Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive updates by email, drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It’s free! Just fill out the query form to get started.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com.

EXPERT ALERTS:

U.S. Postal Service’s Decision to End Saturday Mail Service
Robert Atkinson
President
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
“While this decision is a step in the right direction, what we really need is a fundamentally new postal model. The USPS should concentrate on its true competitive advantage -- last mile mail delivery -- and open up all other parts of the system to true and fair competition.”
Based in Washington, D.C., Atkinson is the author of numerous reports and articles on innovation, including, “Stick to the Mail: Postal Reform Means Radical Cost Cutting, Not ‘Product Innovation.’”
ProfNet Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/robatkinson
Website: www.itif.org
Media Contact: William Dube, wdube@itif.org

Why Drone Strikes Remain the Best Option in Pakistan
Michael W. Lewis
Professor of Law
Ohio Northern University
Lewis, who flew F-14s for the U.S. Navy and graduated from the Navy’s TOPGUN training school, wrote in a recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times: “President Obama’s second term begins amid intense criticism of the drone strikes being conducted by the United States in Pakistan. Much of this criticism is based on claims that drones are doing more harm than good… After examining the alternatives, it is clear that drones remain the best option available to minimize the negative effects of the conflict on civilians while continuing to disrupt the Taliban and deny it control of territory in the tribal areas.” (See link: tinyurl.com/ckv4ohf)
Lewis is coauthor of the book, “The War on Terror and the Laws of War: A Military Perspective” and “Drones and the Boundaries of the Battlefield.”
Bio: law.onu.edu/faculty_staff/faculty_staff_...
Website: onu.edu/
Media Contact: Mary A. Wilkin, m-wilkin@onu.edu

Axed Worker Takes Keys to Twitter Account
Michael McCabe
Employment Attorney
Munck Wilson Mandala in Dallas
“A United Kingdom-based entertainment retailer suffered international public relations embarrassment when it laid off dozens of employees, including the sole worker with access to the company’s Twitter account. The fired employee proceeded to post a string of messages detailing how the company was discharging its workers. Terminating employees is never an easy task. It can be stressful for everyone involved, and companies need to think through all of the possible outcomes. Companies should make sure they’re communicating a consistent message during downsizing, and today that includes making sure social media channels are not neglected in the communication plan.”
News Contact: Robert Tharp, robert@androvett.com

Interest Grows in ‘Investor Visas’
Marc Klein
Attorney
Thompson & Knight is Dallas
“While the debate over immigration continues, a 20-year-old program designed to attract specific immigration is seeing increased growth as well. Last year, the U.S. government granted lawful permanent resident status to more than 7,000 wealthy foreign investors through EB-5 visas, nearly twice the number issued in 2011, with more than 70 percent of EB-5 visas issued to investors from mainland China, with substantial investment occurring in new or existing real estate developments. A foreign national can secure a conditional resident visa after a 12- to 18-month process, as long as several conditions are met, including a minimum $500,000 business investment that produces at least 10 jobs. As personal wealth increases in other countries, I’m seeing the EB-5 program attracting individuals who want to leave those regimes for the U.S., even if they face an increased tax burden.”
News Contact: Barry Pound, barry@androvett.com

Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive updates by email, drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It’s free! Just fill out the query form to get started.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com.

EXPERT ROUNDUP: Credit Card Surcharges

Following are experts who can discuss credit card “swipe fees” and their impact on consumers and retailers:

Greg McBride, CFA
Vice President and Senior Financial Analyst
Bankrate.com
“There are a lot of consumers that will walk in the door, see the notice that there’s a surcharge posted, and they’re not going to resort to another method of payment. No, they’re going to turn around and they’re going to walk right back out the door and they’ll go down the street to one of their competitors that does not assess a surcharge.” McBride is available to provide analysis and advice on personal finance. With almost 20 years of experience, he has the unique ability to provide both in-depth commentary and practical advice to consumers. He has appeared on hundreds of national cable and network broadcasts, and is a frequent guest on CNBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. He is routinely quoted by major print outlets such as The Associated Press, Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and is a regular radio guest on financial talk shows throughout the United States. He is also an accomplished public speaker, having appeared before audiences at the Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Bankers Association, Federal Trade Commission and at the China Times Golden Cicada Awards in Beijing, China. He is on the board of directors of CredAbility, an Atlanta-based nonprofit credit counseling agency accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Media Contact: Ted Rossman, ted.rossman@bankrate.com

Charles Tran
Founder
CreditDonkey.com
“Consumers are king. Thanks to the Internet, social media and mobile phones, consumers can easily compare and share with the world their shopping experience. According to a January 2013 CreditDonkey.com survey of over 700 active credit card holders, nearly 21 percent said they would not buy anything at merchants that impose a credit card checkout fee. Small-business owners should evaluate if it makes sense to potentially lose one in five of their best customers by charging a checkout fee of up to 4 percent on transactions.” Tran is founder of CreditDonkey.com, a credit card comparison and financial education website. He is available to discuss credit card surcharges.
Expert Contact: charles.tran@creditdonkey.com

Kathy Doyle Thomas
Executive Vice President
Half Price Books
“As a retailer, just because we can now charge a fee doesn’t mean we will. Retailers are already worried about alienating our customers, and in this tough economy, when we’re fighting for every sale, we do not need any additional reasons to deter the customer from spending money in our stores. It is also important to note that a credit card transaction is larger, in most cases, than a cash one, so retailers don’t want to discourage people from using their credit cards. If retailers do decide to charge a fee, educating the customer is a concern. To be able to charge customers, the law states retailers need to let the customer know a fee will be charged with signage on the door, so a prospective customer walks in knowing they will pay two to three percent more with their credit card.”
Working in the retail industry for more than 20 years, Thomas currently serves on the Global Retail Marketing Association board and is a member of NRF’s Integrated Mobile Initiative Task Force. She is also a former board chair of the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA).
ProfNet Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/kathy-doyle-thoma...
Half Price Books Bios: www.hpb.com/about/bios/
Website: http://www.hpb.com
Media Contact: Emily Bruce, ebruce@halfpricebooks.com

