Big night for Elettra at the IABC Bronze Quill Awards
Gwen Hardy, Lorna Allen, Cassandra Parsons, Elettra, PR, public relations, agency, media relations, vancouver, bc, firm, company, awards, excellence, Bronze Quill

Gwen Hardy, Lorna Allen, Cassandra Parsons, Elettra, PR, public relations, agency, media relations, vancouver, bc, firm, company, awards, excellence, Bronze Quill

Last night, the International Association of Business Communicators BC Chapter (IABC/BC), hosted their annual Bronze Quill Awards Gala. The Bronze Quills recognize communications excellence in British Columbia across a number of categories, including media relations, research, publications, and crisis management. Elettra Communications was thrilled to be honoured with two awards, including an Award of Excellence in Communications Management Award for our Long Table Distillery Launch media relations campaign. Elettra also received an Award of Merit in Communications Management for our Tsleil-Waututh Nation Cooks Program media relations campaign.

It was a wonderful evening, shared with many of our communications industry colleagues who are shining in their field. Thanks to everyone at IABC/BC for putting on a great event.

Cadillac Fairview Announces Sony Pictures Imageworks As Newest Tenant at 725 Granville

PR, public relations, SONY, Cadillac Fairview, media relations, Vancouver, agency, firm, company, 725 Granville92 per cent of office space at Pacific Centre redevelopment now leased; Sony Pictures Imageworks joins Microsoft and Miller Thomson as tenants

Vancouver, BC, May 30, 2014 - The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is pleased to announce that Sony Pictures Imageworks is the third major office tenant confirmed for Pacific Centre’s 725 Granville redevelopment project. Sony will lease the entire 5th floor, which includes 71,500 square feet of office space. 725 Granville offers four levels of office space above Nordstrom’s future Canadian flagship location. With this announcement, 92 per cent of the space is now leased.

Sony Pictures Imageworks will move into the 5th floor of 725 Granville Street in Spring 2015.  This announcement comes just weeks after confirmation that Microsoft will lease the 6th and 7th floors of the building. In January of this year, Cadillac Fairview announced law firm Miller Thomson will move into 48,000 square feet on the 4th floor.

“We are pleased to welcome Sony Pictures Imageworks to 725 Granville,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President & Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview Western Canada. “725 Granville’s central location in the heart downtown, coupled with its unique large floor plate office spaces has attracted internationally recognized brands and global leaders in their respective industries. We look forward to them moving into 725 Granville Street starting in 2015.” 

The new office space is part of the redevelopment of the former Eatons/Sears building. The top four levels of the building are being converted to 290,000 square feet of AAA class office.  Each floor has 17-foot ceilings, slab to slab, and offers 72,500 square foot floor plates, a unique feature in the downtown core.

Nordstrom will have 230,000 square feet on three floors below the office space. A new 44,000 square foot multi-tenant retail space will be built on the lower mall level. Local and renowned architect, James K. M. Cheng, designed the project. As part of Cadillac Fairview’s commitment to sustainability, the project is targeting LEED Gold Certification under the LEED: Core & Shell Program.

Construction is well underway on the site. The office space is expected to open in early 2015. New retail stores on the lower level are expected to open in Spring 2015. Nordstrom is expected to open in Fall 2015.

 

Annnnd Scene!

Leanne Kedrosky, Elettra, PR, public relations, BCIT, Marketing Management, PR, public Relations, Vancouver, agency, firm, company By Leanne Kedrosky As my internship at Elettra Communications comes to a close, I’m reflecting back on how much I have learned, accomplished, and progressed over the past nine weeks. I started my time at Elettra with a faint inkling that public relations is in my career future, and I am finishing the internship with a solid conclusion that I want to be a PR star.

What I Learned at Elettra Communications:

How do you become a PR star? I have complied some of my favourite tips gathered throughout my nine-week internship at Elettra.

The people make the job. The people at Elettra made my internship a highly enjoyable experience. I’m thankful to work with Managing Partners that made me feel like part of the team and were available for any of my questions. Personal relationships are important to the Elettra team and this reflects in numerous previous employees who have returned as clients.

