UK School of Journalism and Telecommunications to Host 2015 James C. Bowling Lecture
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2015) — Deborah Radman, a 40-year veteran of the public relations business and Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America, will deliver the 2015 James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the University of Kentucky Singletary Center Recital Hall. This is the 16th year for the program.
Radman will speak on “Aspire Higher,” offering her view on ethical leadership in public relations. The program, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications Alumni Association.
Over the past 20 years, Radman has led award-winning PR programs and provided vital outsourced staff services to several organizations. Most recently, she ran Radman Communications, her consulting practice, which led to her full time employment at History Colorado after she returned to Denver from the East Coast. Before that, she worked in New York City as a special consultant to Ketchum PR leading the IBM Centennial Celebration which garnered six Silver Anvil Awards, the industry’s equivalent of an Oscar.
Prior to that Radman headed Chicago-based Cramer‐Krasselt Public Relations. CKPR’s professional practice spanned four offices and was part of the Cramer‐Krasselt ad agency, one of the largest, independent 360 marketing communications firms in the U.S. with nearly $1 billion in revenue. Prior to joining CKPR, Radman opened and built the New York office of Stanton Communications. Before that, she served as Managing Partner of Corporate and Marketing Communications at KCSA Public Relations Worldwide.
Radman has counseled clients primarily in the fields of corporate communications, crisis management, public affairs and both consumer and business‐to‐business marketing.
She became a public relations practitioner in Denver, where she grew up, attended college and worked for several firms before founding Brown Radman Wolper in 1992. With her partners she grew the business quickly, gaining many national accounts and opening local offices in New York City, Detroit and San Francisco.
Alyssa Eckman, chair of the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, said Radman’s presentation is relevant to all aspects of the industry.
“Ethics is at the core of all that we do in ISC,” Eckman said. “These principles apply to public relations, advertising, direct marketing, persuasive communications and branding. With her breadth of experience, Deborah Radman will offer multiple perspectives on the importance of ethical practices.”
Marc C. Whitt, director of development communications in the UK Office of Development, is the 2015 Excellence in Public Relations award recipient from the UK Department of Integrated Strategic Communication. He will be honored at a reception Nov. 12 preceding the annual James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence lecture.
Whitt has led a distinguished career of more than 30 years in higher education and nonprofit public relations and marketing, and has long been an active advocate for education, economic development and the performing arts.
Whitt was recognized as the 2015 Eastern Kentucky University Department of Communication Distinguished Alumnus. He served 12 years as EKU’s Associate Vice President of Public Relations and Chief Communications Officer, where he developed and led a nationally award-winning program. Throughout his tenure as EKU’s spokesperson, Whitt was instrumental in enhancing relations between the university and national, regional and local media; civic leaders from across EKU’s service region; and with several national and international higher education and economic development associations. For eight of his last 12 years at EKU, Whitt taught Public Relations and Communication Studies in the Department of Communication, which earned him student nominations for the 2015 EKU Golden Apple Award, an award that recognizes instructors for their “excellence in teaching and encouragement of student success,” and the 2011‐12 Critical Thinking Teacher of the Year Award.
On the national front, Whitt is the Public Relations and Marketing Columnist for University Business magazine, one of the most regularly read publications for higher education leaders in the United States. He is also a frequent presenter, having addressed organizations such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, International Town & Gown Association, Council for Advancement & Support of Education, and in 2010 led a workshop at the International Higher Education Marketing Institute in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte.
Whitt's work has achieved measurable results garnering more than 40 national, regional and state honors, including the prestigious Beth K. Fields Service Award presented by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education-Kentucky for his lifetime service of excellence to the higher education advancement profession and the Kentucky Music Educators Association District 11 Friends of Music Award. Recently, Onalytica, a London, England-based social media network analysis agency, named Whitt among the "Top 100 Public Relations Influencers on Twitter." He was ranked 21st.
In August 2015, Whitt joined the Office of Development at the University of Kentucky where he serves as the director of development communications. He is responsible for promotional messaging of UK's philanthropic programs, including campaign communications, strategic development messaging, publications, website, social media, and other external and internal communications and outreach.
A native of Paintsville, Kentucky, Whitt and his wife, Jennifer, make their home in Richmond and are the parents of three children: Emily (married to Mark Wayne Fields), Elizabeth and Jacob.
The Bowling Executive-in-Residence Program began in 2000 and brings to UK nationally known public relations practitioners to not only deliver an address, but also meet with students interested in public relations careers. The program includes the executive-in-residence visit, the excellence award and a scholarship for a senior integrated strategic communication major with an emphasis in public relations. The 2015 scholarship recipient will be announced at the lecture.
The series honors James C. Bowling, the late retired assistant chairman of Philip Morris Companies Inc. He attended UK and later served the university as a member of the UK Development Council. In addition to serving on several national boards, Bowling also worked with the UK College of Agriculture, UK Gatton College of Business and Economics, and the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.
MEDIA CONTACT: Blair Hoover, (859) 257-6398; blair.hoover@uky.edu