Ray Kerins Jr., VP, worldwide communications of Pfizer, Julie Hamp, SVP and chief communications officer of PepsiCo, and Nicholas Ashooh, global VP of corporate affairs, Alcoa, are among speakers at the PR Leadership Forum Feb. 1-3 at the New York offices of Fleishman-Hillard on 42nd St.

About 30 PR executives are present for the off-the-record meeting, which is sponsored by the Institute for PR, the Arthur W. Page Society, and the Council of PR Firms.

Ashooh, formerly senior VP, communications at AIG, joined Alcoa in January 2010 where he replaced John Bergen, who became VP, human resources. Ashooh, along with many AIG executives, came under criticism for AIG policies that resulted in the government having to put up many billions in funds to prevent its dissolution.

He is speaking today on “Lessons Learned in Corporate PR.”

Hamp Talks on Future of PR


Hamp is talking today on “Is There a Formula for the Communications Function of the Future?”

julie hamp
Hamp
Kerins will talk on “Challenges of Effective Media Relations” tomorrow and “Using Brand and Reputation Management to Enhance Organizational Value” will be discussed tomorrow by Elliot Schreiber, professor and executive director, Center for Corporate Reputation Management, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.

Schreiber formerly headed communications at Bayer in the U.S. and Nortel in Canada.

Steve Hardwick, general manager, New York office and president, Eastern region of Fleishman-Hillard, spoke Feb. 1 on “How Agencies Are Helping Companies Master Communications Success.”

Mike Paul, president and senior counselor, MGP & Associates, is talking today on “The Importance of Values in Reputation Management and Crisis PR with Corporate Communications.”

A panel today is exploring “How PR Firms and Corporate Clients Can Work More Effectively Together.”

Members are Gail Heimann, vice chair, Weber Shandwick Worldwide; Bill Hughes, CCO, CA Technologies, and Kirk Stewart, executive VP, corporate communications practice, APCO Worldwide, and former CCO at Nike.