Bank of America Executive Cary Walker Joins Fleishman-Hillard as Senior Vice President; Firm Ranked Best in Los Angeles Adds to Its Roster of Talent.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 10, 2000

Cary Walker, an experienced communications professional who supervised corporate public relations for Bank of America, has joined the international communications consulting firm Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. as a senior vice president.

Walker will be based in Los Angeles, where he will develop and implement communications programs for clients and help build the firm's corporate communications practice in the West.

"Cary is a talented professional whose insight and experience will bring tremendous benefit to our clients and further enhance our position as the leading public relations firm in Southern California," said Doug Dowie, general manager of Fleishman-Hillard's Los Angeles office. "He has had a distinguished career in both the public and private sectors, and we are thrilled that he has joined our team." Walker has more than 17 years of media, government and corporate communications experience.

Before joining Fleishman-Hillard, he was senior vice president for corporate public relations for Bank of America, the nation's largest bank. At B of A he supervised national media relations and communications surrounding finance, investor relations, personnel, litigation and risk management.

Previously, he was a vice president at the public relations firm of Robinson, Lake, Lerer & Montgomery, where he was based in Washington, D.C., and developed communications programs for domestic and overseas clients.

Before that, he was director of communications and public affairs for the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission, supervising media and legislative affairs for the commission responsible for deciding closure of underutilized U.S. military bases in the early 1990s.

Walker also has served as deputy press secretary and chief speech writer for the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington, D.C.; as Washington trade representative for the California Governor's Office; and as manager of Trade Policy and Communications for the California World Trade Commission.

Based in St. Louis, Fleishman-Hillard operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and South Africa through its 49 offices and a network of affiliates. Fleishman-Hillard is a member of Communications Consulting Worldwide, the world's largest public relations group, consisting of five leading, branded consultancies that are members of the Omnicom network.

The agency's Los Angeles office was recently named Best Public Relations Firm in Los Angeles and Orange County in the annual Thomas L. Harris/Impulse Research Public Relations Client Survey.

The agency was an overwhelming choice among clients and communications professionals polled in the survey, finishing with nearly twice as many votes as the second-best firm. The survey of more than 1,900 clients of all public relations firms is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in public relations and public affairs.

Fleishman-Hillard, which is the nation's largest public relations firm, was recognized nationally in the same survey for having the highest quality reputation among major public relations firms.