Robert E. Hillard
Encyclopedia
Robert E. Hillard together with his friend and business partner Alfred Fleishman
, established Fleishman-Hillard
in St. Louis, Missouri
in 1946. The firm has since grown to become one of the world’s leading public relations
agencies.
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota
, Hillard was a Phi Beta Kappa and a summa cum laude journalism graduate of the University of Minnesota
. He went to work after graduation in 1939 as a reporter for the Des Moines Register and Tribune, after which he moved to the old St. Louis Star-Times.
Hillard served as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant in the Pacific during World War II. Shortly after the war, he and Fleishman decided to go into business together – the two having met years earlier when Hillard covered the civil courts for the Star-Times, while Fleishman served as deputy court clerk. The firm's first offices were in modest quarters above a St. Louis Woolworth's
store.
Hillard later said he had three reasons for entering the public relations business. "First, I'd be my own boss. Second, I figured I'd make more money than in the newspaper business. But third, there was an intellectual reason. Large corporations tended to separate management from employees, and this led to misunderstandings, conflicts, the formation of unions, and strikes. I believed this was partly a result of poor communications. If people got to know each other, they could solve many of their problems – common sense communication. I thought it would be a great field, and it still is."
In the early years, Hillard served as the thinker, strategist, writer, and office manager for the venture while Fleishman focused on working in the community and building the business. It did not take them long to attract their first clients – Union Electric (now Ameren UE of St. Louis) and Anheuser-Busch
. Asked years later about the factors that influenced the firm's early success, Hillard said: "We started a business that grew and prospered. Thanks to our efforts and those of superb associates, we attracted major clients. They were served well. They helped spread the word about the agency and the effectiveness of quality PR service."
Hillard stepped down as the firm's CEO in 1974, but remained active with the company and its clients until his retirement in 1982. His civic activities included presidency of the Urban League of St. Louis, as well as active involvement with the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Logos School.
In 1996, Hillard and Fleishman received special lifetime achievement awards from the influential industry publication, Inside PR (now The Holmes Report.) In 1998, Hillard received a special distinguished Alumni Award from the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota newspaper which he served as editor-in-chief in 1938-39.
In the years following his retirement, Hillard remained active in preserving the culture of the firm he co-founded, serving as Fleishman-Hillard’s unofficial company historian and writing a column for the firm’s employee newsletter.
Hillard died in March 2000 at his home in the small town of Caledonia, Missouri
. He was 82.
Alfred Fleishman
Alfred Fleishman , was co-founder, with business partner Robert Hillard, of Fleishman-Hillard, the St. Louis-based public relations firm that began in a rented room above a Woolworth’s store and has grown to become one of the world’s largest public relations agencies...
, established Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, based in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world's largest public relations agencies, with a global network of offices as well as offices in 22 cities in the United States. It is a part of Omnicom Group Inc....
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1946. The firm has since grown to become one of the world’s leading public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
agencies.
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, Hillard was a Phi Beta Kappa and a summa cum laude journalism graduate of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. He went to work after graduation in 1939 as a reporter for the Des Moines Register and Tribune, after which he moved to the old St. Louis Star-Times.
Hillard served as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant in the Pacific during World War II. Shortly after the war, he and Fleishman decided to go into business together – the two having met years earlier when Hillard covered the civil courts for the Star-Times, while Fleishman served as deputy court clerk. The firm's first offices were in modest quarters above a St. Louis Woolworth's
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
store.
Hillard later said he had three reasons for entering the public relations business. "First, I'd be my own boss. Second, I figured I'd make more money than in the newspaper business. But third, there was an intellectual reason. Large corporations tended to separate management from employees, and this led to misunderstandings, conflicts, the formation of unions, and strikes. I believed this was partly a result of poor communications. If people got to know each other, they could solve many of their problems – common sense communication. I thought it would be a great field, and it still is."
In the early years, Hillard served as the thinker, strategist, writer, and office manager for the venture while Fleishman focused on working in the community and building the business. It did not take them long to attract their first clients – Union Electric (now Ameren UE of St. Louis) and Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
. Asked years later about the factors that influenced the firm's early success, Hillard said: "We started a business that grew and prospered. Thanks to our efforts and those of superb associates, we attracted major clients. They were served well. They helped spread the word about the agency and the effectiveness of quality PR service."
Hillard stepped down as the firm's CEO in 1974, but remained active with the company and its clients until his retirement in 1982. His civic activities included presidency of the Urban League of St. Louis, as well as active involvement with the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Logos School.
In 1996, Hillard and Fleishman received special lifetime achievement awards from the influential industry publication, Inside PR (now The Holmes Report.) In 1998, Hillard received a special distinguished Alumni Award from the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota newspaper which he served as editor-in-chief in 1938-39.
In the years following his retirement, Hillard remained active in preserving the culture of the firm he co-founded, serving as Fleishman-Hillard’s unofficial company historian and writing a column for the firm’s employee newsletter.
Hillard died in March 2000 at his home in the small town of Caledonia, Missouri
Caledonia, Missouri
Caledonia is a village in Washington County, Missouri, United States. The population was 158 at the 2000 census. The village was founded in 1819 and is named after the Roman Empire's Latin name for Scotland...
. He was 82.