Patrick Gallagher, president and chief operations officer for Charles Ryan Associates, will visit WVU s P.I. Reed School of Journalism Thursday evening (Oct. 11) to discuss opportunities and challenges in the public relations field.

“Pat Gallagher is one of the best in the business. I cant think of anyone better to give students the real, up-close-and-expert view on public relations jobs, challenges, opportunities and avenues to success. Every student should hear what he has to say,”said SOJ Dean Christine Martin.

Gallagher, a 1972 SOJ graduate, will meet with students at 6 p.m. in Adjunct Instructor Chuck Harmans health public relations class.

Charles Ryan Associates is a leading public relations firm located in Charleston, W.Va., with offices in Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va.

Gallagher is a former corporate executive and business trade association president who has spent years successfully managing public relations, community relations and government relations in both the public and private sectors.

He is a recognized expert and counsels senior corporate executives throughout the country in the areas of crisis communication, litigation communication, labor disputes and mergers, acquisitions and takeovers.

During the past five years, Gallagher has crisscrossed the country working in more than 30 states for numerous Fortune 500 companies on a multitude of issues, including class action lawsuits, consumer litigation, environmental incidents and labor issues.

As vice president of public affairs for Kaiser Aluminum&Chemical Corp., Gallagher was responsible for public, community and government relations for all company facilities east of the Mississippi River.

He served as president and CEO of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association, where he represented the interests of 250 state manufacturers before the public, news media and state and federal government.

In the public sector, Gallagher served as director of community development during Gov. John D. Rockefeller IVs administration. Gallagher directed six program divisions and managed over $100 million in state and federal grant funds.

Rockefeller appointed him as his alternate to the Appalachian Regional Commission and as executive director of the governors Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Corrections.

He earned a bachelors degree in journalism from WVU and is a former government affairs manager for ACF Industries Inc.; executive assistant to the West Virginia Senate President; and reporter/anchor for WCHS -TV in Charleston.