@JoelECarlson – Hello, and welcome to the Twitterview @KO_Comm today. She’s a busy person, so lets get this thing started!
@KO_Comm – Nice to be here!
Q – #1 So @KO_Comm (Kris), where did you grow up? What High School did you attend and what did you do after HS?
A: Grew up in southern MN and graduated from @StOlaf (Um! Yah! Yah!) w/English major.
Got my M.A. in English from U of MI (Ann Arbor); learned about PR while researching careers using writing.
Oh and my HS was Cleveland MN — 34 in graduating class.
Q – #2 Wow, a class of 34! It must have been the same people in most of your classes K-12 I’d imagine?
A: Yeah, K-12, but they kept the young kids away from us scary teens. Basically knew those in grades above/below.
Q – #3 Interesting. Now please share some of your working career up from college until you got to @cmithun.
A: Started as intern, worked up ranks at @WSMpls (Mona Meyer McGrath & Gavin), job-shared PR dir at @MNSCU’s Metro State…
…returned to agency life part time @CL_Spong. Took time off while kids were little, freelanced and now am @cmithun
I love agencies —
Q – #4 What is your role at @cmithun, and what does entail as to your work activities?
A: I’m dir of corp comm. So I handle the PR effort /communications of the agency, to raise visibility of @cmithun.
Basically the agency is my client, so I spread the word about our work, create opp’s to showcase our braintrust …
…which involves sharing our news and pro-active things like our blog, our live-streamed digital events, etc..
Q – #5 Lets now shift to your personal life. You’ve expanded your family in a special way over the years. Please share.
A: We’ve adopted three kids from S. Korea and traveled there twice. Very awesome privilege and journey.
Q – #6 After you adopted your 1st child, is the process easier since you are in the “system” as it were already?
A: Not really, other than you know the ropes. The paperwork all expires; you still have to update the home study. ..
…but we certainly didn’t spend as much time answering the essay questions. Being able to write helps. :)
Q – #7 On your comment regarding writing, do you like writing stories, poetry and things of that nature?
A: I do. Have done some short stories, some essays and have a kids’ novel rattling around in my head…
Have taken classes @loftliterary; great place. Trying different kinds of writing makes a better writer, I think.
Q – #8 So are you aiming to or have you had anything published?
A: I have something ready to send out, but am mostly focused on cranking out @cmithun copy, which I’m totaly enjoying.
err: totally (make that 2 “l”s)
Love how our field is a combo of craft/art.
Q – #9 You’re human! :) Lets find out your FAVORITES: restaurant, store, winter activity, TC’s neighborhood & recent book.
A: I live in historic downtown @Stillwater_MN (akin to Chaska, cc: @gregswan), so love my local haunts there…
Winter activity: XC skiing for sure. Just got skate skis this year to try and keep up w/my kids. Loving all this SNOW!
Just read Stockett’s The Help. Loved it. Started Kingsolver’s Lacuna, but it isn’t as good as Poisonwood Bible.
Q – #10 Your comment about your field being a combo of craft/art. Please explain that further in some detail.
A: Sure. We need to know the PR craft for sure, but choosing/using just the right words def is part art, as well…
I love that our work/words can empower a brand’s personality, perception and marketplace performance. ..
It’s an awesome privilege/responsibility. Each communications scenario matters. And makes a difference.
Q – #11 Words can be powerful, as Tweeters well know! So to close, what thought or mantra would you like people to think about?
A: I have a fav quote: “To hold a pen is to be at war” –Voltaire. Good luck (and have fun) on the battlefield!
@JoelECarlson – Thanks @KO_Comm for your time and sharing some of your life in 140+ characters today. Have a great day Kris!
@KO_Comm – Pleasure to chat w/you. Thanks. Happy day to you as well.