Need4Speed - AMA Conference 2022

 

Photo: Curtis Francois is interviewed by Bill Ellis as AMA chapter president Nick Niehaus (foreground) works with other AMA volunteers to produce a concurrent live/virtual marketing conference

Need4Speed - The American Marketing Association, Saint Louis Chapter once again delivered an incredible conference. This was our 61st annual conference dedicated to the study and practice of the marketing profession. We once again featured a range of relevant, compelling and inspirational speakers with a range of marketing stories from which we all can learn. The world is slowly recovering from the new normal environment created by the pandemic but our AMA chapter delivered meaningful content and a great show on Friday March 4, 2022. Need4Speed. our 61^st annual conference, was pretty remarkable. 

Mark Engel – Founder Fifth Taste Foods. Mark Engel is on a mission to make plant-based eating craveable for everyone.  With over 25 years of experience leading product development and innovation teams for a diverse group of Fortune 100 companies, Mark left the corporate world in 2019 as founder Fifth Taste Foods. In just 9 months from R&D to commercialization, Mark launched his first line of products, oo’mämē Chile Crisps. 

Elise L. Connors, Director of Marketing, Brown & Crouppen Law Firm. She embraced the Need4Speed in today’s marketing environment with an exception of careful slow and thoughtful planning. Her firm has seen great success with innovative programing such as B&CTV.  

Tessa Garcia-Collart, PhD Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business, University of Missouri-St Louis was an enthusiastic presenter on the subject of marketing with the an understanding and appreciation of how the world of Emoji communication fits into the marketing scheme of things.

Curtis Francois is the owner of World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), located east of downtown St. Louis in Madison, Illinois. Curtis was conversational about the place marketing has in the mix of marketing, consumer experience and community involvement.

Michael Garlock Marketing Department Graduate Student at University of Missouri – Saint Louis graciously accepted this year’s Collegiate Excellence in the study and practice of marketing. Congratulations UMSL Marketing Club and UMSL College of Business.

The AMA, Saint Louis Chapter did a great job putting on a conference with expert guidance of speakers and events by our moderator and master of ceremonies Bill Ellis. Congratulations chapter president Nick Niehaus and the board of the Saint Louis Chapter of the American Marketing Association. Special Thanks to the University of Missouri - Saint Louis College of Business for hosting this year's production.

Special Education and Me

 

I’m not the first teacher to admit that I learn more from my students than I could ever hope to teach. I started on my journey around 2013 when I decided to work as a paraprofessional with the Special School District of Saint Louis. This would become the third career path I have followed in my working life. (Out of college, I was determined to work in big time advertising once I completed my University of Miami MBA in 1982. Years later I decided, in 1998, to pursue the avenue of marketing/communication in corporate environments. Fontbonne University was instrumental in preparing me for teacher certification in Missouri with the completion of a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in 2018.

I fancy myself a “lifelong learner” with a couple of key pillars in my personal philosophy: 1. 80% of life is showing up. 2. Little things are BIG things. Showing up, for me, is very much about a kind of mindfulness that allows me to be present. Little things, I have noticed, are so often not small or unimportant at all. Allow me to share some examples that may help you understand what I mean. Names and identities are not shared here and the cases are further obscured by my accounts of observed behaviors.

