Robert E. Butter

Executive in Residence: Communications/Public Relations/Marketing

Bob Butter has been a part-time instructor at the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration since 2013. He is a senior communications counselor and an advisor on communicating special situation issues to leading public and private organizations.

For half of his career, Butter worked on the client side of corporate and marketing communications; the rest of his experience with U.S., global and regional companies has been through his consulting work at global PR firm Ketchum and at Veritas Communications Advisors, a firm he co-founded in 2004.

Previously, Butter was associate director of Ketchum’s global corporate practice; he also served as chief strategy officer for Ketchum’s Pittsburgh operation. He is most known for his experience in crisis communications and issues management, media relations strategy, and community engagement.

Butter’s issues management and regulatory communications experience ranges from leadership changes, workforce reductions, corporate and product crises, to labor negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, proxy contests, management changes, industrial accidents, regulatory infractions, and supporting legal challenges with timely and effective communications.

As an advisor to Boards, CEOs and executive teams, Bob brings a strategic perspective to developing, managing and implementing plans and messages for organizations interested in promoting, protecting, or rebuilding their reputations through thoughtful communications plans, leadership and community programs, and targeted media activities. As a communications strategist, Butter was responsible for developing and managing issues planning, creating communications plans, or conducting media coaching for organizations in the following sectors: higher education, energy/utilities, law, banking and financial services, healthcare/hospitals, manufacturing, telecommunications, foundations, faith-based, civic and non-profit organizations.

Butter has been recognized for his project and career achievements by various organizations, including being named to the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Public Relations Society’s Hall of Fame. Butter is an Executive- in- Residence and part-time instructor in the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh, board member of Pressley Ridge Schools, board chair of Family Hospice & Palliative Care, and board member of UPMC’s Home Nursing Agency.

Butter is a 1979 honors journalism and communications graduate of Point Park University.