Elyazgi is responsible for managing accounts, conducting research, writing, developing campaign strategies and planning special events for clients as a senior account executive. She also coordinates Saxum’s Step Up program, which provides a $50,000 pro bono service grant to one Oklahoma nonprofit each year. Elyazgi graduated with distinctions from The University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in Arabic.

As media relations supervisor, Janssen oversees writing, communications and media outreach for Saxum accounts, focusing on strategic media placements that reach clients’ objectives. She also oversees the firm’s social media presence and conducts trainings for clients in traditional and social media. Janssen brings a multimedia and journalism background to Saxum, after graduating summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a minor in Spanish.

Leonard serves as an account executive at Saxum, focusing on account support and management, with a particular emphasis on Saxum’s health care clients. She also has experience using social media communications tools to effectively reach target audiences and garner media coverage for clients. Leonard graduated with academic distinction from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations

Triana leads the Saxum Intelligence Department, focusing on conducting research, writing and gathering information of interest to Saxum’s clients. As a media relations specialist, he also supports Saxum’s media efforts through strategic expert positioning of Saxum clients. Triana graduated from The University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communication with an emphasis in public relations and a bachelor’s of business administration in finance.

About Saxum
Saxum provides integrated strategies in public relations and marketing for clients at the local, regional and national level. Saxum also provides creative services through its wholly-owned subsidiary Maxus Creative. With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and a presence in Austin and Dallas, Saxum is ranked 13^th of 135 independent public relations firms based on annual revenue growth by O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report and is a member of IPREX, one of the world’s largest international public relations networks. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com.

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I’ve been to hundreds of events. Ground-breaking events, ribbon-cutting events and inauguration events. I’ve been to weddings, and I’ve been to banquets. I’ve been to rallies, and I’ve been to meetings. I bet you have, too.

I’d be hard pressed to remember details about any of them. The majority of them have been remarkably unmemorable. So why would Saxum spend our money and our time on an open house reception for our new office in Tulsa?

Our objective for last night’s open house was simple – make it memorable.

When you put creative minds together and throw out the traditional PR playbook to solve problems, good things happen and memories are made. Sustainable solutions mean campaigns that ultimately change public perception.

Good public relations is so much broader than making introductions, securing articles in the local paper and working political connections for board positions. If you say “contribution” and I say “oversized check” or if you say “grand opening” and I say “ribbon cutting” then you’ve hired the wrong firm. The days of hiring agencies only for traditional services is coming to a close. Today’s firms must be creative, serious, transparent, measureable, responsive, resourceful, thoughtful and effective. Or we get fired.

Saxum has a fresh approach to public relations, marketing and advertising. We believe good ideas can come from anywhere, and no matter if they are expensive or free, they must be memorable. We believe social media is a requirement for communicating, not a choice. We know that your brand and your reputation are tied together – and a reputation must be protected. We believe a crisis is a real possibility for all organizations, and a plan must be in place to deal with it. We have invested in telling our clients’ stories with video because people learn in different ways, and written content is just one means of communication. We understand that sustainability and corporate social responsibility are not options, but an essential part of any strategic marketing program.

Five years from now if you ask any of the guests who attended our open house if they remember anything, I bet they’ll say “yes.” Our objective was simple, yet it was strategic. We do things differently.

Like this…

A big thank you to Light Opera Oklahoma for partnering with us for last night’s experience. We are thrilled to be in Tulsa and look forward to making many memories together.

Having worked for years with the franchisees of Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car, I received a strong dose of entrepreneurial spirit. But never in a million years had I dreamed I’d be part of the entrepreneurial world through helping to launch the Tulsa branch of Saxum, a creative public relations and strategic marketing firm.

Lucky for me, I’ve had great support from the Saxum troop, particularly from our newest team member, Chris Oden, formerly with the Tulsa Metro Chamber, where she served as executive director of TYPros (Tulsa Young Professionals). If Chris O. wasn’t already accomplished enough, she was recently named an “Achiever Under 40” by the Journal Record for her accomplishments as one of Oklahoma’s talented young leaders. Then she also made Oklahoma Magazine’s “40 Under 40.” The awards are stacking up on the many shelves in our new building.

