Articles

Member Spotlight: Barbara Pierce, APR

Barbara Pierce, APR
President & Managing Member of Tipping Point Public Relations

Barbara Pierce, APR came to Tipping Point after serving in multiple communications leadership roles at Eastman Kodak Company, including Director of Worldwide Strategic Communications, Public Relations Director for Worldwide Brand Marketing & Communications, and Associate Director of Corporate Media Relations. Barbara has also spent more than 15 years on the agency side, working with organizations and institutions including Constellation Brands, Bausch & Lomb, Frontier Communications, Cornell’s Jewelers, Garth Fagan Dance, ESL Federal Credit Union, and Alpina yogurt. She has been awarded the PRSA Sharleen M. Bruse Award for career achievement, the PRSA Silver Anvil Award, PRSA Bronze Anvil recognition, numerous PRSA chapter PRism Awards, and American Marketing Association chapter ADDY Awards.

1.  You are currently President of Tipping Point Communications with a staff of 24. Can you tell us about the career path that led you to this position?
My love of writing led me to Public Relations. I started my career on the agency side of the business, where I spent 15 years working in account service and PR. I then spent a fulfilling five years in public relations leadership roles at Eastman Kodak Company. There, I was able to learn financial PR, lead global product campaigns, and travel around the world. But I never lost the agency spirit. So when I had the chance to start a PR agency, I jumped at it. I joined forces with Michelle Ashby, who was running a successful media strategy firm, to establish Tipping Point Public Relations.

 2. This fall you rebranded your agency and combined Tipping Point Public Relations, LLC and Tipping Point Media, Inc. Why were these separate services and why did you combine them?
My business partner, Michelle Ashby, established Tipping Point Media 10 years ago. Early on, her team of respected media planners and buyers mastered digital media and stayed at the forefront of paid social advertising. And with the foray into paid social came requests from clients to develop social media strategy and content, and manage issues – Michelle recognized the need to add public relations experts to her team. Luckily, at about the same time, I was looking to leave Kodak, find a partner or two, and buy into a firm of my own. Michelle and I created Tipping Point Public Relations in 2011, a partnership that leveraged the strengths of Tipping Point with my expertise in PR. Soon into our partnership, the Tipping Point “sister agencies” began working closely together. The media business continued to grow and PR took off. After four years, we decided to formalize what our clients and the community already embraced – one company with a consistent brand. We moved into our new offices on University Avenue and introduced Tipping Point Communications.

 3. Why was it important to you to get your Accreditation in Public Relations (APR)?  Has it been helpful in your career?
I earned my APR in 2000. It was an obvious thing for me to do – I love this profession, and I wanted to excel at it. There’s no better way to get smart about PR than to go through the APR process.

4. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your current position and in such a rapidly changing communications field?
As Tipping Point continues to grow, our biggest and most important challenge is to find great people who are talented at what they do, are passionate about our industry, and bring a positive, open mind. Our team is full of communications specialists, and we look for people who love communications. If you can find employees like that, you have a team that is always learning and growing – and that loves to stay at the cutting edge. So a rapidly changing landscape isn’t as daunting as finding people who hunger to keep up with it.

 5. You have been very active on a number of high profile boards (WXXI, Ad Council, Rochester Rotary, High Falls Film Festival). How has this been helpful to you?
Supporting non-profit organizations is not only good for our community, but is immensely rewarding. I’ve met amazing people, had unique experiences, and am a better person for it.

 6. What advice can you offer to newcomers entering the field of PR? Anything you wish you had known?
Open minds make for successful PR pros – stay open to great ideas, and think first about how things could work instead of why they won’t.