cathy remarks)

1:35 Aditi: Please welcome back Chris Lukach, PPRA President, along

with Hall of Fame Co-chairs Dan Cirucci and Lisette Bralow for the

presentation of the Hall of Fame plaque to our 2012 inductee, Mark

Tarasiewicz.

Chris leads induction presentation: onstage are Chris, Dan, Lisette with

Mark. Chris reads the inscription on the plaque and presents it to Mark.

1:38 Mark: (Remarks)

1:42 Chris:

Congratulations Mark.

Please join in a round of applause for our emcee, Aditi Roy!

A special thanks to our luncheon co-chairs Dan Cirucci and Lisette

Bralow!

Thank you all for attending this special event honoring Mark

Tarasiewicz as the newest member of the PPRA Hall of Fame!

As we bid you a good afternoon, we hope you have all made some

connections yourself, and that all of us at PPRA will continue to be

the company you keep!

(Program has concluded and guests will greet Mark at the stage to take photos)