Patricia Seaman
Director of Marketing and Communications
National Endowment for Financial Education
Seaman joined the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) in April 2007, as director of marketing and communications. She is responsible for communications, media and public relations outreach, and marketing NEFE programs. She also supports the chief executive officer in his service on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. Her recent media interviews include Forbes, Parents, Washington Times, Woman’s Day magazine, and local radio and television. A lifelong student of personal finance, Seaman is conversant with a wide variety of financial education topics and research, and is available to discuss credit card surcharges and how they will impact both consumers and businesses.
Media Contact: Daniel Malkin, dmalkin@rubeinsteinpr.com

Paul Golden
Media Relations Project Manager
National Endowment for Financial Education
Golden serves as project manager for the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to helping all Americans acquire the information and gain the skills necessary to take control of their personal finances. Golden is the media relations manager for the foundation, and is responsible for communications and public relations efforts. He also serves as NEFE spokesperson and has been quoted by the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Daily News, Detroit Free Press and Baltimore Sun. Prior to joining NEFE in 2005, he worked as a managing editor for an online news service and has spent time working in the financial services industry. Golden graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, with an emphasis in broadcast media, from the University of Northern Colorado. He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio-Television News Directors Association. He is available to discuss the credit card surcharges and how they will impact both consumers and businesses.
Media Contact: Daniel Malkin, dmalkin@rubeinsteinpr.com

Taki Skouras
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Cellairis
Skouras is the co-founder, CEO and CFO of Cellairis, a specialty retailer of wireless accessories with more than 700 locations (many of which are franchised) nationwide. He is available to discuss not only the impact of credit card surcharges at the corporate level, but also how the individual franchisees (independent small-business owners) will be affected. He can also detail the strategies he has explored with his team in response to this settlement.
Considered by many to be a thought-leader in the industry, Skouras revolutionized the retail arena by taking an emerging trend (wireless accessories) and commercializing that popularity in a store model separate from wireless retailers like Verizon, T-Mobile and Apple. In an increasingly demanding marketplace, Skouras has overseen the company’s growth from a single, standalone kiosk 13 years ago to the world’s largest wireless accessory retailer. With more than 15 years of retail and operational experience, as well as more than 12 years in franchising, Skouras is instrumental in the operation of all of Cellairis’ 700 locations and recently led the implementation of a cloud-based POS companywide in order to improve measurement and consistency in the customer experience.
Website: www.cellairis.com
Media Contact: Jessica Hatcher, jhatcher@konnect-pr.com

Greg Hammermaster
President
Sage Payment Solutions, a division of Sage North America
Hammermaster has 25 years of experience in banking, payment solutions and business software applications. He is currently president of Sage Payment Solutions, a division of Sage North America that has been providing businesses and organizations with electronic payment systems for more than 20 years. He was previously with SunTrust Banks, where he served as senior vice president and managing director of the commercial card and payment solutions division. He has also had experience with a number of online businesses, as well as with Visa International, the world’s largest card network, where he worked with banks in the areas of online merchant services, debit, credit, and commercial payment solutions. Prior to working for Visa, he was instrumental in delivering Visa’s first corporate and purchasing card program. Hammermaster has presented at various industry conferences and events, including the annual Electronic Transaction Association (ETA) Meeting & Expo and Commercial Payments International (CPI) events, and contributed payments-related information to numerous trade and business publications, including Business Finance, Chain Store Age, Credit Union Journal, eWeek, The Green Sheet, ISO & Agent, Journal of Accountancy, Small Business Computing and several regional business journals.
Website: na.sage.com/sage-payment-solutions
Media Contact: Cynthia Sutton, cynthia.sutton@sage.com

EXPERT ALERTS

U.S. Postal Service’s Decision to End Saturday Mail Service
Robert Atkinson
President
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
“While this decision is a step in the right direction, what we really need is a fundamentally new postal model. The USPS should concentrate on its true competitive advantage -- last mile mail delivery -- and open up all other parts of the system to true and fair competition.” Based in Washington, D.C., Atkinson is the author of numerous reports and articles on innovation, including, “Stick to the Mail: Postal Reform Means Radical Cost Cutting, Not ‘Product Innovation.’”
ProfNet Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/robatkinson
Website: www.itif.org
Media Contact: William Dube, wdube@itif.org

Axed Worker Takes Keys to Twitter Account
Michael McCabe
Employment Attorney
Munck Wilson Mandala in Dallas
“A United Kingdom-based entertainment retailer suffered international public relations embarrassment when it laid off dozens of employees, including the sole worker with access to the company’s Twitter account. The fired employee proceeded to post a string of messages detailing how the company was discharging its workers. Terminating employees is never an easy task. It can be stressful for everyone involved, and companies need to think through all of the possible outcomes. Companies should make sure they’re communicating a consistent message during downsizing, and today that includes making sure social media channels are not neglected in the communication plan.”
News Contact: Robert Tharp, robert@androvett.com

The Mobile Shopping Ecosystem
Jérémie Leroyer
CEO and Co-Founder of AIRTAG
"This past year, 43 percent of smartphone owners used their mobile device while in a store for a shopping purpose -- not simply a payment method. Whereas mobile commerce is a means to an end, mobile shopping embraces reshaping the entire shopping experience in-store and everywhere else to meet the demands of the new mobile-empowered consumer. Mobile shopping is more than making purchases or searching for products on a device; it is the incorporation of new mobile-accessible, value-added services that benefit shoppers and transform the smartphone into a new service. It is no longer enough to offer a mobile application that looks nice, but does nothing for the entire retail experience. In order to retain valuable customers and increase sales, mobile applications must offer a real value-added service to the end user." Leroyer can discuss all aspects of mobile shopping ecosystems, including mobile payments, mobile shopping, loyalty systems and NFC technology. He is CEO and co-founder of AIRTAG, which provides mobile shopping solutions and in-store systems that deliver an interactive and engaging user experience. AIRTAG recently announced a partnership with MasterCard and their development of MasterCard's SDK.
Website: www.airtag.com
Twitter: twitter.com/airtag
Media Contact: Allison Keller, Allison.Keller@horngroup.com

