Honoring Milestones in Mentoring:
A Celebration of Leaders
OCTOBER 30, 2014 FOR LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC REL Union League Club of Chicago 65 W. Jackson Blvd.
FOR LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Nurturing the Eternal Truths, Shaping the Future of Our Profession
Who We Are The Plank Center is the leading international resource for practitioners, educators and students who are passionate about advancing their careers and the public relations profession.
What We Do The Plank Center’s mission is to help develop and recognize outstanding public relations leaders, role models and mentors to advance ethical public relations in an evolving, global society.
What We Believe In engaging others, we foster and advocate these professional ideals: Truth Integrity Courage Caring Imagination Judgment Leadership
Friends of the Plank Center,
Welcome
The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at The University of Alabama seeks to help develop and recognize outstanding public relations leaders, role models and mentors to advance ethical public relations in an evolving global society. Tonight we spotlight and celebrate the importance of mentoring by honoring industry trailblazers who lead by example and epitomize the value of knowledge transfer through their extraordinary contributions and accomplishments. Patrick Ford has spent more than 29 years at Burson-Marsteller. Along the way, he has mentored not only those who are just starting out in the profession, but also those who are his peers. He is described as having a “profound commitment to the people around him.” Dr. Lynne Sallot has been instrumental in mentoring her students, as well as her colleagues. She has been honored by PRSA at the national and chapter levels, as well as by her own university, for her high standards of teaching and her concern for her students. Jose Rivera is an up-and-coming leader in public relations who, from humble beginnings in the barrios of East L.A., overcame hardships to become a mentor, coach and champion to first-generation Hispanic public relations students. Andy Polansky has been with Weber Shandwick and its predecessor firms for more than 30 years. He is described as “a most innovative, influential, and admired leader” who “always finds time to mentor young professionals.” Wendi Strong leads USAA’s corporate affairs team. She believes that the number one job of leaders is to build more leaders and that her most important role is to lift up those working with her. Similarly, Potbelly’s Aylwin Lewis seeks to hire “nice people,” actively supporting their development and promoting diverse points of view. On behalf of The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, we are proud to honor these individuals who have demonstrated the power of leadership through mentoring. Ron Culp Keith Burton Bill Heyman Milestones in Mentoring Dinner Co-Chairs
Sponsors With special thanks to our premium sponsors...
Sponsors The Plank Center wishes to thank the following for their generous support...
ACCO Brands A Step Ahead PR Bruce Berger, Ph.D. Brunswick Burson-Marsteller Discover Edelman FleishmanHillard Gagen MacDonald General Motors Golin Grant Thornton LLP Heli-One Canada Heyman Associates
Hill+Knowlton Strategies IBM Ketchum/Zocalo Group Lundbeck McDonald’s MillerCoors Navistar, Inc. NextEra Energy, Inc. Ogilvy Public Relations Porter Novelli USAA Walgreens Weber Shandwick Wisconsin Energy Corp.
And the following for their assistance: Lisa Gill, Cassandra Kaplan, Morgan Pettway, Jessika White, DLS Photography and Perfect Cut Productions
Program The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations 5th Annual Honoring Milestones in Mentoring: A Celebration of Leaders Union League Club of Chicago October 30, 2014 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Welcome and Introduction Ron Culp
Dinner Market Beets and Arugula
Micro Greens, Candied Pistachio and Goat Cheese White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Grilled Petite Filet of Beef & Herb Crusted Halibut Green Peppercorn Sauce and Grilled Pineapple Relish Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Olive Oil and Chives
Eggplant and Forest Mushroom Lasagna SautĂŠed Spinach, Ricotta Cheese and Roasted Garlic Cream
Baked Chocolate Mousse
Croquant Rolled Vanilla Ice Cream, Mixed Berry Sauce and Fresh Seasonal Berries
Awards Ceremony
Honorees
Keith Burton
LEGACY
Patrick Ford Presented by Harold Burson
AGENCY
Andy Polansky Presented by Sara Gavin
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL Jose Rivera
Presented by Jacqueline Vargas
BRUCE K. BERGER EDUCATOR Dr. Lynne Sallot
Presented by Neil Hirsch
CORPORATE Wendi Strong
Presented by Bret Gallaway
EXECUTIVE Aylwin Lewis
Presented by Lori Haughey
Closing Remarks Bill Heyman
Legacy
PATRICK FORD Patrick Ford became Burson-Marsteller’s vice chairman for client service in 2012, following six years of driving extraordinary growth in North America as regional president and chief executive officer. He also serves as chairman of the firm’s Asia-Pacific region—with its 18 offices and 11 affiliates.
