Julie Pedretti, President
At our April 11 NPC Board Meeting, one of the board members commented that it isn’t often that someone who writes well also speaks well. Press Club of Southwest Florida members and guests were treated to an exceptional speaker, Executive Editor of Fortune magazine Adam Lashinsky. He was engaging and enlightening. According to those who are reading Adam’s new book, “Wild Ride: Inside Uber’s Quest for World’s Domination,” it is fast-paced and well-written. Our thanks go out to Adam for taking time from his vacation with his family to be with us for a few hours, and to NPC Treasurer Iris Shur for extending the invitation to have him speak at an NPC program.
A good turnout is expected for our lunch on May 3, which will feature the Collier County Honor Flight program. Two days later—on Saturday, May 5—an Honor Flight will take off from Southwest Florida International Airport early in the morning for a full day in Washington, DC.
May 3 also happens to be Free Press Day. Perhaps more than any other time in our history, journalists and media are being criticized. The important role journalists play in reporting fair and balanced news appears less valued. The NPC Board is planning to provide some type of public message to mark Free Press Day this year.
Also plan to join us at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at Seasons 52 for an NPC social event to honor the working media. This is an excellent opportunity to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. Watch for details and information on how to register.
As a preview, be sure to plan to attend the June 7 lunch program so you can meet our new NPC Journalism Scholarship winners, along with past winners. Please read Connie Kindsvater’s SCOOP article about these amazing students. They truly are inspirational.
The list of topics for our annual summer retreat is continuing to grow. Board members are looking forward to taking time on a Saturday morning to more thoroughly discuss a number of strategic issues. Let me know if you have ideas about how the Press Club of Southwest Florida should plan for its future.
If you have an interest in becoming more involved in NPC or if you have ideas for future programs, please let us know.