Tom Gable
Chairman & CEO, The Gable Group
San Diego, CA
Education
San Diego State University
B.A. Journalism
Past Life
Started as a sports writer for the San Diego Evening Tribune, then switched to investigative reporting. Became a business writer following a stint as a war correspondent for Pacific Stars & Stripes during the Vietnam conflict. Later served as business editor of the San Diego Tribune and correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.
Career Kudos
Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1974 for investigative work on what was to become the largest bank failure in U.S. history. Author of The PR Client Service Manual - now entering its fourth edition.
Mentors
Jack Murphy, sports editor, San Diego Union; Neil Morgan, columnist/editor, Evening Tribune; Bill Blundell, former bureau chief, Wall Street Journal, LA Bureau; Dr. Al Anderson, former advisor to California governor Pete Wilson. "They gave me wonderful guidelines for learning and growth: read everything you can get your hands on to see what's good and what's not (both in style and in life); try to make a difference in everything you do, from writing a one-liner to helping a cause; never give up; never compromise your values; and keep your sense of humor, even in traumatic and tumultuous times."
Once a Reporter, Always a Reporter?
"Journalistic sleuthing translates well into PR because it makes you challenge the client. You want to represent quality clients who have great factual stories and great people. This means being straightforward with the media and doing away with blanket statements, [hyperbolic] claims and empty promises. We probe into each client's history so that we have evidence we can use in telling their story."
Career Mistakes
"There were two and they were the same (I'm a slow learner). I hired senior people with a gut instinct that said something was amiss, only to suffer financial consequences later."
Management Philosophy
Maximize the collective brain power of the organization and believe in each person's ability to learn and grow. "This is totally different from journalism, where you are basically the lone ranger. It was a difficult transition trying to become a good manager - and still a work in progress."
Creative Strategies
"We do a writing exercise called 'the flip side' where we'll examine boilerplate from one of our clients' competitors, and from there, write the anti-boilerplate. We call it the Dilbert boilerplate and use as many cliches as possible. It'll usually read something like, 'Corporation XYZ is an Intergalactic leader in using synergy and empowerment with TQM to provide hardware solutions that launch a whole new paradigm and turn road apples into gold.' From there, we get realistic. What are the facts? What are the truths? How can you really differentiate?"
Clients (Past & Present)
Microsoft Network, San Diego Zoo, California Avocado Commission, Gensia Pharmaceuticals, Home Depot, Travelodge International, Inc., Southern California Edison, First Virtual Holdings, the San Diego Trolley, Scripps Clinic, Horton Plaza, PHP Healthcare, Seaport Village, American Electronics Association, The Bren Company, Leukemia Society of America.
On The Extracurricular Side
Serves as chairman of the Counselor's Academy Web site committee, and as Webmaster for IPREX. Writes wine and humor columns for San Diego Magazine.
Outlook on Challenges Facing PR
"We have to think far beyond the concept of media relations and events. [The challenge is] how to help clients with great strategic thinking and creative planning so they can succeed.despite growing communications clutter, greater cynicism among the media, and the incursion of accounting and other consulting firms into the area of reputation management."
Gable can be reached at 619/234-1300. www.gablegroup.com