Scott Chaikin is the first Clevelander to hold that post, and his election raises both the profile of Dix & Eaton and of Northeast Ohio among some of the most influential firms around the globe, Worldcom Public Relations Group said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dix & Eaton Executive Chairman Scott Chaikin has been elected as the global head of the Worldcom Public Relations Group board, an international partnership of independently owned public relations firms.
Chaikin is the first Clevelander to hold that post, and his election raises both the profile of Dix & Eaton and of Northeast Ohio among some of the most influential firms around the globe, Worldcom announced Wednesday.
Worldcom spokesman Todd Lynch said Chaikin's election is a testament to his abilities and to the capabilities, excellence and industry leadership of Dix & Eaton, an integrated communications consultancy specializing in media relations, investor relations, crisis communications, and marketing communications.
Worldcom, founded in 1988, provides Dix & Eaton with the ability to meet the global needs of any Cleveland-based brand and access to some of the best public relations minds in the world, the company said.
Worldcom's partners reported revenues of $288 million in U.S. dollars in 2014, and collectively employ 2,000 people in 143 offices across six continents.
Chaikin has been Dix & Eaton's chairman since 2000 and its chief executive from 1998 until July 1, when he was succeeded in the latter role by President and CEO Chas D. Withers.
The other 2015-16 board officers elected with Chaikin during a recent annual general meeting in Rio de Janeiro include:
-- Chair-elect: Patrik Schober, managing partner, Pram Consulting, Prague, Czech Republic.
-- Past Chair: Stephanie Paul, owner, The Phillips Group Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Australia.
-- Treasurer: Marie-Josee Gagnon, CEO and founder, CASACOM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
-- Marketing: Carol Klimas, vice president, partner, director of PR & social media, Off Madison Ave, Phoenix, Arizona.
-- Membership/Recruitment: Imma Folch, CEO, LF Channel, Barcelona, Spain.
-- Business Development: Crispin Manners, Chairman and CEO, Onva Consulting, Surrey, United Kingdom.
-- Partner Satisfaction: Monty Hagler, president and CEO, RLF Communications, Greensboro, North Carolina.
-- Governance: Corinna Voss, managing director, HBI GmbH, Munich, Germany.
-- Knowledge Sharing/Practice Groups: Greg Tarmin, executive vice president, managing director, PadillaCRT, New York.
-- Asia Pacific Region Chair: Niall Dologhan, principal consultant, TQPR, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
-- EMEA Region Chair: Patrik Schober, managing partner, Pram Consulting, Prague, Czech Republic.
-- Americas Region Chair: Tom Donoghue, APR, president, Donoghue & Associates, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
"The diversity and experience of our board reflects the broad scope of Worldcom, which delivers world-class results in every market by combining deep local expertise with a uniquely supportive network," Chaikin said in a written statement.
"Our partners are carefully vetted and freely share their collective experience and expertise for the benefit of clients and each other. Our partnership model allows us the flexibility to meet each client's needs without the burden of a corporate structure."