Specialization(s):
Brand Management, Community Relations, Crisis Management, Employee Communications/Internal Relations, Government Relations/Public Affairs, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, Other, Reputation Management
Patty Blackburn has over 20 years of award-winning corporate communications experience with a proven track record in providing strategic, innovative communications and PR support to drive organizational performance.
In April 2010, Patty was named Vice President of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for Ingersoll Rand, responsible for leading the strategy for all internal and external communications, including media relations, government and regulatory affairs, brand management, community relations, employee communications, company reputation management, web communications and the Ingersoll Rand Charitable Foundation.
Previously, Patty had served nearly four years as Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications for RSM McGladrey in Charlotte, NC, a subsidiary of H&R Block and the fifth largest accounting, tax and business consulting firm in the United States. As the senior communications executive, she is responsible for all internal and external communications globally, including public relations, sports marketing, media, advertising, demand generation and marketing communications.
Prior to McGladrey, Patty had been a Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Bank of America in Charlotte since 2002. There she was responsible for creating and implementing strategic communications for the Global Corporate & Investment Banking business. During her tenure at the bank, she also spearheaded communications for the Consumer Products business, and led special projects to drive increased value creation by aggressively ingraining Six Sigma disciplines in Corporate Communications’ execution and culture. She earned a Six Sigma Green Belt in 2004.
Before joining Bank of America, Patty was Director of Corporate Communications at Goodrich Corporation, where she was responsible for a wide range of external and internal communications programs, electronic communications and executive communications. During her three years at Goodrich, she played a key role in developing new employee communications programs, implementing a rebranding program to reflect Goodrich’s emergence as a top aerospace supplier, and enhancing the company’s electronic communications. She also served as an officer of the Goodrich Foundation.
Prior to Goodrich, Patty served for three years as chief communications officer and a member of the Chairman’s Leadership Team for Giddings & Lewis, Inc. in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Her responsibilities included senior management counsel and all company corporate relations activities, including communications in conjunction with a hostile takeover attempt and subsequent white knight merger with Thyssen AG of Germany. She also was an officer of the Giddings & Lewis Foundation. Patty joined Giddings & Lewis after a 17-year career in corporate communications with Cooper Industries in Houston, Texas, where she held positions of increasing responsibility within the Public Affairs department.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Patty holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Illinois. She also attended the Executive Program on Communications Strategy at Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
She is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society, which comprises the nation’s top public relations practitioners, and an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. She is the recipient of two Gold Quill Awards of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators as well as numerous other industry awards.
Patty serves on the Advisory Board of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and on the board of Chamber Music at St. Peter’s. She is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte, a prominent leadership development program.
