Fleishman-Hillard Announces Inaugural Class of Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellows

ST. LOUIS, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, a leading global strategic communications firm, today announced the inaugural class of Alfred Fleishman Diversity fellows. Six young professionals will serve fellowships in St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and New York. 

"This is an impressive group of young professionals with diverse backgrounds and credentials," said Dave Senay, president and CEO of Fleishman-Hillard. "They truly embody the forward thinking and inclusive spirit on which this program was built, and it is with great excitement that I welcome them to our firm. I look forward to drawing on their energy, passion and ideas, as well as partnering with them to advance the very important mission of this program — to enrich the diversity of Fleishman-Hillard and the communications industry as a whole."

The 2012 recipients of the Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellowships:

• Will Alexander: Alexander will work in the firm's New York office. A graduate of Butler University, he holds a bachelor's in communications studies and public relations. He is a Nashville, Tenn., native.
• Whitney Boggs: Boggs also will work in the New York office. The Detroit native holds a master's in public communications from American University, where she wrote her capstone on targeting multicultural audiences through social media.
• Branche Foston: Foston, who has a bachelor's in communication with a focus on entertainment, media and society from the University of Southern California, will work in the Chicago office. The Fallbrook, Calif., native has mentored eight elementary school girls for the past two years.
• Leah Girma: Girma, who has a bachelor's in speech communication from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, speaks three different languages. The LA native will be based in the agency's St. Louis headquarters.
• Erin Jordan: Jordan is a Columbia, Mo., native who holds a master's in communications (public relations) from the University of Houston, and a bachelor's in integrated marketing communication from Abilene Christian University. She will work in the Dallas office.
• Jasmine Nesi: Nesi will work in the Washington, D.C., office. A Greensboro, N.C., native, she holds a bachelor's in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellowships focus on identifying and recruiting talented seniors and graduate students at U.S. colleges and universities. Fellowship coordinators in various offices across the Fleishman-Hillard network worked with university faculty to identify talented communications students for six- to 12-month paid fellowships with benefits. Upon successful completion of the fellowship program, participants will be considered for employment with Fleishman-Hillard.

The program was named in honor of Alfred Fleishman, the agency's co-founder and a pioneer of modern public relations. Fleishman was recognized for promoting human rights, supporting the less fortunate, and helping people from diverse backgrounds communicate with and understand one another.

The Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellowship program is one of several initiatives Fleishman-Hillard is undertaking to enrich the diversity of its workforce, including an increased focus on minority student college recruiting and a new diversity council that will work to strengthen retention of minority staff members.

About Fleishman-Hillard
Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world's leading strategic communications firms, has built its reputation on creating integrated solutions that deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard website at www.fleishmanhillard.com. Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE Fleishman-Hillard Inc.