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Don Etling, BJ '71

What do you do?
I'm a senior partner at Fleishman Hillard, leading the agency's internal communication practice, which, I'm proud to say, I co-founded in 1993. Our practice helps companies align employees behind their goals and strategies by engaging them, creating a dialogue with them, on issues that matter to the organization. I also co-manage one of Fleishman Hillard's largest accounts, which means I help marshal the resources of the agency for that client across the globe.

What did you want to do when you were young?
I wanted to be a newspaper publisher like my father and my grandfather on my mother's side. In my thirties I had the opportunity to live that dream with the Suburban Newspapers of Greater St. Louis, where I published 19 community newspapers in Illinois. Then I switched gears to help launch the St. Louis Sun, the first U.S. daily newspaper startup in a major market in almost four decades. It was truly an exhilarating experience, but lasted only six months, as the parent company just didn't have the resources to sustain it. I then did some newspaper consulting for about six months before finding Fleishman-Hillard. That union happened almost by chance. One of my networking contacts suggested that I might have the skills they needed, and 15 years later, I'm still here. But I'm still looking for ideas. Even today I don't know what that "final" career dream looks like. I just marvel at where life continues to take me.

What's the best perk in working in public relations?
I learn something new every day from my clients. And I truly love what I do because I get the opportunity to work across so many industries with some of the world's most successful companies. I never dreamed I'd have the opportunity to make an impact on organizations like these and on their employees. When we do our job well, the business really clicks, the company succeeds, and employees are happy. It's a great feeling, a true win-win. I get tremendous satisfaction from adding real bottom-line value to our clients.

What do you enjoy most about working at Fleishman-Hillard?
That's simple. I really enjoy the people I work with on my team and throughout our agency. It's a privilege to be associated with such talented, dedicated people from across the globe. I also get enormous satisfaction helping younger members of my team grow in their profession.

Who are your heroes?
My dad, who was an MU grad, and his dad, as well. They were both such high achievers, and both so giving. My grandfather started out as a bank elevator operator and retired the bank's president. My dad has always been what the Jesuits call "a man for others." He's a great giver, to his family, to MU, and to the entire community. He always shows the same respect for every individual, from the most celebrated businessman, celebrity, and elected official, to the receptionist at the front desk.

What was the best lesson you took away from the J-School?
I learned a great deal about teamwork from the J-School. When I was a student, I was working on the Missourian over my senior summer, so we had sort of a skeleton crew. JoAnn Dickerson was our professor, and a great human being. She made it fun for us to be there and encouraged us all to pull together every night to make each edition the best it could be. We all had great respect for one another. It was just a magical summer. I hope I continue to take from that experience the value of teamwork and of creating a collegial, and fun, work environment.

Some people don't see the connection between journalism and public relations. Where do you see the link?
Both involve straightforward, honest communication. A lot of people outside our industry don't seem to understand that good public relations cannot rise above the level of the truth. There's a parallel there to the journalist's role. We're both about getting the facts right and telling a story. In both spheres you have to help people understand a situation. Actually, I swore when I was a J-School student that I'd never go into public relations. Having had the opportunity now to work for such a great company and serve a number of Fortune 500 companies, I actually think a good business reporter would greatly benefit from working in PR for four or five years. They'd get a much greater understanding of the business world, its challenges and the people who make it happen, from having seen the other side.

What advice would you give to a student interested in working in PR?
Learn about people, keep an open mind. Always be willing to accept different people and points of view. Constantly be on the lookout for new ideas. At its core, public relations, especially internal communications, is about creating an honest dialogue with people. So it's a tremendous benefit to be open and to allow others to be open with you.