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Thomas R. Martin Named Communication Executive-in-Residence

(January 27, 2007), Charleston, SC-- The College of Charleston announced today that Thomas R. Martin, Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Relations at ITT Corporation, will join the College 's Department of Communication as its first Executive-in-Residence. 

Martin is currently co-chair of the Department of Communication's Advisory Council and has been a frequent visiting guest lecturer at the College. He will begin his formal faculty appointment in August 2007, following his retirement from ITT and move to the Charleston area.

“Tom Martin is an outstanding executive and leader in the communication profession,” said Brian McGee, Chair of the Department of Communication.  “We are honored that he will be joining us in Charleston , and we are excited that our students will have access to his wisdom, experience, and considerable expertise.” 

While executives-in-residence are common in schools of business, Martin's appointment is a first for the College of Charleston and most other universities.  EIR appointments in communication programs are rarely found at other institutions, and no such appointment exists in the Carolinas or the Southeast.

“To our knowledge, only a few other communication or journalism programs have ever appointed a continuing Executive-in-Residence,” said McGee.  “Our students will benefit from Tom's continuing presence on campus and his focus on the role played by communication professionals in the business world."

“Tom will be an invaluable resource and thought leader for the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston ,” said Michael Fanning, Chair of the Department of Communication Advisory Council and Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Michelin North America.  “He has had an illustrious career in public relations at major Fortune 500 companies and been at the forefront of the PR field in fostering the need for ethical behavior.  As Tom moves to the academic arena, he will provide the critical perspective of a seasoned practitioner and promote the need for strong ties between PR and business studies.”  

As Executive-in-Residence, Martin will work with the students, faculty and administration of the College to enhance the relationship between the Department of Communication and the business community.  He will work to help students successfully make the transition from the classroom into the business world. As EIR, Martin also will lecture in undergraduate classes and graduate seminars, meet with members of the university community—students, faculty, staff, alumni—and work with the Department's Advisory Council, which he will continue to serve as co-chair.

Martin joined ITT Corporation, a diversified global engineering and manufacturing company, in 1996 and was elected a senior vice president by the ITT Board of Directors in 1999. At ITT Corporation, Martin served as a member of the company's Executive Council and was responsible for worldwide brand and reputation management, public relations, employee communications, government affairs, corporate advertising and community relations.

Martin was formerly Vice President, Corporate Communications for Federal Express Corporation where he was responsible for worldwide public relations, investor relations and employee communications for the Fortune 150 Company. He joined Federal Express in 1978 and assumed posts of increasing responsibility in the communication field prior to becoming the chief communications officer in July 1995.

Martin earned his BA at Vanderbilt University .  He served for two years as President of the Arthur W. Page Society, a membership organization for senior corporate communication executives. He has been a trustee of the society since 2002. He also serves as a trustee of the Institute for Public Relations and served for six years on the Public Relations Seminar Steering Committee.  In addition, Martin is a member of the Board of Governors of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, a leading non-profit focusing on character education in schools and businesses.

Martin currently writes a regular column on communication issues for PR Week magazine. He was inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame in 2006.  In 2001, he received a New York ADDY award for ITT Corporation's corporate advertising. In 1999, he was the recipient of a Mobius Advertising Award for ITT Industries' first television commercial. In 1995, Martin received a PRSA Silver Anvil Award and a CIPRA award for his department's work in launching the new FedEx corporate identity. He has also received a PRSA Bronze Anvil Award for an evaluation program begun during his tenure at FedEx. In 1991, Inside PR Magazine named Martin a Public Relations All-Star, citing his role in establishing the strong internal communications practice at Federal Express.

Martin and his wife, Wanda, are the parents of two sons. Seth is a junior engineering student at Virginia Tech, and Cy is a high school senior.

 

 

Dr. Ronald L. Jackson

 

 

 

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