Sep 12, 2017 | Board Members Postings, President's Point of View
Welcome to the National Information Officers Association!
The NIOA is an organization of spokespersons and communicators dedicated to getting the right information to the right people at the right time. We are passionate about the communities in which we serve, and we strive to better ourselves to in order to better serve our communities and agencies alike. It’s this passion that exemplifies our organization as a premiere venue for training and networking in the field of information gathering and dissemination.
Our annual training conference is held annually during the final week of August. It features presentations from some of the most high-profile incidents of the past year, as well as the hottest topics in the world of government communicators. While the annual conference provides incredible insight and knowledge from lessons learned, it is YOU – our members – that make this a dynamic training experience. The conference provides plenty of opportunities to meet and greet other members throughout the country whom you may one day rely on when you find yourself in the midst of a major incident.
Outside of the conference, throughout the year, the NIOA newsletter is another opportunity for you to keep up with the latest in our field. The newsletter allows you to keep up on the latest trends and topics outside our annual training conference. It also provides a venue for you to share your experience and knowledge with the entire organization! We all have some experience that can help our colleagues. To that end, I challenge each of you to write an article for the newsletter at some point over the next year.
In the past year, we launched the NIOA Facebook Group to provide our members unfiltered access to the entire NIOA community. By posting to the group, you can now rely on feedback from hundreds of PIOs throughout the country! So, even if you can’t get enough feedback from conference presenters, attendees, or newsletter articles, this opens up access to all members to provide you with the information you need to help you in any situation.
The 2017 training conference in Clearwater, Florida, was another great success and one of our biggest ever! Your NIOA Executive Board is preparing for the 2018 conference, and we are dedicated to bringing you an unparalleled experience each and every year. On that note, we ask you to send us suggestions on the presentations you would like to see in 2018.
Until we meet again in Clearwater in 2018, my message to you is to never stop training and never stop networking. It is an incredible honor to serve as your NIOA President while representing the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and I cherish the opportunity to serve and represent you and our incredible organization.
Sincerely,
Brennan Matherne
President
Sep 10, 2016 | President's Point of View
The National Information Officers Association (NIOA) is an organization of professionals dedicated to the continued improvement and evolution of information dissemination.
Since 1989, the National Information Officers Association has worked to bring public information officers together recognizing that we all have the same needs, problems and challenges. The NIOA is dedicated to being a resource for our members and the profession as a whole, and strives to provide the best training, networking opportunities and guidance to be the best information officer possible.
We are a unique and dynamic organization that is successful because of members like you, who are taking the time and initiative to better yourself, your agency and our profession. It’s this passion that exemplifies our organization as a premiere venue for training and networking in the field of information gathering and dissemination.
Our annual training conference held in August has become one of the most respected training venues for public safety, government and healthcare spokespersons in the industry. The NIOA’s Core Values state we are an organization that promotes “Professionalism, Ethics, Education, Networking”, something that I take very personally. The Executive Board, our Regional Directors and our members work very hard to provide a top-notch training experience, and we are filled to capacity every year.
The reason that the NIOA is so successful is because of its’ members. Whether you are brand new in public affairs or a seasoned veteran your opinion and voice matters. By being an active NIOA member adds to the validity of the organization, our core values and the need for competent, well-trained crisis communicators. Hallmarks that we profess are Honor, Integrity and Credibility … three attributes that define us as a professional spokesperson.
For the next year, I ask that you make a difference as a member of the NIOA. I am challenging every member three things for the next year. First, to recruit one new member by the time we meet in Florida. Secondly, I ask that you submit one article for submission for our online Bi-monthly newsletter and thirdly, to submit a presentation idea for next year’s conference.
One of my goals has always been to promote and grow the NIOA membership and we continue to accomplish that year after year. Another goal I have been working on with other professionals is to create a national accreditation for public information/public affairs officers. My hopes are this will be available within the next year.
The National Information Officers Association is always working to improve our members and our profession, and we hope that you will join us in Clearwater Beach, Florida for our 2017 training conference.
I am extremely honored and humbled to serve as the 27th President of the NIOA, and fortunate that I have been allowed to serve for a second time. I look forward to serving you, representing you and representing our great organization. Stay safe my friends, and see you on the Beach!
Sincerely,
Michael F. Fronimos
NIOA President 2016-2017
Jul 11, 2016 | NIOA Board Insights, President's Point of View
Updated: 13 July 2016
Please excuse the duplicate email but due to a technical glitch, the version you received earlier this week was incomplete.