We are up and running smoothly in the new Tulsa office at 200 E. Brady. Tom Wallace and his crew at Wallace Engineering are very welcoming, and we appreciate them greatly. Not to mention the added bonus of being smack-dab in the middle of a lot of exciting things happening in Tulsa.

Where else can you walk a block down the street and grab a hot dog from a street vendor near ONEOK Field? It’s hard to do that outside of NYC. 

Speaking of the new place… Our open house for Saxum Tulsa is scheduled for this Thursday, June 24. We are expecting a full house. If you are interested in joining us, please let us know! Click here for more information and to RSVP.

If you’re lucky enough to make it, you’ll be in for a big surprise!

“Saxum is pleased to add Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma to our client roster,” said Saxum CEO Renzi Stone. “We look forward to a year-long partnership with this dynamic statewide organization, based in Tulsa. They have an important story to tell that we are excited to help share in the communities they serve.”

BBBSOK has offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Bartlesville, Claremore, Stillwater, Ada/Shawnee and Norman.

Step Up is a grant program that will provide BBBSOK with access to a suite of integrated public relations, marketing and creative services at Saxum that will include a combination of strategic counsel, media relations assistance and select creative services.

“We are so thrilled to have been chosen for the Saxum Step Up grant,” said Sharla Hall Owens, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma CEO. “We know that with Saxum’s expertise and guidance, the next year will be full of new opportunities to raise awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma and, ultimately, positively impact the lives of thousands of children in Oklahoma.”

BBBSOK was selected with the help of recognized community leadership, who guided the selection process. Step Up Advisory Board members include Ann Felton, chairman and CEO, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity; Deborah McAuliffe Senner, president and CEO, Allied Arts; Bob Ross, president and CEO, Inasmuch Foundation; and Rachel Klein, senior director of marketing operations, United Way of Central Oklahoma.

About Saxum
Saxum provides integrated strategies in public relations and marketing for clients at the local, regional and national level. Saxum also provides creative services through its wholly-owned subsidiary Maxus Creative. With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and a presence in Austin and Dallas, Saxum is ranked 13th of 135 independent public relations firms based on annual revenue growth by O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report and is a member of IPREX, one of the world’s largest international public relations networks. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma is a donor-supported volunteer organization that provides vulnerable children with a caring adult mentor and friend who, through a professionally supported relationship, stand in the gap to change their lives. In 2009, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma served approximately 2,500 children. Independent research shows that the positive relationships between youth in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters have a direct, measurable and lasting impact on children’s lives. The program is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol and breaking negative cycles. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters and how you can change how our children grow up in Oklahoma, visit www.bbbsok.org.

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Recently, Saxum hired a professional services firm for some consulting. Sure enough, our small account was handed to a 25-year-old to serve as our account manager. Not too far removed from the days of being told I was too young, I found myself skeptically thinking that we had a “young” account representative.

Shame on me.

Five meetings later, I sat astonished at the resourcefulness, flair and confidence from this talented individual. It served as a good reminder that account managers can be just as effective (or ineffective) at 25 as they could be at 55.

For years, Saxum has called the head of our accounts, “leads.” The bad rap that young people get – no matter how talented – is that they are incapable of “leading” at a young age.

Hogwash.

We have client leads, whom we now call “client managers,” of all ages. The traits of a great client manager are embodied by their ability to work with a team who contributes to the account below their experience level or with different expertise, while also utilizing the resources and experience of those above them. The error in some agency models is in trusting the individual to “handle” everything – shown below in our graph.

The professionals who practice public relations, marketing and creative services can be found at all levels of age and experience. It is up to us to find the right fit that will get results for our clients.

Smith has more than 25 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications, working with companies and organizations to help them achieve growth through promotional marketing concepts and communications strategies.

“We are excited to add Jeff to our talented team, especially because of his previous experience as a CEO,” said Saxum CEO Renzi Stone. “His leadership, innovative ideas and strategic approach have consistently improved performance for businesses and organizations of all types and sizes.

“His experience will play a key role in helping our clients with all aspects of their communications and marketing programs. Also, he will help grow our portfolio of regional and national clients.”

Prior to his role with Saxum, Smith served as an executive partner with Giant Partners, where he worked with CEOs, senior executives and leadership teams by focusing on all aspects of the company’s strategy for growing revenues and profits.

