College of Charleston faculty member Tom Martin, executive-in-residence in the Department of Communication, is the recipient of the Arthur W. Page Society’s 2011 Distinguished Service Award. Martin is the former senior vice president and director of corporate relations at ITT and vice president of corporate communications at FedEx. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who have devoted themselves to services that help build and nurture the profession of public relations.
“I can think of no one more worthy of this award than Tom Martin,” says Bethany Goodier, chair of the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston. “His commitment to mentoring undergraduate students and continuing to serve his profession with integrity and purpose is inspiring. We are honored to have him in the Department of Communication.”
In addition to teaching and mentoring students at the College of Charleston since 2007, Martin has also spearheaded the development and launch of Page Society’s Future Leaders Experience, the two-year leadership development program designed to prepare high-potential communications executives to assume the role of the chief communication officer (CCO) at major corporations. As chair of Page Society’s Professional Development committee he has led the launch of several new initiatives aimed at developing younger professionals in Page member organizations through mentoring, social media platforms and networking events.
“Tom’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of communication leaders is an invaluable contribution to the industry,” said Bill Margaritis, chairman of the Arthur W. Page Society. “We are delighted to recognize him with this year’s Distinguished Service Award.
Martin joined the College of Charleston after leaving his position at ITT where he was an officer, member of the company’s Executive Council, and responsible for worldwide brand and reputation management, public relations, employee communications, government affairs, corporate advertising and community relations. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, and is a member of Charleston Philanthropic Partners. In November of 2006 he was inducted into the PR News Hall of Fame.
Martin has served as a trustee for the Arthur W. Page Society since 2002 and was president from 2004 to 2005.
The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives who seek to enrich and strengthen their profession. Membership consists primarily of chief communications officers of Fortune 500 corporations, the CEOs of the world’s largest public relations agencies, and leading academics from the nation’s top business and communications schools. The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief public relations officers. For more information please visit www.awpagesociety.com.
