Category: Clairemont Client News

Raleigh Legend Debuts Play

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, In Our Community, , , , ,

Curtain up, spotlight on and enter stage right … a legend in the Triangle arts scene.

2014 Piedmont Laureate Carrie Knowles has no small resume when it comes to literature and the arts. Carrie founded the Boylan Heights ArtWalk, directed the Cross Currents Chamber Music and Arts Festival and provided board leadership for the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, Burning Coal Theater and the United Arts Council. Let’s not forget her 45-year literary career, during which Carrie penned dozens of stories, published five novels and earned more than 25 awards.

A Stage for Change: SIX

Carrie is nowhere near stopping. For her 70th birthday, Carrie is releasing “Black Tie Optional: 17 Stories.” But this is no ordinary book release.

SIX: A Play in One Act

Carrie transformed SIX, one of the short stories from “Black Tie Optional,” into a one-act play. She is partnering with Burning Coal Theater and Women’s Theater Festival to debut SIX as a special staged reading. SIX follows the story of a young women seeking meaning and redemption after dark experiences — an evocative tale that inspires us to live life without regrets.

The premiere of SIX will serve as a fundraiser for Women’s Theater Festival, providing critical scholarships for 10 young actors/writers/directors to develop their talents and craft new work at the 2019 Women’s Theatre Festival.

Date: Sunday, May 26, 2019, 3 p.m.
Location: Burning Coal Theatre, 224 Polk Street Raleigh
RSVP: Here!

https://www.facebook.com/CarrieJKnowles/videos/332956537257430/

A Place for a Party

And what’s a show without a little afterparty? Carrie also invites guests to join her and the cast in the lobby afterward for cake and bubbly to celebrate her 70th birthday!

The event is free with a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Women’s Theatre Festival Scholarship Fun. “Black Tie Optional: 17 Stories” will be available for purchase (and autograph!) with 40 percent of the proceeds benefitting the Women’s Theatre Festival.

Join us to enjoy a show, cake and bubbly! Space is limited, so reserve your spot now!

RSVP for SIX!
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WGU North Carolina & Mako Medical

Kelli FletcherBlog, Clairemont Client News, Public Relations,

Below is the latest announcement from our client, WGU North Carolina.

WGU North Carolina Offers $500,000 in Scholarships to Mako Medical Employees

Partnership agreement paves the way for employees to earn degrees debt-free

WGU North Carolina, an affiliate of the national online nonprofit Western Governors University, has signed a partnership agreement with Mako Medical Laboratories that will help Mako employees advance their professional development and personal education goals through scholarship opportunities with degrees in business, IT or healthcare. As an organization known for only employing veterans for many of their positions, and in alignment with WGU North Carolina’s outreach to the military community, Mako Medical supports military veterans in their pursuit of meaningful employment and career success. 

All employees of Mako Medical will be eligible to apply for special Bridge to Success Scholarships from a dedicated fund of $500,000 just for them. A designated WGU scholarship team member will work one-on-one with each employee to help them through the financial aid process to ensure they are maximizing all grant options available, and then help them apply for last-dollar funds to make it possible to earn their degree debt-free.

Additionally, employees will receive an application fee waiver code, and have access to WGU career services resources and onsite events such as lunch-and-learn sessions.


Signed, sealed, delivered! Josh Arant, Founder and COO of Mako Medical, Catherine Truitt, Chancellor WGU North Carolina, and Chad Price, Founder and CEO of Mako Medical

WGU is an accredited online university offering more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in healthcare, IT, business and K-12 education. The university has more than 114,000 students enrolled nationwide, including more than 3,100 in North Carolina. Tuition is around $3,225 per six-month term for most degree programs.

“Mako Medical has been named the fastest growing company in the Triangle for three years running,” said WGU North Carolina Chancellor Catherine Truitt. “As the company continues to achieve unprecedented growth, we look forward to helping its employees achieve success through a competency-based education model that is flexible, affordable and conducive to the needs of working adults.”

“Our company is proud to hire a large number of veterans who have the desire and discipline to improve their knowledge and skills while serving our overall mission of providing industry-leading laboratory services to patients and healthcare professionals,” said Chad Price, founder and CEO of Mako Medical. “This partnership with WGU North Carolina will allow our employees to apply for scholarships at a student-centered university with a proven model that recognizes their existing knowledge and fosters accelerated learning.”

For more information about WGU North Carolina, visit www.wgu.edu/north-carolina.html. To learn more about Mako Medical, visit www.makomedical.com. 

