The VIPP Report: 2013 University of Louisville Men’s Basketball Team reunites for their 5 year anniversary

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(Louisville, KY) They dominated the headlines as the underdog team with the hearts of champions. Eliminating team after team to reach the pinnacle in college basketball with a record of 31 wins and only six loses.  Now, the members of the Cardinal team will gather for their five-year reunion and the team wants to celebrate with you, their fans.

On Friday, June 29th, it’s Rise Above with the 2013 Basketball Championship 5th Year Reunion Celebration at Fourth Street Live, 400 S. 4th in downtown Louisville.  Doors open at 5:30 pm and the celebration will begin at 6:00 pm.  The evening will be filled with activities, giveaways and a meet and greet with the team.  Fans will get a special treat because you will get to relive the 2013 championship game with the team.  As you watch the game, you will get to ask players and staff in attendance what were they thinking and how surreal it was to win that championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on April 8, 2013.

Here’s the names of the University of Louisville 2013 team: Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, Luke Hancock, Kevin Ware, Montrezl Harrell, Mangok Mathiang, Logan Bauman, Tim Henderson, Wayne Blackshear, Chane Behanan, Zach Price, Michael Baffour, Mike Marra and Stephan Van Treese.  All of the players will be in attendance at the celebration except for Dieng who had prior obligations in his hometown of Senegal.

Tickets start at $20 for general admission.  Children 12 years old and under get in free with a paid adult admission.  You can purchase them at ticketfly.com.  You can also purchase them at the gate as you enter Fourth Street Live.

You still have an opportunity to be a sponsor and show your support by contacting Roger McClendon at riseabovereunion@gmail.com.

To setup an in-studio or phone interview and/or to confirm your attendance at the celebration contact Sherlene Shanklin, interviewrequest@vippcommunications.com.

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#riseabove2013

The VIPP Report: 2nd Annual Sports & Motivation Youth Camp Series will be a part of Summerfest this weekend in Chickasaw Park

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(Louisville, KY) On Saturday, June 23rd in historic Chickasaw Park in West Louisville the community will gather for the 2nd Annual Sports & Motivation Youth Camp Series.  The camp begins at 9:00 am for youth ages 6 through 13.  They must be accompanied by an adult to participate.

Youth will have a chance to meet legends in the sports realm as well as community leaders who will share their wisdom and skills. Professional trainers and instructors will be on hand to give youth an opportunity to learn proper techniques.

Members of the Louisville Bats will be on hand inspiring youth, doing a baseball clinic and giving away home game tickets so youth can take in one of their games. Youth in attendance will also get to hear from members of the West End Golf Tee Program.  Wilbur Hackett Sr. and his son Wilbur Hackett Jr. will be in attendance talking about his historic journey as one of the first African American to play football in the SEC and the University of Kentucky.  Jerry Ellis will be on hand to talk about his career as well as his late brother former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jerry Ellis.  During the camp Alice Houston and Shively Sporting Goods will be honored for their support to the camp and the community.

The Sports & Motivation Youth Camp Series is FREE but a parent and/or guardian needs to be present.  You can register by texting 502-919-0757 or 502-776-1240.  There will also be onsite registration.  For the adults in attendance, Walmart will provide a $10 gift card for bringing your child to the event.

This year’s event was made possible by the support of the following: WLOU.104.7fm, Summerfest, Black Sports Hall of Fame, Buffalo Foundation, Walmart, Ford, UAW, HJI, Harmon Construction, Dynamic Healthcare, Shively Sporting Goods, Minuteman Press, The Greatest Wash & Laundromat, Anabel’s Oriental Rugs and countless volunteers.

Please announce and/or post on your website and social media platforms.  To setup an interview contact VIPP Communications at mail@vippcommunications.com.

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The VIPP Report: 2013 University of Louisville Men’s Basketball team will reunite to celebrate their unforgettable season

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RiseAboveLogo

 (Louisville, KY) They dominated the headlines as the underdog team with the hearts of champions. Eliminating team after team to reach the pinnacle in college basketball with a record of 31 wins and only six loses.  Now, the members of the Cardinal team will gather for their five-year reunion and the team wants to celebrate with you, their fans.

On Friday, June 29th, it’s Rise Above with the 2013 Basketball Championship 5th Year Reunion Celebration at Fourth Street Live, 400 S. 4th in downtown Louisville.  Doors open at 5:30 pm and the celebration will begin at 6:00 pm.  Throughout the evening there will be special guests and giveaways which includes a meet and greet with the team.

The following players are scheduled to appear: Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, Luke Hancock, Kevin Ware, Montrezl Harrell and the rest of the 2013 National Champions Louisville Cardinals.

Tickets start at $20 for general admission.  Children 12 years old and under get in free with a paid adult admission.  You can purchase them at ticketfly.com.

You still have an opportunity to be a sponsor and show your support by contacting Roger McClendon at riseabovereunion@gmail.com.

