BZ Awarded 2011 Navy Conference Planning Contract

Bethesda, June 14, 2011 – The Bryant Zamberlan Group (“BZ”) has been selected by the United States Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) to plan and coordinate logistics for the first annual Wounded Warrior Pain Care Symposium.

The Symposium, scheduled for late October 2011, will be held at the current National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, MD, scheduled to be renamed the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC)—upon the final merging of the NNMC and the current Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC—by the date of the Symposium.

“We thank BUMED for their confidence in the Bryant Zamberlan Group and America’s small businesses.  We look forward to planning and administering the upcoming Symposium,” noted Benjamin Bryant, President/CEO and co-founder of the Bryant Zamberlan Group.  “Tommy Zamberlan and I, like the rest of the BZ team, have a passionate and unwavering respect for our nation’s wounded warriors and consider it an honor to be able to support an event dedicated to the sharing of best practices and lessons learned in wounded warrior pain care.”

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia.  A certified disadvantaged minority business enterprise, BZ is recognized by the SBA as a HUBZone-certified small business concern.

BZ offers a full complement of strategic communications and marketing products and services—each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality.  Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; meeting and event planning and management; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting.  BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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BZ Announces Strategic Partnership with Portland-based Plans & Action, Inc.

Ruther Glen, June 10, 2011 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (“BZ”) announced the formation of  a strategic partnership with Portland, Oregon-based Plans & Action, Inc. to extend and enhance BZ’s conference and event planning services. Plans & Action is led by Carolyn Wence, CMP, a veteran meeting and event planner with more than two decades of experience planning events of all sizes for public and private sector clients.  (Learn more about Plans & Action at http://plans-action.com/).

“Anytime we have the opportunity to work with Carolyn and Plans & Action, we are thrilled,” said Benjamin Bryant, co-founder and CEO of Bryant Zamberlan Group.  “The combination of our experience and complimentary competencies will deliver a more comprehensive experience to the government.”

The partnership, between HUBZone-certified BZ and woman-owned P&A, will widen the reach of both companies in terms of Government opportunities; providing greater ability to help Government customers meet set-aside and participation targets.  Additionally, the pairing of the Washington, DC area-based BZ and Portland, OR-based P&A extends the companies’ geographic reach allowing us to better, and more personally, serve customers across the country.

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia.  A certified minority business enterprise, BZ is SwaM certified by the Commonwealth of Virgina.  BZ is qualified by the SBA as a HUBZone-certified small business, recognizing the company’s commitment to bringing investment and jobs to historically underutilized parts of Virginia and the United States.  Current and past customers include state and federal government agencies, including the U.S. military, as well as government contrators, small businesses, and non-profit associations.

Founded by Benjamin Bryant and Tommy Zamberlan, with over 30 years of direct experience  between them, BZ offers a full complement of communications, marketing, and event planning solutions—each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality.  Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; conference and event planning; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational/management consulting and training.  BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support in support the full communications and outreach lifecycle.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com

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BZ Receives $112K Public Sector Healthcare Communications Project Award; Former Army Surgeon General MG (ret) Gale Pollock Joins BZ Project Team

Ruther Glen, May 31, 2011 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (“BZ”) announced the win of a public sector healthcare communications award valued at more than $112K.  The award contracts BZ to provide healthcare outreach assessment and reporting, including development and presentation of strategies for improved community outreach and healthcare outcomes.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to serve our client in this capacity,” noted Benjamin Bryant, President/CEO, and one of BZ’s founding partners, “BZ has an experienced team of strategists, communicators, and outreach specialists with experience supporting both public and private-sector healthcare initiatives, and there is little work more rewarding in our field than contributing to the health and welfare of fellow citizens.

“We also particularly excited to welcome former Deputy Army Surgeon General (and acting Surgeon General) MG (ret) Gale Pollock to the project team as the senior advisor and reviewer for this project.  MG Pollock is an exceptional public servant with unparalleled knowledge of preventative and community healthcare, and BZ is honored to have her advice and counsel for this effort.”