About WGU North Carolina WGU North Carolina is an online competency-based university established to expand access to higher education for North Carolina residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of WGU, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), College of Business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). CCNE is located at 655 K St., NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Learn more at http://northcarolina.wgu.edu. 

About Mako Medical Laboratories
Mako Medical Laboratories has quickly become one of the most desired laboratories in the United States. Winning over 12 major awards—it has become a diagnostic partner for businesses, physicians, urgent care facilities, and many hospitals around the United States. Mako Medical Laboratories has recruited the top Ph.Ds., chemists, and scientists to provide industry-leading innovation. Mako Medical Laboratories has developed many custom and proprietary tests and uses robotics/automation to improve precision and accuracy. They have won awards for growth, innovation, best places to work, charitable work, and from the Department of Labor for employing military veterans. Mako is also known for supporting over 470 nonprofits and charities, and many international causes. For more information, visit www.makomedical.com.

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Transfer Co. Food Hall’s Final Tenants

Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , ,

We’re excited to work with client Transfer Co. Food Hall — and not just because we’re foodies (although the tidbits we’ve tasted are showstoppers, people). Founder Jason Queen crafted Transfer Co. Food Hall as a hub for collaboration, innovation and the transfer of knowledge — in part what inspired its name. It’s long-awaited curation of tenants features everything from fresh seafood to burritos, Asian cuisine and North Carolina’s own bagels.

And now, Transfer is rounding out its tenant list!

Transfer Co. Food Hall, an historically inspired culinary destination in downtown Raleigh, will open its doors with expanded hours on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, followed by a month of celebratory activities leading up to a late-summer grand opening. In addition to its current roster of chefs and restaurateurs, Transfer Co. Food Hall will debut its latest tenants with plans to open in full by end of summer of 2019. Tenants include Mama Crow’s, Alimentari by Left Bank, an expanded Burial Beer can shop, a ballroom/event space and a coworking hall.

“Since inception, we designed Transfer Co. to encourage tenants and guests alike to share knowledge, maximize collaboration and spark innovation,” said Jason Queen, founder, Transfer Co. Food Hall. “New tenants, new event spaces, a coworking hub and new culinary concepts are some of the final cornerstones to this downtown vision, and we can’t wait to share them with you!”

Alimentari at Left Bank

Alimentari at Left Bank stems from a creative collaboration between Josh DeCarolis, acclaimed chef of Durham’s Mothers and Sons, and Saxapahaw’s nationally renowned Left Bank Butchery. In addition to serving a farm-fresh menu of Italian specialties and fresh pasta by the pound, this collaboration will offer the only local whole-animal butchery and charcuterie shop in downtown Raleigh. All animals will be sourced from Cane Creek and Braeburn Farms, both recognized across the country for their restorative land management and heritage breeds. The menu will focus on tigelle’s – Northern Italian style small flatbreads stuffed with a variety of Left Bank Butchery’s meats and charcuterie, fresh local cheeses and vegetables. Alimentari at Left Bank plans to open in late summer of 2019.

Mama Crow’s

Drawing on their own culinary background, the partners in Transfer Co., including Jeanne and Jason Queen, join creative forces with Executive Chef David Mitchell to debut Mama Crow’s. Named after a great-grandmother, Mama Crow’s will feature a menu of fresh, locally sourced salads, fresh, top-quality burgers, house-made cheeses and hand-cut fries. Chef Mitchell will apply his rich experience from Raleigh hotspots — including Trophy Brewing, State of Beer and The Oak — to craft a locally inspired and healthy-minded haven at Transfer Co.

Burial Beer Gets Bigger!

Burial Beer in Transfer Co. will also expand its current 670 square-foot space to 2,000 square feet linking the connection between the food hall and Longleaf Swine BBQ. Behind Burial, Transfer Co. will open a rentable 3,000-square-foot ballroom/event space that is now accepting bookings. The space is designed to accommodate gatherings from a five-person luncheon to a 350-person concert — all with full catering access to the food hall and the site’s 14 distinct restaurants. The event space will also offer a rotating calendar of live music, pop-ups, artisan markets and community activities.

Ballrooms, Event Spaces and a Coworking Hub

In addition, Transfer’s final footprint includes a 50+ desk coworking hall with three levels of membership designed to encourage collaboration and innovation across all levels of startups within and outside of the food industry.

The Transfer tenant roster features top foodie masterminds from across North Carolina, touting culinary awards like Food & Wine’s Best Croissants in America and Draft Magazine’s #1 choice. Check out the complete list of mouth-watering talent!

