Three Public Relations

The wantilan (a large open building that serves as an audience hall) of Besakih Temple housed the presentation of the Sympathetic Public Relations Officer 2002 (PR Simpatik 2002) on Sunday, December 22. Bali Travel News presented awards to these three public relations officers who are considered to be the most congenial for the year 2002. The winners were S. Andrayani (Asst. Public Relations Manager of Kuta Paradiso Hotel) for the gold medal; Anastasia Aldelina Lijadi (Marketing Communications Manager of Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort) for the silver medal; and Ni Made Dwidiani (Marketing Communications Manager of Bali Hilton International) for bronze medal.
According to Bali Travel News reports, these three public relations officers are considered to be the most regular at sending press releases and news about their hotel activities to several media, including Bali Travel News. At a preliminary stage, there were 10 public relations nominated and given the chance to follow the selection in terms of the mastery of public relations skills and Balinese culture concept.
Seven from the ten nominees attended the selection event that was held in Sari Warta Boga Restaurant on Wednesday, December 18. These seven PR were then given several questions from the jury. The mastery of Balinese culture concept was handled by the THK awards team and the mastery of the techniques of public relations was conducted by the team from PR Department Program, Faculty of Communication Science, Dwijendra University, Denpasar.

Here are three profiles of the popular PR of 2002:

S. Andrayani
The alumnus of the English Department of Pakuan University, Bogor (West Java) has a cool and smart approach in her role as PR in Kuta Paradiso Hotel. Andra is one of the busiest people in handling the guests who come to events held by this hotel. Her friendly attitude makes everybody who meets her for the first time immediately close to her and each other. Especially for the reporters, Andra will not hesitate to join in and invites them to enjoy the food and beverage in the Kuta Paradiso style. “Public Relations is actually the source of information for anybody including reporters. Therefore, as a PR we are pursued mastering the knowledge and having a wide perception so that we are not left behind with the reporters’, she commented.
When getting involved in a conversation, this woman easily adapts to the topic being discussed. This is understandable because she used to be an English teacher before working in the tourism industry. Before working in the hotel industry, S. Andrayani started her career as a Master of Ceremony in Bogor Palace. At informal events, the palace officials often used her expertise in guiding the ceremony. “It was possible because my house is near the palace”, she said to Bali Travel News recently.
She then became a Sales Executive and then secretary to the General Manager and then Purchasing Manager. She just feels comfortable being the Asst. Public Relations Manager for 2 years in Kuta Paradiso Hotel. “Being a PR is actually not my dream, however I still do it thoroughly since it is a management duty. And it is obviously very enjoyable”, she said while adding that through this profession she could be acquainted with many people. “They are not only the hotel employees but many people from the hotel industry community up to figures and functionaries of Bali, national, and international.

Anastasia A. Lijadi
She is a mechanical engineer from the University of Indonesia, Jakarta. She also succeeded in obtaining a college degree in the economic field (SE) at the same university. “Education for me is a means to open myself to be mature”, Anastasia Aldelina Lijadi, the Marketing Communication Manager of Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, said.
At first glance, this woman seems to be an introvert so that it is difficult to approach her especially for people who do not know her yet. However, if we have already been acquainted with this person, we will not be bored talking to her. She speaks softly and the elegant appearance as well as her friendly attitude makes this figure compatible to the position of Marketing Communication Manager.
The former PR Manager of Bali Hyatt Hotel is familiar with everyone she has already met. Besides being smart in running her office, Anastasia is also a typical hard female worker so that any assignments given to her will be done completely. “For me, there will be joy and misery in any job and it depends on our ability to manage it so that it does not make us too stressed in doing it”, she said.
Her smart and friendly attitude means she is the Bali Association of Hotel’s Public Relations chairperson in the period of 2002 - 2003. She used to be a Marketing Coordinator in promoting Nusa Dua in the time after the tragedy of October 12. She is also actively supporting the PR of Casa Grande’s activities (the association of foreign General Manager) to find funds for humanity.
Before becoming a Marketing communication Manager of Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort, she used to be an Asst. PR Manager of Cathay Pacific Hongkong and a PR Manager & Corporate Secretary of Matsuhita Corporation. This very high comprehension and experience in the PR field makes the woman who is often called Tasya a good person to lead HHPB with 45 members.

Ni Made Dwidiani
An engineer too, she also has the talent to be a PR. It can be seen in how the mother of one child energetically explains the activities she always done in an institution, especially in a hotel. As a Balinese person, Dwi (her nickname) masters the local culture very much, therefore, any guest who needs an explanation about Balinese culture, Dwidiani will not hesitate to explain the meaning of the words being questioned. Besides having a friendly attitude, she also has an elegant appearance so that we can meet her anytime and anywhere. “But we must have an appointment first before making a meeting with me”, Dwi said while starting the conversation.
According to Dwi, knowledge and experience are all very important but the things that are not less important for being a PR are modesty and to never treat one person differently from another in social intercourse. “This is very important in order to be able accepted by everyone”, she explained.
Her smart brain and sociable attitude makes the alumnus from Waterloo University, Canada easy to associate with anyone including the reporters who often contact her for information of the hotel activities at the end of the year.
Before becoming a Marketing Communication Manager of Bali Hilton International, she used to be a Guest Relations, Tour & Group Coordinator, Sales Manager in Charge of Asian & American markets, Marketing & Sales Manager in Charge of MICE and she has been in the position of Marketing Communication Manager since 2000.
Dwi is also active as the leader of Indonesia’s Purna Caraka Muda - Bali besides running her daily routine in the hotel. She has a lot of work experience, from being an organising committee member of the National Seminar on public housing in Bali at Sahid Seaside Cottage, being a participant of International Conference on Energy, Environment, & Sustainable Development at Sheraton Nusa Indah, the participant of International Conference on New Energy at Bali Hilton, and even on the Organising Committee and MC for the 7th Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineers at Bali Beach.
The work experience and a long period of education in a foreign country makes her more discreet in taking action related to the public interest. She has been acquainted with more people from the press and media after taking the position of Marketing Communication Manager. This position also improves her interest to read any kind of media. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many kinds of media from local to international in her room. These reasons also make her the winner of the Congenial Public Relation 2002. (poll)