I'm off to the islands...but I'm leaving you in good hands

It's been 5 years. 5 FRIGGIN YEARS since I've been on vacation. So cut me some slack. I'm due. Yes, as of about 4 p.m. tomorrow, I'll be sitting on that beach right over there (see at right) sipping something with a large amount of rum in it without a care in the world. And for the first time in a long time, I'm unplugging. Really unplugging. But, I didn't want to leave you high and dry either.

So I've asked some folks and colleagues who I think will bring some very interesting perspectives to the table to blog in my absence.

For me--and the market within which I work--it's also a great way to highlight and showcase some of the great voices and smart PR and social media pros we have right here in Minneapolis. It really is a tremendous PR and digital community.

So, for the next six days, you're going to hear from:

* Mike Keliher, customer relationship manager at Fast Horse. Mike recently joined the creative consumer marketing team at Fast Horse in Minneapolis after nearly five years honing his PR and online communication skills with Albert Maruggi at Provident Partners. At Fast Horse, he spends much of his time helping clients with online communication strategy and chips on everything from proofreading to media planning to creative brainstorming.

* Cam Gross, Best Buy. Cam's background comes from a passion for communications, marketing and advertising. Most recently, he has worked with larger enterprises on systems and cultural integration of social communication tools that connect employees with vendors and with each other.

* Jillian Froelich, senior associate and social media co-chair at Carmichael Lynch Spong, combines a passion for public relations strategy with concentrations in digital engagement and business development to produce award-winning work on behalf of clients. She was named a finalist for PRWeek’s national “Young PR Professional of the Year” honor in both 2008 and 2009.

* David Folkens, communications director, MN AIDS Project, is a strategic communicator that has broad experience working within a variety of industries over the last decade with an emphasis on health care. He previously worked for the Minneapolis office of Fleishman-Hillard on both healthcare and technology accounts, at Medtronic where he served as manager of corporate public and media relations, and at specialty pharmaceutical company Orphan Medical, Inc. where he was responsible for public relations outreach, investor/analyst relations, Web development, and internal communications.

I hope you enjoy these new voices. I know I have enjoyed getting to know them all better these past few years. Now, off to suck down a few Coronas, relax and unplug for 120 hours...