Ruder Finn Taps Helen Shelton To Spearhead Multicultural and Image Marketing Group

September 10, 2007 | 4:34 pm

NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- David Finn, Chairman and Co-Founder of the global public relations agency Ruder Finn, Inc., has announced that Helen Shelton, an award-winning communications strategist and 10-year Ruder Finn veteran will lead a new division specializing in multicultural marketing communications. Ruder Finn's Multicultural and Image Marketing Group will advance the business and communications objectives of consumer brands as well as corporations and non-profit institutions interested in reaching diverse populations. With a strong foundation in brand imaging, product publicity, sponsorship promotion, corporate communication and event management, Ruder Finn's Multi-cultural and Image Marketing Group will create programs for clients from a full range of industries.

"Ruder Finn is committed to offering our clients the best possible solutions for growing their business and impacting their constituents. We take pride in our proactive approach to addressing the needs of clients as our society continues to become increasingly more diverse. Helen Shelton has been a part of the Ruder Finn organization for more than 10 years, and we are pleased to see the talent and growth she has exhibited," says David Finn. "Helen's strategic and innovative approaches to creating communications platforms for our clients is truly outstanding and we will now dedicate more time and staff to this very important practice area as more and more corporations see the importance of integrated communications platforms that reach diverse consumers," he added.

"I am thrilled to take on the challenge of building this exciting new division and to assisting our clients in their efforts to impact and touch the lives of multicultural audiences," said Helen Shelton, "Ruder Finn's Multicultural and Image Marketing Group will work to build programs that contextualize our clients' products and services in ways that resonate with multicultural consumers around the world," she added.

Helen Shelton is a communications strategist specializing in the development and implementation of national and international public relations programs for Fortune 500 companies as well as non-profit cultural and social service organizations. Over the years, she has developed dozens of communications campaigns and sponsorship programs for leading brands in the spirits and wine industry, retail, banking and finance and in the luxury goods and automotive sectors. In the area of public affairs, Helen held an appointed position at the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs, where she worked closely with the Commissioner and Mayor to promote the city's vast civic program in support of the arts. She also served as Director of Public Affairs for the Human Resources Development Institute, Chicago's largest health and human services agency. Helen has also held promotions and public relations positions at Seventeen Magazine and WRKS-FM Radio in New York.

Helen began her career in public relations as an Executive Trainee at Ruder Finn. She honed her multicultural marketing communications expertise by heading the public relations agency within the legendary Mingo Group advertising agency in the early 1990s. A graduate of Dartmouth College, where she double majored in art history and government, Helen holds an M.S. degree in journalism and communication from Boston University's College of Communication, having received a full academic scholarship from RKO General, Inc.

A proponent of literacy and education, Helen serves on the Board of Directors of ReadNet, Inc. and The Support Network, Inc. She is a charter member of the Pi Theta chapter of the national social service organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She is a recipient of the Network Journal's "40 Under 40" Award, Support Network's "Woman of the Year" in 2005 and Ebony Magazine's 2006 "Outstanding Woman in Marketing and Communications."

About Ruder Finn, Inc.

Ruder Finn is a leading independent communications, counseling and services Agency with more than 59 years of experience. The Ruder Finn Group maintains offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington, London, Paris, and Jerusalem. Asia Pacific offices include Sydney, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. The Agency also works with leading independent affiliates in major markets throughout the U.S., Europe and Latin America. Ruder Finn is ranked No.1 in New York in revenues and staff size by the PR trade newsletter, O'Dwyer's. The Agency serves the global and local communications needs of more than 250 corporations and nonprofit organizations. For more information about Ruder Finn, visit: www.ruderfinn.com

    Contact:
    Susan Slack
    Vice President
    212-583-2709
    slacks@ruderfinn.com