Since the note of support is from all of NIOA, we are re-sending this message to ensure you saw the open letter to the chiefs.
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What a challenging week it was for public safety agencies. Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Falcon Heights, Minnesota; Dallas Texas. Friday afternoon officers were ambushed in Ballwin, Missouri and Valdosta, Georgia and several officers were hurt in demonstrations around the country this weekend.
I know members of the NIOA family everywhere are monitoring the aftermath of each of these incidents, especially the Dallas ambush. I’m confident many of us are having similar reactions and asking similar questions; among them: what can and should we do–today and in the days and months ahead–in response to the events of the past week and to all of the other incidents of police-involved conflict in recent months which have caused so much pain and division.
It’s not just members of law enforcement that are suffering. Responders from all agencies, medical personnel, the families of the victims, and the public at large are grieving.
The NIOA Board has sent notes of support and sympathy to the Chiefs and PIOs of the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department. I wanted to share that letter (see below) with all of our members and encourage you to keep law enforcement officers everywhere in your prayers.
As many of us know from experience, adrenalin and caffeine will carry you only so far during these kinds of events. The NIOA board encourages those members who might be in a position to offer Dallas PIOs some support in coming days–if they need it–to consider doing so, and please let us know if you do.
Thanks,
Ed Buice
To: Chief David Brown, Dallas Police Department,
Chief J.D. Spiller, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department
Sirs:
Please accept the sympathy, support and prayers of the men and women of the National Information Officers Association, a group of hundreds of spokespersons from public safety agencies around the nation.
Like millions of other Americans, we mourn with you, your officers and communities.
I commend you and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings for the outstanding job you have all done briefing the media and through them, the world. You’ve been incredibly articulate and have shown sincere empathy, honor, passion, compassion and composure. NIOA members salute you and your PIOs for a job well done.
If there is any sort of support that NIOA can provide your departments, please let us know.
Ed Buice
President, National Information Officers Association
www.nioa.org
Public Affairs Officer, Naval Criminal Investigative Service
ed.buice@ncis.navy.mil
571-305-9070
Jun 25, 2012 | NIOA Conference, President's Point of View
The role of the Public Information Officer, or PIO, is a very visible, important and vital role to every department or organization. As the daily voice and go-to person for the media to reach out to, it is imperative that every PIO receive the latest training to further their development and expertise as spokespersons for their agencies.
One of the best training opportunities is taking place in Nashville, Tennessee, August 26-29, when we host the 2012 National Information Officers Association (NIOA) conference. This professional organization is comprised of over 600 members from the public safety, government and first responder disciplines whose core values are professionalism, ethics, education and networking. The four-day training and networking event will expose your PIO to a number of very high profile incidents and cases from various departments around the country this past year. The lessons shared and learned from each organization do provide insight and knowledge so that your information officer is better prepared for an unplanned event in your community.
Whether it’s an act of Mother Nature, or a high profile motor vehicle, train, or railway incident, to a senseless criminal act by a crazed gunman; having the experience and confidence to properly respond to and prepare for the multiple hours and often days of continuous national and international media coverage is critical to your organization.
The cost for this year’s conference is only $495 dollars as long as your member is registered before July 1st. Payment is not required until the day of conference check-in at the hotel.
As past NIOA Presidents have done, I am providing this letter for members to share with their chief or administrator to help show the value of the annual training conference. Please download, print and present it to your leaders so that they might better understand the overall value of this conference.
We hope to see you in Nashville!
Chuck Allen
2011-2012 President
NIOA
Apr 26, 2011 | Items of Note, NIOA Conference, President's Point of View
The NIOA Board members are working hard to prepare for the 2011 conference in Phoenix, Arizona. We know that there are budget concerns for many agencies, travel monies are few and some agencies are not providing funds for training.
We also believe that this conference is the finest conference available for PIOs to hone their skills, receive new insights to help them improve themselves as PIOs and therefore benefit their agencies, and of course, to build networks with others that can help when help is needed.
As past NIOA Presidents have done, I am providing a letter for members to share with their chief or administrator to help show the value of the annual training conference. Please download, print and present it to your leaders so that they might better understand the overall value of this conference.
We look forward to seeing you in Phoenix.
Jack Goldhorn
2010-2011 President
NIOA
Oct 6, 2010 | Items of Note, Member News, President's Point of View
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