• A young man was agitated when I tried to calm him down with statements like, “Don’t worry. Calm down. It will be okay.” To which he responded in no uncertain terms “No it will NOT be okay.” His teacher helped me understand empathic listening. By noting the individual showing signs of being upset you may be able to assist in helping him self-regulate.
• A girl in middle school who has hearing aids tries to out-insult her peers (mostly boys) who insist on bullying her. She yells and tries to win by sinking to the inappropriate levels of her tormentors. Maybe, she will gain life skills in combatting such assaults with a calmness that discourages the bully behavior. The challenge is to coach her to try alternatives in dealing with this adversity.
• A boy with Down Syndrome is delighted by participation in a group activity with a colorful parachute. He stubbornly refuses to return to class when the recess is over. This requires finesse to help this boy understand the nature of a scheduled program. and gain trust by empowering the student to a kind of guided independence in routines. His dad would pick him up at the end of the school day – a perfect time to get him used to trusting cues like “It’s time to go.”
• The Individual Education Program (IEP) indicates that a young man frequently complains about classmates not following the rules. Part of the solution, it turned out was giving this student a journal. The book of concerns and complaints became a sort of therapy that helped this youngster channel concerns worth noting.
• Safely securing a student on the school bus often resulted in aggressive horseplay that was a recurring problem for driver and aids. The student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) became more cooperative with a routine review at the end of each day with a visual “social story” that helped him understand what expectations of his behavior.
• Task boxes and instruction that allows a scholar with ASD and Intellectual Disabilities to focus with fading prompts allow a student to gain confidence. Sorting items by shape and/or color practicing dexterity and the use of hands and the body helps build skills.
• A girl with a history of abuse would inexplicitly make noise and fret in class. Her teacher identified a place in the room that was a safe spot with the rhyme “sugar and spice and everything nice”. It became a sort of code to help her feel safe. It can be critical to consider trauma informed care. 
• A student of mine claimed an affinity for science but suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder. He learned about Leonardo Da Vinci and what it meant to be a Renaissance Man. His mother appreciated this awareness as a way to promote interests in multiple content areas and growth/maturity as he sought to improve in his academics.
• Another student with a diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder publicly resisted instruction until she learned that actions (within her control) could result in outcomes such as freedom to participate in Cheerleading (good choices).
• Sometimes students show segmented skill sets. A student I knew seemed fluent in reading until the reality showed that he lacked comprehension of what he was reading. (Another student was able to write neatly from work in front of him but also lacked comprehension skills). These two students were dramatic illustrations of the need for differentiation of instruction.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendment of 1997 includes language which describes methods used to identify and support desired behaviors in the school setting. The educational research community has been developing and studying Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) ever since. It seeks to reduce or eliminate poor behavior schoolwide through the encouragement of positive behaviors. 

In my classroom I like to suggest just a handful of rules: Be Safe. Be Kind. Be Cooperative. Be Peaceful. 

Animals Always

 

Enter Forest Park from Hampton Avenue. You can't miss it. It's 130 feet long, 36 feet high and 100 tons of Cor-Ten steel. Animals Always is the largest sculpture at any public zoo in the United States. The sculpture features over 60 animals peeking out from behind sculpted trees, ferns and other plant life. The sculptor, Albert Paley, conceived the idea of this steel menagerie more than two years when he met St. Louisan Thelma Zalk, who wanted to bring the idea to fruition at the Saint Louis Zoo. Paley worked closely with Zoo staff to represent animals that are featured at the Saint Louis Zoo. Many of the animals, fish and plant life depicted are also endangered to inspire future generations to protect our natural world. (The artwork/installation was completed in 2006.)

This is the first representational and most complex work for Albert Paley who has completed more than 50 works for both public and private institutions over his 30 year career. Other Paley pieces can be found in the permanent collections of major museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Animals Always is a significant cultural addition to the Zoo, Forest Park and the St. Louis region is made possible by two generous gifts from St. Louisans Thelma Zalk and the Steven F. Schankman family. Zalk donated $1 million for the sculpture and the Schankman family donated $1 million for the plaza around

Everybody Knows...

 

It isn’t fair. It wasn’t me.

Everybody knows, somebody.

Look around. You might see.

Somebody else behaving so badly.

Everybody knows you can’t just blame me.

 

Be safe. That sounds fair. That sounds alright.

Everybody knows you gotta get it right.

Everybody knows I didn’t start the fight.

I’m staying out of trouble. I’m out of sight.

Everybody knows: might does not make you right.

 

I try always to be thoughtful and kind.

You might think I’m out of my mind.

Take a closer look. You just might find.

It wasn’t me. Let me remind

You can’t blame me – not this time.

I am not a bully this time. Or any time.

Be cooperative. Stay focused. Stay on task.

This cooperation might not last.

Everybody knows blaming me is easy and fast.

Everybody knows there is a bigger cast.

I didn’t do it. Do you really have to ask?

 

Everybody knows, the future looks bright. I can’t wait until

Everybody knows I am quiet and chill.

I’m not a bully.  I’m peaceful and still

Back off, I’ve got hopes and dreams to fulfill.

Everybody knows I can do it …and I will.

