The About Perception Podcast

Welcome to the Perception Podcast, this is Tom Garrity.  We’ve had a lot going on here at The Garrity Group, but I wanted to share with you something that is off the beaten path … literally and figuratively.  Some of you know I am training to run the Black Hills Ultra Marathon 50 mile race with Team World Vision.  It is in South Dakota at the end of June.  As a part of the training and encouragement I had a chance to speak with World Record Holder and ultra marathoner Michael Wardian.

Full Transcript

Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group [00:00:01] It's. Welcome to the Perception podcast. This is Tom Garrity. We have a lot going on here at the guarantee that I wanted to share with you something that is off the beaten path, literally and figuratively. Some of you know, I'm training to run the Black Hills ultra 50-mile race for Team World Vision. It's in South Dakota at the end of June. And as a part of the training and encouragement, I had a chance to speak with world record holder. An ultra-marathoner, Michael Motian was gracious enough to share some insights that I think are also applicable in the world of public relations. And we'll tell you how at the end of the interview. Right now, picking up on Michael Wardian, talking about his background in running 

Michael Wardian, Ultramarathon Runner [00:00:50] qualified, ran the Boston Marathon, got hooked with running and then fell into Ultra shortly thereafter. I did my first 50-mile race in nineteen ninety-seven, so quite a few years ago. Then I've progressed through things. All ranked runners to international runners eventually earn my way through teams and been a pro athlete now for going on 20 some years. So, it's been it's been quite a journey from not even knowing how many laps are in a 400 to running for multiple days running across countries and representing Team USA along the way. So I've been really fortunate to have had the chance to, you know, take up a sport that I'm so into and passionate about and excited about. And I think the greatest thing, too, is just the chance to meet people along the way and do some good. And so I think that's what we're doing here. 

Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group [00:01:59] Outstanding team World Vision. How did you first get become aware of team World Vision? 

Michael Wardian, Ultramarathon Runner [00:02:07] And I'd say. I was probably I'd seen the logos and the shirts at some events. I feel like I may have seen team World Vision at Comrade's one year in South Africa. And then I was in twenty seventeen. I won the World Marathon Challenge, where you run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents and one of the prizes for winning that was you won fifteen thousand dollars. I think it was actually fifteen thousand euro donation to any charity of your choice. And in my professional life outside of running I'm an international broker. And so we work with like a bunch of private voluntary relief organizations, including World Vision ship, like bulk wheat and stuff to places all around the world. And then I'd seen the team, World Vision people, and I met some of them. And I thought, well, that would be a great charity. It'd be a two for one. Like, they do stuff up and running and they do stuff and in humanitarian food aid. So I was able to donate that check to World Vision and I kind of got introduced to Brian and Josh along the way. And then I was asked to be a part of the hood to coast relay. So that was that was really cool. And then I did some of the six ks for water locally. So definitely, definitely been, you know, a lengthy kind of journey with World Vision. I haven't got a chance to go to any of the mission sites yet. So that was something I was hoping to do when I ran comrade's. And it just hasn't happened yet. But hopefully that'll be coming up in the future. 

Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group [00:04:04] Outstanding. Outstan

The Farm and Ranching industry is one of the most favored industries and institutions in New Mexico.  According to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS), 77% of New Mexico residents favor the industry with 46% of that group giving it a “very favorable” rating on a five-point scale. Among the 17 industries surveyed, the Farm and Ranching Industry is the second most favorable slightly behind Small Business. The scientific survey among New Mexico residents was conducted in late January 2020.

This episode features New Mexico Cabinet Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte.

New Mexico’s national laboratories rank 5th among 17 industries and institutions included in the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey

New Mexico’s national laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories have a high level of favorability among the state’s residents. According to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey, the national labs rank 5th among the 17 industries and institutions with a 67 percent favorability among New Mexico residents. The national laboratories in similar company with small business, farm and ranch, renewable energy and local banks in favorability.

Today, Tom Garrity, President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations speaks with Kathy Keith, Director of the Community Partnerships Office at Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

External Sources:
Los Alamos Laboratory Contributes $3 Billion a Year to the State's Economy. An independent economic impact analysis has found that Los Alamos National Laboratory is responsible for creating 24,169 jobs in New Mexico while contributing $3.1 billion a year—much of it in out-of-state dollars—to the New Mexico economy (https://www.lanl.gov/community/economic/index.php). 

Sandia National Laboratory now has more than 14,000 employees in Albuquerque alone. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Sandia Laboratory contributed than $3.7 billion dollars into New Mexico’s economy, with $2.1 billion going straight to payroll (https://www.sandia.gov/working_with_sandia/economic_impact/). 

