Poetic Justice

You could tell there was something special about her, the minute she walked into a room. When she walked into my Tuesday night class, I'll admit, I was falling asleep, head bob and everything, but as she told us about her life of public relations, all thoughts of sleep vanished. I'm not normally one to raise my hand in class more than needed, but the day she was there, I knew I had to, almost as much as I wanted to; to learn everything I could from her. The first thing I had to learn was her name, and then how to stay in contact with her. She, is Meredith Avakian-Hardaway, and she managed in an hour what I'd taken 19 years to figure out: what I wanted to be when I 'grew up.'

It's been a year since that one class, and Meredith's gone above and beyond helping me decide what I wanted to do, she's given me the connections and opportunities to do it. But just who is Meredith Avakian-Hardaway, and what's she done? Well, we could ask her friends. Or her boss. Her colleagues? Or maybe her teachers from when she was in school? Or all of them; all of them eager to talk about Meredith, all of them full of praise, respect, and admiration. Or we could start with the basics of her life. But it's not the basics, or the many awards, distinctions, and honors in her work as a PR professional that she's received, that speaks the most about her, it's the people. I think Meredith's other half, Marques Hardaway, put it best, "Meredith is a kind and generous person, an honorable wife and caring family member. She is intelligent, hard-working, and pursues her goals with enthusiasm. Her experiences in life have molded her to be strong, yet compassionate. I am in constant admiration of her professional achievements, and in awe of her personal growth."

Before writing this piece, I reached out to some key people for a few lines or sentences about Meredith, but what I got back was staggering in its positivity towards her. What started as a 'few' people became a lot of people, indicating just how impactful Meredith has been. I started with her boss, Mark A. Tarasiewicz, Executive Director at the Philadelphia Bar Association and Philadelphia Public Relations Association Hall of Famer, and from him got in touch with MANY more people. Mark told me that "her arrival as Director of Communications and Marketing for the 13,000-member Philadelphia Bar Association in January 2014 required her to become a quick study on the intricacies of the city's legal community and justice system. She met this challenge head-on by immediately extending herself as a resource to the Association's leadership and hundreds of committee, section, and division lawyer-volunteers. With her own lifelong passion for justice, Meredith maintains it was destiny that brought her to the Philadelphia Bar Association." Not only does Meredith dedicate her time to furthering the PR profession as a whole, but she also works for justice for Armenia and Armenian refugees, AND has managed to write 2 books of poetry. "Meredith Avakian-Hardaway has spoken to many of my Temple and Drexel classes, and she has a wonderful interaction with my students--they always love meeting and learning from her," Rosemary Rys, friend and colleague to Meredith, told me. "I was always amazed back then at how she could be the perfect corporate DuPont executive during the day, but then let her hair down (literally!) after work, reinsert her diamond nose piercing, and get out that hookah, bake baklava, or do any of her many Armenian skills. A very talented poet, her on-target, often tongue-in-cheek poems truly resonate with my students and everyone else."

Of all PR alumni of Temple, Meredith is known most notably to current PR students as the one that turned our PRSSA chapter around and prevented it from dying. Our very own professor Gregg Feistman said about Meredith: "It was apparent from the very beginning Meredith was a star-in-the-making. Her smarts, ambition, and drive were evident in the way she viewed her leadership role as President of Temple's PRSSA. As faculty advisor, I always knew I had to do my homework before I met with Meredith to discuss PRSSA chapter business, because she had done hers."

Meredith Avakian-Hardaway will be receiving the Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Rising Star Award, at the Lew Klein Awards Luncheon at Temple University, on September 26, and everyone who knows her could not be more proud and supportive. Meredith, there are so many people who've congratulated you; who are going to congratulate you, that this post could go on for miles. Instead, read on for some heartfelt words.


"We are especially proud of Meredith as she carries forward the Temple tradition of excellence through her role at the Bar Association, and we congratulate her for her well-deserved honor as the 2014 recipient of the Lew Klein Alumni in the Media Rising Star Award."
- Mark A. Tarasiewicz, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

"I want to congratulate Meredith on this prestigious award, I'm sure it's a precursor to many more. It's always a pleasure working together, she's a consummate professional and has helped me frame my responses to many different issues and events."
- William P. Fedullo, Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

"Outstanding work Meredith, congratulations from me and the Bar Association. We look forward to more of your timeless dedication and commitment to the Bar and the justice system in the future."
- Albert S. Dandridge III, Chancellor-Elect of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

"I can't think of anyone in public relations who deserves the Rising Star prize at the Lew Klein awards more than Meredith does."
- Lisette Bralow, Philadelphia Public Relations Association President.

"Meredith is not only a wonderful public relations executive and role model, she is also someone I am honored to call a friend."
- Gina F. Rubel, Esq. President/CEO Furia Rubel Communications.

"I'm very proud to be her friend and colleague!!! A very big congratulations on receiving the Lew Klein Rising Star award, and thank you for all the classes you've spoken in and will speak in!"
- Rosemary E. Rys, Professor at Temple and Drexel Universities, colleague and friend.