BZ Vice-President/COO Tommy Zamberlan noted that, per the terms of the contract, the name (and specific nature of the work) of the purchasing government agency can not be released, nor used for promotional purposes.  “BZ regularly works with Federal and State government agencies, and understands the unique security and administrative needs of each one,” said Zamberlan, “we are happy to comply with this requirement.”

The period of performance for the project will run through June and July of 2011, with final delivery of all requirements by August 2011.

“With typical timelines for similar projects running 4-8 months, we anticipate a high-intensity, high-volume project execution,” said Bryant, “which is also a BZ specialty.”

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia. A certified disadvantaged minority business enterprise, BZ is recognized by the SBA as a HUBZone-certified small business concern.

BZ offers a full complement of strategic communications and marketing products and services—each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality. Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; meeting and event planning and management; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting. BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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BZ Launches Job Seeker Consulting Services with 50%-off Promotion

Ruther Glen, May 9, 2011 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (“BZ”) announced today the launch of a new line of services and consulting offerings geared toward job seekers, new graduates, and others considering professional transitions.  To mark the launch, BZ announced that all of the new offerings will be priced at 50%-off for the month of May.

The new offerings, listed on the BZ Web site, range from resume and cover letter critiques/rewriting, through a variety of bundles of services that can include advance background and reference checks, online job-board profile and job search optimization, interview preparation (including practice interviews),  as well as specific packages for separating and retiring military personnel. The job seeker and employment search support services are offered as part of BZ’s Executive Consulting Services division.

“When we began offering customized Executive Consulting services in June 2010, we were initially focused on areas such as media training, senior leadership coaching, and crisis containment,” noted Benjamin Bryant, President/CEO, and one of BZ’s founding partners, “However, as the economy continued to experience challenges, we found ourselves increasingly approached by people in the midst of career transition, seeking to maximize the effectiveness of their employment search efforts.

“In the day and age of CareerBuilder and Monster–not to mention social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook–an already scary job search landscape can become outright overwhelming.  Competition for open positions is fierce, and the pressure to stand out for the right reasons is increased.  Working with clients to help them navigate the process was incredibly rewarding, and, ultimately offering the services as a formal product line made business and personal sense.”

BZ Vice-President/COO Tommy Zamberlan noted that BZ priced each of the offerings with the knowledge that, by definition, most job seekers are on a careful budget, and announced that, to mark the launch, BZ will be offering all consulting services for job seekers at a 50% discount for the entire month of May.

“We think the 50% discount is a great way to kick-off the new product line, as well as to ensure the services offered are available to as many job seekers who need them as possible,” said Zamberlan.

And, indeed, the 50% discount will also continue beyond May for any clients who have been un- or under-employed for more than six months. “Deeply discounting our offerings for those unemployed for more than six months was something we agreed upon without hesitation,” said Bryant, “BZ is committed to doing our part to help get America back to work during these difficult times

“Profit is important, but it’s not everything.”

Each of the new Job Seeker Consulting Services offerings (and prices) can be found on the BZ Web site at:

http://thebzgroup.com/put-us-to-work/executive-consulting-services/job-seeker-services/

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia.  A certified disadvantaged minority business enterprise, BZ is recognized by the SBA as a HUBZone-certified small business concern.

BZ offers a full complement of communications and marketing products and services–each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality.  Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; meeting and event planning and management; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting.  BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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BZ Seeking Federal Contract and Acquisition Talent

Ruther Glen, April 8, 2011 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (“BZ”) is looking for multiple Federal Contract and Acquisition professionals, from the specialist through the expert ranks.

Seeking experienced professionals, with current working knowledge of the full contract and acquisition lifecyle for significant potential opportunity with one of the most respected and well known offices in government in Washington DC and across the nation.

We are especially interested in candidates with prior government and military experience, as well as those with current security clearances.

