PRSA Tampa Bay Member Spotlight
Posted on Oct. 9, 2015 / Subscribe 0
Bart Graham, Sr.
Media Center Volunteer Team Leader
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
I am a new member of PRSA National, PRSA Tampa Bay Chapter and the PRSA Entertainment and Sports Section. I am also working the chapter's volunteer committee, so we will be contacting you too to ask you to volunteer with the chapter!
Before answering my questions, I first want to thank everybody for welcoming me in the chapter! Chapter President Marissa Segundo, APR helped me get started with the chapter and allowed me to team up with Volunteer Coordinator Chair Carrie Johnson-O'Brion. Membership Retention Committee Chair Shereen McCall keeps us busy providing us with the names of the new members. And Marissa and Board Member Betty Carlin, APR allowed me to work the registration desk at the Port Tampa Bay event in September. It was a pleasure meeting many of you there!
Tell us a little bit about your career, educational/professional background and how you got to where you are today.
My road to my current position is long and winding. I took two years of Mass Communications classes from Southern Illinois University but my BS is in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I have extensive account management, event recruitment, and sales experience in the IT industry while I was with Tech Data. My passion is auto racing and in 2005 I decided to volunteer for the St. Petersburg Grand Prix in the Media Center. I started on the literature table and now I am a volunteer staff leader at the race overseeing 30 plus volunteers of the Media Center. I like to brag that we have the best volunteer team around and I feel fortunate to be part of the IndyCar family for this event. I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many local and national media along with nationally known auto racers and series officials. I have learned so much about media relations over these years thanks to the press officers I have worked for.
What do you suggest students do to stand out among applicants in the competitive job market?
I would tell students to network, network, network. Got involved and make sure to complete their LinkedIn profile!
When you see a great story in the press, what's your immediate thought?
When I see a great story I am not shy about sending a note to the writer telling them how much I enjoyed reading the story.
What are some of your personal hobbies outside of work/PR?
I like to say that I am a plane, train, and automobile type of guy. Also, I am now a boat guy after the Port Tampa Bay presentation. The movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with Steve Martin and John Candy is one of my favorites! To my chapter friends, if you ever want a racing outing at our local short tracks or information on auto racing please feel free to reach out to me.
Have you ever done anything out of the ordinary to apply for and/or get a job?
I ended up getting the Traffic Manager position at WorkPlace after being the President of the Tampa Bay Transportation Club. My WorkPlace job led me to Tech Data. I am a firm believer in volunteering. You may never know where it will lead you!
Thank you for your submission, Bart. Be sure to connect with him on LinkedIn.
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