Technology and the Mortgage Servicing Industry
Michelle Rowley
Mortgage Servicing Advisor
CT Lien Solutions
Rowley can discuss the challenges mortgage lenders must deal with today as they try to handle the significant backlog of seriously delinquent inventory. While the foreclosure backup may take years to clear up in judicial states, it is also important to realize that the non-judicial states could expedite the entire foreclosure process by leveraging automation technology -- and, in fact, several major lenders have recently licensed technology to cut down the title and mortgage document assignment process from years to months. Says Rowley: “Servicers can look to technology solutions to assess workflow and identify areas to reduce risk, streamline processes and save significant amounts of time on each mortgage document -- which is especially critical today as servicers contend with the far-reaching impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act on the mortgage servicing industry.” CT Lien Solutions is a lien search, recording services and life-of-loan service provider under Wolters Kluwer Corporate Legal Services.
News Contact: Danielle Lundquist, dlundquist@peppercomm.com

Red Flags That Say a Job is Not for You
Darnell Clarke
Author
Clarke, author of “Employmentology: A Practical Systematic Methodology of Finding Employment by a Hiring Manger,” offers the following telltale signs that a job offer is shady: “If the job requires the employee to fork over their own money, it is not legitimate. Also, be wary of jobs that require you to fill out I-9 forms, which require two forms of identification and a Social Security number, before a job is actually presented. How can you do your own digging? Contact your network, or jump on LinkedIn and post a question about your offer if you feel it might be a little shady. However, the best way to know if an offer is great is to only submit your resume to open positions you have a true passion for. Most people submit their resumes to every job opening they see, without giving any forethought to whether or not they qualify. Submit your resume only to the opportunities that fit your passion, calling, strengths, skill set and/or qualifications.”
Media Contact: Merilee Kern, merilee@kerncommunications.com

Automatic Tips Are Unpopular Dining Companions
Celeste Yeager
Labor and Employment Attorney; Hospitality Industry Team Vice Chair
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in Dallas
“The dust-up over a pastor’s rejection of the automatic tip added to her dinner tab was not just an embarrassment for everyone involved, but also may help ignite the debate over the practice, used by many restaurants when serving large groups. As an industry, it is time for restaurants and bars to consider stopping the practice of imposing automatic tips. It is a touchy issue not just with customers, who do not appreciate having a significant sum added to their check, but with servers as well. Automatic tips are viewed by the IRS not as traditional tips, but as a service charge, with that money going to the employer, not the individual wait staff member. That is where the water muddies significantly, as it can negatively affect pay classification, causing tremendous income tax headaches.”
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com

Design Considerations for Eldercare Housing
James T. Moyer, AIA, LEED AP
Principal
SAS Architects & Planners
“Depending on a building's age and configuration, we frequently encounter design challenges such as: creating public spaces in the right configuration; maximizing space; overcoming a long, double-loaded corridor; and creating a functional, safe and secure progression of space.” Moyer is principal of SAS Architects & Planners, a full-service firm that has designed more than 120 eldercare projects nationwide. He is available to talk about design considerations involved with the current trend of converting existing eldercare housing into spaces that provide specialized support and care -- for example, transforming independent or assisted living into memory support or dementia care. He is based in the Chicago suburbs.
Website: www.sasarch.com
Media Contact: Cindy Martin, cindy@clmcomm.com

If you haven’t checked out the Blogs section of ProfNet Connect lately, you’re missing out on some really great posts. Here’s a link to some of last week’s most popular blog posts:

What You Should Expect From Your PR Agency. Beth Monaghan, one of our most consistently popular bloggers, shares some of the important qualities you should expect from an agency that is committed to your success.

In her follow-up post, How to Work With a PR Agency: 8 Tips, she shares some of the things you can do to ensure success.

Sarah Skerik’s blog posts on ProfNet Connect are, like Monaghan’s some of our most popular blogs. This week, Skerik, vice president of social media for PR Newswire, had two on the list: Do Press Releases Help SEO?, which looked at whether press releases have a positive effect on SEO, and SEO Trends for 2013 and What They Mean for PR, which discusses some of the common themes from leading SEO sites and blogs.

Grammar Hammer: Where It’s At. Cathy Spicer, manager of customer content services for PR Newswire, explores a different grammatical rule each week in her Grammar Hammer column. This week, she gives her take on when it is (and when it isn’t) OK to end a sentence with a preposition.

How to Design Good Web Forms. Creating a website can be difficult, even before you start worrying about forms. In this post, Steve Floyd, Web designer with AXZM, shares a list of tips to help you successfully design functional and quality Web form designs.

ProfNet 101: The Basics. An older (but obviously still popular) blog post, ProfNet 101: The Basics does just what it says: shares all the basics about the ProfNet service.

The Q&A Team: ‘Dear Gracie’ Returns Under a New Name. “Dear Gracie,” one of our most popular columns, has been on hiatus since last fall. Now it’s back with a new name (The Q&A Team) and a new author (ProfNet Editor Polina Opelbaum), who is ready to find the answers to your communications and media questions.

Math for Writers: Yes, You Do Need It. I hate math. There, I said it. If you’re right there with me, check out author Laura Laing’s blog post on why writers need math. And then breathe a sigh of relief that you are not alone.

How to Become an Expert Source for Top-Tier Media. Earlier this year, Charles Passy, staff writer for the Wall Street Journal Digital Network, sent a query via ProfNet looking for experts on farm stands. Mark Tardif, director of college communications at Unity College in Maine, saw the query and immediately knew he had the perfect expert – Sara Trunzo, Unity’s food and farms project coordinator. Tardif responded to Passy with Trunzo’s information, and the pitch resulted in a national media hit for Unity College, a small environmental college with less than 600 full-time students. We thought it would be interesting to hear about the mechanics behind the article and pitch from three different perspectives – the reporter, the PR professional and the expert -- so we invited Passy, Tardif and Trunzo to be part of a free webinar we hosted last week. This blog post recaps that conversation.