As always, and reflecting BZ’s commitment to facilitating growth and fighting unemployment in areas (HUBZones) designated by the government as historically underutilized, BZ grants additional consideration to candidates who reside in HUBZones. (Candidates can find out if they live in a HUBZone, by visiting map.sba.gov/hubzone/maps/). However, not living in HUBZone will NOT preclude a candidate from consideration. Please apply!

BZ is an EEO employer, and does not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a special disabled or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other class or status covered by applicable law.

“BZ believes a strong, talented, and diverse workforce enhances our ability to deliver exceptional service and quality to our customers,” said Bryant.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit www.thebzgroup.com and familiarize themselves with the BZ’s offerings and customer base. Resumes and portfolios can be submitted via the “Jobs” page under “Contact” on the BZ site.

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia. A certified disadvantaged minority business enterprise, BZ further meets all requirements for HUBZone certification, and formal HUBZone designation is expected by fall 2010.

BZ offers a full complement of communications and marketing products and services—each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality. Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting. BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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BZ Announces New “Cultural Translation” Offerings During Australian Visit

Brisbane, Feb 24, 2011 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) announced today the launch of a new line of “cultural translation” services, tailored toward foreign companies seeking to do business with the government and government-affiliated entities in the United States.  The announcement by BZ President and CEO, Benjamin Bryant, coincides with the completion of the first leg of a 10-day, five city Australian exploratory trip and trade mission.  (BZ co-founder and Vice-President, Tommy Zamberlan, joins Bryant on the trip.)

The new line of services, initially target companies and individuals in English-speaking countries such Australia, where the language battle is not won or lost language wars, but rather battles fought over word choice, frames of reference, and idiomatic expressions.  BZ announced it will provide companies with a cost-effective way to take existing or in-development marketing collateral, sales materials, web content, guides and manuals, and culturally “translate” it for maximum effectiveness and impact with American audiences.  By year’s end, however, BZ plans to have staff and expertise in place to do provide the same services to merchants in America seeking to do business with countries such as Australia, India, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

“Too often the only option for small and medium sized businesses seeking to trade with Americans has been a choice between hiring expensive international marketing consultancies or simply taking their chances with web sites, letters, or other communications that haven’t been properly vetted.  Those run the risk of, at best, confusing the company’s message, or, at worst, offending the intended audience” said President and CEO Benjamin Bryant, “We all have fun with the many colloquial expressions that amuse and intrigue us as we travel from one English-speaking country to another, but the truth is that the hundreds of more subtle differences are those that have the most potential to trip us up when the communications stakes are high.”

VP and COO Tommy Zamberlan agreed, “Getting your message right the first time only gets more important as we move further and further into the brave new world of consumable information.  In the age of blink-or-you’ll-miss it messaging and microblogs, first impressions matter more than ever.  If you can’t be understood by a potential customer, how can you be trusted with their business?  We eliminate that risk and make that first impression as good or better than what’s being generated by stateside competitors.”

Bryant and Zamberlan note the prevalence of small and mid-sized companies in Australia and New Zealand with Web presences, offering everything from tourist-style keepsakes, to aboriginal art and craftsmanship, as well as over-the-counter drugs and remedies.   All could benefit from, at the very least, optimizing their messaging to be as clear and effective as possible with an American public.

“With a significant portion of BZ’s efforts focused on the public sector, however, the company is especially interested in serving clients seeking to do business with local, state, and federal governments, or the companies that supply them.

“While it can be argued, certainly, that the importance of ‘cultural translation’ is largely academic for many segments of society, there is no question that when seeking to work with the government and its affiliates, clarity and cultural propriety are a must,” said Bryant.  “The stakes aren’t just raised there, they’re maxed out.  The government is a lucrative buyer and the potential vendors are many.  Those ‘subtle differences’ matter.”

Bryant and Zamberlan will depart Brisbane today for Cairns, Queensland, and will later travel to Sydney, New South Wales.  No further announcements or launches are scheduled for this trip.

