BUSINESS MATTERS
Karin Hopkins
As I reflect on my professional journey, I can see each step bringing me to where I am today. Straight out of college, I was fortunate to land my dream job at a television station. As I evolved, my work entailed researching, writing, producing and reporting news stories on a wide range of topics. I retired from the news business to become Noah’s wife and business partner. We founded a public relations company and grew it into a powerhouse with a full staff of employees and an impressive roster of clients. As we generated award-winning products, I could see the stepping-stone effect connecting my past and present. For example, I could produce commercials, training films and documentaries for our public relations clients because of skills I developed as a television journalist. Our business encompassed video production, media relations, community relations, marketing, creative arts, special events and other services. And all of those steps have led us to our current positions in Tuskegee, working in various capacities that contribute to the growth of this community. We have demonstrated our allegiance in many ways and now we are using our skills to benefit local children. We are teaching in the Macon County school system, sharing a portion of our expertise with students who have enrolled in our summer camp program called EXPRESS YOURSELF! Noah is addressing creative conceptualization, graphic design and magazine page layout. I am focusing on digital media content including blogs. The students’ work will be published in the Macon County FAMILY magazine that Noah publishes in partnership with school superintendent, Dr. Jacqueline Brooks and her staff. My life came full circle when I cofounded the digital media platform, www.echoboom.media, to make it easy for people anywhere in the world to get information about Tuskegee on their smart phones and other computer devices. Because it is a form of 21st century journalism, for me it’s like going back to the future. ECHOboom has expanded my news reporting skills and added blogging to my repertoire. My goal concerning the summer camp is to feature student generated blog content on ECHOboom. Noah and I are blessed to be at this juncture in our lives and we are gratefully sharing our gifts with young people. It is an opportunity to impact potential future leaders who will someday be in authoritative roles concerning government, media, education and BUSINESS MATTERS.
Karin Hopkins is executive director of the Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce and also co- founder of ECHOboom, a digital media platform. Contact her at ourchamberworks@gmail.com.
