S. Peter Brinch
Senior Counselor,
Issues Communication Unit
Constellation Energy Group
Baltimore, MD
410/234-6549
[email protected]
How PR Found Him
Spent last year of undergrad at American University (1974) in a work-study program with a large accounting firm, then landed a grad school (also at A.U.) job in the campaign
finance office of Indiana Senator Birch Bayh during his 1976 bid for the presidential race. This led to a stint as a domestic policy speechwriter for the candidate. "After that,
balance sheets and income statements never looked quite the same."
Career Tracks
Cline Inc. (a Boise, Idaho-based marcom firm) to Boise Cascade Corp., to PHH Corp. (now part of Cendant) to the Easton Group (a Baltimore consulting firm) to Baltimore Gas
& Electric (now Consellation Energy Group).
Mentors
At Boise Cascade...Editorial Manager Linda Jacobs, who "preached that a line of good computer code and a good sentence had a lot in common: simplicity and logic." And General
Counsel John Clute who "liked to practice generic law, which he defined as common sense blended with ethical behavior. This allowed him to focus on big issues such as clear
communication."
On Corporate Life
"Today it's ironic that most corporate communications departments are trying to be like agencies. Some of it is 'justifying one's existence' in a cost-conscious world, but
it's also the fact that senior management often attaches credibility to 'consultants.'"
Theme Song
Joni Mitchell understood PR. She sang, "We go round and round and round in the circle game."
In the Line of Duty
"Because senior execs are always in a hurry, I once spent four hours arranging a helicopter charter to get two execs to a photo shoot. We flew them from LaGuardia Airport to
the financial district [in lieu of taking cabs] and saved about 40 minutes. But the shoot was an all-day thing on a boat - and the boat couldn't leave until they arrived anyway.
Go figure."
Most Coveted Media Turf
The Wall Street Journal.
Biggest Challenge in 2000
"Effectively communicating the choices available to retail electricity customers" in a deregulated environment.