Ron Culp

Ron Culp is professional in residence for the graduate program in public relations and advertising in the College of Communication at DePaul University, Chicago. Prior to beginning his academic and consulting career, Ron held senior communications positions with four Fortune 500 companies and two major agencies. Before joining DePaul where he refers to himself as a "pracademic," Ron was managing director of Ketchum Midwest and headed the agency's corporate practice in North America. Prior to Ketchum, he was managing director of the Chicago office of Sard Verbinnen & Company (now FSG Global), a leading financial communications firm. Previously, Ron was Senior Vice President, Public Relations and Government Affairs, for Sears. Earlier in his career, Culp held senior communications roles at Sara Lee Corporation, Pitney Bowes and Eli Lilly. Upon college graduation, he became a reporter for The Columbus (Ind.) Republic and then did a short stint in Indiana politics before moving to Albany, New York to become Director of Member Services (the PR support unit) for the New York State Assembly. Ron is active in several civic and nonprofit organizations, including the Economic Club of Chicago where he is a former board member and vice chair. He sits on several boards, including the Museum of Public Relations, Communication Leaders of Chicago and Gilda's Club Chicago. He has received numerous honors, including both the Distinguished Service and Hall of Fame awards from the Arthur W. Page Society, PRSA's Gold Anvil, the John W. Hill Award from the New York Chapter of PRSA and the Outstanding Public Relations Professional of the Year Award from the Chicago Chapter of PRSA. He writes Culpwrit, a popular career blog for aspiring public relations professionals.