PR Masters Series Podcast, Episode #75 - Patrick Ford

May 16

Patrick Ford has earned recognition as a public relations leader, innovator and passionate advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2016, IPR chose Pat as the 19th recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Medal, its highest award, which “honors PR professionals who have made major contributions to the practice of public relations…. while living the values of integrity, humility, commitment and stewardship.” In 2014, he received the Plank Center’s Milestones in Mentoring Legacy Award, which “recognizes those who have touched the lives of countless public relations professionals over the course of their exceptional careers.”

The Stevens Group is pleased to host this podcast, whose mission is 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 Patrick Ford, Professional in Residence at University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.

About Our Guest

Pat joined the University of Florida in 2017 from Burson-Marsteller, where he was most recently worldwide vice chair and chief client officer. During his 28 years at the firm, he had also served as US CEO, Asia-Pacific chair, global Corporate Practice chair and US Corporate Practice chair.

Pat specializes in corporate reputation management, senior executive communications, media strategy, and issues and crisis management. His clients have included world-class companies in the automotive, energy, express delivery services, financial services, food and beverage, management consulting, pharmaceutical, technology, and communication industries.

Before joining Burson-Marsteller, he served as vice president for external affairs at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, one of America’s leading public policy think tanks, in Washington, DC, following a brief career as a journalist, including four years at The Jersey Journal in Jersey City, NJ.

He served as founding chair of the Diversity Action Alliance, a coalition of leading organizations in the public relations profession, whose mission is to accelerate action on recruitment, retention, and representation of diverse talent at all levels in the PR/communications profession. He also serves on the boards of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, and the Museum of Public Relations. He recently completed 17 years on the board of the Institute for Public Relations.

In 2016, IPR chose Pat as the 19th recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Medal, its highest award, which “honors PR professionals who have made major contributions to the practice of public relations…. while living the values of integrity, humility, commitment and stewardship.” In 2014, he received the Plank Center’s Milestones in Mentoring Legacy Award, which “recognizes those who have touched the lives of countless public relations professionals over the course of their exceptional careers.”

In recognition of Pat’s longstanding, passionate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, PRWeek and the PR Council presented him with their Diversity Distinction in PR Award as 2016 Diversity Champion of the year for the agency side of the profession.