Golin’s Fred Cook to lead the strategic PR Center at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

USC Annenberg School of Journalism Director Willow Bay announced hat Fred Cook, CEO of Golin, one of the world’s largest PR agencies, has been named the Director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism‘s Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center (SCPRC). Cook will also become a professor in PR Studies, focusing on innovation and leadership.

This is the first time USC Annenberg has had an active CEO as Center Director (…) We are thrilled to have someone with Fred’s credentials and experience join our team.  We look forward to him bringing his passion for the communication industry to one of the nation’s most dynamic PR programs.

Willow Bay

Cook will continue in his role at Golin, where he oversees the agency’s consistent growth, global expansion and business transformation.

I’ve spent the past 30 years building one of the most successful PR firms in the business through innovation and experimentation (…) I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve learned in the agency world at a prestigious school like USC Annenberg. I’m very impressed by their faculty, their vision and their ambition.

Fred Cook

SCPRC advances the study, practice and value of the PR profession by conducting practical, applied research in partnership with other visionary organizations. One of the SCPRC’s signature efforts is the biennial Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) Study, which provides senior communicators with timely guidance as they manage their organizations, develop strategy, and prepare for the future. The Center also focuses on leadership training and career development for communicators.

Cook joins the faculty of a school that offers world-class undergraduate and graduate public relations studies programs. USCAnnenberg has produced thousands of highly skilled practitioners working at the top of the field. The professional experience they acquire through top-notch internships contributes to their success, as does the enormously powerful USC alumni network.

Under his leadership, Golin has been voted agency of the year more than a dozen times and Cook has been named one of the most powerful people in PR.  Four years ago, Cook replaced Golin’s traditional hierarchical structure with a radical new model called g4, where communities of specialists deliver insights, ideas, engagement and integration to their clients.

Fred has never been one to accept ‘business as usual’ in life or at work (…) His new relationship with USC Annenberg offers him another interesting challenge, which will allow everyone at USC Annenberg and Golin to benefit from his vision and leadership.

Al Golin,

Founder & Chairman of Golin