Choose accuracy over time. Take the time to triple and quadruple check you work! Clients will never appreciate sending off wrong or misspelled information; that time to check facts will save your reputation. Then when you think it is perfect, have someone else read it over.

Mom was right, patience is a virtue. If a situation is tough take a deep breath, ask questions, and respond with a goal in mind. The people around you will notice how you respond to others and your future workload will reflect your capabilities.

Write EVERYTHING down. From small tasks to weekly reminders, write it all down. As an intern you may be focusing on many things in a day, don’t let the small things slip out of your organizational grasp.

Small is important. Doing a good job on small tasks will lead to more responsibility. Don’t consider any task unimportant. When you put effort into the small things it will be noticed, you will gain respect in the workplace, and slowly receive more responsibility and projects.

Thank you to the Elettra team for teaching me so many valuable practices and helping me progress towards my career goals. I am looking forward to working here longer and absorbing more information from such a knowledgeable team.

Sandhill Winery to Open its Doors in Downtown Kelowna

Sandhill, winery, wine, PR, public relations, agency, firm, company, vancouver, okanaganUrban winery celebrates Sandhill story, offers immersive visitor experience 

Kelowna, BC; May 26, 2014 – Sandhill is announcing the official May 31 opening of its newly renovated urban winery in downtown Kelowna. Following ten-months of construction, Sandhill Winery will be a space where the public can explore the award-winning wines made by Master Winemaker, Howard Soon. The winery will offer virtual vineyard tours, a luxurious wine lounge, and a Small Lots barrel cellar.

“This Sandhill Winery renovation has been our vision for a long time, so seeing it come to fruition is very satisfying,” says Howard Soon, Master Winemaker. “Sandhill has been part of the Kelowna community for almost two decades. In fact, this is the very spot where I have been making wine since Sandhill was born. It’s a dream come to true to have space where we can welcome visitors and tell our story.”

Sandhill, winery, wine, vancouver, okanagan, kelowna, pr, public relations, agency, firm, company, mediaThe opening of Sandhill Winery marks the culmination of several years of steady investment in Sandhill Wines. These investments have included the acquisition of vineyard land, the introduction of state-of-the-art winemaking equipment, and a significantly increased barrel-ageing program. Grapes for Sandhill wines are sourced from six premium vineyards throughout the Okanagan, including 450 acres of Sandhill-owned vineyards. All Sandhill wines are bottled as single vineyard wines and capture the defining influences of vineyard, grower, and winemaker.

At the winery, the Sandhill single vineyard story will be told through a variety of tasting experiences. Virtual vineyard tours offer an in-depth experience, guiding visitors on a tour of Sandhill’s six vineyards and exploring how the terroir and each grower’s techniques produce wines that are truly distinct. For those looking for a deeper learning experience, Sandhill Winery will offer three daily wine education sessions with topics such as The Challenge of the Terroir and Sip and Savour. The main Tasting Bar will offer a lively space in which to taste Sandhill wines, while in the Wine Lounge, visitors can relax and enjoy tasting flights at their own pace.sandhill, winery, okanagan, vancouver, kelowna, press, media, pr, public relations, agency, firm, company

The winery’s design is inspired by the industrial heritage of its downtown Kelowna neighbourhood. The 8,000 square foot space is modern and light-filled, with soaring ceilings and reclaimed, 80-year-old wood beams. The main room is anchored by a large glacier sculpture that pays homage to the Okanagan Valley’s natural geological features and glacial history, which give the region its ideal grape-growing conditions. A glass wall divides the main room from The Cellar, which houses Howard Soon’s Small Lots program. Small Lots are small quantities of wine from specific identified blocks within a vineyard that consistently deliver wines of great character and depth.

Sandhill Winery is located at 1125 Richter Avenue in downtown Kelowna, British Columbia. The Winery will be open daily throughout the year. For tasting schedules, reservations, and more information, visit www.sandhillwines.ca.

About Sandhill

The Sandhill portfolio of wines is available at the Winery, in select retail outlets, and at restaurants across Canada. BC customers can also purchase Sandhill wines online at www.sandhillwines.ca. For further information about the wines and Howard Soon, visit www.sandhillwines.ca.

