7.6.2011 Communications Agency Hatch and A Better Image Printing Win PICA Award. Lynne Smyers, partner and creative director for the full-service communications agency Hatch, and A Better Image Printing in Chapel Hill, NC, have won a PICA Award from the Printing Industries of the Carolinas. This year the award was received in the “Best of Category for Booklets: Large Format,” for a piece Smyers designed for Innovation Network, a Washington, DC-based evaluation, research and consulting firm that provides knowledge and expertise to help nonprofits and funders learn from their work to improve their results. Smyers and the printer jointly received a PICA award last year based on a printed piece for the same client. [full press release]

6.2.2011 PTA Thrift Shop Launches Campaign to Build New Carrboro Facilities—Project will stimulate economy and means more money for schools, more recycling, and jobs. The PTA Thrift Shop, a nonprofit with resale stores in Chapel Hill and Carrboro and a major donor to local schools for over half a century, announced plans to build new facilities and additional commercial space at its Carrboro location. It is launching a $1.7 million community campaign to help fund the project that will help stimulate the economy, allow more recycling, and generate additional dollars for schools. [full press release]

6.2011 Hatch Designs Book Cover for WIRED To Your Market. Authors Colin Wahl and Cindy Schersching, PhD, recruited Hatch partner Lynne Smyers to design a cover for their new book soon to be available through Amazon. The book focuses on how to use the power of online feedback to connect with customers and build business. Client Opinions, the publisher of this book, for almost a decade has helped organizations worldwide develop and execute online research programs to build their business, anticipate issues and uncover new opportunities on the horizon.

5.25.2011 The Women’s Center Partners with Hatch. Hatch creative director Lynne Smyers developed the program to introduce the first in a series of lunch events the nonprofit will host to empower women. She is donating her services to help support their cause. The organization’s mission is to partner with women and girls to build their knowledge, skills and confidence to become self-sufficient by providing key services and educational resources.

4.20.2011 Entegrion Licenses Stasilon^® Bleeding Control Dressing to Beeken BioMedical. Entegrion, the life sciences development company focused on expanding the therapeutic potential of the human vascular system, announces it has licensed Stasilon to the Chicago-based medical device company Beeken BioMedical. Stasilon is an FDA-cleared, single-use hemostatic dressing applied externally with mechanical compression to temporarily control bleeding in lacerations, punctures, abrasions and incisions. [full press release]

4.2011 Introducing…Recently Hatch’d . Our first Hatch newsletter eblast! IN THIS ISSUE: Spring Forward, Refresh Your Message, A New Look, Community Connections

4.7.2011 Youth to Experience Hunger in "30 Hour Famine 2011," Weekend of April 15-16 in Chapel Hill. As many as 200 youth will fast for 30 hours over the weekend of April 15-16 and sleep overnight in cardboard boxes in the parking lot of HillSong Church in Chapel Hill as part of a “30 Hour Famine.” Hatch, the Chapel Hill-based communications agency serving clients locally and nationwide, volunteered to help promote the event that will raise money for earthquake victims in Haiti. Other sponsors, youth (ages 11-18) participants, area churches and adult chaperones are invited. [full press release]

3.1. 2011 Website for Biotech Developer Entegrion Gets a Fast Facelift. Hatch helped this biotech development company re-shape its communications direction to generate investor interest. In a quick turnaround, Hatch consulted with the client on adapting their business plan to reflect the new priorities. They then applied this new focus to an interim website—a single page with updated content and design. The team will create an extensive website to meet the client’s new business objectives over the next few months.

3.2011 Hatch Provides Communications for the PTA Thrift Shop. Hatch is honored to be working with one of its favorite places to shop that is focused on sustainability. The campaign theme, “So Much More Than a Thrift Store…,” highlights the quiet accomplishments of this strong organization that generates more than $200,000 each year for our local schools. The team looks forward to serving as the ongoing communications partner.

3.2011 Combat & Casualty Care Magazine Gets a New Look. Lynne Smyers, Hatch creative director, is redesigning the quarterly publication that serves all branches of the military. Published by Tactical Defense Media, the magazine focuses on care for combat casualties and trauma victims and issues related to national defense, worldwide and homeland security, and armed forces training.

3.2011 Local Printer Starts Re-Branding. Hatch created a new logo for the family-owned, private printing company, Chapel Hill Printing & Graphics. It is the first step in the process to re-brand the local business that has served Chapel Hill since 1975.