"It's no surprise to see how successful Meredith has been in her career. I can't wait to see what she does next. Look out world!"
- Gregg C. Feistman, Professor at Temple University, PRowl and PRSSA Advisor.

"Meredith is the ultimate go-getter, often juggling multiple responsibilities including work, PPRA and personal projects, including publishing books of poetry. I'm constantly in awe of her determination and drive. There is no one more deserving of this prestigious award. Congratulations Meredith!"
- Jessica Lawlor, Philadelphia Public Relations Association Vice President of Membership.

"Meredith is well deserving of her Lew Klein Alumni in the Media 'Rising Star' honors, and of the many more symbols of recognition and gratitude yet to come her way."
- Christopher Lukach, President at Anne Klein Communications Group

"Meredith, your arrival at the Philadelphia Bar Association in January was the best thing that ever happened to us. Your success is our success, and we wish you a lot more of it!"
- Paul Kazaras and Naomi McLaurin, Philadelphia Bar Association, dear friends.

"We (her family) are honored by her having been selected to receive this latest award, and are humbled by all of the work and patience that is at the root of her achievements."
- Marques Hardaway, loving husband.

"The first time we met, I remember wondering how someone could do so much good work in so little time. Working with you now still hasn't enabled me to figure out your secret, even seeing you find so much time to teach me the workings of the world of PR. You always surprise me with your thoughtfulness; those sandwiches you told me about have been all I've eaten the last 2 days. There's nobody more deserving, and I look forward to seeing where you take your career next!"
- Faiz M. Mandviwalla, proud intern, mentee, and author of this post.


Congratulations, Meredith!

Women and Business #GirlPower

The New York Times recently published an article on how to be successful as a woman in the dog-eat-dog business world that has been dominated by men for so long.  (Don't worry, guys, this isn't a post full of man-bashing).

I was intrigued by the fact that I was recommended this article by my male boss.  It shows that there really are some high power male figures out there that believe women have just as much a place in the c-suite as guys do.

I wanted to share some great tips that the female executives in the article had to offer for all my fellow power-seeking women out there:

1. Be unafraid. Introduce people, compliment someone when it's deserved, stand up for something you really believe in. Don't just go with the flow.

2. Don't let your emotions get in the way. It's hard to stay composed sometimes, but it's better to wait and have a conversation when you're calm instead of getting emotional at work.

3. Practice being more vocal.  Go out of your way to strike up a conversation with people around the office to let them know that you have an intention of letting your voice be heard.

4. You have control. You have power. Don't be afraid to use it.

In my opinion, the situation has greatly improved for women in the business world over the past few decades.  Some may disagree, and obviously it would be much better to have a totally equal playing field with men.  Hopefully some of you ladies out there can take these tips and integrate them into your professional lives and start instilling even more girl power into the workforce.

Manning PR

Everyday I hear more and more about how PR has become an industry dominated by women.  In fact, according to recent membership figures released by the Institute of Public Relations, women now outnumber men 60:40 in the public relations field.  This ratio is particularly relevant to me, as I represent one of only two men in a PRowl, and work for a group of three incredibly successful women in the Real Estate industry.  This got me thinking about how a man can succeed in an industry dominated by women.  So, to help aspiring male PR professionals, I’ve compiled my top three tips, from my experience thus far, to successfully working as a man in an industry dominated by women. 

1. Learn the Language - Learning the language of any industry is key to success. Any PR professional would agree there is a clear language and method of communicating associated with PR. So, keeping in mind that women dominate this industry, one could argue that women have written this language associated with PR. It is up to us men to become fluent in it. So men, pick up your Rosetta Stone, and start studying, because this is the first step to earning the same success as women in PR.
2. Dress to Impress - Dressing properly is such a beneficial but understated tool for men in PR.  More importantly, this is something that women in PR have been doing right for years.  Women in PR know how to professionally brand themselves with their clothes.  They know how to make a statement, and how to properly represent themselves.  But men can do it too! When choosing the perfect “dress to impress” outfit, remember to keep in mind your surroundings.  There is a time and place for everyone’s personal style.  It is up to you to know what to wear and when to wear it to make the right impression. Be sure to showcase your personality, and make a statement about yourself. 
3. Play to Your Strengths - Women have incredible strengths in this industry, but it is not these strengths alone that have made women into some of the gatekeepers of PR. It is how they’ve learned to use them for success.  For a man to find success in PR, you have to find your own strengths.  Brainstorm, boys!  What is it that makes you stand out?  What creative ideas do you have?  Figure it out, and leverage it to make you the person whose name everybody knows. 

Having had the opportunity to work with so many talented and intelligent women in both my job and in PRowl, I have seen first-hand why women have earned so much success in this industry.  But men can do it too!  With a little language study, a bold wardrobe, and a strengths-based strategy, you will have the foundation for success in PR. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Chris Covone.