State Universities Fair Well Among Favorability of New Mexico Residents

 Universities boast 61% favorability, ranking 8th among 17 industries and institutions included in the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey

New Mexico residents have a favorable opinion of state universities according to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS). Among the 17 industries surveyed, the state universities are the eighth most favorable institution in the state. Based on the survey, 61 percent of New Mexico residents are favorable of state universities. The scientific survey among New Mexico residents was conducted in late January 2020. 

 Dr. Joseph Shepard, President of Western New Mexico University joins Tom Garrity, President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations to discuss the findings.

New Mexico residents have unique perspectives about favorability and trust of public schools and educators. The 2020 Garrity Perception Survey reveals confidence in educators is strong, 69 percent of New Mexico residents trust teachers, ranking second out of fifteen professions. When the focus is on K-12 institutions, 41 percent of New Mexicans have a favorable impression of public schools; ranking fourteenth out of seventeen industries. The scientific survey of 408 residents has a 95 percent level of confidence.

In this episode, Tom Garrity; President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations speaks with Dr. Sue Cleveland, the superintendent and chief executive officer of the Rio Rancho Public Schools.

GPS 2020_ Public Schools.mp4

Tom Garrity [00:00:02] According to the 20 20 year perceptions survey, New Mexico residents have unique perspectives of education, competence and educators and strong. Sixty nine percent of New Mexico residents trust teachers. Forty one percent of the Mexicans have a favorable impression of public schools. This is Tom Garrity with the Garrity good public relations. Joining me today to talk about the 20 20 Garity Perception Survey is one of the most respected educators in the state, at least according to me. It is Dr. Sue Cleveland, the superintendent and chief executive officer of the Rio Rancho Public Schools. Welcome, Doctor Cleveland. It's good to see you. 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:00:38] It's good to see you as well. Thank you for having me today. 

Tom Garrity [00:00:42] You bet. So before we jump into the twenty 20 Perceptions survey findings, will you please just provide our viewers and listeners a little bit more insight about your leadership path and the Rio Rancho Public Schools? 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:00:56] Well, I am. I'm a native New Mexican. 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:01:00] I am a graduate of San Diego High School and went to you and them and then went to New Mexico State University, where my husband was getting an engineering degree. And then we left and went to Houston and were there for a good number of years. I was a teacher and administrator and one of the suburban districts in Houston. And then his work took us to the Carolinas. And I was an administrator and superintendent of a district outside of Charlotte. And I always wanted to come back homeless here. And my parents were here and we had a new baby. And so we made the trip back to New Mexico and this opportunity to work with the Rio Rancho School districts. It's just been a wonderful experience for me. I've just been so grateful to have had this opportunity. So that's kind of the pathway. I worked at all three levels. I worked at elementary, middle and high school. My primary background is, was high school, but. Can I have a pretty general background in education? 

Tom Garrity [00:02:08] Well, and you are the only superintendent that the Rio Rancho Public Schools has ever known. 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:02:15] I am the only one. I've been here quite a long time, and as I said, it's been a great experience. 

Tom Garrity [00:02:22] Well, the 2020 Perception Survey addresses trust of teachers and favorability of public schools. Let's talk about this, 69 percent of residents who have a very high level of trust in teachers. Your opinion, in your opinion, why are teachers the second most trusted profession in the state? 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:02:41] Well, I think number one was family and relatives. As I recall, and so it's it's wonderful to see teachers at the number two slot. The reason I think that occurs is that most parents make their children their number one priority. It's the most important thing in their lives. And so they pay a lot of attention to education and they want a good education for their children. 

Dr. Sue Cleveland [00:

Favorability of Financial Institutions Vary Based on Local versus National Banks 

 New Mexico Residents Favor Local Banks (67%) over National Banks (39%) in the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey

New Mexico residents are more favorable towards local banks than they are national banks. According to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey, Local Banks are viewed as the sixth most favorable of the 17 industries included in the research findings. National banks are the 15th most favorable institution. The scientific survey among New Mexico residents was conducted in late January 2020.

“By their nature, local banks have a unique connection to the community; that affinity is clearly reflected in GPS findings,” said Tom Garrity; President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations. “The changing world of community banks and credit unions have created some mergers of convenience. However, despite new names and expanded customer segments, local banks continue to be known for their community connections.”

“National banks have a perception issue, but not because of the good work they do in our communities,” Garrity says. “The perception issues are likely due to issues at national banks in other parts of the country that get coverage on news networks or social media and review websites. Ever since the Great Recession of 2008, public perception of national banks has suffered. This is unfortunate because national banks help on their local communities, sometimes with greater financial impacts than local banks.”

