Making the Image of St. Louis and other challenges of the Mayor's Office

Jeff Rainford, chief of staff to Mayor Francis Slay, leads the team that is working to make St. Louis the best place to live, work and play in the region. Well-known throughout the area, Rainford has been a radio reporter, television reporter and head of a public policy firm. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism.

Rainford's presentation was part of PRSA-St. Louis' annual Pro-Am Day at Saint Louis University. As a result, his remarks were particularly directed at the students in the audience, although they are just as applicable to public relations professionals.

Rainford emphasized the concept of communicators being an integral part of the decision-making process, which echoed the theme of January's PRSA meeting, "Getting a Seat at the Table." In general, Rainford feels that the key to going beyond the news release and getting a seat at the table is to be a well-rounded critical thinker who can empathize with the concerns of key audiences.

Some key points:
* Be as well-rounded as you can. In his own experience, Rainford focused on journalism while at University of Missouri. In hindsight, he would have taken as many courses as he could in different disciplines in order to have a well-rounded educational background when he got his start professionally.

* Be well-read. Going along with being well-rounded, this involves reading as much as possible, from the widest number of sources.

* Be able to think and to use good judgment.

* Be able to write. While this goes without saying, Rainford emphasized the ability of communicators to tell a story about a complicated topic in a way that ordinary people can understand.

* Think empathetically. One of a communicator's most valuable roles is determining how others will view an organization's decision. Many organizations, Rainford believes, are run by very smart people who do not always understand how to connect with ordinary people. These leaders need skilled communicators to tell their story to the public.

* Learn something new every day. Rainford concluded by reminding participants of all ages that they have great opportunities ahead of them, especially if they adopt this attitude of lifelong learning

^{Review by Chris Horner, Board Director, PRSA-St. Louis}


PRSA members (left) give Pro-Am Day students tips on their interviewing skills and preparing their resumes following the luncheon.	Jeff Rainford does what he does most days. He fields questions about the City of St. Louis. This one after his luncheon presentation at Saint Louis University, Feb. 25, 2005.