PR Masters Series

About the Podcast

The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5WPR.

 

 

About Our Guest

Ronn Torossian is the founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently-owned PR firms in the United States. With over 20 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected Public Relations professionals. 

Throughout his career, Torossian has worked with some of the world's most visible companies, brands and organizations. His strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a 2020 Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider. 

Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications, and is called on to counsel blue chip companies, top business executives and entrepreneurs both in the United States and worldwide. Torossian has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly on CNN & CNBC, was named to PR Week's "40 under Forty" list, is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer, and his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations" is an industry best-seller.

About the Podcast

The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Alexis Davis Smith, President and CEO, PRecise Communications, Co-Founder, The Change Agencies.

 

 

About Our Guest

Alexis Davis Smith

President and CEO, PRecise Communications

Co-Founder, The Change Agencies

Building on nearly 30 years of experience and reputation as a trusted communications strategist, Alexis Davis Smith is a leader in Atlanta’s public relations industry and a national voice for multicultural marketing. She is responsible for creating breakthrough and strategic communications programs for major consumer brands.

Alexis has provided public relations counsel for leading global companies such as Coca-Cola, Toyota and Pfizer. For Coca-Cola, she has directed nearly 100 PR programs including the launch of the innovative Coca-Cola Fridge Pack and the award-winning Coca-Cola Pay It Forward program. Her work with the world’s No. 1 automaker, Toyota, has enhanced its brand reputation among multicultural audiences via media relations, experiential marketing, community and philanthropic activities and strategic partnerships.

Alexis maximizes her influence and position to help make a difference in the community. As a result of her recommendations, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store established a scholarship for history students at Spelman College, which continues to assist deserving young people today. In addition, Toyota has donated $20,000 the National Trust for Historic Preservation to help save endangered sites representing important moments and icons in Black history.

Prior to establishing PRecise Communications in 2000, Alexis was an account supervisor at Ketchum, a top 10 global public relations firm, where she traveled the world supporting several key consumer accounts. In 1998, she co-founded the agency’s African American Markets Group, the first-ever in-house ethnic marketing team created by an international PR agency. Her work since that time has established her as a nationally recognized multicultural communications expert.

That expertise earned her the position of one of the six co-founders of The Change Agencies (TCA). TCA is the PR industry’s first national collective of firms to offer inclusive communications services to represent, engage and connect with African American, Asian American, Latinx and LGBTQ communities. The group was launched in the summer of 2019 with the objective of changing how marketing communications professionals reach diverse audiences.

Alexis has received a number of industry awards including a Silver Anvil, “the Oscar of PR” from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and seven Phoenix Awards from PRSA of Georgia. She is immediate past president of the Black Public Relations Society of Atlanta and a board of director for HOPE Atlanta. The Atlanta Business League has recognized Alexis as one of Atlanta’s leading female entrepreneurs and a top 100 black women of influence. She served on its board for two terms. She is also on the executive committee for PRSA’s Counselors Academy section.

Alexis considers herself an advocate for multicultural consumers, helping companies recognize and tap into the viability and business opportunities ethnic groups offer. Her opinion has been featured in the popular industry trades, PR Week and O’Dwyers as well as Vanity Fair. She has also appeared on a number of PR and entrepreneurship-focused podcasts. Black Enterprise profiled her professional journey in a 2017 online article. In addition,

About the Podcast

The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Christine M. Barney, APR, CEO & Managing Partner, rbb Communications.

 

 

About Our Guest

Christine M. Barney, APR

CEO & Managing Partner

rbb Communications

Christine M. Barney is CEO and managing partner of rbb Communications. rbb is a triple threat repeatedly recognized as champions in the field of PR, Digital/Marketing and Creative Services.  In 2020 alone, rbb was among Top Five Global Creative Agencies of the Year, the PRovoke US Small Agency of the Year, named to the Forbes Top PR Firms and took home campaign honors in every competition entered.  rbb is a certified women-owned business with a diverse team across a broad spectrum of crafts including healthcare, consumer services/products, luxury lifestyle, B2B/professional services, real estate and travel.

Barney is the author of “The Breakout Brand ™ Strategy: An Evolutionary Approach to Creating Customer Passion” and her firm, headquartered in Miami, with a presence in Los Angeles and New York is known as the Champion of Breakout Brands ™.

Barney’s innovative management style and “employee-driven workplace” philosophy makes the firm a repeated winner in “best place to work” rankings.  She is active in her home state having served as founding chair of the South Florida Business Council, past chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Orange Bowl Committee, board member of the Beacon Council, member of the International Women’s Forum, Leadership Florida, 2020 Florida Influencers Series and the Florida 500.

She is a member of The Page Society and is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) where she received the 2016 Bill Adams PRSA Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a married mother of three and new grandmother.

www.rbbcommunications.com

https://twitter.com/cmbarney

@cmbarney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmbarney

About the Podcast

The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today's special guest is Cheryl I. Procter-Rogers.

