That's why Toyota hired Jim Wiseman as vice president of public affairs. Wiseman was president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. His mission for Toyota wasn't to do damage control, but to make friends, first in Georgetown, then throughout the state. Finally, the needs of cities, regions and even countries are changing. That's why Jerry Bryan believes business communicators have an advantage in civic work.
Communicators know how to make sense of things.
Bryan has had plenty of practice using this skill. Vice president for corporate communications at Sverdrup Corp., a large professional services firm in St. Louis, he heads a metropolitan citizens group, Confluence St. Louis, and is active in a wide range of other non-profits. He didn't start out to become influential. A former governor's press secretary, Bryan began joining civic boards because he was worried corporate life was too confining. His first inkling that his non-profit work might enhance his corporate standing came when his CEO and other senior executives started dropping by to discuss public issues.