NIRI Virtual Chapter Newsletter |
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NIRI Virtual's quarterly newsletter keeps our members and friends informed of everything that is going on with our chapter and in the world of investor relations. |
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Connect with us on social media |
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A note from the Chapter President
Welcome to the 20th Anniversary Year of NIRI Virtual!
Think back 20 years. The year is 2002, the tech bubble bust is behind us and things are back on the upswing. More and more people are getting online via AOL and Compuserve (and 6,000+ other ISPs). 59% of Americans are able to access the internet, but speeds are only 880 kbps (vs. almost 250,000 kbps today). And investor relations, honestly, was still in its early days as a valued profession. Against this backdrop, an intrepid group of pioneers recognized the need and the opportunity for the internet to connect people. They recognized the opportunity to connect people for education, networking and career advancement and they founded NIRI Virtual.
Now, and for the last 20 years, NIRI Virtual has been providing critical connections to our growing membership. We now connect members in all 50 states and in countries around the globe who look to the US for IR leadership. NIRI Virtual has become a critical resource for knowledge sharing and a valuable community for investor relations networking.
This coming season we will continue our strong, core virtual Professional Development programming with events covering the critical topics of the day. We kick the season off this week hosting Matt Brusch, the newly named CEO of NIRI National. We'll explore a wide range of topics that are of interest to the IR community including NIRI's strategic direction, recent SEC areas of focus, the Annual Conference scheduled for Chicago in June, and career development within IR. Matt would also like to hear feedback from our membership.
For members, we look forward to continuing the thriving Mentor Program and continuing to drive significant engagement and new membership with our innovative Partner Program. We welcomed over a dozen chapters who partnered with us to allow their members to attend our virtual events, complementing their own in-person programming.
NIRI VC is going from strength to strength. The pandemic time underscored our unique value proposition to members. As life has gotten closer to "normal," our membership continues to grow, further strengthening the conversation, the development, and the network. We encourage and welcome you to take part - to learn and to contribute your expertise, insights, and questions at NIRI Virtual events this season!
Here's to a great season!
John Nunziati
NIRI Virtual Chapter President
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A Fireside Chat with the Newly Appointed President & CEO of NIRI, Matt Brusch
Wednesday, September 15, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00AM PDT
We are very excited to kick off the program year hosting a fireside chat with newly appointed NIRI CEO and President, Matt Brusch. As he begins his first year at the NIRI helm, Matt has agreed to join the NIRI Virtual Chapter for a conversation on the investor relations landscape. Register here!
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Save the Dates!
Additional information on these events will be available on the website and in your email shortly.
NIRI Virtual Café Chat (Virtual Chapter Members Only)
Wednesday, September 22, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00AM PDT
Artificial Intelligence in Investor Relations
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00AM PDT
NIRI Virtual Café Chat (Virtual Chapter Members Only)
Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00AM PDT
ESG
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00AM PDT
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Archived Events (Members Only)
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NIRI National Names Chapter Volunteers of the Year
Nicole Maselli, VP of Sales at StockPerks, was honored at the recent NIRI 2022 Annual Conference as the NIRI Virtual Chapter Volunteer of the Year for her contributions to the chapter during the 2021-2022 program year.
The NIRI Virtual Chapter was also honored with the 2021-2022 Excellence in Partnership Award.
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IR Magazine Events in September
Small Cap Forum: Increasing Coverage and Navigating a Downturn
On Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in New York, join discussions and hear from expert speakers who will be sharing practical insight and advice on how to stand out in the capital markets by overcoming the time and resource pressures that smaller companies face. NIRI Virtual members can save using the 20% exclusive member discount. Just enter code NIRI20 at checkout. Register here!
Think Tank - West Coast
The IR Magazine Think Tank – West Coast will take place on Friday, September 23, 2022 in Palo Alto, CA as an invitation-only event exclusively for senior IR officers. Request an invite here!
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Investor Relations Charter Exams
Exciting changes have come to the IRC Exams! NIRI has announced that effective March 2022, the IRC examinations will be available online and on-demand. Download the IRC Applicant Handbook for detailed information and instructions.
NIRI Virtual offers scholarships for NIRI Virtual members taking the certification exam. Please contact the chapter via the website for more information on how to apply for a scholarship.
