Gary Thompson has thirty years of experience in virtually every phase of the communications business.
Over his career, Gary has directed the planning and execution of hundreds of start-up launches. He has also managed major high tech, industrial, consumer, corporate, crisis communications and government relations campaigns for such companies as: Sun Microsystems; Sony; AT&T, Intuit; Borland; and Bank of America. In addition, he has served as Global Account Director for Digital Equipment Corporation and Compaq in over 25 countries. He has conducted branding and reputation management programs for a wide variety of emerging technology companies, as well. He is also a founding director of the Reputation Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of branding management process and measurement.
Gary joined Citigate Cunningham from Schwartz Communications, where he was executive vice president and general manager of the San Francisco office. Prior to that, he was president and chief reputation officer for the world’s largest public relations agency, Weber/Shandwick International. Before that, he was president of Shandwick’s Golin/Harris Technologies unit. He started with Shandwick as CEO of Hi-Tech Communications. Gary was with Ketchum Worldwide during the decade of the Eighties, where he rose from general manager to executive vice president of Ketchum Public Relations’ U.S. and Asia Pacific operations.
Both a Bronze and Silver Anvil winner, he is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, a former executive committee member of the PRSA’s Counselor Academy, and current head of the Client Advisory Board for the Council of PR Firms. He is a founding member and former chairman of the Professional Advisory Board for the U.S.’s fourth ranked public relations degree program, San Jose State University. In addition, he is a member of the professional advisory board for Public Relations Master’s Degree program at Golden Gate University. He has lectured for the American Management Association, PRSA and a number of universities.
Gary is a graduate of Northwestern University with a B.A. in English.