3.2011 Caring4Haiti Plans Another Trip to Haiti. Hatch partner Tamara Baker helps spread the word for another trip to Haiti by a local medical team.

2.2011 Arc of Orange County Generates Support from the Great Human Race. The nonprofit asked Hatch to develop a creative solution for promoting an upcoming fundraiser, a 5k race on Sat., March 26 in downtown Durham, NC, to benefit charities designated by the donor. Hatch designed and developed compelling content for a customized email blast to send as a series of emails to the group’s extensive database.

2.2011 Hatch Helps New Medical Technology Attract Investors. Hatch created an executive profile to help introduce a client to potential investors. A serial entrepreneur who owns a variety of health-related and other companies, the client recently purchased rights to an innovative medical technology and will include the profile in the product’s business plan used to seek funding.

1.2011 KUDOS to...PORCH for Fighting Hunger Neighbor-to-Neighbor. The young volunteer-led grassroots effort collects bags of canned goods and non-perishables monthly from porches in Chapel Hill and Carrboro neighborhoods. It re-distributes the food and donations to established local groups who feed the needy. Hatch partner Tamara Baker’s neighborhood is a regular contributor: “It’s a great program offering tangible, easy solutions for a fast-growing need, and I’m honored to support it.”

10.23.10 KUDOS to…The Walk For Education, an annual fun event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools. Hatch partner Tamara Baker led the fundraising campaign for Carrboro Elementary for the second year in a row. Thanks to the generosity and team spirit of the students, parents and staff, the donations this year at the school were 4x more than those two years ago! Despite the challenging economy, overall, the 2010 14th Walk raised the most money yet—almost $90,000 for the single event, a 15 percent increase over the previous year.

10.8.2010 Heels4Hope Radio Interview on 1360 WCHL—Listen to segment with Tamara Baker, Hatch partner, and UNC Greek team leaders discussing Heels4Hope 5-K on Oct. 17. 1360wchl.com/listenwide.html?showname=dgpodcast

10.2010 KUDOS to…Buy a Book and Feed an Orphan, a project started by an adoptive mom to raise money to feed orphans in Ethiopia. Check out this blog that Hatch partner Tamara Baker helped a friend to write—a worthy cause and great books for gifts! childrensbooksforfood.blogspot.com

9.9.10 UNC Greeks Team Up with Heels4Hope 5-K Race to be Held on Oct. 17: Event to Benefit Local Arc of Orange, Push America, and St. Jude Children’s Hospital—Heels4Hope, a Hatch pro bono client, raised more than $13,000 in its inaugural year last October and has announced this year’s race will be held on Sunday, October 17, 2010, on the University of North Carolina campus. [full press release]

9.9.10 Entegrion Awarded $8.2M Department of Defense Contract—The life sciences company Entegrion, Inc. announces receipt of a two-year $8.2 million research and development contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for continuing development of a method for aseptic production of dried human plasma for transfusion. [full press release]

9.1.10 New Branding Campaign for Center for Evaluation Innovation—Hatch partner Lynne Smyers finalized a branding campaign that includes logo, stationery components, web site, online newsletter, poster, and brief series for the new organization. The Center is a nonprofit based in Washington, DC, specializing in advocacy, communications and systems change. They promote cutting-edge approaches to strategic learning and new methods for policy change. www.evaluationinnovation.org

8.26.10 Hatch Completes New Web Site and Branding Campaign for Mission Critical Partners—Hatch announces completion of a new web site for Mission Critical Partners (MCP), technical and operational consulting services provider for life safety communications. [full press release]

8.19.10 Water-Jel Releases Key Burn Healing Study at National Military Medical Forum—Hatch helped Water-Jel, world leader in emergency burn care, inform military leaders about the effect of its dressing on second-degree burn wound healing. Hatch condensed a 44-page complex scientific report into a double-sided marketing piece to effectively convey the study results at a highly-competitive conference.

8.2010 From Research Lab to Market—Hatch Helps Introduce Cortical Metrics. How do you match brilliant research with investors and key collaborators? That’s the challenge presented to Hatch. The solution was to develop a series of materials written and designed to validate findings and appeal to medical investigators at leading academic institutions and potential funders attending targeted medical conferences. New tactile sensory technology from Cortical Metrics provides rapid, painless, non-invasive Central Nervous System testing in less than 15 minutes. The portable, small testing device holds promise for diagnosis and assessment of treatment efficacy for disorders ranging from traumatic brain injury, autism, alcoholism, concussion, chronic pain, dementia, and depression to Alzheimer’s. 