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Join NIRI Virtual
Love NIRI Virtual's content and community, but not yet a member? Join us! NIRI Virtual chapter members hail from more than 10 countries and over 35 industries, representing all ranges of market capitalization and IROs just entering the profession to those with decades of experience. This wide-reaching, global perspective enhances our members networking and idea-sharing opportunities.
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New NIRI Virtual members who joined recently include: |
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David Adams
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
Juan Avendano
Quantum-Si incorporated
Derek Belz
Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Matt Blackburn
D.R. Horton, Inc.
Dave Bobker
Rivel, Inc.
Brian Cabrera
Quantum Corporation
Victoria Connelly
Oshkosh Corporation
Sarah Crews
Genworth Financial, Inc.
Erin Drabek
Arcosa, Inc.
Mariana Estrella
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Matt Garvie
U.S. Xpress Enterprises
Thomas Haws
Silicon Laboratories Inc.
John Hobbs
Albany International Corporation
James Hurley
International Game Technology PLC
Julie Kegley
Financial Profiles, Inc.
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Alima Levy
SIGNA Sports United N.V.
Erin Linnihan
Angeline McCabe
Premier, Inc.
Rachel Minore
Zendesk, Inc.
Jennie O'Reilly
Ivy Asset Group
Frank Perez
Ponce Financial Group, Inc.
Michelle Porhola
Viad Corp
Eric Radzak
Nicolet Bankshares, Inc.
Sunny Rucker
Alanna Scott
Dycom Industries, Inc.
Amit Sharma
Hostess Brands, Inc.
Barbara Sullivan
Rivel, Inc.
Jason Terry
KinderCare
Steve Walzer
Business Wire
Tiffany Willis
Starbucks Corporation
Simon Wu
Kennametal Inc.
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Heighten or Maintain Company Visibility to Investors? Don’t Be Deterred by Economic Headwinds
It is easy to pull back your IR marketing plans when the headlines are negative and the markets slump. Economic cycles come and go. No matter what the headlines tout, there is always an opportunity to tell your company’s story. And, considering that post MifID II, small- and mid-cap companies have less visibility with investors from traditional sell-side coverage, the onus rests on company management teams to own their investment thesis, control the narrative, and provide insight into the company’s strategies and quarterly results.
Human nature is such that many management teams often limit proactive investor communications when turbulence such as supply chain disruptions, inflationary cost pressures, and weakened demand adversely affect financial performance. While the psychology behind this temptation to “hide” during challenging environments is understandable, such a mindset is detrimental.
Investors always crave a consistent flow of company information far beyond basic quarterly results, and during challenging times, the appetite for information only grows. Don’t be deterred by feeling that your company has no news. Take a position on an industry topic. Make your management available for questions via fireside chats. Investors reward companies for providing the greatest transparency. Even if the near-term thesis is unfavorable, investors respect management candor, which fosters trust with current and future shareholders.
Other considerations for messaging include:
- Discussing strategic initiatives.
- Incorporating your company’s sustainability goals (and opportunities).
- Positioning new business or service offerings that may provide higher margins and faster growth, and may be overlooked by traditional sell-side analysts.
- Preparing for discussions on consolidation opportunities that could arise due to weaker competitors.
- Highlighting your company’s three-year financial targets and include a roadmap on how management intends to achieve them.
How can you communicate these topics? Use non-deal roadshows, whether in person or virtual. Conduct virtual fireside chats with other members of management beyond the CEO who can help tell the story and might not be visible during earnings conference calls. Virtual events can be archived on your website, which can witness a two- to three-fold increase in viewership relative to the live broadcast attendance.
If you have bad news, meet it head-on. Be transparent. Face challenging news head-on and discuss your plan to improve results. Refocus investors on the company’s future opportunities.
Summary
While there is no denying current financial headwinds are affecting most sectors, remember that company peers face the exact same challenges. Economic cycles come and go. Investors reward companies that reliably communicate on a proactive and transparent basis, regardless of the economic cycle. Use the next few quarters to cement relationships with current shareholders and attract future investors as financial performance strengthens.
Written by Tim Gerdeman – Vice Chair & Co-Founder, Water Tower Research
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