Ford has advised a wide range of clients on corporate reputation management, senior executive positioning, media strategy and crisis communications during a 25-year career at Burson-Marsteller. His work has spanned diverse industries such as automotive, energy, financial services, food and beverage, management consulting, technology, telecommunications and utilities. Before joining Burson-Marsteller, Ford served as vice president for external affairs at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, DC, after a brief career as a newspaper reporter. Ford serves on the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Public Relations, an international organization that supports PR research and education, and is a member of the Council of Public Relations Firms. He also is a member of the Advisory Board of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism at Hampton University. Ford received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey-Newark.
Agency
ANDY POLANSKY Andy Polansky is chief executive officer of Weber Shandwick, a leading global public relations agency with offices in 81 countries around the world. He was named CEO in November 2012, after serving as global president since March 2004.
Polansky led the development of Weber Shandwick’s Client Relationship Leader (CRL) program, which has been featured as a Harvard Business School case study. He serves as a senior strategist on a number of corporate and business-to-business client engagements. In addition, Polansky spearheaded the development of the firm’s global Making A Difference program, which encompasses pro-bono community outreach programs that Weber Shandwick supports. Prior to joining Weber Shandwick, Polansky was a municipal reporter, a business and feature writer, and a sportswriter. Polansky serves on the Board of Directors for The Ad Council and the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Public Relations. From 2010 to 2012, Polansky served as chair of the Council of Public Relations Firms. He is also a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and The Seminar. In 2010 he was named to the PRNews’ Hall of Fame. Polansky also has served as a non-executive director of Freeplay Energy, a global supplier of clean, off-the-grid energy products. Polansky holds a bachelor’s degree from The College of New Jersey and sits on the College’s Board of Directors.
Young Professional
JOSE RIVERA Jose Rivera joined the Communication Studies Department at California State University, San Bernardino, as an adjunct instructor in January 2012. He quickly established himself as a strong instructor and a willing mentor. Rivera teaches several upperdivision public relations courses including campaigns and writing. In addition to teaching, Rivera is the department’s PRSSA advisor. This year, the club attended PRSSA Regionals and visited Edelman and Facebook headquarters in Los Angeles.
Prior to becoming a lecturer at CSUSB, Rivera interned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With the CDC, he did community outreach and event planning. The emphasis of his work was in HIV/AIDS prevention among Latino populations. Rivera is a key member of Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD), which promotes a broad-based awareness of Latino education issues. He assists LEAD with community outreach, internship coordination, LEAD Summit planning and social media support. He recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work with LEAD. Rivera currently serves on his University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), which reviews research proposals in an effort to protect the rights and welfare of human participants. He holds bachelor’s degrees in public relations and mass communication and earned his master’s degree in communication studies from Cal State San Bernardino in 2011.
Bruce K. Berger Educator LYNNE M. SALLOT, Ph.D.
Lynne M. Sallot, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of Public Relations, joined the faculty of the Grady College at the University of Georgia in 1993. Sallot is the author or co-author of 70 journal articles, book chapters and conference papers. She received the 2008 Pathfinder Award from the Institute for Public Relations for her significant contributions to the body of public relations knowledge and practice. PRSSA named her its Outstanding Faculty Advisor in 1997, the same year she was inducted into PRSA’s College of Fellows. In 2007, Sallot received PRSA’s Outstanding Educator Award. She was inducted into the Georgia PRSA Chapter’s Hall of Fame and its Order of the Phoenix, its highest individual honor, in 2002. The Grady College’s Graduate Caucus honored her with the 2001 Roland Page Graduate Teaching Award to recognize her high standards of teaching and concern for students. She received UGA’s 1998 Richard B. Russell Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching award. A member of UGA’s Teaching Academy since 2001, she has been recognized by UGA’s Career Center for her contributions to the career development of students seven times since 2002 and received Honorable Mention for UGA’s 2001-2002 Outstanding Academic Advisor/Mentor Award (Faculty Category). Sallot has a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University, a master’s from the University of Miami, and her doctorate from the University of Florida.
Corporate
WENDI STRONG Wendi Strong is executive vice president of Enterprise Affairs and chief communications officer of USAA, one of America’s leading financial services companies.