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia.  A certified disadvantaged minority business enterprise, BZ has been certified by the SBA as a HUBZone small business concern.

BZ offers a full complement of communications and marketing products and services–each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality.  Services for government and industry include communications planning and strategy; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting.  BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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Is Scannable Content the Key to People Reading What You Write?

Online, it may be.

This fantastic piece from Pamela Wilson (at one of our favorite PR and marketing resources, Copyblogger) addresses one of every blogger  and Web content writer’s worst fears: no one reading what they write.

The key to Web content success according to Wilson (and we wholeheartedly agree here at BZ) is making your content “scannable” — appropriate for the high-tempo, short attention-spanned nature of Web browsing and content review. 

Knowing a few tricks of the new media trade may help even the most talented scribe earn (and keep) the attention of even the most fickle potential Web consumers—and in the process, ensure delivery and greater potential for retention of the words onscreen.

For 8 simple guidelines for “scannable” success, click here to read Copyblogger’s piece, and our latest “BZ Pick.”

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Remembering the Tragedy at Fort Hood

Reflections from BZ co-founder Benjamin Bryant on the anniversary of the mass shootings at Fort Hood, TX:

One year ago, today, Malik Nadal Hasan, a U.S. Army Major serving as a psychiatrist at Fort Hood, Texas, opened fire on fellow soldiers and public servants at the post’s deployment processing center.  That day, a simple processing center–an administrative stop where boxes are checked and soldiers advance on the path to the battlefield–became the battlefield.  Heroes fell, as Hasan made his way through the center’s halls—stopping only to reload—and heroes rose, as brave guards defended their Army family, ultimately ending Hasan’s murderous rampage.

When the attack was over, 13 were dead, more than 30 wounded, and questions were many: Why had this happened? How was it possible?  What could we do to prevent it ever happening again?  Shortly after, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ordered an independent review of the circumstances surrounding the mass shooting, and the military community set about—under the leadership of former Secretary of the Army, Togo West, and former Chief of Naval Operations Vern Clark—finding the answers they could.

Secretary Gates charged the Fort Hood Task Force to deliver, in 45 days, a comprehensive overview of the issues, concerns, challenges, and weaknesses associated with the United States military and the events leading up to and surrounding the tragedy of November 5.

It was a challenging mission, constrained by time (as well as the coordination and investigative challenges of working around three national holidays), but it was an important one.  The findings and recommendations of the independent review, it was announced, would be the  springboard from which each of the Services and the DoD itself would pursue deeper examinations and identify and implement even more specific recommendations.  But there were no complaints, because this cause was personal…because this pain was deeply shared by every member of the task force. Each was motivated to do their best in honor of the victims, their families, and the greater military family around the world.

I know this because I was there. Shortly after the shooting, Bryant Zamberlan Group co-founder Tommy Zamberlan and I were asked to join the Independent Review effort.   There, I supervised the work of the 14 writers, researchers, and administrators—all of whom shared the same sense of urgency and of duty felt by their uniformed brothers and sisters.

It was a project that changed lives, and Tommy and I were no exception.  Never in our lives had we been so proud of the work done and the people we were blessed to work with: the cream of the crop from every Service and a wide variety of specialties, a group that listened as much as they spoke, learned as much as they taught, and challenged each other every day to deliver.

And deliver this Task Force did, submitting a report in two volumes (one public, one restricted) to Secretary Gates, Congress, and President Obama in the 45 days allotted, a report that has influenced safety and security policy and procedures within the Services in the year since, and will continue to make a difference in the years to come.

I had the great honor of visiting Fort Hood a few months ago and, at the conclusion of my scheduled business, I found myself drawn to the site of the shooting, where makeshift memorials adorn the fence quickly erected to isolate the now empty processing center.  There were dozens of memorials: flowers, photographs, notes, and hand crafted items…even a series of short biographies with pictures of the fallen.  It was a powerful, humbling experience to go from each one to each one—difficult at times, but profound always.

