By: Greg Bailey, APR

These things didn’t exist in 1996 – blogs. If you typed blog in 1996, most people thought your finger slipped typing “bog” and would likely start thinking about wetlands and peat moss. Now, Google, which didn’t exist in 1996, either, has some 228 million results for the search term “first blog post.”

Electronic mail was relatively new, too. I remember asking people for their email addresses – in a tone requesting admission to their inner sanctum – and hoping to be allowed inside. Most people flipped over their business card and scribbled some AOL or Compuserve address down. We thought we were pretty cool because ours said @kvbpr.com.

And we were cool in 1996, three people who’d made the rounds around town, working at firms, a big hospital, newspapers … we KNEW this city and a lot of people knew us. We were ready to take what we had learned working for other people – toss out the bad, recast the good and see if this dream would fly.

It did, it has and here we are 15 years later. Suffice it to say, there have been good days and not so good days; great years and better years – all along living to the words of the late Randy Pausch from The Last Lecture: “It’s not about how to achieve your dreams. It’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.”

Along the way, none of our dreams would have been realized without the talented, hard working professionals who have come through our door and made their own personal impact on us. Mark Twain once wrote that “really great people make you feel that, you too, can become great.” So true, and I thank them for making us great through these years. For those who have moved on, I miss them and their greatness all the time.

Now, it’s time to move forward. The celebration has been held; the cake has been cut and the stories have been retold – again. They will go back into the cerebral vault, hopefully to emerge in another five years.

We have, now, history. We can be thankful for our history; for our families and friends and clients who lived this history with us. Now it is time to embrace our history and create new history.

A few years ago, on a solo tour, Bruce Springsteen (most people who know me knew that a Springsteen reference would appear here) closed each show with a cover of a song titled Dream Baby Dream. It goes like this …

Dream baby dream

Come on and dream baby dream

Keep the fire burning

We gotta keep the light burning

Come and dream baby dream.

Amen.

By: Heather Schablik

Since our beginning, we have taken great pride in our commitment to growing the public relations profession through our semester-long internship program. The true value of an internship can best be told by those students – more than 40, in fact – who have graced our offices for months at a time.

While we couldn’t feature all of the former KVBPR interns, we did spend some time chatting with a few of them to reflect on favorite memories and find out where they are now.

Amanda Murphy (1997 intern)

Director of Corporate Communications, CMT

“The biggest lesson I learned at KVBPR was that every little thing counts. I spent a lot of my time pulling media lists, conducting research and compiling clip reports, which may not be the most glamorous tasks, but they are the basic building blocks of PR. If you can’t back up your work to your clients or executives, it loses value. Another key lesson I learned: Roy Vaughn likes his staples parallel to the side of the paper, not diagonal.”

Allison Maraniss (2001 intern)

Account Supervisor, McNeely Pigott & Fox

“My favorite KVBPR memory was working on the Oasis Center pro bono account. The team was Greg Bailey and me, so I went to all of the client meetings, wrote all the promotional materials, pitched the media…everything. It was a great learning experience and it meant a lot to me that the KVBPR team trusted me – an intern – with that type of responsibility. Plus, I had a lot of work to add to my portfolio.”

Joel Fortner (2002 intern)

Founder, BlueBridge Communication, and Media and Opinion Research Analyst, U.S. Air Force Public Affairs

“While at KVBPR, I definitely learned I was pursuing the right career path. I’d remind all future interns that your job is to listen and learn. Also, don’t be afraid to contribute.”

Kallie Bienvenu (2006 intern)

Communications Manager, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

“While I got to be part of the move from KVBPR’s Brentwood offices to the current Nashville office (a very neat experience), and also enjoyed a very cold and fun BlueCross Bowl, another memory in particular stands out. Near the end of the fall semester, the KVBPR team was working hard on preparations to host the Worldcom Public Relations Group annual meeting, and one evening we all stayed late to put together conference binders. Everyone stayed and pitched in, from intern to partner. It not only allowed me to get to know everyone better – as we sat on the floor organizing notebooks and eating snacks –  but it showed me firsthand the dedicated and tight-knit team that makes KVBPR tick!”

Katelyn Burkhart (2007 intern)

Communications Coordinator, HCA

“My favorite KVBPR memory was being treated as part of the team. There were never moments of ‘make the intern do it.’ I got to sit AT the table, help brainstorm for clients, and work on projects that actually made a difference. It made me want to work hard and do a good job. And it left me with a sense of gratitude for that experience that I still have today. And for future interns, make sure you say ‘thank you’ – interning at KVBPR is a priceless experience.”

Jena Locke (2009 intern)

Principal, Hall Strategies

“If I could tell future interns one thing, it would be to utilize the knowledge base of the individuals you have working around you every day. You are surrounded by individuals who were once in your shoes, and they are always more than happy to answer questions and help you grow in your public relations skills and professionalism.”

Rebecca Lakin (2010 intern)

Assistant Account Executive, Edelman PR

“KVBPR taught me to take the theories from the classroom and apply them to real-world situations. And to all the future KVBPR interns, be willing to take on any task and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

It’s humbling and inspiring to see the impact KVBPR has had on so many students for the last 15 years. And as a former KVBPR intern myself, I can personally attest to one thing – it’s a great place to intern, and an even better place to work.

By: Nancy DeKalb

Ten years ago, I walked into KVBPR’s office for the first time.  I arrived for a job interview and two things in the reception area immediately caught my attention – a variety of hats hanging on a rack, and a small child playing quietly in the corner.

The hats represented KVBPR’s areas of expertise.  There was a fireman’s hat for crisis, a nurse’s cap for healthcare, a “press” fedora for media relations and a baseball thinking cap.  Anyone remember the other hats?

