01-29-2011 KC'S DEAN OF PUBLIC RELATIONS STARTS HIS 56TH YEAR When it comes to public relations Pat Paton is truly in a league of his own. It is doubtful there is anyone else in Kansas City history who has plied his trade for 55 years. That's right. On February 1, Paton will begin his 56th year in public relations---and he has no plans on retiring. He's been called the "Dean of Kansas City Public Relations," and that is not an understatement Paton, who will turn 80 in September, was born in Kansas City and graduated from Southwest High, KC Missouri Junior College and in 1953 with a B.A. degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City. He began his press and media career in 1953 as the original member of the television news staff and “still” photographer at the then new KCMO-TV (today KCTV). In fact, he was the first news department employee hired for the TV station in August 1953 before the station actually went on the air that September. He left KCMO-TV in February 1956 to form his highly successful public relations and marketing firm PPPR / PAT PATON PUBLIC RELATIONS. At that time there were less than a dozen PR consultants in Kansas. Paton's first PR client was the motion picture and theatre sensation CINERAMA. Over the next 55 years he worked with Kansas City’s top professional theatres, banks, developers, airlines, medical groups, hospitals, manufacturing concerns, national marketing firms, national income tax firms, local and regional restaurants and food chains, civic and business organizations and educational institutions. As a PR professional, he has been recognized for both personal and civic leadership achievements. He received the honor of “Outstanding Alumni” from UMKC and was named “Best KC PR Person” numerous times by Kansas City’s former Squire Publications. Other honors include those presented by The National Press Photographers Assn. (Paton is a 50+ year member and was co-founder of the Kansas City Chapter), Lake of the Ozarks Council, Lake of the Ozarks Yachting Assn., Kansas City Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast Committee, Public Relations Society of America, several Kansas City medial groups and several professional theatre recognitions. He is a member of The Kansas City Star Forty Years Ago Column Club, The Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas City, the Ararat Shrine (50+ year member), Scottish Rite (50+year member), The National Press Photographers Association (Lifetime member) and other professional, civic and business groups. A co-founder of The Kansas City Media Legends group, Paton has helped the group grow to more than 140 members who meet twice each month. Bottom Line sat down with him to discuss his distinguished public relations career:
PAT, HOW HAS PR CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? Basically it's an electronic world now, no more old Royal typewriter, mimeograph machine, carbon paper and stamps -- and there are far fewer areas where a good PR story can be placed -- today it's more who you know and who knows you that gives you the creditability. I really can't say that PR has changed in procedure over the many years, the PR guy is still the media's second staff and supplies many good stories and news features that may not be available otherwise.
IF YOU WERE STARTING YOUR CAREER TODAY WOULD YOU STILL GET INTO PUBLIC RELATIONS? YES! It's been a fantastic 55 years and more than interesting, Of course there have been some down moments, but the satisfaction of doing a good job with and for a client is very rewarding.
WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA PEOPLE TO WORK WITH OVER THE YEARS? I really don't have any favorite media people. I've run into very few that I didn't have high respect for and we were all "friends" -- I was for the most part treated like "a member of the family."
YOU WERE AT NEW THEATRE FOR A LONG TIME. WHO WERE YOUR FAVORITE STARS TO WORK WITH? WHICH ONES WERE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH? The funny thing is that in about 10 seasons at the New Theatre I ran into only one or two "stars" that were difficult, as stars sometimes are, but I'm friends with every one of them today --- Jamie Farr, Marion Ross, Elinor Donahue, Don Knotts, Charlotte Rae. "Stars" are under pressure to do the best they can and stay pretty focused, but knew I had a job to do as well as they did and that was to get people into the theatre to see them perform --- and also working with the Starlight and the American Heartland, the people and the featured players were experiences that will always be remembered and treasured.
WHO HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR CLIENTS OVER THE YEARS? In addition to the theatres, I worked with TWA, Braniff, Gilbert-Robinson Restaurants, Putsch's, shopping centers, a local bank group for 35 years, Bristol-Myers, professional medical associations (served as director of one for 25 years), tourism groups, became a developer myself in Florida with the Sun Castle Complex in Cape Coral and even owned WREN-AM in Topeka, Kansas for several years.. and oh m'gosh the list goes on.
WHAT MEMORIES STAND OUT IN YOUR CAREER? My whole career is one memory after another. One that stands out is with H & R Bloch where I had arranged for Richard Block to go to Chicago to appear on ABC's Don McNeill's Breakfast Club. The day before Richard was supposed to leave, he fell and broke his leg -- but being a trouper he went, appeared on the radio show and instead of a very brief interview he stayed as a guest on the entire 2-hour show. This was one of the first national appearances for Block.
ARE THERE ANY PR CAMPAIGNS YOU DID THAT WERE YOUR FAVORITES? I don't think I have any real favorites -- there have been so many -- but I must say that the theatres were fun as were the "stars" and a pretty good ego builder to be seen having lunch with say Don Knotts.
WHICH MEDIUM DO YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH BEST? PRINT, RADIO OR TV? It's really hard to say -- there were different things for different media, and when a project worked out or a plan got great coverage it really didn't matter. Each called for a few different measures, but flexability is a PR guy's second nature.
ANY ADVICE FOR PR FOLKS ENTERING THE FIELD? I've talked to a number of PR students and college groups and the advice ranges from "know your product" to know what you expect, and a good press release must include how, where and when. I tell them don't expect to get featured billing with every plan. I tell the media folks now I'll send a release and or a story and if it fits use it. If not there's always a next time! I guess over the 55 years I've probably averaged about a 90% story usage. Today however, many so called PR people send out reams of "press" material, not a lot for getting a feature published, but to make the client happy. Many times, at least today, just sending information can be over-kill.
SO, PAT, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY GET INTO PR AGAIN? Would I get into PR again? You darn well betcha -- what a geat life it has been!
(Pat can be contacted at (913) 491-4000 or via e-mail at [email protected] )
01-31-2011 "Great story, great guy. Paton's the BEST!" --- @BroadcastKC:
02-12-2011 "Just wanted to commend Mr. Pat Paton on a job well done - he is #1 in the PR industry." --- Respectfully, Jim Alfred
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