7.10.10 KUDOS to…Habitat’s “Women Build” Campaign—Hatch partner Tamara Baker volunteered with other women in her North Haven neighborhood in Chapel Hill, NC, to help a local family achieve their dream of an affordable home.

6.2010 Hatch Re-Brands Horizon MedCorp—After conducting a communications audit of company materials and developing a comprehensive communications strategy, Hatch developed a corporate brochure, sales materials, and exhibit to premiere at the client’s largest trade show, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting. Horizon MedCorp offers a diverse service and technology portfolio that includes personalized disease management services, supplies, and online tools to improve patient health.

4.16.10 KUDOS to…The “30 Hour Famine” that raised almost $10,000 for Haiti relief—After collecting pledged donations for weeks, 130 teenagers camped in a church parking lot for a good cause and inspired us all. The group formed friendships, played games, and slept (a little) in cardboard boxes all night, and in the morning, they collected food for a local food bank from neighbors. Hatch partner Tamara Baker volunteered to help feed the crew at the end of their fundraising fast.

4.10 Unique Pro Bono Annual Report for Local Green Nonprofit—The challenge: A creative solution to a request for a memorable annual report. The solution: Hatch Partner Lynne Smyers created a large poster on one side and an annual report on the other to help Clean Energy Durham update constituents. Their goal is to move America toward cleaner and safer energy by creating organizations of neighbors helping neighbors save energy.

3.2010 Smyers Leads Marketing for CIEL’s 20th—Hatch partner Lynne Smyers coordinated a communications plan for the 20th Anniversary Gala for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Included were a save-the-date card and program for the celebration held at the U.S. Botanic Gardens, a commemorative poster, and anniversary logo. Smyers has produced annual reports for this client since 1995. CIEL is a nonprofit organization that uses international law and institutions to protect the environment, promote human health, and ensure a just and sustainable society. With offices in Washington, D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland, they provide legal counsel, policy research, advocacy, education, training and research.

3.12.10 Tim Fuller and Eric Parry Join Mission Critical Partners Team: Key Public Safety Industry Leaders Expand Firm’s Reach—Mission Critical Partners, Inc. (MCP), technical and operational consulting services provider for life safety communications, announces two key industry veterans have joined its team. [full press release]

3.11.10 Mission Critical Partners’ David Jones, ENP is a Panelist at “9-1-1 Goes to Washington”—David Jones, ENP, a partner with Mission Critical Partners, Inc. (MCP), technical and operational consulting services provider for life safety communications, serves on a key panel during the 2010 9-1-1 Goes to Washington conference. [full press release]

2.9.10 Hatch Launches New Communications Company—To Serve National and Local Businesses and Nonprofits. Tamara Cox Baker, Lynne Smyers, and Karen Bonardi have formed a new communications partnership called Hatch. [full press release]

2.5.10 Hatch Partner’s Design Showcased in Book Just Published—Lynne Smyers, partner and creative director in the new communications company, Hatch, was honored recently when one of her designs was featured in the book titled 3,000 Initials & Crests.  [full press release]

2.2010 KUDOS to…Caring4Haiti—A passionate young NC doctor who volunteered in Haiti to help earthquake victims returns home to lead project supporting medical teams and families in Haiti. Hatch partner Tamara Baker creates a blog and helps coordinate sending critical supplies and funds for food to Haiti.

10.21.09 Heels4Hope Hosts Its Inaugural 5K Challenge on UNC Campus on Halloween Morning—Race to Benefit People with Disabilities and Cancer Research. Heels4Hope will hold its first race on Halloween morning, Sat., Oct. 31, 2009, at 10 am on UNC campus. [view PDF]

10.2009 APPCNC Campaign Launched—Hatch partner Lynne Smyers completed a branding campaign that includes a logo, stationery components, web site, 25th anniversary logo, solicitation letter and calendar of events for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina.

3.2009 And the PICA Award Goes to…—A Better Image Printing in Chapel Hill, NC, and Hatch Partner Lynne Smyers received the 2009 Best of Category award for sales campaigns from Printing Industries of the Carolinas (PICA) for Innovation Network’s Pathfinder series reports. Innovation Network is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit evaluation, research and consulting firm, providing knowledge and expertise to help nonprofits and funders learn from their work to improve their results.