The Arthur W. Page Society has tapped public relations executive Ron Culp as the winner of its 2006 Distinguished Service Award. The annual award recognizes an individual who has helped strengthen the role of public relations in our society by devoting themselves to services that help build and nurture the profession. The award will be formally presented during the Arthur W. Page Society's 23rd Annual Conference later this month.

A Leading Public Relations Executive

Ron Culp is currently Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Midwest operations of Ketchum, a leading public relations firm. In this role, he is responsible for the agency's operations in Chicago and Pittsburgh. He also serves as a global corporate strategist in the firm's Global Corporate Practice.

Culp's 30-year career spans a broad range of communications activities in government and the business-to-business, consumer products, pharmaceutical and retailing industries. Most recently, he was Managing Director and Chairman of Citigate Sard Verbinnen, where he established the agency's highly successful Chicago office.

Previously, Culp was Senior Vice President, Public Relations, Government Affairs, Communications and Community Relations for Sears, Roebuck and Co. During a 10-year career at Sears, Mr. Culp managed internal and external communications, marketing public relations support, state and federal government affairs and community relations, including the Sears Roebuck Foundation. Earlier in his career, he also held senior communications positions at Sara Lee Corporation, Pitney Bowes Inc. and Eli Lilly and Co.

Culp holds a Bachelor of Science degree in political science/journalism from Indiana State University.


Dedicated to Community Service

Ron Culp has been actively involved in community service since he was a student at Indiana State University, where he was Editor of the campus newspaper, president of the state-wide College Republicans and the first student to have a speaking seat on the university's board of trustees.

His current and recent civic and professional activities and honors include:

1. Economic Club of Chicago, board member and vice chair
2. Executives Club of Chicago
3. Arthur W. Page Society, former trustee
4. Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama, board member
5. Public Relations Society of America, host chair of national conference, 2000
6. Institute for Public Relations, former trustee
7. Indiana State Foundation, board member and co-chair of development committee
8. Lincoln Park Zoo, 20-year board member. Chair of marketing committee
9. Columbia College PR Advisory Council
10. Shields Meneley Partners, board member of career transition services firm
11. Crain's "Who's Who In Chicago Business" 2005 and 2006
    

Throughout his professional and civic work, Culp has demonstrated a strong commitment to public relations students and education. In addition to volunteering as a frequent lecturer and advisor to the public relations programs at colleges and universities, Culp has also served as a personal mentor to countless students and young professionals.

An Energetic Champion of the Public Relations Profession

Roger Bolton, president of the Arthur W. Page Society, said the honors committee was unanimous in its selection of Ron Culp as the winner of the 2006 Distinguished Service Award. "For more than three decades, Ron has served as an energetic leader and champion of the public relations profession. By every measure, he has nurtured, strengthened and generated respect for corporate communications professionals. The Page Society salutes and thanks Ron for all he has done for our profession," said Bolton.

About the Arthur W. Page Society

The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association composed primarily of the chief communications officers (CCOs) of the world's top multinational corporations, and the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies. The organization's members also include academics from the leading business and communications schools.

The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief communications officers. The Page Society is upheld by management concepts, known as the Page Principles, which have been tested for more than half a century and have earned the support and respect of chief executive officers throughout the country. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Arthur W. Page Society.

About Ketchum

An innovator in communication since 1923, Ketchum delivers seamless service around the globe through its 23 offices and 47 affiliates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. With its five global practices, Brand Marketing, Corporate Communications (including change management), Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology, Ketchum offers clients a unique breadth and depth of marketing and corporate communications expertise. A leading global public relations firm and the PRWeek 2002 Agency of the Year, Ketchum is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC; http://www.omnicomgroup.com). Additional information on Ketchum, its award-winning work, and past press releases can be found at www.ketchum.com.

For more information

Arthur W. Page Society:
Dawn Hanson
Communications Director
216-932-8641
dhanson@awpagesociety.com