Jerry Walker, president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers Association indicated in a 2020 Perception Broadcast that the number of local community banks in New Mexico has dwindled from 46 in 1991 to 33 this year. “NM is slow going into and slow going out of a recession,” says Mr. Walker. “With our regulatory environment, with the gross receipts tax system and corporate income taxes, which some bordering states do not have, we expect our business growth to be slower this year.”

Local Banks

New Mexican’s favorability of Local Banks is consistent. In 2011, 66 percent of residents were favorable of local banks. In 2020, 67 percent of residents are favorable of local banks. New Mexico residents who annually earn between $40,000 and $79,999, have earned a high school degree and have lived in the state for more than 20 years are more favorable of local banks than other demographics.

Geographically, residents living in the Northwest region are more favorable of local banks than those who live in other parts of the state.  New Mexicans living in the North Central region and the Albuquerque area are also favorable of local banks than residents in other parts of New Mexico.

National Banks

National banks have routinely ranked lower than most other industries on the Garrity Perception Survey. The highest score for the industry came in 2015 with 41 percent of those surveyed having a favorable view. The lowest level of favorability was a mere 30 percent, in 2017. Favorability increased in 2020.

Geographically, residents living in the Eastern and Northwestern parts of New Mexico tend to have a higher level of favorability of national banks than residents living in Albuquerque or Las Cruces.

The renewable energy industry ranks 7th among 17 industries and institutions included in the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey. This episode of the Perception Podcast features an interview with Mr.  Fernando Martinez, the executive director of the New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority.

New Mexico residents have a favorable opinion of the wind and solar industry according to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS). Among the 17 industries surveyed, the renewable energy industry is the seventh most favorable industry in the state. The scientific survey among New Mexico residents was conducted in late January 2020. 

“The renewable energy industry is favorably positioning New Mexico to be a significant player in the generation and transmission of clean energy due in large part to New Mexico’s great assets in plentiful and quality wind and sunshine.” said Tom Garrity, President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations. “The move to renewables is also driven by the 2019 Energy Transition Act that establishes a pathway for a low-carbon energy transition away from coal.”

According to the State of New Mexico, the Energy Transition Act sets a statewide renewable energy standard of 50 percent by 2030 for New Mexico investor-owned utilities and rural electric cooperatives and a goal of 80 percent by 2040, in addition to setting zero-carbon resources standards for investor-owned utilities by 2045 and rural electric cooperatives by 2050.

New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority’s Executive Director Fernando Martinez shared some insights about the increased favorability of the industry during a recent interview with Tom Garrity. “There are economic and environmental reasons for increased favorability of the industry.  Western energy policies have changed rapidly in the last few years. There are energy policies, meant to meet environmental benefits that are going to realized in NM and the surrounding states, but it is also great economics that are driving the wind and solar industry right now. Because wind and solar are now cheaper than new gas and new coal and that is even without the incentives of investment tax credits and production tax credits. We can say that wind and solar are now a large part of the new energy markets based solely on low cost.  And we expect by early 2030s that n w s will be cheaper than existing gas.”

New Mexican’s favorability of the renewable energy industry has been consistently favorable, hovering right around 60 percent since the GPS started in 2011. Residents who are likely to have a favorable impression of the renewable energy industry includes voters who are registered as a democrat, have a graduate degree, household income of $40,000-$79,99 each year and between 50-64 years of age. 

Geographically, residents in the North Central region are the most favorable of wind and solar industry.  New Mexicans living in Albuquerque and the Las Cruces area are also favorable of the industry.

About the Garrity Perception Survey and P.A.C.E. 

The 2020 Garrity Perception Survey is a scientific survey of New Mexico residents conducted by Research & Polling Inc. The survey has a 95% level of confidence.  The Garrity Group first commissioned the survey in 2011 and makes its cross-tab data available to help its clients identify and understand their target audience. The PACE solution leverages the demographic and geographic insights as a way for our clients to be relevant before their New Mexico audience. Identifying how our clients are Perceived by their Audiences, we Create a way for them to Engage relevant advocates.  For more information visit GarrityPR.com.

This episode of the #GPS2020 Podcast features the Film and Motion Picture Industry and an interview with Amber Dodson, who is the director of the New Mexico Film Office. We ask her to discuss the industry, which has a strong 70% favorability among New Mexico residents.

The film industry ties for 3rd most favorable among 17 industries included in the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey

Albuquerque, NM. – New Mexico residents have a very favorable opinion of the Film and Motion Picture Industry according to the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS). Among the 17 industries surveyed, the film and motion picture industry is the third most favorable in the state, tied with New Mexico community colleges. The scientific survey among New Mexico residents was conducted in late January 2020. 

