John and Matt welcome John Borneman, Senior Director of Communications for the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholars Foundation, as they prepare for the 2021 BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club. An Evans Scholar recipient himself, John shares the history of the foundation and the impact it has made on the lives of over 11,000 caddies. Hear how media coverage has evolved during the COVID era with virtual accommodations for media members, as well as the logistics involved with planning and promoting elite national championship events.
Did someone say crab cakes? John Maroon and Jen Renehan welcome John Minadakis, President at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood. Emigrating from Greece, Demetrios “Jimmy” Minadakis opened the restaurant in 1974 with his sons John and Tony keeping the legacy alive. Since then, Jimmy’s has become a Maryland and national staple, not only due to the phenomenal cuisine and professional service they provide but also by being philanthropists in the communities they serve and staying true to their brand. Hear how Jimmy’s Famous Seafood took initiative during the pandemic to create The Famous Fund and helped raise thousands of dollars to support locally owned Baltimore restaurants, plus a whole host of other philanthropy efforts. John shares how humbled he is by the partnerships the restaurant has acquired, how being authentic on social media has impacted the brand, the experience of being featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri, and much more. ...
What better way to kick off SPIN is a Four Letter Word than a visit with Baltimore Orioles great and Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop, the “Iron Man” Cal Ripken, Jr! Cal joins John Maroon for a sit-down to talk about their long-time friendship, forged from John’s first year with the Orioles as Public Relations Director in 1995 - the same year Cal broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak - through the end of Cal’s career and into his business ventures, starting Ripken Baseball and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. When John started Maroon PR 15 years ago, it was Cal who returned the favor becoming the first client and one of the organization’s most-trusted allies. Cal’s unique ability to provide insight into the current media landscape, compared to his playing career, comes through in this interview as he discusses the impact of social media on the game today. How would that have changed Cal's outlook on privacy during his playing career? Cal also talks about the journey into his own social media and how that has furthered his brand and how fan interaction has changed because of it. ...
Dominating your niche in today’s media landscape with Holden Wilen, reporter at the Baltimore Business Journal. Long before the pandemic reared its ugly head, the news rooms of America were shrinking in size as outlets struggled to keep up with the competitiveness of the media landscape, or got left behind trying to do so. John, Matt and Holden cover a wide range of topics including the many hats both he and his colleagues at the BBJ are wearing to stand out in the current environment, how they use the 24/7 news cycle to their advantage, the overall challenges of navigating an ever-changing newsroom and the advice he’d give PR pros who are looking to foster positive relationships with media members and cut through the noise to reach them. ...
