Russia's father of public relations shares insight and inspiration with U.S. college students

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Alexander Borisov, who is considered Russia's father of public relations, shares a decidedly international perspective on the value of public relations and the personal qualities needed for career success.

Last spring,Borisov visited five U.S. universities during a lecture tour focusing on the evolution of public relations in Russia. The lecture, which featured stops at Ball State University John Carroll University, Kent State University, North Carolina State University and University of Maryland, was sponsored by the PRSA College of Fellows.

"It's easy to talk about international public relations in the classroom, but unless there is a lot of interchange of knowledge with people who live and breathe it, who come from different cultures, it is more difficult to grasp the subtleties," says Joe Epley, APR, Fellow, PRSA, of counsel, Epley Associates, Charlotte, N. C. He led the effort among the College of Fellows to organize Borisov s lecture tour.

Recognizing a need for communicators

About 15 years ago, Borisov visited America to learn, rather than to teach. The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in a transition from communism to capitalism. Public opinion and the free flow of information were critical to the success of democratic reforms. Borisov's ke.en understanding of strategic thinking and two-way communications inspired him to help establish the PR profession in Russia.

"A vacuum appeared, and I recognized a need to fill it with new communications," says Borisov.

In 1990, Borisov partnered with PRSA to help establish public relations in the Soviet Union.

"I first met Alexander in November 1990 at the PRSA National Conference where I was getting ready to take over as PRSA president,"says Epley."He was...