Linda Staunch: Smooth Selling for Eastern North Carolina
and the Pepsi Americas’ Sail

How many businesswomen do you know who can claim a pirate named “Sinbad” in their network? Linda Staunch can. As a chief public relations consultant to the much-anticipated Pepsi Americas’ Sail event to be held in Beaufort during the first week of July, Staunch has now expanded her network by hundreds. The event, billed as a “once in a lifetime experience,” is expected to draw close to 750,000 attendees to witness several days of tall ships sailing races, displays, and demonstrations. This translates into a significant economic and promotional impact for eastern North Carolina. That promotional impact is what Staunch hopes for and refers to as “putting the Crystal Coast in a positive position for the future.”

Linda Staunch

In the spring of 2004, Staunch was contacted by representatives from a former client, Pepsi, with whom she had worked to produce the “100th Celebration” in 1998. Pepsi had now signed on as the key sponsor of an event brought to North Carolina as a privilege awarded to the winner of the 2002 Americas’ Sail race. That winner was the aforementioned “pirate,” who won the race with his half-scale replica of a 17th century pirate brigantine called Meka II. From that point, Staunch gathered with members of the Friends of the Maritime Museum and community leaders to commence planning for an undertaking on the scale of an event the scale of The U.S. Open in Pinehurst. Although her primary role was clearly to work on promotions, Staunch found herself visiting foreign embassies in Washington, DC, working on the procurement of ships (14 ships have been scheduled to date), and visiting members of Congress to secure their support. Her connections within the NC General Assembly, as well as others within the state government, assisted in efforts to gain the state’s endorsement and funding for transportation movement, staffing, and additional public relations support. Those who personally know Linda Staunch will tell you that it is in her nature to “go the extra mile.”

As all consuming as the planning process seems, according to Staunch, the process itself is as important as the event. She notes that by making so many contacts around the state and literally around the globe, eastern North Carolina has become known as an attraction for those interested in maritime history. Also, “much like cities that host the Olympics, what infrastructure we put into place now will be there for the future,” says Staunch. The enhanced boardwalks and expanded areas designated as “Olde Beaufort Seaport” will become a location for maritime artifacts and historical items unable to fit in the Maritime Museum in town. The benefits for all the hard work are far reaching, and that puts a smile on the face of a woman who considers herself an advocate for eastern North Carolina.

From her early days as an educator, through her work in the health care industry, and on to the creation of Linda Staunch and Associates in New Bern, Staunch has always immersed herself in the promotion of her community and state. Currently, she chairs a task force for the Craven County Tourism Development Authority that explores collaboration among other tourism initiatives. She is a member of three area Chambers of Commerce, serving as a board member for one of them and also as a board member for the North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry. As a member of the NC Symphony Board of Directors, Staunch founded an organization that set up and supports the North Carolina Symphony–New Bern Series. In 1999, Staunch began producing and hosting her own local television show called “Around Town with Linda Staunch.” In 2003, the show was picked up by a FOX-TV affiliate, which expanded her audience by thousands. The concept of giving back is huge for Staunch, as she always finds time to mentor young people or aspiring public relations professionals, making the point that practicing effective oral and written communications will be their best skill. Although “energetic” is a word hardly descriptive enough to apply to this dynamic lady, it must be said that she works constantly on balancing her personal and business life. This, from a lady who has already agreed to help plan New Bern’s 300th Anniversary Celebration scheduled for the year 2010—of course, after the Pepsi Americas’ Sail becomes history. You can learn more about the Pepsi Americas’ Sail at www.pepsiamericassail.com and also about Linda Staunch at www.lstaunch.com.