About Howard Soon

Winemaker Howard Soon is one of the true pioneers of BC’s wine industry. As Sandhill’s Head Winemaker since 1997, Howard’s collaborative relationships with growers and non-interventionist approach have consistently led to award-winning single vineyard wines. Howard has received the Founder’s Award from the Okanagan Wine Festival and was the first BC winemaker to receive a Gold Medal at the Chardonnay du Monde in France. He was also the first winemaker in history to receive all three top honours at the 2009 Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards when Sandhill won for Best Red Wine of the Year, Best White Wine of the Year, and Winery of the Year.

 

Kettle on Burrard plays host to six-time Olympian Clara Hughes

Elettra Communications attended a special Gala event at the weekend at The Kettle Society’s new supported-housing building located at 1134 Burrard Street. Vancouver, public relations, PR, agency, company, media, media relations, events, firm, communications, Kettle Society, Clara Hughes, Kettle on Burrard, 1134 Burrard Street

The Kettle Making a Difference – An Evening with Olympian Clara Hughes and Friends, was a special fundraising event to raise funds for The Kettle Society’s community mental health programs and celebrate Clara’s inspiring 12,000km bike ride across Canada to build awareness and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health.  The Kettle had been chosen as Vancouver’s “community champion” for the ride.

Kari Adams from CTV emceed the event and CTV broadcast live weather forecasts and interviews from the VIP reception.

Speakers included: Deputy Mayor Adriane Carr; Debra McPherson, President of the BC Nurses Union; Daniel Boffo from Boffo Properties; Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk; Brenda Lea Brown, Chair of the Kettle board; and Kettle member Denis Piper.

Six-time Olympian Clara Hughes took time out of her grueling and physically challenging schedule to address guests and VIPs and deliver an emotional and inspiring keynote speech which touched on her own experiences with mental illness.

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Kettle on Burrard – the city’s newest supported housing building for the homeless and those with mental health challenges
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The Kettle Society was busy last week as it welcomed media to its newest supported housing project, before its first tenants move in. CTV, The Globe & Mail,The Georgia Straight and BCIT all featured articles about the building.

The Kettle Society also hosted An Evening With Olympian Clara Hughes & Friends on Saturday, May 17 at Kettle on Burrard.  The event was attended by more than 200 guests and VIPs and featured a keynote address by the six-time Olympian, who is cycling across Canada to build awareness and raise funds for mental health.

Located at 1134 Burrard Street, this new building is one of 14 City-owned sites that are being built to end street homelessness. The building has been designed to address the needs of individuals who are homeless, are at risk of homelessness, have mental health issues, or require other support services to increase their wellness and overall quality of life. 

Kettle on Burrard has 141 suites and 24-hour staffing and security.  The building is operated by The Kettle Society, a non-profit registered charity, which has been providing housing and support services to people with mental illness in the Metro Vancouver area since its inception in 1976.

The project is being funded by the Province of BC (BC Housing and Ministry of Children and Family Services), the City of Vancouver, and Streetohome Foundation.

Mentorship program an extension of networking for UBC alumni

alumni UBC, alumni, UBC, mentorship, Vancouver, PR, public relations, media relations, agency, company, firmLast week, Business in Vancouver explored the benefits of mentoring and networking by speaking with UBC alumnus, Carmen Lee of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association. Through the networking and mentorship programs alumni UBC is building lifelong connections between graduates and UBC.

Read the full story here.

Cadillac Fairview Announces Microsoft Moving Into 725 Granville

PR, Vancouver, public relations, media, Pacific Centre, Cadillac FairviewCompany to occupy two floors of AAA office space in Pacific Centre redevelopment Vancouver, BC, May 2, 2014 - The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is pleased to announce Microsoft as the second office tenant confirmed for Pacific Centre’s 725 Granville redevelopment project. The company will lease 143,000 square feet on two of the four levels of office space above Nordstrom’s future Canadian flagship location.

“We are thrilled to welcome Microsoft to 725 Granville,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President & Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview Western Canada. “The organization will be well served by the building’s central location and amenities, and the large floor plates allow them to design a customized work environment for their Vancouver operations.”

