The nomination of New York City's Bernard Kerick to head the U.S. Department of Homeland Security turned into a PR fiasco for the White House after Kerick abruptly withdrew
his nomination (December 10) amid revelations of legal problems with his nanny. (At press time, White House officials were scrambling to find a new Homeland Security nominee.)
The story got even juicier after the New York Daily News reported that Kerick had accepted thousands of dollars in cash and gifts without proper disclosure, and had
ties to a construction company investigators believe is linked to the mob. What's more, the tabs reported that Kerick carried on two extramarital affairs.
The Kerick episode is not so far removed from what happens when a large and visible company or organization brings in a much-heralded executive who nevertheless has been less
than candid during the all-important vetting process. PR News asked Andy Gilman, president of Commcore Consulting (Washington, D.C), which specializes in communications
coaching and crisis consulting, what senior PR execs might learn from the Kerick debacle.
- Think like a reporter: When you're working with your executive team on a personnel announcement, do your research - what can you find in the public domain about this
individual? - Buyer beware: You have to understand your company's vetting process. If your company conducts background checks, you may be less vulnerable to surprises. If not, you'll need
to do more homework on your own. - If you don't think they'll find out, they will: If you do stumble on less than flattering information, forward that information to the appropriate decision makers before the
announcement - Prepare for the worst. No matter how rigorous the vetting, stuff happen. Have a crisis plan in place: How will the company handle the situation, what are your messages, who
is your spokesperson? And be sure to keep the appropriate internal audiences informed - you sure don't want your board hearing about it first on CNN or in the New York
Times.