Multimedia Journalism: Give It a Shot! This blog post, from ProfNet Editor Angela Smith, recaps a recent meetup  on multimedia journalism. During the meetup, Jay Irani, multimedia journalist and founder and CEO of Jini Productions, shared tips for journalists looking to delve into the world of photo, video, and audio.

What were your favorite blog posts last week? Which ones did you find most helpful/interesting?

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com.

We regularly update our ProfNet Connect calendar to include upcoming events we think will be of interest to PR and media professionals. Following is a summary of the events taking place over the next week or so:

Event: “Online Marketing Summit”
Host: PR Newswire
Date: Feb. 11-13
Location: San Diego
Summary: To many online marketers and digital communicators, converged media -- the blending of paid, owned and earned media -- signifies valuable opportunity. Speakers will discuss best practices to leverage the opportunities, maintain effective cross-channel engagement, and build influence and credibility across multiple media spheres.
Complete event info here.

Event: “Word Press, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Web”
Host: PRSA Westchester/Fairfield Chapter
Date: Feb. 13
Location: Old Greenwich, Conn.
Summary: In this open discussion, information technology expert Marc Jaffe will explain how to build an inexpensive website in WordPress.  He’ll discuss the differences between a conventional website and one built in WordPress, what makes WordPress unique as a content management system, and how the backend is constructed and managed. Then, attendees will build a brand new site on the spot utilizing the multisite capability of WordPress.
Complete event info here.

Event: “Today’s Food Media Landscape”
Host: Publicity Club of New York
Date: Feb. 14
Location: New York
Summary: Speakers from The Sporkful Podcast, Food & Wine, Grubstreet New York, “Good Morning America” and Buzzfeed will talk about their publications and what they look for from PR.
Complete event info here.

Event: “Social Media Weekend”
Host: Columbia School of Journalism
Date: Feb. 15-17
Location: New York
Summary: In addition to panels and workshops, there will be a continuous group of social media doctors offering social media makeovers, tips and feedback in one-on-one and small-group sessions. Whether you’re seeking a nuanced assessment of your social media presence or just need someone to explain the basics, they’re there to help.
Complete event info here.

Event: “Cocktails and Conversations: New York City: The Digital Trends Capital”
Host: New York Women in Communications
Date: Feb. 19
Location: New York
Summary: This panel discussion with digital leaders in the communications, marketing, advertising, and public relations field will look at digital trends in the world of media, technology, fashion, food and more. How has technology changed the landscape within some of New York City's largest industries? What must digital communicators do to actively stay on top of these changes? How will these industries adopt digital trends in 2013? Attendees will also have an opportunity to network and meet professionals in the communications field.
Complete event info here.

Event: “Remembering Ed Koch”
Host: New York Press Club
Date: Feb. 19
Location: New York
Summary: An evening of reminiscences is planned about Ed Koch by those who knew, worked with and covered him. A panel is being organized but the heart of this event is likely to be "open mike." All who'd care to share personal stories about their experiences covering the late mayor are welcome to hold-forth.
Complete event info here.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents, search the more than 60,000 profiles on ProfNet Connect, or get timely experts and story ideas by email -- all for free! Need help getting started? Email us at profnet@profnet.com

Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive updates by email, drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It’s free! Just fill out the query form to get started.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com.

EXPERT ALERTS:

Design Considerations for Eldercare Housing
James T. Moyer, AIA, LEED AP
Principal
SAS Architects & Planners
“Depending on a building's age and configuration, we frequently encounter design challenges such as: creating public spaces in the right configuration; maximizing space; overcoming a long, double-loaded corridor; and creating a functional, safe and secure progression of space.” Moyer is principal of SAS Architects & Planners, a full-service firm that has designed more than 120 eldercare projects nationwide. He is available to talk about design considerations involved with the current trend of converting existing eldercare housing into spaces that provide specialized support and care -- for example, transforming independent or assisted living into memory support or dementia care. He is based in the Chicago suburbs.
Website: www.sasarch.com
Media Contact: Cindy Martin, cindy@clmcomm.com

Valentine Engagement? Consider a Prenup
Mary Jo McCurley
Family Law Attorney
McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing, L.L.P. in Dallas
“Valentine’s Day may be a popular date for couples to get engaged, but the newly betrothed would be wise to take a deep breath and consider whether they should sign a premarital agreement before tying the knot. Particularly if one or both people have significant assets or liabilities, spelling out what is separate property and what is community property can minimize conflict should the couple ever split. Nobody wants to believe they could get divorced, but the sad truth is that divorce happens, even when the couple starts out with the best of intentions. Having a sound premarital agreement can remove a significant source of conflict.”
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com

Six Love Styles to Help You Communicate How You Feel
Dr. Kate Dunleavy
Professor
La Salle University
“As Valentine’s Day is a holiday focused on love, it is a good idea to recognize that we don’t all express in the same way.” Dunleavy studies communication in relationships, and says there are six love styles we use to communicate how we feel: 1) Eros: a physical love. The personal is mostly interested in physicality of a relationship, often more so than other aspects. Very critical of physical appearance. 2) Ludus: game-playing love. The person must always be in control of the love, whereas love often takes control over a person. Likes the chase, and often becomes disinterested when the chase is over. 3) Storge: peaceful love from friendship. The love is arrived at slowly, so slowly the people have difficulty determining where the change occurred. The sexual aspect comes much later and is never the focus of the relationship. 4) Pragma: practicality. Sees relationships for the potential for a more effective life. Much more logical than emotional. Their relationships rarely end because they were so practical in finding a mate that is best suited for their lifestyle. Example: Bill and Hilary Clinton. 5) Mania: extreme emotions associated with the relationship. This person gives self over to love to such an extent that it can lead to anxiousness and fear the love will go away. Experiences jealousy very easily and can shift emotions about the relationship quickly. 6) Agape: selfless and completely compassionate love. Doesn’t expect or need reciprocity. More of a philosophical love (like the love a parent has for a child -- unconditional).
Media Contact: Jon Caroulis, caroulis@lasalle.edu

