PR NEWS – HALL OF FAME – ACCEPTANCE COMMENTS – GIL BASHE

Makovsky

Gil Bashe, Executive Vice President, Makovsky, was inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame. Ken Makovsky, Founder and President, accepted the acknowledgment and gave the below remarks on Gil’s behalf at the PR News Awards Ceremony:

Many thanks for including me as part of this esteemed community of PR leaders. I extend my congratulations to the other Hall of Fame inductees and acknowledge those who have come before us as setting an amazing example of excellence and dedication. Today, I am doing what I love so much – working with clients and colleagues to resolve their challenges. Regrettably, this means I cannot be with you to accept this honor. I am privileged that our firm’s founder and President, Ken Makovsky – also a PR News Hall of Fame member – receives this career acknowledgement on my behalf. Ken, who has been passionate about supporting our profession, is a wonderful representative.

There are just two things I want to share. First, to my younger colleagues here today – exceptional professionals who have the potential to change the world through this profession: transparent and accurate content is the basis for balanced decision-making. See this work as a calling. Through the decades I have been part of the PR community, and my years served in the military, government and in great PR firms, I am still fascinated that words inspire, create understanding and help to heal. Words make people anxious and calm. Regardless of the medium through which they are conveyed – in feature stories or 140 characters – the task of projecting words that result in action is an awesome responsibility. I remain passionate about the PR profession and hope you will too.

Second, as part of this great moment, I have been asked to tell about a mentor and, now, what inspires me to mentor. In 1994, 16 years after my start in the PR profession, I arrived at Hill and Knowlton tasked with the turn-around of an incredibly troubled Health Practice. Howard Paster, then H&K worldwide chair, was a source of support in this adventure, ready to knock away obstacles that my never-ending idealistic approach faced. He worked tirelessly to represent the needs and interests of the Firm and its integrity. He was incredibly dedicated to helping people succeed and we did. His time on this earth was too short – his work – a precious legacy – continues thanks to those that knew him and appreciated his investment in us.

He is the type of mentor that I now strive to be for my younger colleagues.

Mentoring is a privilege…it is about letting colleagues find the joy in this sometimes tough journey. I want my colleagues to be the very best they can be, to love this work and its potential. When they see the possibilities, I, in turn, share in their excitement. We are in this together! The tools of the trade evolve – but the passion to help people make good, thoughtful decisions continues to bring us all to the table – together! Regardless of how it’s served, people hunger for credible information.

This award does not signal that I’m retiring my jersey. I am still as passionate about this profession as I was more than 30 years ago! I look forward to great learnings and new discoveries in the years to come. Thanks again to Ken for delivering these words, and to PR News for including me in this special day.