Lawton in the Lou

 

Lawton in the Lou

We were thrilled to know that our daughter was planning to visit us with her toddler in tow. Six days in Saint Louis 6/28/2021-7/3/2021.I love the fact that Lindsey makes the effort to stay connected and it is wonderful to witness her maternal finesse. Her boy, Lawton, is a bright young man with a high-motor. So, mom wants to deliver a wall-to-wall kid-friendly healthy and educational programming. The result is something of a Staycation for Papa and Grandma Morgan. (Lawton turns 5 on July 5 so the timing of this hiatus calls for extra special celebration.)

June 28 – Monday Airport pick up 7:30 a.m. International House of Pancakes just off  Brentwood. Check-in at Le Meridien in Clayton on Bonhomme. Heading downtown for a trip to the top of the Gateway Arch. My strategy was to park adjacent to City Garden, but in the pouring rain and with various construction projects in progress we didn’t check out any sculpture. We managed to arrive for our scheduled ride to the top. “This is amazing!” was Lawton’s thrilled response at the top of the Gateway Arch. He also loved every bit of the museum exhibits at the Arch. We got a good laugh at my parking ticket since I had no idea that I was parked in a bicycle lane. (25 Bucks!)

June 29 – Tuesday morning pick up at the hotel. Coffee at Kaldi’s on Skinker. Parking at Union Station downtown (Again, my strategy was flawed because I thought I could feed quarters to the meter to exceed the 2-hour time limit. I ended up moving the car and making several walks to the car parked on the street.) Our pre-paid combo tickets for the Saint Louis Aquarium and the Wheel said 9:00 a.m. but the wheel didn't open until after 10 a.m. Lawton loves sea creatures: Stingrays, Sharks, Sea Otters with a few frogs, reptiles and snakes thrown in so the Aquarium is a win. The Wheel gives us a leisurely view of the skyline and Market Street. The carousel is too fun to pass up. Lunch includes a crazy indulgent milkshake, burger and fries. We still needed to check out the kids obstacle course and the house of mirrors and mini golf.

June 30 – Wednesday Cardinals' Baseball Game. Pick up at the hotel in Grandma’s car. (This time we have a more sensible parking strategy to use the garage on 7^th Street). Saint Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at 12:15. Our starting pitcher K. Kim stayed in the game long enough to help himself win with a hit and 2 runs batted in. Seven to four final score. (We used five ptchers to do so.) We are winners. ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kwang Hyun Kim won for the first time in 11 starts, pitching five solid innings and helping himself with a two-run double as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-4 Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

July 1 - Thursday. Pick up at hotel early to get to the Pancake House in Clayton and head downtown for the a-MAZE-ing City Museum. Responsible adults are trying hard to reduce the risks and keeping track of tunnels, slides and creative structures not especially friendly for fat kids and grandpas. Lawton is fearless and Mom and Papa (Grandpa) just hope Lawton doesn’t get stuck in a rebar tunnel on his way to the cockpit of one of the two airplanes hanging in mid-air. It’s officially Summer so it seems reasonable to hit Ted Drewes on Chippewa for a frozen concrete afterward. Lawton thinks it’s pretty cool that the parking lot has license plates from Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, Iowa and Florida.

July 2 – Friday. Pick up at Hotel (now at the Courtyard by Marriot in Creve Coeur) and head to the Saint Louis Zoo. 90 acres of attractions, distractions, Animals Always, not to mention another carousel, a train, and a dinosaur exhibit (DinoROARus). Lawton turns five in just three days so before they leave town we celebrate with dinner at the Hacienda Restaraunt in Rock Hill topped off with a cookie cake from Colleen's courtesy Grandma.

July 3 – Lindsey and Lawton have a flight on Southwest at 5:45 which leaves plenty of time for play at the Millennium Park – swing-set, teeter totter, slides, splash pad, and a visit from the ice cream man (truck). Lawton is thrilled with a red-white-blue pop in honor of America’s birthday (not to mention his own).

Happy Birthday Greg

Not because he is a captain of industry;

Or because he lives in a time of infamy;

Maybe you should consider another measure;

It is in the subtle things you have to treasure.

 

He is the first to question conventional wisdom;

His home is a castle and family a kingdom.

