Margie Korshak on "How Times Have Changed."

GNMAA member Michael Rose and his team at Metropolitan Capital Bank (MetCap) provide a valuable service to their clients and selected people in the community with their periodic programs on issues of interest. Typically the bank invites influential people in to speak to the small group over a light lunch. Today it was Chicago's legendary public relations icon Margie Korshak talking about how business has changed over the 38 years she has been promoting celebrities, sports, and the arts. In summary, she claims that relationships are still the key, yet technology is fundamentally changing the business. The personal telephone call is still the best communicator and, when all else in her office fails, she picks up the phone and "won't take no for an answer" the same as she has been doing for nearly four decades. Technology has had many complex implications. First, television has taken over as the principal medium, leaving print less important than it was years ago. She related stories about her early experience with TV and how impressed she was with its results. Second, even more than before, the news is a very efficient communicator, one story in print or on electronic media saving many dollars of paid advertising. Third, electronic data processing for mailers and e-mails has wiped out the old sweat-shop mentality of communications. Fourth, the immediacy and readership of blogs makes it impossible to keep a secret for long. And fifth, she advises her clients that when they have bad news, appreciate the power of the internet for research. Tell the whole truth up front and avoid the inevitable that will occur in a transparent world when anyone can find out almost anything. Ms. Korshak charmed her audience with anecdotes about clients like McDonalds, the Blackhawks, and the Bulls, while relating experiences working with Bill Wirtz, Oprah Winfrey, and Barbara Streisand. I thought of her this morning when I read strong positive coverage in the Tribune about "Jersey Boys," another of her clients. All is wonderful when one of Chicago's top professionals comes out for a "fireside chat."

Miscellaneous Musings on Trump, Traffic, and Trunk Sales

On Tuesday I attended the retail brokers' opening at the Trump Tower, an event made extra interesting by the Trump family's involvement and the crowd of perhaps 100 retail brokers from around the country. Eric, Ivanka, and Donald, Jr. took turns explaining why the property is unique and how retailers have the opportunity to leverage the Trump brand. The presentation was very compelling and, yes, they all look just the same in person as they do on television. I was impressed when they said that they are presently involved in 33 other projects around the world. Sharon Kahan with CB Richard Ellis, an active GNMAA volunteer, did an excellent job of explaining how her company will be managing the retail leases and CBRE's role in marketing the property. Colm O'Callaghan, Monika Lotter, Robert Prohaska, and others representing the Trump International Hotel & Tower, were there as well.

Later in the day I joined GNMAA's P&A staff for a meeting with River North Association's Executive Director Heather Imhoff, Mark Kelly, and other key people to discuss ways to improve the Ontario/Ohio corridor as the predominant gateway to The Magnificent Mile and the City. State Representative Ken Dunkin was at the meeting and did an excellent job of linking us by telephone with Illinois Department of Transportation Chief of Staff Clayton Harris. Mr. Harris urged us to work with his office in developing a proposal. The encounter demonstrated Rep. Dunkin's close working relationship with IDOT's top brass.

Finally, I ended the day with an evening at Macy's "Get in Where it Begins," the Chicago designers' fall season debut. Twenty Chicago designers are being featured at Macy's, part of the company's fulfillment of their pledge to elevate the State Street store's profile as a fashion mecca. Andrea Schwartz, External and Public Relations Manager, Macy's North Division, handled the event and, as has been Andrea's tradition, the event was a smashing hit! Ralph Hughes, Vice President of Macy's North Division, was on hand and we reminisced about the hugely successful GNMAA Quarterly Membership Luncheon that featured Federated CEO Terry Lundgren. I also found comments by Norm Yustin interesting. Norm is Macy's Senior Vice President for Marketing and a true retail expert. He talked about the purchaser's mind-set to buy on North Michigan Avenue, an attitude that other streets and malls must work hard to create. While people have to make the decision if they are going to buy in other venues, they are on Michigan Avenue deciding what to buy, the retail environment being such that people come here already excited and planning to shop. He characterized North Michigan Avenue as having the cluster of retailers - the right mix – necessary to create excitement and induce people to make purchases.

Finally, I had an interesting conversation with Hugh O'Brian, the former television and movie actor. He told me that when he first arrived in Hollywood in the early 1950s Rodeo Drive and Hollywood Boulevard were both premier streets and attracted similar clientele. But due to a lack of planning, enforcement of business and zoning codes, and just plain common sense, Rodeo Drive has developed into a world-class shopping venue and Hollywood Boulevard is the home of the "four T-shirts for ten dollars" stores. He said this while favorably comparing North Michigan Avenue to the best streets in the country and attributing much of that achievement to GNMAA.

GNMAA People Love Cheesecake

One of my interests is classic cars so I was looking forward to joining a few GNMAA folks and other enthusiasts at Eli's Cheesecake Festival on September 16. The two-day event was fabulous, attracting nearly 150 cars and about 10,000 people to Eli's bakery on the north side of the city.

Jennifer and I drive our 1941 Packard to the bakery thinking we would arrive early, only to find that cars had been lined up two hours before the scheduled opening. We were lucky to find a good parking spot near the back!

I was impressed with the family friendly environment. There was plenty for the kids to do, including play on several of those large inflatable carnival toys, watch a large-scale model railroad, make paper hats and other novelties in the craft tent, and enjoy entertainment on two stages. I was also impressed with the amount of community involvement.

The free event benefited multiple charities and community groups. Finally, the cars were all shapes, colors, and sizes. Big chrome, big paint, and big engines won the day!

Of course we saw Marc Schulman (see right), president of Eli's Cheesecake and a member of the GNMAA executive committee, and his wife Maureen, also an active GNMAA volunteer. Ralph Weber (also right), GNMAA's chairman of the board, was there and could have driven his classic Mercedes Benz, but didn't due to scheduling issues. David Snyder, Associate Publisher at Crain's Chicago Business, attended with his two daughters, one of whom became very sad when her helium balloon "flew away." For everyone else it was a really great day!

Orchard Road Comes to The Magnificent Mile

Representatives of the Orchard Road Business Association, Singapore's sister to North Michigan Avenue, visited with GNMAA staff and key leaders in our community on Monday, September 10, 2007.

Camille Julmy, a member of the GNMAA Administration Committee and a past chairman of the Board, set up the meeting. My counterpart and eight other representatives learned about GNMAA's structure and operating practices before lunch at the Signature Room at the 95^th (thanks to Angela Roman), a boat tour (thanks to Holly Agra), and a double-decker bus ride (thanks to John Curran). Greg Holland conducted a tour through Norstrom, Mitch Feldman narrated a tour of Water Tower Place, and they met Barry Graham at The 900 Shops for an explanation of this premier facility.

The group left Chicago overwhelmed with the beauty of the City and the hospitality of our people. I learned several interesting things about Singapore. For example, there are virtually no homeless people and panhandlers on Orchard Road due to local ordinances and severe punishment for offenders. Drug trafficking and the use of a gun in a crime are justifications for an "automatic death penalty." As one American youth you may recall from several years ago learned, the penalty for vandalism and many other lesser crimes is caning, an extremely harsh practice that our group attributed to police while the country was an English colony.

Interestingly, the City of Chicago and the city/state of Singapore are about the same size – about 225 square miles. Many comparisons hit home.

Camille and his Branding Committee are working on strengthening North Michigan Avenue's distinction as "One of the Ten Great Avenues of the World." Orchard Road, with many of the same high quality retail and hospitality businesses that have a presence on the Avenue, is another Great Avenue. Maintaining a relationship with the Orchard Road Business Association will have many benefits.