Ginny Painter, a lifetime public relations professional and daughter of Marshall University, will be recognized for her contributions to the profession when she is inducted into the West Virginia Public Relations Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the University of Charleston.
Currently, Painter serves as chief of staff for Marshall President Brad D. Smith and the Office of the President – her most recent role in a career spanning over 35 years.
“I jumped and enrolled in the journalism program here at Marshall,” Painter said in regards to the start of her career. “It was a life changing moment. I felt like I was with my people, and that it was what I was meant to do.”
Painter said her involvement with the Public Relations Student Society of America and an internship in the PR department at Cabell Huntington Hospital confirmed her love for the profession.
In the early days of Painter’s career, she said a career defining moment struck in her mid-twenties while working in the university relations department at the University of Charleston.
“Our chief financial officer came in and told me to put on my coat and come outside as there was a car in the parking lot with a dead body in it,” Painter said. “I had to put on my big girl pants and stand up and talk to the media.”
Painter said the “terribly tragic” event sparked a realization that public relations often requires combatting challenges and making difficult decisions, something that has stuck with her.
Likewise, Painter said public relations is a field where many do not realize their capabilities until one is in the moment, handling real life situations.
As for career milestones, Painter said she remains proud of the work she conducted in crafting one of Marshall’s first marketing campaigns.
“Marketing is a whole different animal,” Painter said. “With the team we had of amazing people and a really good consultant, we did work I’ll be proud of until the day I die.”
Success shifts as the field evolves, Painter went on to say.
“You always have to have an open mind about how you can do something better,” Painter said. “You’re so excited and eager to be an early adopter of new technologies.”
In regards to adaptation to industry shifts, Painter said the Public Relations Society of America played a key role in this evolution.
“A professional organization like PRSA helps you stay abreast of a lot of those trends,” Painter said. “They’re always close to the cutting edge and have their eye on what people need to be watching for.”
Being proactive and trusting one’s abilities are essential for the field of PR, Painter said.
“A lot of PR is reactive,” Painter said. “You have to learn how to make decisions quickly and not second guess yourself all the time.”
As for second-guessing her abilities, Painter said President Smith had some words of wisdom for her.
“He said, ‘Don’t second guess, just review it, and if there is a better way to do it next time, do it that way next time,’ so second-guessing yourself does come with the job,” Painter said.
However, Painter said as one gets older, confidence levels will naturally grow.
Meanwhile, Painter said skills that individuals often forget, such as writing and event planning, are some of the most crucial competencies for a PR professional to possess.
“Write everything you can,” Painter said. “If you have that skill, it will transfer to everything you do.”
Likewise, Painter said, “If you can plan and execute a quality event from beginning to end, that is serious job security. I’m not the one schlepping the event supplies around anymore, but I did that for 30 years, and you have to be willing.”
Often, Painter said she had to pave the way for herself as there were times where she faced a lack of access to mentorship.
“I was the only person doing PR at both the local Girl Scout Council and the West Virginia American Lung Association, so I had to invent and make up and do and learn without having a mentor on-site on a daily basis,” Painter said.
However, later in her career, the wisdom and inspiration from mentors was instrumental to Painter’s moral and ethical code, Painter said.
“I look to people like Cathryn Gibbs Harris, Janet Ferguson and Joe Long who taught me by example of what a PR person should be,” Painter said. “They set the standard ethically, morally and professionally.”
In addition, Painter said she continues to learn from President Smith in her current role.
“He is arguably one of the top business leaders in the entire country,” Painter said. “I learn a lot of business skills and principles from him every day.”
Painter’s induction into the West Virginia Public Relations Hall of Fame can be attributed to her lifetime contributions to the public relations profession – something Painter said is difficult to fully absorb.
“I’m not sure I have taken it all in,” Painter said. “To be kind of on the same level as the people who are in the hall of fame is just thrilling.”
As for the future, Painter said she plans to grow with the shifty nature of the world and take advantage of all the opportunities life has to offer.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be at the right place at the right time, and I wish that for everyone,” Painter said. “I think PR and journalism can take you anywhere you want to be.”
Painter will be inducted into the West Virginia Public Relations Hall of Fame alongside the late Harold “Hal” Shaver, a renowned and beloved educator on Nov. 12. The pair join ten previous members of the WVPR Hall of Fame, which consists of H. William “Bill” Chaddock, David Cotton, Cathryn Gibbs Harris, Diane Slaughter, Joe Gollehon, Charles “Charlie” Ryan, Jeri Matheney, George Manahan, Joe Long, Bill Bissett, Linda Arnold and Tee Ford-Ahmed.