In a world of copious exaggeration and endless hyperbole, I was reminded at that sacred spot that military service is the one place where no exaggeration is ever required: the men and women who serve–in uniform, and even as a civilian or contracted employees–are  public servants in the truest sense.
fh3

fh11

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BZ Receives Full HUBZone Certification from the Small Business Administration

BZ is SBA HUBZone Certified - www.thebzgroup.comRuther Glen, September 20, 2010 – Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) has received final approval as a HUBZone-certified company from the U.S. Small Business Administration and is now fully participant in the HUBZone contracting program.

The SBA’s HUBZone contracting program assists small businesses in high-unemployment, low-income areas by providing contracting assistance to small businesses located in economically distressed communities (referred to as Historically Underutilized Business or “HUB” Zones) to promote job growth, capital investment and economic development in these areas.*

HUBZone companies face stringent conditions to eliminate fraud and ensure maximum benefit to areas in need.  These requirements, which the Bryant Zamberlan Group meets, include an obligation to headquarter qualified companies in a HUBZone and maintain a labor force comprised of 35% employees currently living in designated HUBZones at all times.

“The Washington D.C. – Richmond Corridor has several HUBZones filled with a rich diversity of talent and experience, including much of the District of Columbia and Caroline County, Virginia, where BZ is headquartered,” said Benjamin Bryant, President and CEO of the Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC, “We’re proud to be doing our part to grow commerce and promote job creation in these historically underutilized business areas.  The HUBZone program requirements aren’t so much restrictions as they are a proud responsibility for us—what BZ can do to help get the U.S. economy get back on track.”

Benefits for HUBZone-certified companies agreeing to meet such strict requirements include competitive and sole source contracting opportunities, a 10 percent price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions, as well as subcontracting opportunities. The Federal government has a goal of awarding 3 percent of all dollars for Federal prime contracts to HUBZone-certified concerns.*

More information on the SBA’s HUBZone contracting program can be found at www.sba.gov/hubzone.

About Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC

Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC (BZ) is a privately held, minority-owned small business serving federal and state government, as well as private industry and academia.  A certified minority business enterprise, BZ is SWaM certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia.  BZ is certified by the Small Business Administration as a HUBZone company.

BZ offers a full complement of communications and marketing products and services–each custom tailored to client requirements and delivered for a fair price at the highest quality.  Services for government and industry  include communications planning and strategy; organizational branding and identity; creative design and publications; Web, social media, and digital communications; and organizational and management consulting.  BZ also offers a range of related IT and administrative support.

More information on Bryant Zamberlan Group, LLC is located at www.thebzgroup.com.

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* Small Business Administration.  HUBZone Program – About Us http://www.sba.gov/hubzone/aboutus/index.html

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BZ Pick: Toward Strategic Communications

The question I am most asked in conjunction with my work is “What, exactly, is ‘strategic communications’ versus, say, public relations or marketing?”  It’s an excellent question in this day of hot “buzzwords” with short shelf-lives and a seeming (and frustratingly confusing) incessant need for companies to brand traditional offerings with fresh and individual monikers that speak more to the inventiveness of a marketing department than the nature of services being offered.

Thankfully, the question of whether the increasingly bandied-about “strategic communications” label represents a legitimately valuable and specific way of approaching marketing and communications challenges (or is more of the flavor-of-the-month variety) has an easy answer: strategic communications is the real deal.

This month’s BZ Pick, “Toward Strategic Communications,” by the Army’s then-deputy chief of Public Affairs, BG Mari K. Eder.  It is, by far, the single best article I have read to date introducing and explaining the concepts and principles behind strategic communications—and why it differs from our traditional understanding of public relations, public affairs and marketing. Particularly relevant from a government and military perspective, BG Eder’s exploration of the topic is of value to all, no matter the industry or background.  Enjoy!

“Toward Strategic Communications” by BG Mari K. Eder:

http://www.army.mil/professionalwriting/volumes/volume5/september_2007/9_07_4.html

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