USAA has served the military community since 1922 and has become well known for its exceptional customer service, financial strength and work environment. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 26,000 employees in offices throughout the United States and Europe, USAA owns and manages assets of more than $198 billion. Strong leads USAA’s strategic communications functions and has responsibility for brand and reputation management; employee communications; community and military affairs; and enterprise events and protocol. Her team is focused on engaging and building lasting relationships with USAA’s constituents. Prior to joining USAA in 2000, Strong served as vice president of strategic communications for Associates First Capital Corporation and in executive leadership roles at Kimberly-Clark Corporation and Rosewood Hotels and Resorts. In addition to her 25 years of corporate experience, she spent six years as a public relations executive at Hill+Knowlton and Dallas-based Holt & Associates. Strong serves on the Board of Trustees for the Arthur W. Page Society, the Institute for Public Relations, the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas and the San Antonio River Foundation. Strong holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s from the University of North Texas.
Executive
AYLWIN B. LEWIS Aylwin B. Lewis is the chairman, chief executive officer and president of Potbelly Sandwich Shop, a Chicago-based sandwich chain with operations throughout the United States and the Middle East. Prior to joining Potbelly in 2008, Lewis was chief executive officer and president of Sears Holdings, which was created from the merger of Kmart and Sears. Lewis was the president and CEO of Kmart at the time of the merger.
From 2000 to 2004, Lewis was president, chief multi-branding and operating officer of YUM! Brands, Inc., the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, among other restaurant concepts. Prior to that, he was the chief operating officer of Pizza Hut. He began his career with Yum! as a restaurant general manager. Lewis has been a member of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company since 2004 and of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, since 2013. He also currently serves as a trustee of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and is on the Board of Directors of World Business Chicago, a nonprofit economic development organization that fosters private sector growth and jobs in Chicago. The Nation’s Restaurant News awarded Lewis with a 2014 Golden Chain award, which honors the best the restaurant industry has to offer. Lewis received dual bachelor degrees and an MBA from the University of Houston.
A Look Back... Legacy Honorees The Legacy award recognizes those who have touched the lives of countless public relations professionals over the course of their exceptional careers.
2010 Harold Burson, founding chairman, Burson-Marsteller; Dan Edelman, founder and chairman, Daniel J. Edelman; Al Golin, chairman, GolinHarris 2011 Ann Barkelew, former senior counselor, Fleishman-Hillard 2012 Steve Harris, former VP, global communications, General Motors 2013 Don Kirchoffner, senior communications consultant, Don Kirchoffner & Associates (posthumously)
Agency Honorees The Agency award recognizes those who have been outstanding mentors in an agency.
2011 Howard Paster, former chairman, CEO, Hill & Knowlton (posthumously) 2012 Margery Kraus, founder and CEO, APCO Worldwide 2013 John Deveney, president, Deveney Communication
Young Professional Honorees The Young Professional award honors young professionals who are up-and-coming leaders already paying it forward.
2010 Kevin Saghy, manager of communications, Chicago Cubs 2011 Joseph Tateoka, associate, Burson-Marsteller 2012 Ryan McShane, account executive, Taylor 2013 Nick Lucido, senior account executive, Edelman Digital
A Look Back... Educator Honorees The Educator award goes to educators who have been instrumental in mentoring students and future educators. This award is named in honor of Dr. Bruce K. Berger, an exceptional public relations leader and educator.
2010 Dr. Culpepper (Cully) Clark, dean emeritus, Henry W. Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Georgia 2011 Dr. Rochelle Ford, associate dean for research & academic affairs, John H. Johnson School of Communications, Howard University 2012 Dr. Elizabeth Toth, professor and chair, department of communication, University of Maryland 2013 Dr. Judy VanSlyke Turk, professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
Corporate Honorees
The Corporate award recognizes corporate communication professionals for mentorship.
2010 2011 2012 2013
Marilyn Laurie, former executive VP, public relations & management, AT&T (posthumously) John Onoda, member, Advisory Board, Fleishman-Hillard Nick Ashooh, global VP, corporate affairs, Alcoa Mike Fernandez, corporate VP, Corporate Affairs, Cargill
ExecutiveHonorees
The Executive award honors executives who exemplify the concept of mentorship.
