Keith Pillow, APR
Keith Pillow, APR is the founder and “chief caddy” of Caddy Marketing and Communications, which provides creative, cost-effective marketing solutions to small and mid-sized businesses in multiple industries. And he’s a big believer in the value of industry education. He earned his MBA from Pepperdine University in 2004 and his APR in 2008. Since 2011, he’s been an adjunct professor at Cal Lutheran University and Cal State LA, where he teaches introduction to public relations and various marketing courses. Most recently, Keith served as co-chair of the PRSA 2015 Western Regional District Conference in Los Angeles. Here are his thoughts on PRSA’s accreditation.
PRSA-LA: Why did you pursue your APR?
PILLOW: I pursued my APR for several reasons. As I neared the 20-year experience mark in the PR profession, I took a long, hard look at my fellow PR colleagues around me, many of whom are more seasoned than me. I noticed they were heavily involved in PRSA, including serving in leadership positions, and they also held APR designations. They commanded respect because of their experience, education, and background.
I realized I also wanted to be more involved in the organization, and I felt that obtaining my accreditation would give me more credibility with, and put me on more equal footing with, these highly experienced practitioners. Additionally, I knew it would serve me well if I ever decided to become a leader at the PRSA chapter, district, or national levels
Secondly, I’m an anomaly in this profession, as I never formally studied journalism, PR, or communications like many of my colleagues, although I was somewhat exposed to all of these subjects during my college years. Instead, I studied marketing and international business in undergrad, and I have a MBA in marketing from Pepperdine University. However, there is very little discussion of PR or corporate communications in business school. Pursuing my APR allowed me to supplement this education with a more formal study of PR from a holistic point of view, and that knowledge has proven to be invaluable in my practice of the profession since I earned my designation.
Finally, it was simply time for me to do this. I had nearly 20 years of experience at that point, so I wanted to formally demonstrate my PR knowledge and proficiency in a real-world, tangible way that states to prospects, clients, and employers, “Keith has a tremendous amount of PR experience and expertise, and he definitely knows what he’s talking about.” In the end, for me, it is all about trust, credibility, and legitimacy, and my APR stands for all of that.
PRSA-LA: How has your APR benefited you?
PILLOW: “For starters, my APR has bestowed me with even more PR knowledge and insight than I ever could have gleaned from years on the job. I love bringing that knowledge to the table with prospects and clients, and to my students in the classroom as an adjunct professor of PR and marketing at two Southern California universities. Because the subject matter is so wide-ranging, yet comprehensive, the APR curriculum holistically educates candidates on all facets of the profession, regardless of what discipline or industry one works in.
Finally, like many of my colleagues with the designation I get asked about my APR all the time (especially since it is on all of my firm’s marketing materials). When that occurs, it’s an excellent opportunity for me to educate them about PR and its many components, its value and ROI within the marketing mix, and my extensive background in the profession.
