Honor To Be Officially Bestowed By the Los Angeles District Office of the United States Small Business Administration in Connection with National Small Business Week 2010
LOS ANGELES, CA, April 8, 2010 – R. Christine Hershey, a long-time advocate for the advancement of critical social causes through the effective use of strategic communications, has been named the “Women in Business Champion of the Year” by the Los Angeles District Office of the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). The honor, which will be formally bestowed on Ms. Hershey later this spring during National Small Business Week, recognizes a local entrepreneur dedicated to transforming communities through positive social change, while also stimulating job growth and providing families with the tools, information and access to community resources that enable them to lead better, more fulfilling lives.
Ms. Hershey has been a passionate catalyst for social change in the greater Southern California community for more than 30 years. As the founder of Santa Monica-based strategic communications firm Hershey|Cause, she has been a primary influencer and early contributor to the field of integrated communications that leverages the intersection of corporate, philanthropic and government sectors to create real and sustainable change.
“I believe that we are all working toward a greater goal where these cooperative efforts – applied through the right strategic channels – can make a tangible difference in the quality of life that we share and, ultimately, create positive environmental, social, cultural, and financial impact that will transform communities for generations to come,” R. Christine Hershey said.
Hershey Associates, the consulting arm of the organization, offers businesses and nonprofit organizations the strategic and creative communications solutions to build awareness, generate action, realize measurable impact and meet the needs of stakeholders and constituents. As the principal of the firm for more than three decades, Ms. Hershey consults with her clients directly, providing strategic leadership and expert creative direction to a diverse array of brands and campaigns. Hershey’s client roster ranges from grassroots, place-based initiatives to Fortune 100 companies, including Disney, Wells Fargo, AT&T, the American Lung Association of California, the Center for Urban Education at USC’s Rossier School of Education, and First 5 LA.
Ms. Hershey’s work in the corporate sector, and her commitment to helping nonprofits succeed, inspired the creation of Cause Communications, Hershey’s 501(c)3. The mission of Cause Communications is to provide in-depth research, evaluation and best practice tools to the nonprofit sector so their critical messages can compete with those of Fortune 500 companies.
Through Cause Communications, Ms. Hershey published Why Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes and Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes, bothlandmark tutorials on how the philanthropic sector can strengthen their voice and influence within the local and global marketplace. Her first book, the Communications Toolkit: A guide to navigating communications for the nonprofit world, published in 2005, has been distributed in all 50 states, 24 countries and across six continents. Nonprofit and foundation partners have included The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, and The Center for Placed Based Initiatives.
“I am honored to have been selected as the ‘Women in Business Champion of the Year’ by the Los Angeles office of the SBA, and especially to be recognized by such a notable organization for work that has been so personally fulfilling,” said Ms. Hershey. “Using communications to help both businesses and nonprofits achieve positive social change has been my life’s passion and I continue to be inspired and driven by the truly remarkable clients, staff and strategic partners with whom I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate over these many years.”
“Hershey|Cause is a cornerstone in the philanthropic world,” said Jane Pak, CEO, National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter. “Their unique approach toward elevating an organization’s mission from heart to head is the result of connecting the dots between inspiration and invocation. There are few who truly understand how the efficacy of a mission-driven organization hinges on its ability to articulate its reason for being – in all mediums. That is the business of Hershey|Cause, and that is why it’s no surprise that Christine Hershey is receiving this honor.”
ABOUT HERSHEY|CAUSE
Hershey Associates works as a strategic partner to build brands and generate awareness for its clients, helping them to create and deploy measurable campaigns that advance positive social change in the communities they serve. Cause Communications is a leader in education, capacity building and thought leadership on communications for social change. For more information, please contact 310.656.1001 or visit www.hersheycause.com.