Past Meetings

By Lisa Abgrall 

On Tuesday, April 20th, I had the privilege of meeting Paul Tumarkin and Bob Berry of Kingdon-Nichols, both IABC/Tucson members. These gentlemen came as speakers to the University of Arizona Communication Club meeting, where they gave a brief presentation on professional communication and how it is applied in the real world.  

This was personally one of the most informative and worthwhile presentations I have heard as a member in the Communication Club. Not only did they inform us about their careers and daily tasks that go along with their jobs, but they also gave us a little insight to what employers in the real world are seeking today.  

As Paul said, “The skills that employers are searching for in a potential employee are communication skills. An employee must be able to communicate effectively. In addition, candidates need to be able to collaborate, think critically and solve problems, and demonstrate the ability to be creative and innovate.”  

These desired skills mentioned by Paul made me reevaluate how I, as a potential new employee, can improve the skills I have, visibly seen during an interview.  

Paul and Bob also told us about what companies they work for and what their businesses are all about. I found it very intriguing that Paul’s company “provides world-class creative and strategic communications services for organizations focused on MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.”   

Not only did this presentation inspire me to be successful in the future, but also be extremely personable. Both Paul and Bob were extremely personable and friendly, which I’m sure helped with the creation and growth of their businesses. I look forward to what the future has in store, hopefully in my case, a sustainable and secure job.  

Lisa Abgrall will end her sophomore year at University of Arizona in May. She is the recording secretary of the UA Communications Club. The Phoenix resident plans to study abroad in Australia and get an internship at a Tucson company to better her communication skills.