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Launch Communications Story And Strategies

Launch Communications October 2024

In 2022, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority and the City of Fort Pierce approved the relocation of the FPUA Wastewater Treatment Plant that is currently located on South Hutchinson Island. This aging plant, originally built for the U.S. Navy Frogmen Training area, poses risk to the vulnerable Indian River Lagoon during storms, and its relocation was proposed and denied multiple times in the previous 20 years. Local approval included approval of a $100 million bond to start the project, rate increases on wastewater customers to accommodate the bond, commitment to aggressively pursue grant funding for the remainder of the project cost, and town hall meetings to ensure that customers understood the project. Simultaneously, an international firm openly enlisted private equity takeover tactics to take over the relocation project, FPUA pursued rate increases on electric, gas, water and wastewater to allow for much-needed utility expansion projects unrelated to the WRF Relocation, and natural gas prices spiked nationwide to historic highs that caused major challenges for utility companies throughout the United States (and especially Florida, where 85% of our electricity is derived from natural gas). This presentation will give a brief overview of the communications strategy that FPUA pursued to navigate these items and communicate with our customers, ultimately gaining approval to relocate the treatment plant.

Speaker

Barbra Hernández, APR, CPRC

Communications Director, Pinellas County Government

Brandi Burford

Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator, UESI

Carin Campbell Smith

Communications Director

Chris Gent, APR, CPRC

Head of Strategic Communications & Public Affairs, Georgia-Pacific LLC

Chris Widing

Vice-Chair, Sunrise Theater Foundation

Christopher J. Cichorek

Chair, Sunrise Theater Foundation

Cynthia Velasco

Marketing Manager, McGraw Hill & Owner, CynthiaPlans

Demi Bakatselos

Social Media Strategist, JM Family Enterprises

Dr. Michael Cadore

Executive Director of Community Engagement, Eastern Florida State College

Erick Gill

Communications Director, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners

Jamie Floer, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA

Communications Manager, Toho Water Authority

Joe Sweat

Marketing & Development Director, Sunrise Theater

Joel Davis

Clinical Professor, University of Florida

Joel Staley

Founder & CEO, JCS Communications, LLC

Justin Sikora

Senior VP of Communications, Darden Restaurants

Nina Salvaggio Wagner, MA, APR

Strategy & Innovation Communications Portfolio Manager, Lockheed Martin

Julie Frey, APR, CPRC

Incoming State President, FPRA

Rachel Tennant, JD

FPUA Director of Public Affairs & Sustainability

Wendy Crites Wacker, APR, CPRC

FPRA State President (23/24)

  • Date : 10/17/2024
  • Time : 9:00 am - 10:00 am (America/New_York)
  • Venue : River Walk Center, Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, FL, USA