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Welcome To KVBPR
As even a quick read of our bios will tell you, KVBPR is a group with many perspectives. We are skiers. Hikers. Music lovers. Parents. Old-fashioned cooks. Latest-thing techies. Midwesterners. Yankees. Dyed-in-the-wool Southerners. Fans of everything from good books to good sports teams.
Not coincidentally, our business acumen runs the same way. Among our staff, we offer an exceptional collection of expertise and points of view. For our clients, we assemble a range of talented, experienced professionals in whatever combination is right for each assignment.
And through our close working relationships with other outstanding professionals — graphic designers, Web designers, media planners, writers, photographers — we extend our capabilities even further.
Greg Bailey, APR, Partner
If you meet Greg in the hallway instead of in a meeting, there’s a good chance you’ll spot an IPod attached to his belt and its headphones draped around his neck. The player is an apt symbol for two of Greg’s abiding interests: music (all kinds, though there’s always at least one Springsteen disc in the car CD changer and several Boss gigabytes on the IPOD) and technology.
His bent toward gizmology has led his colleagues to dub him as the firm’s “Alpha Geek” — a title he readily accepts. That interest also led Greg, a journalist with a distinguished career in senior editorial positions at the Nashville Banner and Nashville Business Journal, to ensure that ours was among the first public relations firms in Nashville to use e-mail regularly and have its own Web site, and generally staking out the newest frontier of technology. It also enables Greg to indulge his other passions, football, basketball and wine by reading sports pages and wine reviews from across the country from the convenience of his computer. Even as he embraces the newest and latest, however, Greg remains unabashedly old-school about one thing. He administers a writing test to everyone who seeks to work at KVBPR. Regardless of the medium, he says, good writing is fundamental.
Neely Burks, Associate Account Executive
Don’t ask Neely Burks to go swimming with sharks (literally or figuratively). “I love the water – pool, lake or ocean, but I’m deathly afraid of sharks,” she relates. Neely knows the importance of navigating business “waters,” too. “The best relationships are built on respect, trust and patience.”
After spending two years as the communications coordinator for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Neely is fitting right in on the agency side. “I take my work very seriously,” she says, ”without taking myself seriously at all, which I have been told is a unique quality.”
Animal lover Neely has a cat named Wagner (whom she thinks of as an actual person and pretty much tags along wherever she goes). She started her college life at the University of Tennessee as a pre-vet major, but opted for a PR career instead. When the time allows, she is giving back to the community, whether it is doing volunteer PR work for Operation Graduation, Mayor Karl Dean’s drop-out prevention summit, or spending time at the Nashville Humane Association.
On weekends, she’s hiking at Radnor Lake or unwinding and enjoying a good novel. “Sometimes it’s a walk in the woods; sometimes it’s getting lost in the pages of the book. Whatever and wherever the venue, I am always trying to venture outside my daily routine.”
Nancy DeKalb, Partner
Though she never played the game, baseball is in Nancy’s blood. Her father scouted for the Detroit Tigers while publishing two weekly newspapers. She became a big fan of Willie Mays and the Giants. She still owns her formidable collection of baseball cards — including Mickey Mantle, Mays and more — that have migrated from a shoebox to a safe deposit box. Now, her daughters have become fast-pitch softball teammates.
During the six months of the year when she’s not watching her daughters play, Nancy loves to cook, walk and go hiking in Tennessee. Year-round, however, she’s the head coach of our KVBPR account staff and brings her two decades of experience in corporate and agency public relations to bear on behalf of our clients. She has exceptional expertise in product introduction and branding and in the publishing and food & beverage industries. She has handled everything from public relations for an international distilled spirits brand to the campaign for the national launch of a consumer magazine. Drawing on her early career as a photojournalist, she can even snap a picture in a pinch.
Georgia Fogle, Administrative Assistant
If the agency business was the circus (and there are those among us who consider that an apt assessment), Georgia Fogle would be the spinning-plates lady. “I love the variety of tasks and projects that I get to work on,” she claims. “From creating a fun gift bag to mundane data entry, it’s all different.” Georgia’s job is to keep everything moving at KVBPR – from incoming telephone calls to updating lists to pulling together quotes from printers. “It’s what I do – I assist,” she says.
