Danny Rubin is no stranger to the readers of this publication.
His picture has graced many a page in the Jewish News because of his volunteer work for the Simon Family JCC, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s YAD, Temple Israel, Beth Sholom Home and other agencies over his 31 years.
But on Thursday, Oct. 29, 300 people attending a dinner in a fancy Chicago hotel got to know Danny as a budding young professional in his field. That evening the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, based at the University of Alabama, honored Danny for his work as a mentor to his fellow millennials. Through his blog, www.newstoliveby.net, and career coaching, my oldest has been teaching the value of good writing skills to make connections and land jobs.
The other Plank Center honorees represented some of the leading public relations firms in the country, including Edelman and Hill & Knowlton, as well as the communications departments of companies like Chevron. It was heady company, both for Danny and his father, yours truly, who had the distinct honor of introducing him. (If you would like to see his speech and mine, go to http://plankcenter.ua.edu).
The timing of the event was propitious. Earlier that week, Amazon began offering Danny’s (first) book, Wait! How do I Write this E-mail? for sale. It’s more than 200 pages of suggested templates for engaging e-mails that will help their writers make a positive impression on employers or others in positions of authority. At the dinner, every one of the PR “machers” who perused it were eager to buy it for their staffs or their young adult children. Indeed it would make a great graduation gift, in my humble opinion.
How did the Plank Center find Danny? Through a great email of course, sent benignly to a professor at DePaul University, simply in search of some help on a blog post. That teacher, Ron Culp, just happens to chair the Plank Center board and immediately recognized Danny as a mentor on the rise. He nominated Danny to be an honoree, and before we knew it, father and son were on an all expenses paid trip to the Windy City.
I have two great kids, Molly in DC who is an account manager at a web and app design firm, and Danny, who has worked with me at Rubin Communications Group since June of 2013. Both are married and have given Sara Jo and me two grandchildren, and a thousand reasons to kvell. Well now thanks to the Plank Center, make that a thousand and one.
by Joel Rubin