Smith also served as president of Third Degree Advertising and Communications in Oklahoma City. At Third Degree, he was responsible for helping oversee day-to-day agency operations, manage account acquisitions and provide strategic planning to select agency clients.

Before joining Third Degree, Smith was founder and principal of Sentio Marketing, a business-to-business marketing advisory group that works with national and international clients. His previous experience also includes serving as president and chief executive officer of Fellers & Company, a regional marketing and advertising firm based in Austin, Texas, with offices in Houston, Dallas, Lubbock, Amarillo and Oklahoma City.

Smith has worked with regional and national clients representing manufacturing, energy, telecom, health care and financial industry sectors. He has extensive experience in advising companies regarding sales and marketing initiatives and integrated marketing communications strategies.

He continues to serve in leadership positions for many organizations, including as a member of the board of directors for Giant Experiences, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that mobilizes business leaders to use their influence to impact the world for good.

About Saxum Public Relations
Saxum provides integrated strategies in public relations, marketing and social media for clients at the local, regional and national level.  Saxum also provides creative services through its wholly-owned subsidiary Maxus Creative.  With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and a presence in Austin and Dallas, Saxum is ranked 13^th of 135 independent public relations firms based on annual revenue growth by O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report, and has been recognized as one of the top 50 fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area for three straight years. For more information, visit http://www.saxumpr.com/.

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Step Up is a public relations grant program that will provide the selected nonprofit with access to a suite of public relations services at Saxum|PR and its sister agency, Maxus Creative. Those services will include a combination of media relations assistance and select creative services.

Qualifying nonprofits must be agency members of United Way of Central Oklahoma or Allied Arts. Applications are due April 30. Applicants can visit www.saxumpr.com/stepup for details and to fill out an online application.

“We are excited to once again offer the Step Up service grant to an Oklahoma City area nonprofit,” said Saxum CEO Renzi Stone. “We believe this program is a great opportunity for local nonprofit organizations to focus their fundraising dollars on services and allow us to help them tell their story through strategic counseling and execution.”

The Step Up 2009-2010 recipient was the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Saxum assisted the museum with a branding redesign, including a new logo, collateral materials and a new Web site, scheduled to launch this summer, as well as media relations services and strategic counsel.

“We are thrilled to have been selected as the first recipient of the Saxum Step Up grant,” said Glen Gentele, Oklahoma City Museum of Art president and CEO. “Saxum has been fantastic to partner with on the museum’s rebranding project. The grant will have a lasting and positive effect on the museum.”

The recipient will be selected with the help of recognized community leadership, who guided the selection process for the 2009-2010, $50,000 grant recipient. Those advisory board members include Ann Felton, chairman and CEO, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity; Deborah Senner, president and CEO, Allied Arts; Bob Ross, president and CEO, Inasmuch Foundation; and Bob Spinks, president and CEO, United Way of Central Oklahoma.

For more information on Step Up, visit www.saxumpr.com.

About Saxum Public Relations
Saxum Public Relations serves a local, regional and national client base covering a variety of industries. The firm offers a range of public relations services, including strategic counsel, corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, social media and training workshops. Saxum also offers a host of print, branding, video and Web design services through its creative company. The firm is a member of IPREX and has been recognized three consecutive years as one of the fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area. Saxum has offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla. and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com.

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“We were strategic in our choice of the Brady District as home to Saxum’s new office,” said Christopher Payne, vice president and general manager in Tulsa. “While we are effectively a start-up in Tulsa, we wanted to be part of the Brady District, with its artistic roots and ongoing transformation. It is our plan for Saxum Tulsa to grow in tandem with the city’s revitalization efforts.” 

Six weeks ago, Saxum announced the opening of the Tulsa office and the hiring of Christopher Payne, APR, formerly of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. Additionally, the firm has hired Christina Oden as account supervisor. She previously served as executive director of the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Tulsa Young Professionals (TYPros) program. 

“We are energized by being in this historic part of the city, just blocks away from the Brady Theater and Cain’s Ballroom and steps away from Tulsa’s ONEOK Field,” said Renzi Stone, Saxum president and CEO. “Given the proximity to downtown, the Blue Dome and Greenwood districts and a number of our Tulsa clients and the buzz of excitement in the Brady area, we found this location especially appealing.” 