 

About Our Guest

Cheryl I. Procter-Rogers, APR, PCC, Fellow, MBA, MA

Senior Consultant and Executive Coach

A Step Ahead Consulting and Coaching

With more than 40 years of experience as a communications and business strategist, Cheryl is a high-energy, dynamic, professional with a track record of success working with senior executives in a variety of business, government and nonprofit sectors around the world.  She is currently senior consultant and executive coach, A Step Ahead PR Consulting and Coaching, a Chicago-based, global practice.  She is a subject matter expert and develops and implements strategies in crisis communications, strategic planning, change management, internal communications and media relations.  She is an expert in executive communications and is a certified master coach, an International Coach Federation credentialed coach and is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America in public relations.

She draws on her years of experience leading accelerated change and proactive communications efforts for both global, complex organizations as well as local, regional and national entities. As a trusted advisor and coach, she helps leaders navigate ambiguous and volatile environments to achieve their leadership effectiveness. Through her coaching approach, executives focus on their leadership development, corporate presence, personal branding, effective communications, work-life balance, career transitions, or time management challenges through action plans co-created to benefit themselves and their organizations.

She has worked with a variety of corporations and organizations in a number of business sectors. She served in management and executive positions for DePaul University, HBO, Nielsen Marketing Research and Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company. As a consultant, she has implemented strategies and designed training for clients such as Coca-Cola, Nissan, Allstate, McDonald’s, Sears, McCain Foods, Academy of General Dentistry, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, and Magellan Corporation, to name a few.

She was the 2006 national president and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). In 2000, she was the youngest inducted into the PRSA’s College of Fellows.  She is the 2011 PRSA Gold Anvil recipient, the Society’s highest individual award presented to an individual whose work significantly advanced the profession and set high standards for the practice of public relations.  She was the 2016 president of the International Coach Federation Chicago Chapter.

She has authored many articles, contributed to several books, been featured in many publications and is frequently quoted in the media. Her awards and honors are too numerous to mention here.  She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, International Coach Federation, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Board Source and the Television Academy (Emmys®).

Procter-Rogers earned her bachelor's degree from Bradley University, an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, and a master’s degree in Leadership and Change Management from DePaul University.

Visit: www.AStepAheadPR.com

Special Episode

Joe Lockhart knows the White House through and through.  His responses to my questions during our recent PR Masters Series podcast reflects that.  Joe described to our listeners how an effective and experienced White House press secretary prepares for a press briefing and maintains trust, integrity and transparency. 

Judging from my interview with Joe, it’s clear to me that President Clinton was well served during Joe’s tenure as White House press secretary.  Being a White House press secretary isn’t for sissies.  It’s a difficult job being in front of an information ravishing group of reporters.  If you’re not good at your job you will be torn to shreds by the media.  And if you engage in half-truths, innuendo, gossip, rumors and fake news, you’ll be overwhelmed. 

Joe Lockhart is the epitome of what a White House press secretary ought to be.  In fact, I would urge him to tutor all future White House press secretaries wanna be’s.  If so, the American public would be served up with the truth, which is good for our country.

About the Podcast

The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.

About Our Guest

Joe Lockhart, White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton

Joe Lockhart is perhaps best known for his service as White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2000, during which time he managed daily press briefings, provided senior counsel to the President, and managed communications through the President’s impeachment proceedings. Long-time White House correspondent Helen Thomas called him “a straight shooter,” and “one of the best it’s been my honor to work with;” Susan Page at USA Today found Lockhart “direct, well-informed and trusted;” and former CBS White House correspondent Peter Maer said “if Joe Lockhart knows anything, it’s how to control a narrative.”

Lockhart developed his knack for steering the conversation during his early career as an award-winning journalist, political strategist and public-relations consultant. Lockhart held posts as Assignment Editor at ABC News, Deputy Assignment Manager for CNN, and foreign producer reporting on the Gulf War for Skye News. He served as a press secretary for the presidential campaigns of Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis, an aide to Senator Paul Simon, a senior advisor to the John Kerry campaign, and an Executive Vice President at Bozell Sawyer Miller, where he advised a range of high-profile corporations and institutions on media relations and political strategy.

Lockhart is the founding partner and managing director of the Glover Park Group (GPG), a Washington, D.C. communications strategy firm. Under Lockhart’s leadership, GPG earned a reputation for providing its wide range of corporate and non-profit clients (including Microsoft, Visa and the National Football League) with agile crisis management, astute public affairs, policy, advertising and marketing counsel, and cutting-edge opinion research.

In 2011 Lockhart was named Vice President of Global Communications at Facebook, just as the rapidly-expanding enterprise was preparing to go public. Lockhart helped the company mitigate initial public backlash to its IPO, take ownership of its story, and refortify its brand.

In 2013, Lockhart returned to GPG, where that vision payed immediate dividends, in the form of a major expansion and move to a new headquarters. At GPG, he spearheaded the National Football League’s response to a series of public challenges. In 2016 the NFL named Lockhart Executive Vice President overseeing Communications, Government Affairs,

Overview The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Fred Cook,  Chairman,…

Overview The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Peter Finn, Founding…

Overview The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest on this Thanksgiving eve…

Overview The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Margi Booth, Chairman,…

Overview The Stevens Group has been presenting the PR Masters Series Podcast for almost two years now.  This series is part of the ongoing partnership between The Stevens Group and CommPRO to bring to PR, digital/interactive and marketing communications agencies the wisdom of those who have reached the top of the PR profession.  Today’s special guest is Catherine Hernandez-Blades…