Nicolas Ruszkowski Appointed General Manager of Fleishman-Hillard's Ottawa Office

OTTAWA, Ontario, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleishman-Hillard International Communications today announced the appointment of Nicolas Ruszkowski as senior vice president, partner and general manager of the firm's Ottawa office, effective immediately.

Ruszkowski joins Fleishman-Hillard from The Ottawa Hospital, his latest post in a 20-year career in the fields of public affairs and communications. The hospital is one of Canada's leading Academic Health Sciences Centres, with 15,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, as well as an annual budget over $1 billion and affiliation with the University of Ottawa's faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences.

As vice president of communications and outreach, he was responsible for the organization's brand and reputation management strategies. This included the launch of the hospital's new vision, oversight of community relations, political outreach, media relations, issues management, employee engagement, stakeholder relations and social networking.

"Nicolas' depth of knowledge underscores our commitment to attract the best talent in the marketplace to serve our clients' needs," said John Blyth, Fleishman-Hillard's regional president for Canada. "Nicolas will lead an extremely talented group of consultants who provide integrated solutions to clients every day in our Ottawa office, while working within the broader Canadian and international Fleishman-Hillard networks."

The appointment marks a return to Fleishman-Hillard for Ruszkowski, who is fluent in French and English. He was a vice president of the Ottawa office from 2005 to 2007. Prior to his work at The Ottawa Hospital, Ruszkowski was director of communications to the leader of the Official Opposition.

Ruszkowski is a specialist in public affairs and issues management, having honed his skills in the war rooms of two national election campaigns, on the floor of Canada's Parliament during the sponsorship scandal, and on the front lines of healthcare during the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

"I look forward to leading our outstanding team in Ottawa as we address increasing demand for our services," said Ruszkowski. "Building on Fleishman-Hillard's leadership in the design and delivery of integrated public affairs and communications solutions – along with its rigorous commitment to the provision of insightful, evidence-based strategic counsel – we will continue to strengthen our service offering. I can't imagine a better opportunity."

Ruszkowski also has served as director of communications to the Forest Products Association of Canada and as country director (in Slovakia) for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

"We are thrilled to add Nicolas' considerable leadership qualities to our team," Blyth said. "Nicolas immediately embraced our firm's guiding principles: mutual respect, integrity, teamwork and 'client comes first' customer service. He has incorporated these principles into developing his approach to this new assignment."

Ruszkowski graduated cum laude with a diploma in social communications, studying at the University of Ottawa's Catholic affiliate, Universite Saint Paul, and the University of Ottawa's Department of Communication, the latter in a program created by his grandfather, professor Andre Ruszkowski. He also graduated from the Advanced Health Leadership Program at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management.

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

SOURCE Fleishman-Hillard Inc.