Healthy Eating in 2013
John Bornoty
Founder and Owner
The Big Salad
“Everyone knows that eating healthy, nutritious and low-calorie salads, soups and sandwiches can help the weight disappear. I can help people understand the kinds of foods that will help them quickly take the pounds off without starving themselves. For example, your choice of salad dressing and toppings can make a big difference in the amount of calories you're consuming.”
The Big Salad is a healthy-eating, fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in custom-made salads, healthy soups and sumptuous sandwiches.
Media Contact: Sue Voyles, sue@logos-communications.com

Diet Betters Beware: Red Flags for Pound-Shedding Profit-Seekers
David Roddenberry
Co-founder
HealthyWage
“With multiple highly credible studies underscoring the effectiveness of employing financial incentives to motivate weight loss, including those cited in the Archives of Internal Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association, the marketplace has followed suit with various companies now offering the opportunity to ‘diet for dollars.’ But, how can health-seekers discern if a website offering to pay for lost pounds is legit? Heed my list of red flags that can indicate a weight-loss company offering monetary rewards may not be on the up-and-up.”
Media Contact: Merilee Kern, merilee@kerncommunications.com

Ten Commandments of Cellphone Use
Paul Holstein
Founder
CableOrganizer.com
"Proper cellphone etiquette protocols are often forgotten -- and, unfortunately, many conduct themselves inappropriately when using a mobile phone in public. With this in mind, I've devised 10 commandments of proper and courteous cellphone use. For example, stash your cell when dining out. When people spend money on a dinner out, the last thing they want is to become a captive audience to a third-party cell phone conversation. If you’re eating in public, especially in the company of others, stash the cell phone (and turn off the ringer) until the meal is over. Everyone, including you, will enjoy themselves even more.”
Media Contact: Merilee Kern, merilee@kerncommunications.com

Give Your Kitchen a Spring Makeover
Libby Langdon
Founder
Libby Interiors, Inc.
“The kitchen truly is the heart of the home, so why not create one where you’ll love to spend time -- without over-spending? For example, use two smaller under-the-counter refrigerators, instead of one large model, which can visually overwhelm a small kitchen. Also, consider an 18”-wide dishwasher and microwave, as opposed to the standard 24” models. Don’t reuse old appliances! You may think you’re saving money, but an old appliance will totally stick out in your new design and mean higher electricity bills.” Langdon is the host and lead designer on the FOX makeover show “Design Invasion,” and has made appearances on other popular TV shows, including “BetterTV,” NBC's “Open House NYC,” “The Early Show,” “The View,” and on “The Rachael Ray Show” as Ray’s go-to interior design guru. She is available for in-person interviews in the New York metro area, or via phone, email or video conference. She can share tips for getting the most bang out of your buck when renovating a kitchen, as well as “insider secrets” on how to add color to brighten up a dimly lit kitchen and how to choose the best refrigerator for your kitchen’s design. Whether it’s a total renovation or a simple spring makeover, she can tell readers when to splurge and save when designing any kitchen. To view some of her recent TV design makeovers, visit: www.libbylangdon.com/lxtv.shtml
Media Contact: Lauren Macon, lmacon@thehalogroup.com

Protecting Hockey Players' Feet/Ankles
Frank McClelland
Respond, Inc.
“Until the last few years, hockey players had few effective options available to protect themselves from season- or even career-ending foot and ankle injuries.” McClelland can talk about new options for protecting the feet and ankles of hockey players -- including college players, adult amateurs and pros -- from flying pucks and flailing sticks. Working with the product development center at Lake Superior State University, McClelland invented Skate Fenders, a patented safety product that protects the feet and ankles of hockey players. It is currently being used by 22 NHL teams, several college teams and a growing number of amateur players. An amateur hockey player himself, McClelland is based in Gaylord, Mich.
Website: www.skatefenders.com
Media Contact: Cindy Martin, cindy@clmcomm.com

The Role of Mediation in Parenting Plans and Asset Allocation
Arianna Jeret
Divorce Mediator and Certified Divorce Coach
"Mediation provides a forum in which you can step back from the fight and participate in productive conversations towards the most emotionally and financially secure future possible. A mediator’s goal is to help couples simplify confusing issues, work creatively through road blocks, and plan for a non-adversarial new chapter in their lives."
Jeret has 15 years of experience developing, evaluating and guiding social service programs. She has facilitated several complex committees and co-authored an article on identity formation in teens that became the backbone of one of the country’s most successful private philanthropic ventures. Since focusing on private practice in family law mediation in 2010, Jeret has been featured on online radio programs and was also sought out to custom-design and teach a specialized lecture, “Expanding Social Work Practice Options: Basics of Mediation,” for the Orange County Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers at the University of Southern California School of Social Work. She is a member of the Southern California Mediation Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, as well an associate member of the South Bay Chapter of the American Bar Association.
Website: http://www.ajmediation.com
Media Contact: Lisa Layne, lisalayne@lettucepr.com

