Peduto Loses, Krasner Wins: Larry Ceisler Breaks It Down

A Message from Larry Ceisler

There’s a lot to enjoy in this month’s Ceisler Media Newsletter.
 
First, directly below this note, you’ll see my day-after analysis of Pennsylvania’s primary election. There’s a lot to discuss, from Mayor Bill Peduto’s loss in Pittsburgh, to District Attorney Larry Krasner’s big victory in Philadelphia, to the narrow margin in the two statewide ballot initiatives limiting the governor’s powers.
 
We’re also kicking off a monthly feature in which Chief Operating Officer and Sr. Vice President Kate Wilhelm offers her vision on leadership and culture in a changing business world. This month’s entry is a thought-provoking and instructive five-minute audio blog. Give it a listen.
 
We’re proud of our digital team, headed by Krystal Bonner, Vice President of Digital & Creative Services. Krystal, along with Creative Manager Julia Wolf and Digital Associate Sharky Thomas, were all hired just before or during the pandemic, when we began working remotely. Here they discuss the challenges and excitement of growing a key part of our business—while never actually working under the same roof.
 
Sam Gorodetzer, one of our youngest associates, offers a fascinating perspective on gaining professional confidence and getting past what’s known as “imposter syndrome.” And Special Projects Director Jeff Barg will make you smile with his account of working as an inspector of elections at his Philadelphia polling place on Tuesday.
 
We’ve got updates on our clients, and news about two new hires we’ve made. Give it a read and let me know your thoughts.
 

Lead Time with Kate Wilhelm | Episode 1

In this five-minute audio blog, COO and Sr. VP Kate Wilhelm reflects on the critical importance of mental health awareness as part of Ceisler Media’s leadership ethos—and discusses the keys to promoting a collaborative culture while our staff was working remotely.

 
 
 

Client News

Diverse Procurement Collaborative

We’re proud to work for clients who are working to drive inclusive recovery through the Chamber’s new Diverse Procurement Collaborative, established to encourage large companies to diversify their contracting networks. This includes Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Comcast, Independence Blue Cross, and PRWT Services, Inc.
 

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Comcast RISE

As part of its Comcast RISE program, Comcast awarded $1 million in grants to 100 minority-owned small Philadelphia- and Chester-based businesses—including Hispanic- and Asian American-owned companies. In addition, it also awarded its second round of technology and marketing resources to nearly 100 businesses in the Greater Philadelphia Region, marking 300 local recipients since fall 2020.
 

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Audacy

Audacy’s VP of Social Impact, Sarah Harris, shares how Audacy, Inc. is prioritizing civic education to help unite and move communities forward as part of its social impact program, Audacy Serves. Read her guest piece in Generocity.
 
 

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Friends Select School

Friends Select School, which is undergoing a Transformation Campaign to expand its Center City campus, held several student-led events, including “History Is an Open Book,” a recognition of the 1933 Nazi book burning, and a Civil Discourse Panel Discussion on policing, which included Drexel’s Robert J. Kane and the Manhattan Institute’s Rafael Mangual. Both events featured presentations from students, who spoke alongside elected officials including City Councilmembers Allan Domb, Jamie Gauthier and Derek Green, and city controller Rebecca Rhynhart.
 

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Belmont Charter

Belmont Charter High School students participating in this year’s STRIPES Program (STudying Real Issues, People, and ExperienceS) were featured on 6ABC Action News. The social entrepreneurship program provides mentorship and guidance helping students turn their passions into careers. Juniors and seniors worked on business plans throughout the year and then pitched their ideas to advisers, investors and local business leaders, who helped translate them into college and employment opportunities. The future is bright for these terrific students.
 

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Client Highlights

10.27 Healing Partnership

This spring, a high school student completed her campaign to raise money to plant 11 trees in Schenley Park in memory of the 11 people who were killed in the synagogue shooting on Oct. 27, 2018. Maggie Feinstein, director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership was at the planting ceremony and said, “It’s an important sign of resiliency when we show care, when we show that we acknowledge the lives that were taken, and we stand in grief with the people who are most directly impacted.”

 

Dynegy

Dynegy announced a two-year initiative to add 100 trees to the Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School campus and surrounding North Philadelphia community, where surface temperatures are often four degrees higher than the city average. The Dynegy Trees for Growth program, in partnership with Bethune and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, will increase the tree canopy, thus mitigating extreme heat and its detrimental health effects, like asthma. As Dynegy’s Senior Director of Community Affairs Brad Watson explained, “We know cooler neighborhoods are healthier neighborhoods.”

 

Chester Housing Authority

Fifty-six low-income households in Chester City will soon have the opportunity tofind and lease a home in higher opportunity areas, thanks to a nearly $3.5 million grant awarded to the Chester Housing Authority from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The goal of the program, called the Mobility Demonstration, is for families to move into neighborhoods with high-performing schools and other strong community resources.

 

RCPA

The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association called upon the state to give health and human service providers a one-time cash infusion of at least $750 million using federal aid—along with additional federal matching funds—to mitigate decades of chronic underfunding and address new challenges that rose during the pandemic. Richard Edley, who heads the association, explains it in this article published by WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR affiliate.

 

PA Voice

Ensuring racial equity is a critical concern in redistricting. PA Voice Executive Director Salewa Ogunmefun writes in this Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed and states in this Pennsylvania Capital-Star interviewthat political mapmakers must take fairness and rapidly changing demographics into account when drawing lines for the next decade.

 

Steamfitters Local 420

The development of Pennsylvania’s energy resources and related infrastructure has long meant good-paying jobs for steamfitters and other skilled laborers. Pipelines provide the backbone to America’s energy systems. That’s why Jim Snell, business manager of the Steamfitters Local 420, wrote this op-ed arguing that President Biden’s infrastructure plan must not overlook the contributions America’s natural gas pipelines make to the economy and energy production.

Ceisler News

Farewell, Mary

All of us at Ceisler Media bid a fond farewell to Mary Gebbia, our Administrative Manager for the last two-and-a-half years. Mary is pursuing her passion in rock climbing by taking a position at The Cliffs at Callowhill. We appreciate Mary for her good spirit, hard work and ability to keep us organized and on track during the pandemic. From left: Cynthia McCurdy, Mary Gebbia, Larry Ceisler

 

Introducing Corinne and Allison

Ceisler Media is proud to announce two new members of our team:

 

Corinne Ahrens joins our Philadelphia office as an Associate focusing on environmental projects. Corinne, a recent graduate of American University, is tech-savvy and already has amassed a strong background in writing and social media. A story she wrote on one of former Pres. Trump’s face-offs with the media was Ms. magazine’s most-read story of 2020.

Allison Cunningham joins Ceisler Media as our new Administrative Coordinator. She most recently worked as operations manager at City & State PA. A native of Satellite Beach, Fla., Allison and her husband live in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. This follows two other hires to our Philadelphia office last month. From left: Corinne Ahrens, Allison Cunningham

 

Ceisler Staff Meet up for the First Time in 15 Months

With our staff fully vaccinated, Ceisler Media’s Philadelphia office gathered for the first time in 15 months at the Fitler Club’s beautiful outdoor garden. We spent the Happy Hour swapping stories, saying goodbye to Administrative Manager Mary Gebbia and meeting many new faces who’ve recently joined the team.

 

From left: Larry Ceisler, Kate Wilhelm

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