When Georgia steps away from the office, she spins a different set of plates – in the family setting with husband, Dylan, and son Caleb. Those same instincts that serve her so well at home also provide her with the skills that make her invaluable at KVBPR. “I enjoy thinking through the logistics of a project,” she states and explains that her various work experiences provide a graduate degree in all things administrative. Always pleasant, always smiling, Georgia always seeks new opportunities to enhance her skills. “I’ve learned so much in every job and place that I have worked. I have learned to be flexible and developed an aptitude in all things office.”
Margie Hall, Account Executive
Margie Hall never underestimates the “people” aspect of public relations. “I thoroughly enjoy talking to people,” she says, “and have an interest in finding out what drives people.” Her self-proclaimed curiosity energizes her ability to form strong alliances. “Trust and communications work together to build relationships, whether it’s with a reporter or editor or client. I am a big believer that trust is an important building block in any relationship.” The combination of trust and open communication make for essential ingredients that form the best client relationships.
Margie uses her communications skills to work on various media relations projects for clients and to make certain the client’s messages are understood. “As PR professionals, it’s our job to communicate effectively,” she states. After work, she’ll go for a run through her midtown neighborhood or delve into a good book. But it’s not long until Margie is back communicating once again. “The team environment is invigorating,” she says about the collaborative nature of agency work. After all, for Margie the people relations are a very important part of public relations.
Martha Hight, Administrative Coordinator
A while back, Martha stopped by the office to say hello to a few folks and before the week was over, we talked her out of retirement (again) to be what we fondly refer to as our “clip lady.” Martha spends her mornings with us drinking coffee and reading newspapers, magazines and Web sites so she can help keep us – and our clients – informed.
The first time Martha came out of retirement (after 20 some years in the hospital and agency PR business), it was to open a custom window treatment business, known as Shady Lady. When Martha’s not following the news for KVBPR, she enjoys reading, playing bridge, cheering for the Titans and the Volunteers. She’s also known for baking chocolate pies with marvelous meringues.
Steve Horton, Account Executive
Utility player is the best phrase to describe Steve’s talents. He’s as comfortable pitching media as he is doing layout and design or planning a client event. He has used that adaptability, and his desire to think outside the box, to benefit clients in the health care, aviation and tourism industries.
While his career started at a public relations firm in Knoxville, Tenn., it was a call from the wild – Tennessee Wildlife Federation – that brought him back home to Nashville. He directed communications and membership programs for the nonprofit’s name change and re-branding before joining the KVBPR team.
Steve’s just as versatile in his after-hours pursuits. Whether it’s mentoring and sharing experiences with his youth group, learning a new song on the guitar, casting a fishing line with Dad, or lining up a shot on the golf course, Steve is passionate in his approach to work and play. And, there’s no question about his love for Notre Dame, even when they play his alma mater University of Tennessee… it’s Fighting Irish all the way.
Aileen Katcher, APR, Fellow PRSA, Partner
During her professional career, Aileen has inventoried road-building equipment in Upper East Tennessee and used syringes to coat tiny ball bearings with grease. She also gained more than three decades of experience in public relations and marketing. That experience ranges from senior management and communications positions in corporate, non-profit and agency settings to training other senior executives in crisis communication, handling startup and marketing communications for client companies and serving as media spokesperson for large health care firms.
Aileen confesses that she wouldn’t be able to see the very small ball bearings very well anymore. In a more important sense, however, experience has made her vision more acute. “She can take a look at a complex issue and get to the essence of it quickly, cutting through everything else,” says a partner. “She is incredibly practical.” Colleagues also comment on Aileen’s “unbridled, infectious” laugh. If you want to hear it, ask about her role as part-time football prognosticator for the Nashville Scene.
Mary Katherine Martin, Associate Account Executive
Determined, focused, poised. These sound more like the attributes of a pro football player than an associate account executive, and Mary Katherine wouldn’t have it any other way. During football season there’s no question that you’ll find her passionately following her beloved Titans or Vols, and she exhibits the same enthusiasm on each client project she works on.
Interning for both the Titans and UT football, Mary Katherine brings experience and a love for community relations to the job. “Working on community relations projects is my favorite part of this profession,” Mary Katherine says. “I like knowing that not only do I get to help the client, but the community as well.”