Proposed Legislation to Help Sandy Victims Needs Doesn’t Protect Property Owner Rights
Scott Mager
Attorney
Storm Help Team
“In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, residents and businesses are feeling the pain and injustice of delayed payment or outright rejection of property claims. Legislation needs to be enacted immediately that promotes the full and quicker payment of property damage claims. New York legislators are beginning to respond. For example, Bill A-2287 purports to provide a Homeowner’s Bill of Rights that explains important information about insurance policies, exclusions and the processes relating to a property damage claim. Another bill, A-1092, seeks to create specific standards for investigating and paying claims. With great respect for these legislative efforts, while both bills forge admirable first steps designed to protect citizens, they do not go nearly far enough to ensure that residents and businesses whom have faithfully paid their insurance premiums for years will receive full compensation in a timely manner.” Mager is a nationally recognized attorney who has been on the ground in the devastated New York tri-state area, speaking to large community groups and organizations about the steps they can take to obtain rightful reimbursement for their property losses. He is working with a multi-disciplinary organization called Storm Help Team to help make that happen. Mager has seen all sides of insurance claims, having served as the top lawyer at one of the largest insurance companies in the world and honored as their National Litigator of the Year, and having devoted time to helping thousands of property owners expedite their insurance claims after numerous hurricanes in the past decade.
Residents in the New York metropolitan area and throughout New Jersey, including the devastated shore areas, can contact Storm Help Team at call (855) 58-STORM to secure an extensive amount of insurance-related resources, obtain review of their claims, and receive critical information on how to process their claims to maximize the chances for getting the most money quickly.
Website: http://www.stormhelpteam.org
Media Contact: Tyra Haag, tyra@marybethwest.com

Single Parents Can Keep Children Involved in Dating Process
Kerri Zane
Relationship/dating and lifestyle expert
"Online dating sites can seem overwhelming and rather scary. It is understandable, therefore, that single individuals are weary of taking the plunge. One of the greatest perks to online dating is that sons and daughters can be involved in helping their single parent find a match." Zane, an Emmy Award-winning executive producer, is a healthy-living expert, single mom advisor, author, and international public speaker for highly motivated affluent single parents who want to make their relationships and the quality of their life experience matter more. Zane is the originator of the unique and powerful counseling process, The 5 Finger Philosophy, a life-altering and empowering process for all single parents to ultimately and once and for all have a happily ever after "REALationship." Zane has an M.A. in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica and a B.A. in sociology from UCLA. She has served as a TV and film instructor at UCLA Extension School, is a working member of N.A.T.A.S., the Directors Guild of America, and is an ACE-certified personal trainer and weight management consultant. She is a single parent of two daughters and resides in Long Beach, Calif.
Website: http://www.kerrizane.com
Media Contact: Lisa Layne, lisalayne@lettucepr.com

Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing.

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If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com.

Proposed Legislation to Help Sandy Victims Needs Doesn’t Protect Property Owner Rights
Scott Mager
Attorney
Storm Help Team
“In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, residents and businesses are feeling the pain and injustice of delayed payment or outright rejection of property claims. Legislation needs to be enacted immediately that promotes the full and quicker payment of property damage claims. New York legislators are beginning to respond. For example, Bill A-2287 purports to provide a Homeowner’s Bill of Rights that explains important information about insurance policies, exclusions and the processes relating to a property damage claim. Another bill, A-1092, seeks to create specific standards for investigating and paying claims. With great respect for these legislative efforts, while both bills forge admirable first steps designed to protect citizens, they do not go nearly far enough to ensure that residents and businesses whom have faithfully paid their insurance premiums for years will receive full compensation in a timely manner.” Mager is a nationally recognized attorney who has been on the ground in the devastated New York tri-state area, speaking to large community groups and organizations about the steps they can take to obtain rightful reimbursement for their property losses. He is working with a multi-disciplinary organization called Storm Help Team to help make that happen. Mager has seen all sides of insurance claims, having served as the top lawyer at one of the largest insurance companies in the world and honored as their National Litigator of the Year, and having devoted time to helping thousands of property owners expedite their insurance claims after numerous hurricanes in the past decade. Residents in the New York metropolitan area and throughout New Jersey, including the devastated shore areas, can contact Storm Help Team at call (855) 58-STORM to secure an extensive amount of insurance-related resources, obtain review of their claims, and receive critical information on how to process their claims to maximize the chances for getting the most money quickly.
Website: http://www.stormhelpteam.org
Media Contact: Tyra Haag, tyra@marybethwest.com

New Immigration Laws, H-1B Visas and Impact on U.S. Jobs
Ron Hira
Associate Professor of Public Policy
Rochester Institute of Technology
Critics of the H-1B visa program say companies exaggerate the size of the gap and that they aren't required to justify the need to hire from outside the country. "What's breathtaking about this bill is that it doesn't propose to close any of the loopholes," says Hira, who has testified before Congress about H-1B visas. "There's no labor market test. An employer does not have to try to hire an American worker first and doesn't have to demonstrate that there's a shortage of Americans who can do the job." Hira specializes in policy issues on technological innovation, offshoring, high-skill immigration, and the American engineering workforce. He is also a research associate with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. He is co-author of the book, “Outsourcing America” (AMACOM 2005; 2nd edition 2008), which was a finalist for best business book in the PMA’s Benjamin Franklin Awards. He is an expert on offshoring, testifying before the U.S. Congress twice on its implications, and is frequently quoted and interviewed in many major media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Journal, NPR, CNN, CNBC, NBC Nightly News, Fox Business News, Time, and Newsweek.
Media Contact: Vienna McGrain, vnccom@rit.edu

Employers Should Tell Cupid to Leave His Arrows at Home
Kim Seten
Partner
Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP
Employers should always be concerned about “appropriate” behavior in the workplace, and Valentine’s Day is a great reminder of that. Says Seten: “While it may seem nice to give your subordinates cards and candy as a token of appreciation on Valentine's Day, some workers may misconstrue even innocent gestures, potentially causing accusations of inappropriate behavior. And when there actually is love in the workplace, it can cause a potential minefield of liability for employers, as well as awkwardness for other employees. Employers would be wise to have very clear policies regarding office relationships.” Seten, partner with Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, can speak about "love contracts," lawsuit possibilities for consensual office romances (sexual harassment, retaliation claims), what actions actually constitute sexual harassment, and how far is "too far" with inappropriate love-related jokes at work.
Media Contact: Wendy Angel, wangel@constangy.com