2010 2011 2012 2013
Billy Shore, founder & executive director, Share Our Strength Peter Hirshberg, CEO, The Re:imagine Group Jon Iwata, senior VP, marketing & communications, IBM Shelly Lazarus, chairman emeritus, Ogilvy & Mather
Our Inspiration BETSY PLANK was the inspiration for both the
Plank Center and the mentoring awards. A 1944 University of Alabama alumna and Tuscaloosa native who spent her entire career in Chicago, Betsy oversaw the creation and development of the Center after the University’s Board of Trustees established it in her name in 2005. A legend in public relations, Betsy’s career spanned more than 60 years. It began in 1947 in Chicago at an agency that served nonprofits. In 1960, she joined what is now Edelman Public Relations Worldwide and rose to executive vice president and treasurer. She left in 1973 to become director of public relations planning for AT&T before transferring to Illinois Bell (now AT&T Inc.) to direct urban, community and educational affairs, issues management and economic development, the first woman to head a department at the company. Betsy was the first woman to serve as national president of the Public Relations Society of America and the first to receive three of PRSA’s top individual awards: the Gold Anvil Award in 1977 for being the outstanding U.S. professional; the 1989 Paul M. Lund Public Service Award for exemplary civic and community work; and the first Patrick Jackson Award for distinguished service to PRSA in 2001. She was also the first to receive the PRSA Educators’ Academy 1997 David W. Ferguson Award for exceptional contributions by a practitioner to public relations education. Betsy was the first recipient of the Arthur W. Page Society’s Distinguished Service Award in 2000, the same year the Institute for Public Relations honored her with its Alexander Hamilton Medal in recognition of her major contributions to the practice of public relations. Betsy was devoted to the Public Relations Student Society of America and served as its national advisor from 1981 to 1983. She also co-founded a group of professionals known as the Champions for PRSSA. In 1993, PRSSA honored Plank with its 25th Anniversary Award.
Betsy was a tireless advocate for public relations education because she believed “as PR professionals, we have a responsibility to help our students grow, to become PRSA colleagues, leaders in the profession and mentors to those who follow them in the classroom.” She co-chaired the 1987 Commission on Undergraduate Public Relations Education, which developed guidelines for public relations curricula at universities and colleges, and was a member of the subsequent commissions. She also helped establish PRSA’s Certification in Education in Public Relations program in 1989, which provides a review and endorsement process for undergraduate and graduate studies in public relations. Always quick to applaud the successes of others, Betsy rarely acknowledged her own. She was described once as being “the ‘champion’ of so many passions to improve our profession— students, education, scholarships, ethics and leadership—to name a few.” She brought all of those passions together within the Plank Center’s mission.
“Mentoring is really one of the strongest ways to spell success in public relations. As students, you had mentors. As young professionals, surely you have them—or will. All along my way in the business, I was blessed with them. A mentor pointed me to my first job in public relations when I didn’t even know what it was. And quickly discovered that you’re never too young— or too old— to mentor others, especially students.”
THE PLANK CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC RELATIONS BOARD OF ADVISORS Ron Culp, Chair Keith Burton, Vice Chair Dr. Karla Gower, Executive Director Dr. Nilanjana Bardhan, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Dr. Bruce Berger, University of Alabama (Emeritus) Keith Burton, Grayson Emmett Partners Ron DeFeo, Darden Restaurants Ellen East, Time Warner Cable Rob Gould, NextEra Energy Heather Harder, PRSSA National President Mark Harris, IBM Bill Heyman, Heyman Associates Julia Hood, Haymarket Media Carrie Kurlander, Chick-fil-A Rick Looser, Cirlot Agency Dr. Diana Martinelli, West Virginia University Gary McCormick, Scripps Network Interactive Dr. Mark Nelson, University of Alabama Daniel O’Donnell, Brunswick Group Dr. Bryan Reber, University of Georgia T.R. Reid, CHC Helicopter Maria Russell, Syracuse University Kevin Saghy, Chicago Cubs Alan VanderMolen, Edelman Rick White, University of North Carolina
Advisors Emeritus Dr. Cully Clark Dr. Linda Hon Andre Taylor
Mark your calendars to join us for
Milestones in Mentoring: A Celebration of Leaders October 29, 2015 Union League Club of Chicago 65 W. Jackson Blvd.
FOR LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
DR. KARLA K. GOWER Box 870172, College of Communication & Information Sciences The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0172 205.348.7250 • gower@apr.ua.edu • www.plankcenter.ua.edu Platform Magazine • www.platformmagazine.org Facebook: Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Twitter: @PlankCenterPR • Instagram: @PlankCenterPR