In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson designated Hispanic Heritage Week, a time to honor the wealthy historical past and important contributions of Americans with Hispanic roots. In 1988, then-President Ronald Reagan expanded the observance to 30 days (Sept. 15 to Oct. 15) creating Hispanic Heritage Month. Throughout this time america celebrates the varied cultures and impactful contributions of people whose ancestry could be traced to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
But, regardless of the 36-year observance, many distinctive Hispanic leaders in varied industries stay neglected.
Inside the public relations trade, many acknowledge one such pioneer because the “father of PR.” No, it isn’t Edward Bernays, despite the fact that he was a detailed pal. Fernando Valverde, APR, Fellow PRSA, and an unsung hero in PR, is well known because the “father of PR in Puerto Rico” for laying the muse for the event of PR apply there.
Early Life
Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in 1935, the place his father labored as an engineer, Valverde was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina after which in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He graduated from the College of Puerto Rico ROTC program in 1957 with a Bachelor of Enterprise Administration in Administration and Accounting. After commencement, he determined to affix the Military, which included a three-year keep in Germany, one yr within the Dominican Republic with the 82nd Airborne Division and two missions to South Vietnam as a Logistics Officer. After the Military discharged Valverde in 1970 as a Distinguished Army Graduate with the rank of captain, he started working at his father’s Peugeot’s supplier in Puerto Rico. Inside a couple of months, Valverde took his first managerial place in PR, which might turn into step one to a lifelong occupation.
PR Profession
Valverde was the primary PR skilled in Puerto Rico to acquire his Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation. His mantra was “protection of the occupation,” and his mission included selling the preparation and official accreditation of different practitioners.
In 1980 his focus shifted in the direction of cultivating the subsequent technology of execs, when he assumed the function of professor on the newly established College of Public Communication at Sagrado Corazon College. Valverde established the graduate program in Public Relations, an inaugural program in Puerto Rico in 1985.
PRSA inducted Valverde into its School of Fellows in 1992. It additionally renamed the ARPPR (Asociación de Relacionistas de Puerto Rico) Presidential Award to the Fernando Valverde Award in honor of his lifetime devotion to the occupation in 2016.
Group Involvement
All through his lifetime, Valverde served on the boards of a number of skilled and neighborhood organizations, fulfilling his perception in “service and charity to others.” Some included the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, United Means, Niños Buscalas, Junior Achievement, Abroad Press Membership, Crimson Cross, Salvation Military, Boy Scouts, Make-a-Want Basis and the Affiliation of Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Executives (SME). He served because the fifth president of the Puerto Rico Affiliation of Skilled Relations (ARPPR), serving from 1979-1980 and he served because the president of the Worldwide Affiliation of Communicators (IABC), the Rotary Membership of San Juan and the Lozada-Rubio Chapter (82nd Airborne Division Affiliation).
Legacy
After retirement, Valverde made his house in Kissimmee, Florida, the place he handed on Oct. 10, 2020, on the age of 85. His spouse Idalia handed in 2024 and they’re survived by daughters Mary, Virginia and Emilie, son Fernando Jr., in addition to a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Valverde’s legacy of ardour, dedication and robust sense of moral apply continues to encourage future generations of public relations professionals in Puerto Rico and past. His affect on the trade, and his dedication to mentoring others left an indelible mark. His contributions to public relations need to be remembered and celebrated for years to return.
[Editor’s Note: Join the Museum of Public Relations for its Hispanic Heritage Month event, “Combatting the Surge of Disinformation to Hispanic Audiences: The Role of Communicators in Mitigating False Narratives,” Thursday, Sept. 19, 6-7 p.m. ET. For more information, visit www.prmuseum.org.]
Jared Meade is Founder and Principal, Rayne Technique Group, writing on behalf of the PR Museum.