The company will take occupancy of the entire 6th and 7th floors of 725 Granville in January 2016. This past January, Cadillac Fairview announced law firm Miller Thompson will move into 48,000 square feet on the 4th floor in 2017.  Of the four levels of office space, 66% is now leased.

The new office space is part of the redevelopment of the former Eatons/Sears building. The top four levels of the building are being converted to 290,000 square feet of AAA class office.  Each floor has 17-foot ceilings, slab to slab, and offers 72,500 square foot floor plates, a unique feature in the downtown core.

Nordstrom will have 230,000 square feet on three floors below the office space. A new 44,000 square foot multi-tenant retail space will be built on the lower mall level. The project was designed by local and renowned architect, James K. M. Cheng. As part of Cadillac Fairview’s commitment to sustainability, the project is targeting LEED Gold Certification under the LEED: Core & Shell Program.

Construction is well underway on the site. The office space is expected to open in early 2015. New retail stores on the lower level are expected to open in Spring 2015. Nordstrom is expected to open in Fall 2015.

Calling All UBC Grads

UBC Alumni Weekend

alumni UBC welcomes students past and present, family, and friends to Alumni Weekend– the most entertaining and intellectually stimulating day of the year. Featured events include:

alumni UBC, pr, media, public relations, events, Elettra

  • University Fair, tours, engaging lectures, family-friendly activities, beer garden and live main stage entertainment.
  • A show from Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters. Jamie and Adam will tell tales of experiments, explosions and hijinks, and the unpredictable occupation of myth busting. (Pre-purchased tickets are required for this show.)
  • Hard hat tours of the new Alumni Centre in the afternoon.
  • Fun classes with topics such as the science of beer, raw vegan sushi making, the magic of chemistry, and much more.
  • Free admission to UBC’s attractions, including the Museum of Anthropology, UBC Botanical Garden, and the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.

 Alumni Weekend offers something for everyone, kids and grown-ups alike. 

General admission and many of the events are free. However, registration is required. Register at http://www.alumni.ubc.ca/events/alumniweekend/.

 

WHERE:           University of British Columbia | Student Union Building (SUB)
6138 Student Union Boulevard

WHEN:             Saturday, May 24, 2014 | 9:30am – 5:00pm, with events scheduled throughout the day

 

To register or for schedule of events visit: http://www.alumni.ubc.ca/events/alumniweekend/

Questions? alumni.weekend@ubc.ca

And the Restaurant Award goes to...
Vancouver Magazine's Editor-in-Chief John Burns, Dara Young and David Gunawan of Farmer's Apprentice, and Lori Chalmers, Publisher of Vancouver Magazine
Vancouver Magazine's Editor-in-Chief John Burns, Dara Young and David Gunawan of Farmer's Apprentice, and Lori Chalmers, Publisher of Vancouver Magazine

On Tuesday, Vancouver Magazine announced the winners of their 25th Annual Restaurant Awards at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel.  This year marked the event's silver anniversary and hundreds gathered to celebrate the city's finest culinary talent. The festivities were hosted by CBC's Gloria Macarenko and Stephen Quinn and saw Gold awards handed out in 49 categories.  The night's big winner? The Farmer's Apprentice, taking home Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant of the Year, and Best Casual Restaurant.

So who else took top honours? Click through for full coverage on vanmag.com.

Vancouver Sun looks into Cadillac Fairview's Geo-exchange Project

PR, Vancouver, Cadillac Fairview, Fenix, environment, environmental, clean energy, media, public relations, agency Vancouver Sun reporter Kim Pemberton looked into how retrofitting older office buildings with geo-exchange systems can reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The article explores how a first-of-its-kind retrofit will be done by Fenix Energy at Cadillac Fairview's 777 Dunsmuir building.

Read the whole story here.