The small child belonged to the office manager.  Some malady was keeping her out of daycare and, like a lot of working parents, Mom didn’t have a reliable back-up — so her daughter was making an office visit.

(Okay, in full disclosure, the bowl of purple and white M&Ms also caught my eye that day.)

I never saw the job description, but it should have included “creative, family environment with an endless supply of chocolate.”

I liked and admired the creative people who came up with the hat symbolism.  And, as the mother of two small kids at that time, I appreciated a company that would accommodate children in the office.  A few weeks later, I joined the KVBPR team.

A couple of years after that, I was named partner and became the ampersand in Katcher Vaughn & Bailey.  Along with Aileen, Greg and Roy, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about managing people and owning a business. Those lessons have come from my partners, our clients and the talented public relations practitioners among our team and alumni.

The PR tools we use have evolved in the past 10 years.  We email, tweet, text and post news releases.  We create client Facebook pages and videos for YouTube.  We set up dark sites for potential crisis issues and we engage audiences in mobile campaigns.

But, some things have remained consistent.  We still use our thinking caps in developing creative ways to help our clients reach their business goals.  Our offices are always open to family and friends.  And, we continue to refill the M&Ms bowl.

By: Roy Vaughn, APR

I had three young sons when we founded KVBPR. How young?  Try 2 months, 4 years and 7 years. Now THAT is motivation to make it work. A few friends thought I’d lost it (thanks, guys).

It was a truly life changing time.

My youngest son was born with severe heart defects that required surgeries, and I was not sure we could get health coverage. If not, I was out. We found a way for us all to get covered through the efforts of Joann Denise and the full support of my future partners. We could go ahead with our plan.

Aileen, Greg and I were all confident that KVBPR could be successful from the start. By the close of 1996 we were in the black…no small feat for a start up of any flavor.  Before we knew it, we’d hit the five-year mark – another one of those business survival milestones – and we were still growing. Now there are 15 candles on the cake for my son Phillip and for KVBPR. Both are thriving…and I’m one proud papa.

We’ve all grown in different ways as time has passed. For instance, I’m writing a GUEST BLOG for KVBPR. Blogs didn’t exist, and I sure didn’t see myself on the client side, when we hung our shingle.

In 2007, I left KVBPR to join one of our clients, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Yes, health insurance has played a major role in my story with KVBPR. I’m happy to report I’m still at BlueCross…and the change has been really good for me and my family on many levels. Sometimes I’m asked about my relationship with KVBPR and I often joke that since I’m a client the partners have to treat me better now!

One thing has not changed at KVBPR — we founded the firm on the idea that strategic counsel, excellent work and high ethical standards make a difference for clients.

Of course, you can’t deliver on that promise without outstanding people. KVBPR can be proud of consistently attracting some of the best…talented, big-hearted professionals who’ve done great things at the firm and beyond. I hesitate to provide a list for fear of leaving someone out (but you know who you are). Man, it’s been so rewarding to work alongside you all!

To Aileen, Greg, Nancy and all KVBers, congratulations on the first 15 years.  It’s been fun seeing the firm grow up so well…almost as much as seeing my sons do so.

The Vaughns all grown up: Front - Laura; Back (L-R) - Jordan (21), Roy, Patrick (19) and Phillip (15). Roy's and Laura's ages were withheld upon request!

By Aileen Katcher

In August of 1996, after months of late night and early morning planning and meetings, Roy Vaughn, Greg Bailey and I drafted the release announcing the formation of Katcher Vaughn & Bailey Communications (we changed Communications to Public Relations a few years later) on a Mac in my laundry room/office with Samantha, my little Scottie, asleep in her crate next to us.

We started in the mail room of Grubb & Ellis/Centennial Real Estate on West End where I was subleasing a small office for my sole proprietorship.   Grubb & Ellis/Centennial CEO Darwin Pankey’s real estate team quickly helped us find space in Cummins Station, an old warehouse that was renovated and catered to entrepreneurial businesses, where we set up our first office.

We worked off of card tables those first weeks in Cummins and communicated via cell phones.   Soon we had real desks and furniture; a phone system; a hodge-podge of computers, which we “networked” by sharing floppy disks; and oh yes, a few clients.

We spent two years at Cummins where we grew our client base and our team.  We still have fond memories of the indoor fish pond the landlord installed outside his office.  We once jokingly plotted to kidnap the fish and hold them for ransom when we felt the landlord was being unreasonable about maintenance needs.  When the tornado of 1998 hit downtown, we watched it from our window, not realizing what it was and wondering what was causing all of the trunks to pop up on cars in the parking lot.

After an eight-year change of scenery in Brentwood, we moved back downtown in 2007 to the 21^st floor of the historic L&C Tower.  Originally, I was not convinced that the relocation was a good idea.  But, in a rare move, I have since admitted many times that I was totally wrong.  The energy downtown is great.  I run into friends, colleagues and clients on the street nearly every day.   And being in the heart of the central business district has had a positive impact on our business.

Back in 1996, when a client hired Katcher Vaughn & Bailey, they got Katcher, Vaughn or Bailey.  There were no other options! As an entrepreneurial company, we built our client base working with entrepreneurial clients.   Today, our client base includes established businesses along with a few entrepreneurial clients.  Clients still work with Katcher, Bailey or DeKalb (Vaughn defected to the client side in 2007), as every client has a partner of counsel on their team.  But the team also includes other bright, creative and hard working members with varying types of expertise to meet their needs.  And, as always, we all go the extra mile.

I am proud of our fabulous team, proud of our clients and look forward to many more years of success and anniversary celebrations.

Elvis performs at the KVBPR 5th Anniversary Party in Brentwood.