Tom Nardacci recently participated in the”Social Media in Business: Everyone is doing it, are you doing it right?” event, hosted by Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, held at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Tom and other members of the panel looked at how social media is impacting the business environment and discussed how it can be effective for marketing, public relations and communications.

Modern Mix Marketing created and posted this video of Tom’s presentation.

Gramercy Communications: Under The Magnifying Glass

by Mike Bohne (Fall 2011 Intern)

I was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP); a genetic eye condition that leads to incurable blindness. I was diagnosed at an early age, have been legally blind since before my teen years and have learned to cope with this condition my entire life.  The level of degeneration of eyesight varies for every person and RP can cause severe night blindness.

This past May, I graduated from Utica College of Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and then began working as a part-time intern at Gramercy Communications in July.  Every morning when I leave for Gramercy before the sun comes up, I open the door and can barely see a foot in front of me as I cautiously walk to the bus stop.  This is one of the many obstacles I deal with daily.

My first day was challenging and I knew I had to find a way to adapt to the new situations ahead of me, or else fitting in at Gramercy would be impossible.  Ask yourself, how do you work in the fast paced office environment of a public relations firm when you’re legally blind and can’t see well enough to read the newspaper or even online media? Most Capital Region media does not offer accessibility options for visually impaired individuals on their websites, a stunning fact considering that a majority of people in the world get their news online.

I did not expect a PR firm to slow down just for me; a PR firm does not slow down for anyone.  Dealing with daily tasks such as writing a press release, scanning the news for articles related to our clients and even meeting new clients are a current challenge for me to overcome.  Communicating with clients can be difficult with a visual impairment such as mine, as non-verbal communication is very important to a conversation.

When reading the news or writing a press release, I adapt to the situation by using handheld magnification devices and computer software designed for people with visual impairments.  My visual impairment can make normal tasks more time consuming, but it only encourages me to work harder and faster.  I do not see my disability as a weakness, rather as a source of motivation to push myself and to be persistent.  I don’t let Retinitis Pigmentosa get in the way of my goals in life or affect my quality of work.

I have had great experiences at Gramercy in my short time here.  I have learned that Gramercy Communications and I share several qualities, the most important is that we both are committed to working harder.  With RP – I have to. At Gramercy Communications, it’s a commitment to our clients that drives us.

The full Gramercy Communications team recently attended the Public Relations Society of America Capital Region Chapter 2011 Empire Awards, where we left as winners and Tom was awarded Public Relations Practitioner of The Year.  Tom explained that everyone at Gramercy played a role in its success, and took the time in his speech to recognize me and my writing skills.  Even as a new member of the team I was able to find my place at Gramercy, it’s nice to be appreciated.

I was looking for a job when I graduated college, but I found something more – an opportunity.  I am enjoying my time here and look forward to the future.  The field of Public Relations is always changing and I am eager to never stop learning. I look forward to my next challenge.