Mike Paul is a 20-year veteran of strategic public relations,
corporate communications and reputation management. He is the
president and senior counselor of MGP & Associates PR (MGP). MGP
was founded by Mr. Paul in 1994 and is a leading, boutique, PR
and reputation management firm based in New York with local, national
and international clients. The awarding-winning PR firm provides
senior counseling services to top corporate, government, non-profit,
sports and entertainment clients in both good times and bad. No
junior employees work at the firm. Mr. Paul is known for building
excellent teams of senior PR counselors and exceeding clients’
expectations. A few of the clients Mr. Paul has counseled include:
Citicorp, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, United Airlines, Verizon,
Time Warner, Pfizer, Baxter Healthcare, Manor Care, Libby Ross
Breast Cancer Foundation, Timberland, Dunkin Donuts, Duracell,
The Jackie Robinson Foundation, Boxing legends Muhammad Ali and
Joe Frazier, NY Giant greats Phil McConkey and Rodney Hampton,
NY Jet legend Mark Gastineau, The Queen of Soul-Aretha Franklin,
talk-radio star and bestselling author Dr. Laura Schlessinger,
the World-Famous Laugh Factory Comedy Club, New York University,
State University of New York, New School University, The King's
College, American Red Cross, Young Life, City Covenant Coalition
and Vigilante Advertising, BrightLine Partners, Stratus Environmental
and M7 Turf. Many other clients are not listed due to strict client
confidentiality.
For over 14 years, MGP & Associates PR has served clients
locally, nationally and internationally. Mr. Paul is considered
one of the leading experts in reputation management, crisis PR
and strategic corporate communications in the field of public
relations. MGP's clients include top global corporations, small
and mid-sized companies, nonprofit organizations, elected and
public officials, as well as top athletes and entertainers. He
is a member of the Seminar and the Arthur W. Page Society, the
two leading associations of top corporate communication executives
and the Public Relations Society of America, where he has judged
the prestigious PRSA Silver Anvil Awards. In 2004, PRWeek Magazine
named Mr. Paul as one of the top crisis communications and reputation
management counselors in the world. Mr. Paul is a board member
of the National Sports Marketing Network, the Libby Ross Breast
Cancer Foundation and PR News, another top PR publication.
He is listed in Who’s Who in America. A column in the August
2, 2004 edition of Sports Illustrated proclaimed Mr. Paul
"Mr. Fixit" for his counsel of pro athletes in crisis.
And BusinessWeek magazine on July 16, 2006, called him "the Master of
Disaster" for his counsel of global corporations in crises.
Mr. Paul is also a weekly guest commentator in the news regarding
public individuals, organizations and corporations with reputations
in crisis, including Enron, Tyco, WorldCom, the Catholic Church,
Britney Spears, Martha Stewart, Kobe Bryant, Jayson Williams,
Michael Jackson, steroids in sports, the global reputation of
the U.S., government leaders and nonprofits in crisis and many
others. He is interviewed weekly by top national and international
TV, radio and print news organizations including Fox News
Channel, CNN, BBC, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC, CBS, Court TV, ESPN, Sports
Illustrated, Associated Press, Reuters, U.P.I., N.Y. Times, Wall
Street Journal, National Public Radio and many others. Mr.
Paul has been published in many leading magazines and professional
journals. He is a former political columnist and reporter. He
is also editor of a popular blog called The
Reputation Doctor.
In addition, Mr. Paul is a former adjunct professor at several
universities in New York. He taught crisis communications and
reputation management at New York University, government and nonprofit
communications at Milano Graduate School at New School University,
public and international affairs at Columbia University's School
of International and Public Affairs, and work-team dynamics and
business communications at The King's College in New York City.
Mr. Paul took a leave of absence from MGP from 1998-1999 to serve
in the administration of former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani as EVP
of communications, marketing and advertising for NYC Economic
Development Corp. helping to retain and attract many businesses
in New York City.
Before working full-time at MGP, Mr. Paul was global managing
director of business strategy & marketing communications for MCI
Systemhouse (now a division of EDS). Systemhouse was MCI's computer
systems integration, information technology and outsourcing division.
He was responsible for world-wide marketing and communications
for the six global units known as the Vertical Markets Group.
Before MCI, Mr. Paul was vice president and senior counselor of
Hill & Knowlton's (H&K) New York Public Affairs Group (then the
#2 PR firm in the world). He served as the Group's leading executive
and advised clients in the areas of corporate communications,
public affairs and crisis communications. At H&K, Mr. Paul counseled
many top corporate and government leaders in both good times and
bad. Industries included technology, retail, healthcare, business
services, aviation, insurance, finance, education, real estate,
environmental consulting, charities, music, sports and entertainment.
Prior to Hill & Knowlton, Mr. Paul was senior associate at Burson-Marsteller
(then the #1 PR firm in the world). He was recruited directly
from graduate school at Columbia University and entered the firm's
Aviator Management Training Program. He counseled clients in the
firm's Global Corporate and Financial Communications, Healthcare,
Public Affairs, Crisis Communications and Media Relations Practices.
Mr. Paul was also founder and director of the Multicultural Taskforce
at Burson-Marsteller. While with the firm, he developed and implemented
numerous strategic public-relations programs for Fortune 500 clients.
Mr. Paul also worked with several professional athletes and entertainers
offering PR counsel in reputation management, media relations
and sponsorship retention.
Before entering PR consulting, Mr. Paul was an aide to former
U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-N.Y.) in both D.C. and NYC working
on foreign affairs, economic development and defense issues. He
was also an expert in opposition research and served as deputy
research director of former U.S. Senator D'Amato's successful
re-election campaign in 1992.
Prior to serving as a top aide to former U.S. Senator Alfonse
D'Amato, he was a former aide to N.Y. State Senator Nick Spano
and Assemblyman Vincent Leibell, two leading Republicans in the
New York State Legislature. At MGP, Mr. Paul also provides strategic
PR counsel to elected officials throughout the U.S. and in Washington,
D.C. and he also provides strategic PR counsel to top political
leaders in several countries around the world.
Mr. Paul earned a Master of Public Administration degree with
a concentration in International Management from Columbia University's
School of International and Public Affairs. He received two distinguished
fellowships for study at Columbia: the Woodrow Wilson Foundation
Fellowship in International and Public Policy and the Patricia
Harris Fellowship in Public Policy. Mr. Paul also earned a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Political Science and Public Policy from the
State University of New York at Cortland.
Mr. Paul is also a national paid speaker regarding the importance
of reputation management for both organizations and individuals.
His firm also provides pro bono PR services to several charitable
organizations.