He is unsure of the path he’ll take;

He is careful to avoid a mistake.

 

Seeing value in human capital;

He sees good in one and all.

He finds a way to put things in check;

More than once walked away from a wreck.

 

Alive and grateful he says a prayer;

Some of us remember --- because we were there.

Commercial success is only part of the plan;

Today he is profound and a more emotional man.

 

He makes others see the possibilities in life;

In his way, he steers people away from strife.

It is a spiritual nature and it shows.

Heaven, hell, hereafter --- who knows?

 

Sit down for coffee with my brother the cosmic wheel;

He will turn you around and you will quickly feel;

The world is a wonderful place;

And there is enough love in it for the whole human race.

The Story of An Ordinary Man (by Himself)

 

Illinois Central Railroad Water Tower - built in 1885 (Kinmundy, IL)

This manuscript has been in my family a long time. I remember my dad reading it carefully when I was youngster. It lived on a bookshelf in the living room near the television set. It consists of fewer than 150 pages of single-spaced typewritten pages with columns 3 inches wide. The book is assembled into seven chapters labeled with Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII). Only the final chapter has a title “OFF TO COLLEGE” whereas the other chapters begin with carefully selected quotes from literature (Longfellow, Whittier, Lowell etc.)

A copy of the book has been in my possession for years. My father was keen on the insights it offered into the family history which traced back to roots in Kinmundy, Illinois on his father’s side of the Morgan family. The ordinary man is John Morgan who (if my dad’s notes are accurate) is the fourth in birth order among nine children. My father’s father (the author’s younger brother) is fifth in birth order. (That would be my father’s grandfather Wesley Harmon Morgan). So indeed this is an account that gives some insight into life in Kinmundy, Illinois from the author’s first year 1858 through his graduation from college around 1885 from Valpraiso University in Indiana.(1)  Reflection in later chapters refer to looking back on life in Kinmundy as late as 1928 (which might suggest that at least part of the book was written when he was in his sixties.

We visited Kinmundy on a family trip with dad and mom on a road trip from the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, Ohio. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea to go motoring in the early 1960s but when you’re a kid behaving in a car for 500 miles can be a challenge. Dad was nostalgic about the place so we drove by the center of town and by local newspaper office of the Kinmundy Express (2).  Dad pointed to where the old bandstand used to be. Mom read a brochure with a tone of mockery, “Take Kinmundy our city fair. No fog. No smog, Just clean fresh air.” (Mom clearly did not share the warm nostalgia that Dad did).

The seven chapter book by John Morgan, the brother of my Great Grandfather Wesley Harmon Morgan is well written and reads more like a casual series of memories of growing up in this small community about halfway between Vandalia and Salem, Illinois.  So I read John Morgan, my Great Grand-Unlce’s chapters with interest. The book is well crafted and a romantic appreciation of nature (trees, animals, weather etc.). It also provides insight into the activities of such a community (in a schoolroom, in the woods, hunting, fishing, socialization, sketches of citizens of the place etc.) The colorful life and times of Kinmundy in this book illustrate what it must have been like to be a boy here between 1858-1885;  It reads a bit like Mark Twain without the stories of central characters like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Note that Twain’s characters are set in 1840s Missouri along the Mississippi River.

Kinmundy population is under 800 today but was closer to 1100 in the 1880s.  Kinmundy has a total area of 1.32 square miles (3.42 km²), of which 1.05 square miles (2.72 km²) (or 79.55%) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km²) (or 20.45%) is water. The origins of the Town of Kinmundy are rooted in the expansion of the railroads in Southern Illinois, with the first significant economic influence being construction work on the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad In April 1857, the town was initially laid out east of the railroad, in 15 blocks of varying sizes, and later, incorporated as a city in 1867

note 1: Valpraiso originally opened in the 1850s and was one of the first co-educations colleges in the country. The Civil War caused enough hardship for the school to close for a period but with help from Lutheran charity was able to resume after 1873. The author says he took a stage to a train to travel to college about 250 miles away from Kinmundy. 

note 2: The Kinmundy Express office is now the location of the Kinmundy Historical Society. Their website includes “gleanings” from the newspaper going bsck to the 1880s.  www.kinmundyhistoricalsociety.org).