Impact of Secretary of Energy Steven Chu’s Resignation on the DOE
Matthew Stepp
Senior Energy Policy Analyst
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
“Secretary Chu presided over the largest expansion and re-organization of America’s energy innovation ecosystem in 40 years. While there is still significant work to be done, no one can deny that the Department of Energy is better equipped today to develop and commercialize breakthrough clean energy technologies than four years ago. Without a doubt, Secretary Chu should be applauded for continuing and strengthening the long American legacy of leadership in developing world-leading technologies that now include shale gas, advanced solar, wind energy, and next-generation batteries.” Based in Washington, D.C., Stepp is author of the report “Shifting Gears: Transcending Conventional Economic Doctrines to Develop Better Electric Vehicle Batteries” (tinyurl.com/ceyck97) and writes a blog for Forbes (blogs.forbes.com/matthewstepp/). He is available to discuss the resignation of Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, his impact on the DOE, and where the agency goes from here.
ProfNet Profile: www.profnetconnect.com/matthewstepp
Website: www.itif.org
Media Contact: William Dube, wdube@itif.org

The Role of Mediation in Parenting Plans and Asset Allocation
Arianna Jeret
Divorce Mediator and Certified Divorce Coach
"Mediation provides a forum in which you can step back from the fight and participate in productive conversations towards the most emotionally and financially secure future possible. A mediator’s goal is to help couples simplify confusing issues, work creatively through road blocks, and plan for a non-adversarial new chapter in their lives." Jeret has 15 years of experience developing, evaluating and guiding social service programs. She has facilitated several complex committees and co-authored an article on identity formation in teens that became the backbone of one of the country’s most successful private philanthropic ventures. Since focusing on private practice in family law mediation in 2010, Jeret has been featured on online radio programs and was also sought out to custom-design and teach a specialized lecture, “Expanding Social Work Practice Options: Basics of Mediation,” for the Orange County Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers at the University of Southern California School of Social Work. She is a member of the Southern California Mediation Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, as well an associate member of the South Bay Chapter of the American Bar Association.
Website: http://www.ajmediation.com
Media Contact: Lisa Layne, lisalayne@lettucepr.com

Producing an engaging and successful blog means coming up with new ideas while staying energized, but how do you find inspiration, and generate creative and fresh ideas, time and time again?

Susan Getgood, vice president of influencer marketing for BlogHer, shared her strategies and tips during a recent #ConnectChat, our series of Twitter chats that focus on issues relevant to communications and media professionals.

Getgood has been involved in online marketing since the early ‘90s, and watched the Web evolve from the first browsers to the interactive communities we participate in today. In 2010, she joined BlogHer, where she connects social media influencers with the brands they love through mutually beneficial business and advertising opportunities.

Getgood writes about social media and marketing strategy on her professional marketing blog, Marketing Roadmaps. Her first book, Professional Blogging For Dummies, was published in July 2010, and she speaks regularly at social media conferences like BlogHer, Mom 2.0 and New Comm Forum. She is a co-founder of ethics initiative Blog With Integrity and appeared on the “Today” show in April 2010 to talk about respect and responsibility in the blogosphere.

Following are highlights from the chat:

Can you tell us a little about what you do at BlogHer?

Basically, I bring brands and bloggers together in mutually beneficial ways. My job is to develop sponsored programs that are authentic and engaging for our bloggers and meet the brand’s marketing goals.

We send quite a few queries from bloggers looking to work with brands. What are the benefits for the brands?

The blogger = their customer. It is word-of-mouth marketing at its finest. Bloggers also filter at the front end -- they don't work with brands they don't love and authentically want to engage with. I can't think of anything more powerful than a brand connecting with a customer over something they mutually care about.

What are some of the benefits of blogging, both as an individual and as a brand?

The benefits of blogging depend on what you want to get out of it. For some, the main benefits are community and self expression. For others, establishing a brand or expert reputation are the benefits.

What are some ways to establish an expert reputation?

Write on the topic with authority. Attend conferences and ask smart questions; try to get speaking gigs. And network, network, network.

What are some of the things to consider before starting a blog?

Begin with the end in mind: What do you want to achieve with your blog? Don’t be afraid if your goals evolve, but do not let the possibility prevent from setting down goals. Otherwise, you will never get going.

A main consideration is whether and how you want to monetize your blog. Ads? Affiliate programs? Sponsored opportunities? Or is your monetization strategy more about expert reputation, speaking engagements, consulting, maybe getting a book deal?

What are some important steps to take before creating a blog?

• Define your objective/goals.
• Find your niche.
• Have an editorial mission, a blog “charter” that lays out the roadmap.
• Start design and development.

Make sure you are writing blog you want to write! Make sure your blog meets your objectives and the needs of your audience, whether 1 million or 1. If you do the hard work upfront, it makes it easier to evaluate opportunities down the road.

Is it better to write on a broad topic or narrow your niche?

The niche is really key. Where/how are you unique? Who are the competitors, friendly or otherwise? Do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).

How often should the blog be updated?

I wouldn't try to post every day any more. A few times a week suffices, in my opinion. I like a model of one long and two short posts per week, with the long post being more feature-like and the two short posts being news or trend-related. Long-form posts are the ones where you strut your stuff. Short-form posts are more about paying attention to what's happening in the world and making commentary.

I saw you speak a couple of years ago at the annual ASJA conference. One of your suggestions was to set up an editorial calendar. I must say, that has helped me immensely with my own blogging. What are some of the other ways bloggers can find inspiration if they’re having trouble coming up with ideas?

• Have an editorial calendar to give structure to your content -- what types of content and how often.
• Do a roundup of favorite posts.
• Re-read comments and see if there is something there you can build on.
• Check out what’s going on in your field. Read the paper, books, magazines.
• Interview someone.
• Reach out to a fellow blogger and ask if they’ll do a guest post.
• Watch the news, and even TV shows. Some of my most popular posts are ones where I talk about what marketers can learn from “Firefly.” Writing about TV is good. People love TV. See my post yesterday about Super Bowl ads. Relevance? Check. Pop culture? Check. A little controversial? Check. The recipe for a good post.
• Keep a notebook of ideas. Use social bookmarking sites to tag posts.
• Really stuck? Go surfing. Stumble around. Read random stuff from Facebook. If your blog is about your hobby, do it instead of writing about it.
• Predict and don’t be afraid to be wrong.