The Film and Motion Picture Industry ties with Community Colleges as the third most favorable industry in New Mexico. Small Business (79%) and the Farm & Ranch Industry (77%) are the most favorable industries.  The National Laboratories and Local Banks (both 67%) follow the Film Industry as the next most favorable industries.

Breaking Bad, No Country for Old Men and The Avengers are all productions that feature New Mexico in their credits and is one reason why the industry has such a favorable opinion among New Mexicans,” said Tom Garrity; President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations. “According to NMFilm.com the industry has generated in excess of $1.4 billion into the New Mexico economy since 2015. In addition to economic impact, it provides a sense of pride when we see the state’s unique landscape featured on the big screen.”

“It is not a mythical industry that happens somewhere else, it actually happens here on our streets, in our homes and employing our own local businesses in our state,” says Amber Dodson, Director of the New Mexico Film Office. “We are film friendly; this is an asset we have here when productions come to shoot here they are talking to, in general, to residents and business owners who have worked with the film industry and they think it is good for the economy, and it is. So many jobs are produced by the industry. Take for example, a feature film filmed here last year, Netflix’s Army of the Dead. They did most of the photography and production in Albuquerque and employed 501 New Mexico crew members, these are high paying jobs, lifelong careers as well as 2,000 background actors. This is a film friendly state because so many residents are employed or benefit from it.”

Residents who are likely to have a favorable impression of the film and motion picture industry include people who have been residents of the state for less than eight years, a college graduate and over the age of 65 years. 

Geographically, residents living in North Central New Mexico have the highest favorability of the film industry than those living in other parts of the state. New Mexicans living in Albuquerque and the northwest parts of the state are also very favorable of the industry. 

We discussed the #GPS2020 Closer Look: Newspapers with Mr. Sammy Lopez, Executive Director of the New Mexico Press Association. In 2011 that newspaper ranked as the second most accessed information source in New Mexico. Fast forward to 2020, it dropped to fourth out of six sources, behind internet news sites and radio.

In times of crisis, we lean heavier on the opinions of those people we trust.

This podcast features an excerpt of The 2020 GPS overview of New Mexican’s Trust of People and Professions. 

When it comes to who New Mexico residents trust, blood is thicker than water.

We're not able to choose our family but we sure do trust them. 

Residents were asked to rate the trustworthiness of various people using a five-point scale where five is completely trustand one is completely distrust.  

The large majority (76%) of New Mexicans view their family members or relatives as being trustworthy. Of this group, women were more likely to trust family members and relatives (81%) then men (61%).

Teachers are trusted among 69 percent of New Mexico residents. Trust of teachers increases with the level of attained education. Among college graduates, 71 percent trust teachers, compared with 68% of high school graduates.

Doctors are trusted by 66 percent of residents. In January, months before New Mexico’s first reported COVID-19 case, doctors had the highest level of trust among residents living in the Northwest (84%) and North Central (72%) parts of the state. Northwest New Mexico was harder hit by COVID-19 than any other part of the state. Also, 75 percent of residents 65 years or older trust doctors, compared to 67 percent of residents 18-34 years old.

Rounding out the most trusted New Mexicans, 61 percent of residents trust scientists, and 58 percent view police officersas being trustworthy. Just over half (52%) of the state’s residents rate pastors, priests or other religious leaders as being trustworthy, which is a decline from 62 percent observed in 2017.

On the flip side of the “red line,” a host of other people and professions have their work cut out. Those with trust below 50 percent often have to share one to two points defending their profession before proactively sharing something positive.

Less than half of New Mexico residents view accountants (45%), judges (41%), the ordinary man or woman (40%), and business owners/executives (38%) as trustworthy. However, it should be noted that 26 percent view judges as untrustworthy, and 19 percent say the ordinary man or woman is untrustworthy. 

One in three residents view journalists as being trustworthy, while 33 percent distrust journalists and another 30 percent have mixed feelings. Residents living in New Mexico for more than 20 years have a higher level of trust (35%) for reporters than do residents who have been here for fewer than eight years (20%). More women (41%) than men (25%) trust journalists. Democrats (40%) and independent voters (30%) trust journalists more than Republicans (28%).

When you look at trust by region, the numbers fluctuate. For example, in 2014 only 8 percent of residents living in the northwest region trusted journalists, compared to 57 percent who did not trust reporters and editors. In 2017, only 14 percent of residents on the east side of the state trusted journalists compared to 53 percent who distrusted the profession (read Closer Look: Newspapers on page 14).

New Mexico residents are more likely to say they distrust the following people than they are to trust them: federal government officials (36% distrust, 29% trust); state government officials (35% distrust, 31% trust); lawyers (34% distrust, 29% trust); and advertising executives (40% distrust, 20% trust).

For more information visit GarrityPR.com