Mary Katherine’s love for athletics extends past just being an avid fan. You can regularly find her rolling the rocks at the bowling alley or in a competitive game of shuffleboard. Her fun loving and charismatic attitude helps her excel at any task thrown her way, and her team mentality makes her a perfect fit at KVBPR.
Heather Schablik, Account Supervisor
According to Heather, public relations is like a banana split – without the bananas, it is nothing more than a dish of ice cream. And without a strong strategy as its foundation, a public relations campaign is nothing more than a bunch of mismatched tactics.
It isn’t surprising Heather has found a way to tie her love of ice cream back to her love of public relations. She joined KVBPR as an intern in 2000 and has been introducing new flavors of both ice cream and public relations to coworkers and clients ever since. She possesses a particular gift for sponsorship management and event planning that comes, she says, from a perfectionist streak and pride in attending to fine details. “I’m very detail-oriented,” she says. “I love task lists, deadlines and budgets. I’d probably be a good contractor, or a contractor’s worst client.”
A football fan through and through, Heather follows her beloved Georgia Bulldogs 365 days of the year – a passion that is evident the minute you step foot in her office. Or if you see her during football season, when she habitually wears red and black from Friday through Monday.
Renee Sloan, Office Manager
Renee’s previous employer once presented her with a plaque on which was mounted a small bottle of Elmer’s glue. “You’re the glue that holds us together,” it read. That’s probably the most fitting description of Renee’s role here, too. As office manager, she manages payroll, benefits, light bulbs, proposals from vendors — “everything,” she says, “that no one can quite figure out how to handle.”
Renee, who enjoys working in an environment where she can wear jeans on Fridays, brings the same approach to her hobby/passion: cooking. “I like to find out what people like and then cook it for them,” she says. If it’s a dish she has never made before, no problem. She’ll research recipes from friends or on the Internet. Whether she’s cooking for kids in the neighborhood, the Room at the Inn program at her church or for friends, Renee spends 12-15 hours each week in the kitchen (and much more time during the holidays). “There’s always room for a guest,” she says.
Holley Stein, Account Executive
New Nashvillian Holley Stein walks the walk and … well, “I’m good at getting to the heart of things,” says Stein, whose fondness for strolls led her to renting a downtown apartment. She laughs about her “organized chaos” state of being, but knows her “can-do” attitude takes her a long way. After seven years with Borders Group, Inc., Holley has made the transition from corporate to agency work. Her experiences have taught her that an inquisitive nature is a beneficial trait in the profession. “I like to know,” she asserts, “how things work and what things mean.”
Holley’s free time finds her reading a good book – again. “You must read a well-written book more than once. The first time, you get the plot out of the way; after that, you get to the good stuff.” A self-admitted “foodie,” Holley treks to the Farmer’s Market in search of the right ingredients for recipes discovered while watching America’s Test Kitchen, HGTV and the Food Network. Recipes are roadmaps to how food and herbs and seasonings come together to create culinary delight, but nothing too fancy. “I don’t need all of the frills, which is why I don’t care for condiments or frosting.”
Tonya Waugh, Senior Account Executive
As an undergraduate at the University of Alabama, Tonya thought about a career in veterinary medicine because of her love of animals. Today, she is a student of the animal human. "It is strong relationships that make everything else we do fall into place," Tonya states. Her secret is "good and frequent communication with a willingness to listen and an open mind."
We are lucky Tonya’s love for writing and literature steered her out of the barn (where she still spends weekends chatting up ponies). Writing her way through the English and PR departments, she has used her talents to work for clients in industries such as law, financial services, travel/tourism and launching a brand that Forrest Gump himself would be proud of: Wild American Shrimp.
When she’s not snagging national media stories for clients, Tonya still pursues her passion for the outdoors – hiking, camping, and trips to the lake with her dogs. If the puppies don’t pull her away from the campsite, she’ll settle in with a good read (she cites Hemingway, Tom Wolfe and C.S. Lewis as favorite authors) and accompanying music (Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, The Band and Alison Krauss, among favorites). All those interests make for one diverse woman. "It’s the diversity of what I do each day that keeps my blood pumping and my mind fresh. This is an evolving industry, so there’s always something new to learn, to consider, to implement."