What are some ways to promote your blog so people read it? I could be writing the best blog ever, but if no one sees it…

Building off and linking to the work of others is great way to establish your blog in a community. If you can, get your work noticed by and commented on by someone influential in your niche that introduces you to new readers. Use your social graph, respectfully and sparingly.

Syndication, where your posts are featured on other higher-trafficked sites, is a great way to get your name out too. Just be cautious about doing too much for free. In my experience, you rarely get paid by someone for whom you worked for free. I am not arguing that you should never volunteer or do pro bono, but if you would like to work for money for someone, think long and hard about helping out for free. It rarely pays out.

Are these strategies different if you’re blogging for work or about, say, a hobby?

Whether you are blogging for work or a hobby, the same general rules apply. Objectives are the secret sauce to success. The more professional you treat your blog (indeed, your whole social media presence), the better off you will be.

Can blog analytics help bloggers come up with ideas?

Analytics are a great source for ideas. You can revisit popular topics, and when you are stuck, do a roundup of popular posts.

This has been really helpful. Any closing thoughts?

For me, it always comes back to objectives and audience, and making sure you have something unique to share. If you are a blogger, you want to be the unique blog on topic X, not the 50th (5000th) blog about something broad. In other words, don't be a jack of all trades and master of none. Find your special sauce -- because those are the blogs we want to read, right? We want to read blogs that have a delicious and unique spin on a topic we care about.

We're almost out of time. Before we go, tell us a little about your book.

A lot of the advice from this chat comes directly from the book, available at libraries everywhere: Professional Blogging For Dummies.

Whether you're a reporter, blogger, author or other content creator, ProfNet can help you with your search for expert sources. You can send a free ProfNet query to tens of thousands of experts and PR agents at once. Ready to get started? Fill out the query form at bit.ly/findexperts or email us at profnet@profnet.com for assistance.

Is it just me, or were this year’s Super Bowl ads a bit underwhelming? (And don’t we seem to say that every year?)

Sure, there were some entertaining ones, and I might have even shed a tear during one or two of them, but all in all, it was kind of a yawn.

Still, there were a few that stood out. Here are my favorite ads from Super Bowl XLVII:

Taco Bell – We Are Young.

I hope I’m having as much “fun.” when I reach their age. Bonus points for the Spanish lyrics. Sing it with me: “Esta noche, nosotros somos jovenes…”

Budweiser – The Clydesdales: Brotherhood.

What would the Super Bowl be without a Clydesdale commercial? This beautiful ad didn’t disappoint. Admit it, you shed a tear during this one, too.

Volkswagen – Get in. Get Happy.

I can't explain why I like this one as much as I do. It just makes me smile. In reality, having someone at the office tell you to "turn the frown the other way around" would drive us all a little nuts, but it isn’t it nice to imagine that everything really can be solved with just a smile?

Audi – Prom.

I’m not a teenage boy, but I’ve been around enough to know this commercial likely taps into the fantasies of many a young lad.

M&M’s – Love Ballad.

M&M’s can always be counted on for a chuckle. After all, who doesn’t like an anthropomorphic piece of chocolate candy singing Meatloaf’s “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”?

Time Warner Cable – The Walking Dead.

Two words: Daryl. Dixon.  

Is your favorite ad on this list?

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EXPERT ALERTS:

mHealth on the Horizon
Daniel B. Vorhaus
Attorney
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson in Charlotte, N.C.
“For years, and with increasing frequency, health care and information technology companies have touted the potential of mobile medical and health applications and technologies to improve the quality and delivery of health care through the use of technology. While the future of mobile health, or ‘mHealth,’ is undoubtedly filled with promise, the legal and regulatory landscape in which mHealth technologies reside is only now beginning to take shape. As mHealth developers, funders and even users consider investing in the field, they should keep in mind the emergent and fluid nature of the mHealth regulatory landscape. Under emerging FDA mHealth oversight, the key question is which mobile medical technologies constitute ‘medical devices’ that the FDA will focus on for regulatory action.”
Vorhaus is engaged in the practice and development of the emerging field of law surrounding personalized medicine technologies.
Media Contact: Alex Zsoldos, azsoldos@wrayward.com

Payor/Provider Relationships
Dan Walsh
Life sciences and healthcare industry expert
PA Consulting Group
Dan Walsh, life sciences and healthcare expert, says that creating better provider/payor relationships is the direction that healthcare is headed: “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) puts pressure on the payors to focus more and more on both cost and outcomes for their subscribers. Communication between the medical practice and the insurer is critical. If there are ambiguities or irregularities, or worse, consistent debate about coding, the workload on both sides will increase. Focusing on the best description of the treatment, rather than simply finding a code that will be reimbursed, will create a more straightforward and cooperative process.”
Media Contact: Carrie Gray, carrie.gray@paconsulting.com

Athletes Doping and the Effect on Sponsorships
Steve Baskin
CEO and Founding Partner
YAVAY, Inc.
“It is hard to believe no one inside the walls of major sponsors of, for example, Lance Armstrong, didn't have some knowledge of what was going on. In the end, these sponsors received the value they were looking for. Of course, now there's a negative impact. I would love to see an evaluation of the dollar impact these sponsorships yielded versus business lost because of doping or other negative issues years after the fact.” Baskin is a sponsorship veteran who has more than 25 years of executive marketing experience, previously as vice president and head of sponsorships at ING U.S. Financial Services, and now CEO and a founding partner of YAVAY, Inc., which, at its simplest, is a dating site for brands seeking sponsorship opportunities and properties (including athletes) seeking sponsorship. Baskin also is a competitive athlete himself. He is available to discuss how an athlete's admitted or suspected doping may play out in terms of their sponsors.
Media Contact: Drew Plant, drew@plantcommunications.com