To setup an in-studio or phone interview and/or to confirm your attendance at the celebration contact Sherlene Shanklin, interviewrequest@vippcommunications.com.

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#riseabove2013

 

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VIPP Communications is a full service public relations, event management and production firm headquartered in Louisville, KY with clients and/or projects all over the U.S. We can create, maintain and sustain your brand.  Our clientele range from small businesses, non-profits, corporate leaders, entertainment to current and retired professional athletes.  Contact one of our team members to see if we can assist you at info at vippcommunications dot com. 

 

 

The VIPP Report: Two-time Super Bowl Champ Deion Branch will host a free Skills & Drills Camp in Louisville

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(Louisville, KY) Former University of Louisville and two-time Super Bowl champ and SB XXXIX MVP Deion Branch announces the date of his upcoming 9th Annual Skills and Drills Camp in Louisville.  Save the date of Saturday, July 21st at the Baptist Health Performance Training Facility, 12101 Sycamore Station Place. Registration begins at 8:00 am and the camp is from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.   The camp is for youth ages 7 to 18.  The registration fee is waived thanks to the Deion Branch Foundation so the camp is FREE but you need to register online.  THE CAMP AND SPACE IS LIMITED SO SIGN UP ASAP.  Go to www.deionbranchfoundation.org to register.

Branch says “This year, I decided to change things up a little to help some youth in the community who’ve really wanted to participate but could not afford the registration fee. We will do some offensive and defensive drills and some NFL and college level conditioning to see what your child needs to work on if they want to play football. This camp gives them a chance to learn proper technique, health and wellness plus sportsmanship.”

The Deion Branch Charitable Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to offer support to children’s mental, physical, emotional wellbeing and for those who have been infected with meningitis.  The DBCF’s mission is to help with research and to find a cure to ease the struggle for children like Deion’s son. The foundation goal is to assist by providing programs and initiatives aimed at improving their quality of life. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  For more information on the foundation go to http://www.deionbranchfoundation.org.

If you would like to be a sponsor and/or donate items for goodie bags, please contact William Hicks at 334-507-3632 or Sherlene Shanklin at 502-295-0435.  To register your child for the 9th Annual Skills & Drills Camp go to http://www.deionbranchfoundation.org and fill out the online registration form.

To setup an interview with Deion Branch about the camp held on Saturday, July 21st, please call Sherlene Shanklin, Branch’s publicist at sshanklin@vippcommunications.com.

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VIPP Communications is a full service public relations, event management and production firm headquartered in Louisville, KY with clients and/or projects all over the U.S. We can create, maintain and sustain your brand.  Our clientele range from small businesses, non-profits, corporate leaders, entertainment to current and retired professional athletes.  Contact one of our team members to see if we can assist you at info at vippcommunications dot com. 

The VIPP Report: VIPP Style Accessories announces next Sip, Shop & Support

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It’s time for the next Sip, Shop & Support hosted by VIPP Style Accessories.  The pop up shop vendor fair will be held on Sunday, June 24th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Virtue, 103 E. Oak Street in Louisville.  VIPPStyle442

If you would like to be a vendor send your request to booking at vippstyle dot com.

If you have a story idea, send it to thevippreport at vippcommunications dot com. Follow us on Twitter @thevippreport @vippcomm.

vippstyle

 

 

The VIPP Report: Super Bowl champs Philadelphia Eagles will not visit the White House on Tuesday

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Photo by Aaron Kittredge on Pexels.com

Updated 2:03am 6-5-18

The Philadelphia Eagles released a statement.  It doesn’t recognize the cancellation of their Washington White House visit but it refers to those who have supported them and have celebrated their Super Bowl win.

 

Updated 9:30pm 6-4-18

The Mayor of Philadelphia reacts to the Eagles cancelled white house visit.  See statement below:

“The Eagles call the birthplace of our democracy home, so it’s no surprise that this team embodies everything that makes our country and our city great. Their athletic accomplishments on the field led to an historic victory this year. Fans all across the country rallied behind them because we like to root for the underdog and we feel joy when we see the underdogs finally win. I’m equally proud of the Eagles’ activism off the field. These are players who stand up for the causes they believe in and who contribute in meaningful ways to their community. They represent the diversity of our nation—a nation in which we are free to express our opinions.

“Disinviting them from the White House only proves that our President is not a true patriot, but a fragile egomaniac obsessed with crowd size and afraid of the embarrassment of throwing a party to which no one wants to attend.

“City Hall is always open for a celebration.”

 Still awaiting a response from the Eagles franchise and the NFL.

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With less than a day before the NFL Super Bowl Champs travel to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump calls off the visit.  It’s due to the dispute over NFL players and personnel and why they should stand instead of kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.  Many of the players had decided not to attend prior to this release but a small group was going to Washington to represent the franchise.

In a statement released late today by the White House says ”the Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow.  They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.  The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony—one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem.  I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America.”

We have been awaiting a response from the Eagles and/or the NFL but at the time of the report they have not released a statement.

