I had hoped to have IAOC’s design complete before re-emerging on the IAOC blog. But I have too much news to share that can’t wait. First, a quick update on the web and blog designs.

E-Site Marketing has done an admirable job in developing handsome and functional designs that will serve our current needs and allow for future growth. These thumbnails give a hint of what’s in store. We’re making a few minor tweaks, which will be done this month, and then the fun part comes: filling web and blog with useful content. Rather than launch a finished product, the build-out of the new website will be done in public view, where members and interested observers can follow our progress and offer their thoughts or suggest improvements.

In addition to Felix Laboy and Brooke Lew at E-Site Marketing, we’ve had considerable support from Cliff Allen of Coravue who has volunteered to host the new website. Dee Rambeau, managing partner of DVCO Technology will be hosting IAOC’s online newsroom. DVCO is the provider of PRNewswire’s MediaRoom.

Our objective is to provide the tools and the support to give members (and visitors) the ability to learn, discuss, experiment, share, and grow their skills and knowledge as online communicators and teachers. In the spirit of freely sharing knowledge and support on the Internet, we have sought to use volunteers and donated resources so we can make the things we offer free or as low-cost as possible. We don’t want to become another organization accessible mainly to those whose company or institution will pay their membership dues and seminar fees.

One of the things you have told us you want is a forum where online communicators and educators can meet and share their knowledge. Thanks to Rowan University’s Suzanne FitzGerald and Philippe Borremans, Public Relations Manager at IBM Belgium & Luxembourg we are providing you two such opportunities this year, with seminars in the US and Europe. There is still time to submit a paper for either Valley Forge (March 23-24) or Brussels (June 15-16). If you are interested in presenting at Valley Forge, contact us right away. A few more spots have been added for paper presentations but they will go soon. If you are thinking about attending the conference, make your reservation online today and save. Those who reserve early pay just $199 (169€), which includes a year’s membership in IAOC.

With the help of the people I’ve mentioned here, and many more whose stories you will hear about in the future, we’re gaining the support of the online communication community. As your support grows, we are able to add the tools we need to carry out our mission.

Don Dunnington
President, IAOC

here's a good one. Let's all learn about how to communicate during a crisis from the State of Louisiana officials who muffed it so badly during Katrina. The PRSA wants members to pay $150 and non-members to pay $250 bucks to hear from the same morons that were advising Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin. Maybe they could join in and offer up some tips on how not to talk to the national media! Here's the invite that I received:

PRSA Virtual Seminar 

Communicating Through and After One of America's Greatest Natural Disasters:
How Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Changed Environmental Perspectives for LouisianaFebruary 15, 2006
2:00 p.m. ET
Duration: 1 hour
Sponsored by the PRSA Environmental Section

Join us for this Virtual Seminar featuring four communications professionals with key roles during the critical hours before, during and after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  Their unique perspectives will give you an illustration of the difficulty of commun-icating while Louisiana fought through unprecedented loss of life and property.  They will also offer their observations on the pace of recovery, from the responsiveness of the federal government to sorting out local problems including housing, community health economic development and environmental quality.

You'll learn:- How to communicate in advance of a disaster - time permitting.  Was Louisiana prepared for these hurricanes?
- How to separate fact from fiction - dealing with urban legends.
- How to deal with the massive influx of national and international media during a disaster.
- How Louisiana is communicating its environmental priorities, including coastal restoration, to a nation that is suffering from hurricane fatigue.

You'll hear from:Malcolm Ehrhardt, APR, president, The Ehrhardt Group, Inc., New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La. (Moderator)
Bob Mann, director of communications, Governor's Office, State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, La.
Sidney Coffee, executive director, Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, La.
Darrin Mann, director of communications, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Baton Rouge, La.

Register Today!

Now maybe they're going to talk about how they botched it and what we can all learn from their mistakes. I'd pay for that. But I seriously doubt it. They're bureaucrats after all so there's likely to be a lot of finger-pointing. I might just pay so that I can ask them pointed questions like "why haven't you resigned yet?"

Unbelievable.