Public Relations

Dick Carlton has been a leader in public relations in Virginia for over 35 years. Highlights of his career include:

* President of Carlton Communications since 1975
* President of Richmond Public Relations Association
* Governor Mark Warner's Inaugural 2002 Media Coordinator
* Accredited by Public Relations Society of America
* Public Relations Supervisor at Virginia Power with a staff of 18 persons
* Vice President of public relations and marketing in Northern Virginia for what is now SunTrust
* Adjunct professor of public relations in VCU's School of Mass Communications
* Winner of the top national and state public relations awards
* Winner of the top international motor vehicle safety public relations award

* Creator of scores of highly effective, results-oriented, cost-effective public relations campaigns on a wide variety of subjects*

* Changing attitudes about highway safety including major campaigns on safety belts, speeding and drinking and driving
* Developing support for a major campaign for Lloyds of London in Virginia and Maryland
* Supporting the advertising of products ranging from retirement communities and insurance products to hotels and tourist destinations
* Providing public relations audits and counseling for corporations, state and local agencies and non-profits
* Providing public relations and special events planning for a number of fund-raising galas and grand openings

* * Two recent examples of Carlton's Public Relations work: Dick Carlton was hired to coordinate media for all activities for the Inauguration of Governor Mark Warner. He handled medial credentials, news releases, media inquiries and on-site media for the swearing-in ceremonies at the State Capitol, the two Inaugural balls, the Inaugural gala, the First Lady's Luncheon and several other activities. Media ranged from newspapers and television and radio stations throughout Virginia to NPR, the New York Times, Wall St. Journal and the major networks.

* Carlton Communications handled media relations for the introduction of the daVinci surgical system at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. This was no routine development: Henrico would be the first community hospital in the nation to have such an advanced system. The daVinci was a major breakthrough in robotic surgery and had the potential to catapult the hospital into a totally new arena of public awareness. The widespread coverage was unprecedented for a hospital in Virginia. Not only was the story the lead in virtually every daily newspaper in Virginia and on every television station from Washington to Bristol to Tidewater, but Henrico Doctors Hospital received phenomenal national awareness including:
* Full coverage on every network and major nightly news show (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, CNN)
* A major story on the Associated Press wire that resulted in lead stories in local television markets and daily newspapers throughout Virginia and across the nation
* A 4-minute report on the following Today Show and shorter reports on the CBS and ABC morning shows
* Interviews on CNN, CNBC, WebMD, and approximately 15 other major news outlets