Tis the season for giving! MCS gave back to our local community by organizing a food drive for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Throughout December, our employees collected non-perishable goods for those in need. Check out our video below, and for more information on how you can give to this worthwhile cause go to http://www.njfoodbank.org/
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year to all!
At MCS, we consider ourselves experts on the emerging issues, trends and opportunities that are necessary for successful communications within the healthcare PR space, and so does PharmaVOICE magazine.
In their November / December special Year in Preview issue, PharmaVOICE selected and polled more than 160 industry experts on their counsel surrounding what’s ahead for 2012, and MCS is proud to have the expertise of our very own Joe Boyd, founder and CEO, and Eliot Harrison, Vice President, highlighted throughout.
When asked about the upcoming strides in social media marketing within the industry, Eliot notes “pharma’s task is to navigate social media channels and view them as integral aspects of any strategy.”
In highlighting the importance of PR in today’s marketing mix, Joe believes that “through physician leaders and patient advocates, PR offers a unique opportunity to change customer thinking and behavior in a credible and cost-effective manner.”
Check out the entire PharmaVOICE issue here, and don’t forget to take note of Eliot and Joe’s contributions on pages 76 – 82.
MCS Healthcare Public Relations is delighted to announce two promotions in the month of October!
Eliot Harrison has been appointed to Vice President, and Amy Keitel has been appointed to Account Executive.
Formerly Director of Client Services, Eliot provides strategic and creative solutions that match the communication goals of his clients, which include Merck and Genentech, as well as the coordination and goal setting necessary to achieve measureable results for these clients.
Amy, who was previously an Account Representative, provides support for the development and implementation of corporate communications and media relations campaigns for clients such as Merck, Genentech, CSL Behring and MannKind Corporation.
“MCS takes great pride in the achievements of our staff, personally and as a team, as they excel in servicing our clients,” said Jeff Hoyak, President of MCS Healthcare Public Relations. “As they take on increasing responsibilities, Eliot and Amy will continue to exemplify the quality work ethic and professionalism that MCS has provided to our clients for more than 25 years.”
Congrats to both Eliot and Amy on their advance and accomplishments!
On Sept. 27th, MCS attended the 2nd Annual Galien Forum, a roundtable of leaders in healthcare focusing on critical global issues and challenges the industry is facing. The forum brought together leaders from all spectrums of the healthcare field including influential journalists, physician leaders, pharmaceutical executives, R&D innovators, etc.
Of particular interest was the debate on how news breaks and how patients and physicians handle the response. In our current media landscape if, for example, a safety signal is alerted and reported about a drug, consumers have instant access to this news likely before their personal physician has had a chance to study and review the information. It is clear that as communicators we need to develop “rapid learning systems” so that we can offer the public, and those who care for them, the most information possible in the shortest amount of time.
Overall, the Galien Forum offered high-level insight from the top minds who brought forth ideas and challenges the industry will be faced with all as we strive to improve and manage healthcare globally. Our thanks to Christopher O’Toole for the invite, and we look forward to attending again next year.
MCS has been ranked as one of the top 10 New Jersey public relations firms by NJBIZ. Up one spot from last year, MCS ranks number seven out of more than 30 Garden State-based firms. The list is based on 2010 agency billings.
Founded in 1987, the award winning NJBIZ is New Jersey’s only weekly business journal featuring local industry news and trends throughout the state.
Joe Boyd, founder and CEO of MCS, has been selected as one of PharmaVOICE Magazine’s “100 Most Inspiring People in the Life Sciences.”
The PharmaVOICE 100 were nominated by PharmaVOICE readers who identified individuals they consider to have the greatest influence and positive impact on the life sciences industry. Joe was recognized by his employees, clients and colleagues for his seasoned mastery of the medical and business sides of the pharmaceutical industry, and his thoughtful, ethical approach to healthcare communications.
Check out the feature profile on Joe appearing in this month’s August issue of PharmaVOICE Magazine!
For the sixth consecutive year, MCS has held its place among the top 20 healthcare PR agencies across the U.S. on O’Dwyer’s annual list , achieving a solid spot at number 14 out of 89 agencies ranked in this year’s 2011 issue.
The rankings will be published in the May issue of O’Dwyer’s and will also feature a write-up on the agency, drawing attention to our creativity, service and results.
O’Dwyer’s is the number-one publication for PR and marketing professionals and has provided the latest inside news pertaining to public relations and marketing communications nationwide since 1968.
To read more about our previous ranking and recognition in O’Dwyer’s annual healthcare issue, check out our last blog post here.
MCS has announced the appointment of Brian Thompson to Senior Vice President, a position in which he will also serve as member of the agency’s Executive Committee.
Formerly Vice President, Brian plays a key role in the development and implementation of public-relations activities for such clients as Genentech, CSL Behring, and Æterna Zentaris. His work at MCS has supported a variety of products in the therapeutic categories of dermatology, gastroenterology, hematology, respiratory, rheumatology, neurology, and oncology, as well as rare diseases.
“In the five years since he joined MCS, Brian has amply demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and command of all key aspects of our business,” said Joe Boyd, CEO of MCS Healthcare Public Relations. “His background in hospital-based public relations and journalism brings a unique expertise and perspective for MCS’ health care clients, who have come to highly regard and rely on Brian for his knowledge of the marketplace, strategic thinking and expert counsel.”
Prior to joining MCS, Brian served as Assistant Director of Public Relations for Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was the primary media contact, working with national and local press on stories about hospital services, programs, clinical trials and new technologies. He also oversaw the development of marketing and PR materials, including brochures and award-winning annual reports. Previous to Hackensack, Brian served as Director of Public Affairs for Nyack Hospital, where he was responsible for all marketing, media relations and advertising. He initiated Nyack Hospital’s first quarterly health publication and developed and edited a branded hospital website.
MCS has announced the appointment of Dana Karpinski as senior account executive, expanding the agency’s commitment to provide our clients with the highest quality of strategic counsel, product communications and project management.
Karpinski brings to MCS a background in both public relations and patient education. Prior to joining MCS, Dana was an assistant account executive at HealthEd Encore in Clark, NJ, where as part of the account management team, she worked on a variety of communication and marketing projects with a main focus on patient education. Specifically, Dana has implemented direct-to-consumer campaigns in an array of media, including print, instructional videos, and the Web. Previous to Encore, Karpinski was a PR specialist with Baer Consulting in Montclair, NJ, where she was responsible for external media campaigns, event planning and spokespeople management. Karpinski also interned at WSET, an ABC affiliate in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is a graduate of Liberty University and holds a bachelor’s of science in Communication Studies.
“We are very excited to welcome Dana to the MCS team,” said Jeff Hoyak, president of MCS Healthcare Public Relations. “Her patient education and public relations experience, combined with a firm grasp of the current regulatory environment and the communications challenges and opportunities it presents to our healthcare clients, provides a unique perspective that will be a valuable asset to MCS in meeting the diverse needs of those clients.”
In the spirit of the holiday season, MCS wanted to give back to our local community. Throughout December, our employees collected generous amounts of non-perishable goods for donation to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Just prior to the holidays, the MCS team packed up the boxes, bundled up and helped load the truck set to deliver the goods!
We are so grateful that we are able to share with others during this time of year. Happy Holidays and a successful New Year to all!
