Ginny Richardson Public Relations

Specialties

Ginny Richardson Public Relations is a PR firm specializing in media relations for business, healthcare, entertainment, and the arts. GR-​PR helps its family of clients by going after free inches in newspapers and magazines and free minutes on television and radio. Stories end up in the coveted news and feature sections and TV and radio segments, not as paid advertising.

History

Established in 1979.

Burr Ridge resident Ginny Richardson celebrates 30 years in public relations.

The first 15 of those years, Ginny did PR on the sidelines, never dreaming it was leading to her life’s career until she acquired such clients as Northern Trust Bank — West Region, Tiffany & Co. and Hinsdale Hospital. Thirteen years ago, the sideline business had grown to a point where Ginny quit her fulltime position as Director of Public Relations at Wellness House, Hinsdale, to pursue GR-​PR full time.

But let’s back up. In 1986, Ginny was hired by The Doings Newspapers to write news and feature stories for the business, health, lifestyle and entertainment sections. At this job she observed hundreds of PR people calling and pitching story ideas.

She learned which ones (PR reps) were terrific and why they were terrific, and she modeled herself from the best of the best.

Ginny never forgot what she learned in the journalism world, and she knows «both sides of the desk.»

Meet the Business Owner

Ginny R.

Business Owner

Ginny Richardson’s public relations business began years ago in 1979 as unpaid volunteer work for the various groups to which she belonged. Finally, she got some guts and started charging. Her first client, a local dentist, paid her $ 5 an hour. (Current fees are a tad higher…)

During those years, she worked as associate editor of The Doings Newspaper, a director of public relations, and a talk show host on both radio and TV.

Ginny was a well-​read weekly columnist for ten years, from 1986 – 1996. Her column, Pearls, won Best Column of 1990 from the Suburban Press Club. Her writing awards are numerous including best feature of the year from Northern Illinois Newspaper Association. In addition, Ginny was named Healthcare writer of 1991 by the Healthcare Communicators of Chicago.

By 1994, she had accumulated enough experience to pursue her company full-​time. During the first year of full-​time GR-​PR, she tripled income and hired two account executives.