Archive: December 2004

By Susie Brousseau/Compass Bank Living-transition planning is designed to keep a business as profitable and as valuable as possible when ownership changes hands, thus maximizing returns to the owner. Today, more than ever, business owners… Continued

Southwest Airlines’ CEO James F. Parker resigns abruptly in July, citing “personal reasons,” including the “draining” nature of the job. Nike CEO Phil Knight calls it quits in November, with nary an explanation for his… Continued

Spending on PR and marketing was significantly curtailed in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, causing countless layoffs throughout the PR field. More than three years later, however, many PR executives say the… Continued

In the Nov. 24 issue of PR News, we incorrectly identified research firm GartnerG2 as “Gartner 2.” We apologize for the error.

PR Protectorates “PR’s iron control of the players themselves has created a vacuum where rumors, fancies and imagination run absolutely riot and the line between truth and fiction is utterly blurred.” — Liz Smith, whose… Continued

Flynn, whose career encompassed journalism, politics, government, and corporate communications, died late last month from congestive heart failure. He was 67. Flynn retired in 1995 as senior vp of Public Relations for Bechtel Corporation, the… Continued

The St. Louis-based PR firm, part of the Omnicom Group, says the practice, called FH Out Front, will involve more than a dozen Fleishman-Hillard staff members in seven markets: Chicago; Kansas City, Mo.; New York;… Continued

Another Hyundai executive has defected to Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA). Mitsubishi said last week that it hired Bob Martin (ex-product planning chief at Hyundai Motor America to the new post of director-brand marketing, effective… Continued

After the eggnog is tapped and the champagne kicked, many people will take stock of their finances (and credit lines, no doubt). A new year is also a time when a fair share of consumers… Continued

PR-Friendly Events As the year comes to a rapid close, the Best/Worst Lists of 2004 are in full force (look for our own said list in the Dec. 15 issue of PR News). For now,… Continued