Transfer Co. will host a series of celebratory activities through the months of May and June, including guest chef appearances, pop-ups and musical performances. To stay updated on the event schedule, follow Transfer Co. at www.instagram.com/transfercofoodhall and www.facebook.com/TransferCoFoodHall.

Expanded Hours Starting May 7, 2019:
Tues. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Wed. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Thurs. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fri. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sat. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

While dining our way across America, we’ve had the privilege to work with some phenomenal restaurants, chefs and culinary clients. How ’bout that time we took a chef to cook at the James Beard House in NYC?

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Tackling TV: The Power of Broadcast

Kelli FletcherBlog, Clairemont Client News, Public Relations, ,

When client WGU North Carolina partnered with the USO of North Carolina to offer $20,000 in scholarships for the state’s military community, Clairemont wanted to spread the word far and wide. Targeting multiple online and print media outlets, Clairemont tackled both small-town and big-city papers in an effort to reach audiences across the state. While Clairemont secured coverage in rural publications – a target market for WGU North Carolina – our team wanted to take coverage to the next level and score a top-tier broadcast hit for our client.

Image from WNCT-TV’s coverage.

While Clairemont had client assets ready to offer stations on the spot, including a news release and a video of WGU North Carolina’s chancellor speaking about the partnership, we knew we needed more. To give us a better shot, our team went back to the drawing board to tailor our original pitch to TV. What resulted was a powerful, timely angle that grabbed the attention of multiple reporters at TV stations in different markets. We secured two traditional TV coverage opportunities as well as an in-depth piece on Spectrum News. Spectrum’s coverage highlighted WGU North Carolina’s partnership with the USO, showcasing how the university was helping solve a critical problem – the reintegration of veterans into civilian society. The piece included interviews with WGU North Carolina Chancellor Catherine Truitt, a rep from the USO of North Carolina, and a veteran who was also an incoming student at WGU North Carolina and could speak to education as an important part of his reintegration. The complete story was shared across reporters’ Facebook pages and online, and also aired multiple times throughout the day in both Raleigh and Charlotte. Needless to say, our client was thrilled with the results and is still able to leverage the coverage to this day.

Image from Spectrum News coverage.

Whether a short segment or an in-depth interview, securing a TV story for a client is always a win. And while it can often seem daunting and even intimidating to pitch broadcast media, the Clairemont team has refined our pitch process to a T.

Want to hear more about how we may be able to secure TV coverage for your business? Drop us a line!

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Who Says? Talking About Unmentionables

Kelli FletcherBlog, Clairemont Client News, , ,

Below is the latest announcement from our client, Journelle.

Journelle Forces the Conversation About Lingerie into the Limelight

 Spring Campaign Focuses on Squashing Stereotypes and Promoting Power

New York-based lingerie company Journelle is changing the way we talk about lingerie. In a world where lingerie choice seems to have two extremes, slim and sexy or boring and basic, Journelle is calling the bluff of those brands and asking Who says?

Who says support can’t be stunning? Who says basics can’t be beautiful? Who says one brand fits all? Who says power can’t be pretty?

Photo courtesy of Journelle

“It’s not just Victoria’s Secret, Third Love or bust,” said Sandra Rose, Vice President, Merchandising and Brand, Journelle. “Our Who Says campaign is about empowering women to be confident in their personal beauty, style and shape whatever it may be, because at Journelle the goal is to help each woman emphasize and uncover her own personal brand of beauty, and in turn her confidence.”

The launch of Who Says emphatically declares that there’s a beautiful in between, no matter your size or shape, and it can be found at Journelle. This spring, Journelle wants to show women that there aren’t just two trains of thought when it comes to shopping for lingerie. There’s a third option, the best option for variety.

Journelle, long-known for its personalized in-store fitting experience, offers up knowledge and advice for those looking for the perfect undergarments. By helping customers find a comfortable fit, Journelle’s staff often provides a confidence boost as well.

“We’re here to help customers celebrate their bodies and their femininity as they see fit,” Rose added. “With Who Says, we want to communicate that you don’t have to limit your options when it comes to lingerie. The biggest trick that’s being played on women today is the idea that your femininity detracts from your identity when in fact, we argue it’s this very femininity that makes you formidable.”

Journelle offers exceptional fitting experiences in its boutiques located in New York and Chicago. Designer brands as well as Journelle’s private label are also available online. For more info visit www.journelle.com and @shopjournelle.

ABOUT JOURNELLE

Journelle is a designer lingerie store based in New York City and a favorite online lingerie mecca for the modern woman. Our brand presents a tastefully curated selection of lingerie and accessories and provides customers with compassionate, expert service. It is our mission to help women feel wonderful from the inside out, starting at the underpinnings.

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