The challenge to Gordon C. James Public Relations (GCJPR) was to provide multi-level administrative, technical, and logistical support and assistance for planning and conducting a variety of regional summits, meetings, and other events relative to HHS activities.

Prior to arriving on-site, GCJPR worked hand-in-hand with federal and local government officials, specifically lead representatives of the state’s governor’s office and health department, who were to be the hosts for each summit. GCJPR was also responsible for coordinating the national and local level of earned media and ground support, strategic scheduling, and field operations across the country.

Through this series of localized events, GCJPR and HHS needed to communicate key preparedness messages and foster a dialogue with state and local officials, as well as other stakeholders. GCJPR was responsible for providing a wide variety of services and resources to all involved. These services began with procuring high-quality, yet cost-effective meeting facilities and equipment, and included such diverse tasks as helping to unify and ensure the quality of presenter material, to providing attendees with supplemental materials.

The Summit Initiative was a tremendous success. From January 2006 through August 2006, GCJPR enabled 55 summits, each of which ranging from one-half day to three full days and including 200-1500 attendees. The tour reached more than 25,000 invited audience members, plus those watching via webcast, effectively communicating the program’s message and objective that should a pandemic influenza hit the United States, it will take all levels of government to effectively respond to the problem, and therefore, will take all levels of government to prepare. In addition, all network television and radio stations, as well as all major newspapers, attended and reported on the summit and its message of preparedness in each city. The production quality of each summit was superior and all attendees and host committees were extremely impressed with the content, speakers and production work presented.