Stone founded Saxum in 2003 and has since grown the company to 20 full-time employees with a local, regional and national client base covering a variety of industries. The Saxum team focuses on creating lifelong client relationships through proactive communications that are customized, multi-dimensional, strategic, team-focused and results-driven.

Saxum offers a variety of public relations services to its clients, including strategic counsel, corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, social media and training workshops. Saxum’s wholly owned creative company, Maxus Creative, offers a host of creative services, including print and brand identity, Web and interactive design and video and motion graphics production. 

The company is a member of IPREX, one of the world’s largest international public relations networks. Saxum has been recognized three years in a row as one of the fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area, and Stone has been named one of Oklahoma’s and the industry’s top leaders under the age of 40 by multiple organizations.

About Saxum Public Relations
Saxum Public Relations serves a local, regional and national client base covering a variety of industries. The firm offers a range of public relations services, including strategic counsel, corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, social media and training workshops. Saxum also offers a host of print, branding, video and Web design services through Maxus Creative. The company is a member of IPREX and has been recognized three years in a row as one of the fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area. Saxum has offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla. and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com and www.maxuscreative.com.

The survey showed that the social networking site Facebook is accessed by 59.2 percent of likely voters surveyed between the ages of 18-44; 37.1 percent ages 45-54 and 22.4 percent ages 55-64. The survey also showed that 41.4 percent of participants ages 18-44 watched a YouTube video in the last 30 days, with 32.1 percent ages 45-54 and 20 percent ages 55-64 engaging on the popular video hosting site. Twitter was used by 15.3 percent of the 18-44 age group surveyed; 5.1 percent of ages 45-54 and 2 percent of those ages 55-64.

“Social media sites are increasing in popularity both for personal networking and as an inexpensive and effective means for businesses to communicate with targeted audiences,” said Lisa Janssen, media relations account executive at Saxum. “While social media usage in Oklahoma is lower than the national average, we do believe there is tremendous potential for growth.”

The Saxum Snapshot also showed that 62.2 percent of those surveyed trust the accuracy of reporting by local media.

When asked where participants get their state news, more than 88 percent indicated they receive their news from television, 61.8 percent get their state news from newspapers and 34.9 percent from radio. More than 24 percent listed local news Web sites as their source, while more than 19 percent listed friends and 12.2 percent listed Google as a source for their state news.

The “Saxum Snapshot” was administered by SoonerPoll and surveyed 1,000 likely voters from Feb. 25 to March 8, 2010. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

About Saxum Public Relations
Saxum Public Relations serves a local, regional and national client base covering a variety of industries. The firm offers a range of public relations services, including strategic counsel, corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, social media and training workshops. Saxum also offers a host of print, branding, video and Web design services through Maxus Creative. The company is a member of IPREX and has been recognized three years in a row as one of the fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area. Saxum has offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla. and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com and www.maxuscreative.com.

The growth ranking was based on annual revenues, which were provided to O’Dwyer at no cost to Saxum and were verified by an independent certified public accountant.

Saxum has recorded year-over-year revenue growth of more than 20 percent each year since it was founded in 2003 by CEO C. Renzi Stone. Revenue increases in 2009 were primarily due to growth of the firm’s health care and social media practices, as well as a significant growth in revenues from creative services, including Web design, video and branding services.

“Our continued growth is directly attributable to our team of public relations, communications and creative professionals, who are committed to providing top quality services for our clients,” Stone said. “With a focus on serving as a trusted partner and strategic public relations advisor, we successfully increased revenues despite the challenging economic environment of the past year. We look forward to continued growth in 2010, with a new office opening in Tulsa and further expansion of our regional and national client base.”

The complete O’Dwyer PR Services Report rankings can be found at http://www.odwyerpr.com/pr_firm_rankings/independents.htm.

About Saxum Public Relations

Founded in 2003 by C. Renzi Stone, Saxum Public Relations serves a local, regional and national client base covering a variety of industries. The firm offers a range of public relations services, including strategic counsel, corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, social media and training workshops. Saxum also offers a host of print, branding, video and Web design services through its creative company. The firm is a member of IPREX and has been recognized three consecutive years as one of the fastest-growing companies in the greater Oklahoma City area. Saxum has offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla. and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.saxumpr.com.

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