If you have a story idea, send it to me at thevippreport at vippcommunications.com.  You can follow us for real-time news on Twitter @thevippreport.

The VIPP Report: After 40 years with Starbucks Howard Schultz will step down

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JUST IN: The visionary and iconic leader of Starbucks will bid his farewell after 40 years.  

Here’s the news release that Starbucks just released.

SEATTLE (June 4, 2018) – Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced that Howard Schultz is stepping down as executive chairman and member of the Board of Directors and will be honored with the title of chairman emeritus effective June 26, 2018.

During his four decades as ceo and chairman, Schultz grew Starbucks from 11 stores to more than 28,000 stores in 77 countries, while demonstrating that a business can simultaneously deliver best-in-class financial performance and share success with its people and the communities it serves.

Under Schultz’s leadership, Starbucks has delivered a 21,000% gain in the value of its stock price since its initial public offering in 1992. The company’s growth was fueled by his decisions to provide uncommon benefits for those who work for Starbucks, including comprehensive healthcare, stock ownership and free college tuition, even for those working part-time.

“I set out to build a company that my father, a blue-collar worker and World War II veteran, never had a chance to work for,” Schultz wrote in a letter addressed today to past and present Starbucks partners. “Together we’ve done that, and so much more, by balancing profitability and social conscience, compassion and rigor, and love and responsibility.”

Schultz’s journey began in 1981, when he walked into the first Starbucks store, located in Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market. The following year, he moved with his wife, Sheri, from New York to assume the role of director of operations and marketing. Schultz’s passion for the highest quality coffee heightened on a business trip to Italy, where he was captivated by the sense of community, romance and theater found in Italian coffee bars. In the years following his return to Seattle, Schultz purchased Starbucks with the support of local investors and dedicated his career to bringing his vision of a modern coffee house to life in America and around the world.

Schultz elevated the concept of Starbucks as the third place between home and work: a comfortable, welcoming environment that provides uplifting experiences, community and human connection.

Among his many accolades, Schultz has been named as one of The World’s Most Influential People by Time magazine as well as Business Person of the Year by Fortune.  Most recently, Schultz has received the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award and has been presented with the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Business Leadership award and the NAACP LDF (Legal Defense and Education Fund) National Equal Justice award.

This year, Starbucks was named the fifth most admired company in the world by Fortune, marking the 16th year in a row that the company has appeared on the global list. Starbucks was also named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute for the 12th consecutive year and was ranked as one of 2018’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, most notably for its social-impact work.

On April 3, 2017, Schultz transitioned from ceo to executive chairman, shifting his full-time focus to the company’s social impact initiatives as well as innovation and global development of the company’s premium Reserve brand, including Starbucks Reserve Roasteries, Reserve stores and the Company’s partnership with renowned artisanal Italian bakery, Princi. Following his transition off the Starbucks board at the end of June, Schultz will oversee the opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan on Sept. 6 – marking the company’s long-awaited entry into Italy – and the New York Roastery in late October.

Starbucks also announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Myron E. “Mike” Ullman as its new chair of the Board and Mellody Hobson as vice chair of the Board effective upon Schultz’s retirement. Starbucks world-class, values-based board is comprised of accomplished leaders representing diversity and excellence in global technology, retail, consumer experience and other relevant skill sets.

“There are no words to fully express our gratitude to Howard for the extraordinary company he has built,” said ceo and member of the Board of Directors Kevin Johnson. “He’s helped Starbucks earn the respect of millions around the world by always being true to a higher calling, and always being bold in creating a better future. He’s taught all of us that it’s possible to be a very different kind of public company. That must, and will, continue on my watch.”

In Schultz’s letter to partners, he thanked them for their collective efforts to build a different kind of company. “Because of your creativity, your hard work, and the love that you have poured into the company, Starbucks today is widely embraced and respected. As I prepare to step away, I’d like to humbly remind you not to lose sight of what matters most: your fellow partners and our customers.”

He also expressed deep confidence in the team that will continue to lead the company. “Kevin Johnson is a true servant leader, and he will lead Starbucks as this great company enters its next journey. It’s our duty as leaders to constantly reimagine Starbucks. I am honored to call Kevin my friend and partner. And Starbucks is fortunate to have him. This leadership team is extraordinarily capable. They, too, believe that Starbucks has a responsibility to use our scale for good.”

Schultz is looking forward to spending more time with his family this summer. He is also writing a book about Starbucks social impact work and the efforts to redefine the role and responsibility of a public company in an ever-changing society.

To the more than 330,000 partners who wear the green apron today, and the millions before them, Schultz will forever represent Starbucks mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

https://news.starbucks.com/press-releases/howard-schultz-to-bid-farewell-to-starbucks

Myron E. Ullman appointed as next chair of Starbucks Board of Directors; Mellody Hobson appointed vice chair

If you have a story idea, send it thevippreport at vippcommunications.com.  Follow us on twitter @vippcomm @thevippreport for real-time news.