 

 

 

 

Elettra is Looking for a PR Star

elettra_logo type-blackElettra Communications has an immediate opening for a Junior Public Relations Consultant with 1-2 years of PR experience. The position is for a 6-month term, with the possibility of an extension.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and driven professional who is keen to take the next step in their PR career. The Elettra team is dynamic, fun, and prides itself on providing the highest quality communications service to its clients. Posting Date: April 17, 2014

Closing Date: May 4, 2014

Responsibilities:

General

  • Acting as day-to-day contact for a variety of clients.
  • Supporting senior team members on a variety of communications projects.
  • Supporting administrative functions of the agency.
  • Supporting Elettra’s social media profiles.

Media Relations

  • Writing media materials, including news releases, fact sheets, articles, and web copy.
  • Developing media lists, distributing media materials, and pitching stories.
  • Responding to incoming reactive media inquiries.
  • Developing campaign recaps.

Social Media

  • Monitoring social media channels on behalf of clients.
  • Developing social media content and assisting in strategy development.

Events / community relations

  • Coordinating events and community programs, working clients and suppliers.

 

Requirements:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or Arts.
  • 1-2 years direct experience in public relations.
  • Experience writing media materials, building media lists, and successfully earning coverage in editorial media.
  • Strong media literacy and interest in local, national, and international current affairs and news.
  • Active user of social media, including all major platforms. Experience in content development and monitoring.
  • Exceptional writing and oral communications skills.
  • A wealth of knowledge about, and passion for, the city of Vancouver.
  • Excellent organizational skills.
  • Flexible with hours and able to respond to media inquiries / attend events outside the 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek.

Applicants are to send their cover letter and resume to info@elettra.ca.

Cadillac Fairview, Fēnix Energy to Undertake World-Leading Geo-exchange Retrofit in Vancouver

PR, Vancouver, Elettra, public relations, agency, firm, media, Cadillac Fairview, Fenix Energy

Home-grown technology allows for first-ever geo-exchange installation in existing, occupied building at 777 Dunsmuir

Vancouver, BC; April 16, 2014 – The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is today announcing a project in partnership with Vancouver-based Fēnix Energy to undertake Canada’s first geo-exchange retrofit of an occupied, mixed-use high-rise complex in a downtown core. The project will take place at Cadillac Fairview’s 777 Dunsmuir property in Vancouver, which includes a 19-storey office tower, as well as the Holt Renfrew and Sport Chek portion of Pacific Centre.

Fēnix Energy will complete the geo-exchange system installation within 777 Dunsmuir’s existing building footprint, drilling 30 boreholes 400 feet into the earth through the building’s underground parkade.

“Cadillac Fairview is always looking for ways to reduce its impact on the environment,” says Ultan Kampff, General Manager, Pacific Centre and HSBC Building. “We’re proud to be working witha local company that is innovating on a global scale. Together with Fēnix, we’re using home-grown technology to find sustainable solutions, increase our efficiency, and lower carbon emissions.”

By harvesting a building’s rejected heat and storing it underground until it is needed, geo-exchange offers a solution for reducing the energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional heating and cooling. However, until now, geo-exchange systems have primarily been installed in new projects or projects where land is readily available adjacent to a building. Projects with small footprints in operating buildings, such as the one at 777 Dunsmuir, had remained elusive.

Fēnix Energy’s system enables the installation of vertical rather than horizontal piping underground. Fēnix has also designed a unique drilling system to facilitate boring in confined spaces such as parkades with low headroom. As a result of these innovations, the project will have minimal disruption on the surrounding area allowing the building to remain occupied.

“Globally, buildings consume around 40% of our total energy, a significant portion of which is for heating and cooling. So the potential to make a difference through geo-exchange is enormous,” says Edward Smith, Managing Director, Fēnix Energy. “Green is about efficiency and using the energy that’s already there. Geo-exchange does exactly that, and now we have the technology to tackle the large existing buildings which make up our dense downtown cores”

The project is the next step in Cadillac Fairview’s GREEN AT WORK™ program, through which the company looks for innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize its impact on the environment. This includes energy conservation and efficiency, with the ultimate objective of net-zero emissions from buildings. The retrofit of Cadillac Fairview’s building is expected to reduce carbon emissions from heating energy by 85%, the equivalent of 900 tons of CO2 or taking 190 cars off the road.