“Have the courage to speak up” at meetings of executives and “ask questions, lots of questions,” a youthful audience of 200 PR careerists was told May 3 at Baruch College, New York.

David AlbrittonDavid Albritton

David Albritton, executive director, global product communications, General Motors, addressing an event staged by the Museum of PR and Corporate Communications International in “Celebration of Black PR History," said PR people must have something of importance to say.

PR pros must have a business background, acquiring the right education including obtaining an MBA and “knowing how your company makes money,” said Albritton. PR pros need grounding in corporate finances including knowing how to read a profit and loss statement, he said.

Albritton, one of 11 speakers on a program of nearly two hours, told the PR careerists to be careful about job-changing, making sure that such changes are strategic.

“Mentors” are needed, he said. “You can’t do it alone.”

Career Started in Navy

Terry EdmondsTerry Edmonds

Albritton began his career as an officer in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Portland during Operation Desert Storm. His PR posts included Official Navy Spokesman in the Pentagon and three years in London as deputy affairs officer for the Commander in Chief of U.S. Naval Forces.

Corporate posts included VP of communications, ITT Defense (which became Exelis), and senior posts at Raytheon, HP Compaq and United Way.

Edmonds Defines PR

Panelist Terry Edmonds, director of strategic communications and executive speechwriter at IBM, defined PR as “letting the other guy have your way.”

Another definition, he noted, is “advertising you pay for, PR you pray for.”

He quoted Abraham Lincoln’s remark that “With the public on your side, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.”

Edmonds described his career track which began at the Maryland Transit Authority and included executive posts at NASA, Columbia University and Time Warner.

As a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, he was the first African-American to serve in that capacity for a sitting President.

Panelists Described Challenges, Opportunities

Left to right: Vernon James, Ruder Finn; David Albritton, GM; Amaris Noble, Edelman; Trisch Smith, Edelman; Shelley Spector; Troy Thompson, PRSA.Left to right:  Vernon James, Ruder Finn; David Albritton, GM; Amaris Noble, Edelman; Trisch Smith, Edelman; Shelley Spector; Troy Thompson, PRSA.

Speakers, besides Albritton and Edmonds, were Judith Harrison, senior VP of Diversity and Inclusion at Weber Shandwick and president of the PRSA Foundation; Donald Singletary of The Singletary Group, adjunct professor at Baruch College and Syracuse University, who has had senior management posts at AT&T, Health & Hospitals Corp. and Planned Parenthood; Trisch Smith, executive VP of Edelman and managing director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Terrie Williams,Terrie M. Williams Agency, whose clients have included Johnnie L. Cochran, The Rev. Al Sharpton, Chris Rock and Prince.

A second panel on “Diversity on the Front Lines” had introductory remarks by Smith, who moderated a discussion by Danielle Richards, Arthur W. Page Society; Cameron French, Burson-Marsteller; Vernon James, Ruder Finn; Fred Garcia, The LAGRANT Foundation, and Troy Thompson, PR Society of America.