WHY

STAFF

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Our Staff

Ronald C. Hanser, APR President and Principal rhanser @ hanser.com

Ronald C. Hanser, an international leader in the public relations profession, has been a PR professional since 1972.

He co-founded Hanser & Associates (H&A), a national public relations firm, in 1996 and leads the firm’s overall daily management, setting the vision for services to clients, strategic counseling, and new business development.

Prior to co-founding H&A in 1996, Ron had 25 years experience as a corporate senior executive responsible for public relations, marketing, government relations and client-agency supervision. He headed these functions at international, national and regional companies, including Iowa Health System, The Principal Financial Group, Farm Credit System and National Pork Producers Council.

Ron's media relations experience includes work with The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and other national media. His career has also included creation of worldwide public relations and branding programs for corporations; global product launches; management of corporate annual meetings; and managing crisis communication for events such as national product recalls, explosions, CEO resignations, labor strikes, litigation and protest demonstrations. 

In addition to his responsibilities at H&A, Ron leads Pinnacle Worldwide, Inc., an international corporation of independent public relations firms with more than 50 offices and 1,200 employees in 30 countries. H&A is an equity partner in Pinnacle Worldwide. Ron is global Chairman of Pinnacle for 2006-2009. He was global President of Pinnacle for 2004-2006, President-Elect for 2002-2004 and a member of Pinnacle's Executive Committee since 2000.

Ron is published and quoted worldwide on business communications and public relations industry topics. For example, he authored the chapter “PR for People in Corner Offices” in the book “Public Relations Best Practices,” published in 2007 by Aspatore Books. Ron also speaks frequently at national and regional conferences.

He is member of Public Relations Society of America and APR accredited by PRSA.  

Ron is a graduate of Kansas State University with a B.S. in Journalism.

Also of benefit to H&A’s clients, Ron is a well-connected leader of Iowa ’s business groups. He is a former member of the board of directors of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, central Iowa ’s economic development organization, and a former chair and current member of the Partnership’s Communications Advisory Committee. Ron is also a member of the boards of directors of West Des Moines Development Corporation.

Ron is active in leading non-profit organizations, also. He is a member of the boards of directors of National Council on Youth Leadership, Marketing Committee of American Red Cross and a member in Rotary International.

Bonnie K. Hanser Chief Operating Officer and Principal bhanser @ hanser.com

Bonnie co-founded Hanser & Associates (H&A), a national public relations firm, in 1996 and heads the firm’s operational functions, including human resources, finance, client programs, production and traffic.

 
A marketing and public relations professional since 1980, Bonnie is a veteran of product launches, events management, community relations programming, not-for-profit fundraising, volunteer management, and leadership positions in community organizations.

At H&A Bonnie has been involved creating and implementing the successful, national award-winning public relations programs of many of the firm’s clients, including Paramus, New Jersey-based Coach USA, Nutley, New Jersey-based Roche Pharmaceuticals, Des Moines-based College Savings Iowa, Gaithersburg, Maryland-based MedImmune, Lincoln, Neb.-based Nebraska Dept. Health & Human Services, and other H&A clients in the consumer, energy, financial, healthcare, technology, travel and other sectors.

She also represents H&A’s interest in Pinnacle Worldwide, Inc., an international corporation of independent public relations firms with more than 50 offices and 1,200 employees in 30 countries. H&A has been an equity partner in Pinnacle Worldwide since 1999.

Bonnie’s previous work experience included startup, creative oversight and operations of successful art company serving a nationwide market during the 1980s and 1990s.

She is a native of Newton , Kansas and attended Kansas State University .

Outside of work, her hobbies include travel, photography, reading, volunteering, gardening and spending time with family.

	Ryan Hanser, APR            Senior Vice President ryan @ hanser.com

Ryan provides strategic counsel and project management for tech, financial and healthcare clients. He executes international, national and local client projects including media relations, media spokesperson training, creative, direct mail, Internet consulting and trade show support.

Ryan's experience includes work with AP, CNet, IDG, The Register (UK), The Wall Street Journal and many more online, print and broadcast outlets. Successes include the coordination of a cost-effective international product launch in France, Germany and Japan that garnered more than 7 million targeted media impressions with help from our Pinnacle Worldwide partners.

Prior to joining Hanser & Associates in 1999, he was a corporate relations officer with Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa and USG Annuity & Life - Des Moines subsidiaries of ING Group's north American retail financial services operation. During his two years at Equitable, Ryan managed internal communication and media and investor relations.

Before Equitable, Ryan held four public relations internships while earning a communications degree at the University of Northern Iowa. He interned with the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, Iowa Health System, Essman/Associates and the Better Business Bureau between 1994 and 1996.

Ryan is an accredited (APR) member of the Public Relations Society of America and former treasurer for the central Iowa chapter. He is a founding member and former president of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Young Professionals Connection and served on the Partnership's Community Development Board of Directors. Ryan is the president of Central Iowa Trail Association and a founding board member of Iowa Whitewater Coalition and Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

Outside the office, Ryan can be found playing a tenor saxophone, shooting eighteen holes of disc golf or riding a bicycle in the woods.

Erica Turner Account Executive  erica @ hanser.com

Erica, a public relations professional since 2005, joined Hanser & Associates (H&A) as an Account Executive in January 2008.

She provides media relations and other public relations services nationwide to a variety of H&A clients in the consumer, destination/tourism/travel, healthcare, financial and other industry sectors.  

Her experience includes creating and implementing PR and sponsor-related activation programs. Her PR experience also includes national and local media relations pitching and placement for clients such as Burger King, Cub Cadet, Iowa Speedway, Office Depot, PUMA and Shell Oil.   

Erica previously worked in the Sports & Sponsorship Marketing division at Edelman in Chicago and was an integral part of a team that touched multiple sports and NASCAR programs.  She developed her love for racing at Iowa Speedway, where she provided PR services and worked with such racing stars as Rusty Wallace, Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish, Jr.  Securing media coverage and handling news announcements for inaugural-season race sponsors allowed her to develop lasting relationships with media representatives.   

She also interned at WHO-TV while earning a BA in Journalism at The University of Iowa.  

Erica stays active in her community by volunteering time and PR services to the West Des Moines Community Celebration Committee. She also serves as a primary media relations contact for One Brick, a non-profit organization that brings volunteers together to support other local non-profits through an innovative twist of friendly, commitment-free volunteering. 

A native of Adel , Iowa , she relocated from Chicago and now lives in West Des Moines .  Outside of work, Erica enjoys sporting events, cooking and spending time with friends, family and her husband Kevin.

Amanda Mullin Account Executive  amanda @ hanser.com

A public relation professional since 2004, Amanda joined Hanser & Associates (H&A) in 2006. 

She provides media relations and other public relations services nationwide to a variety of H&A clients in the consumer, travel/tourism, healthcare, financial and other industry sectors. 

Amanda, a Des Moines, Iowa native, is a strong writer with experience in journalism, marketing and promotions.  

Before joining H&A, she was communication intern for Community Housing Development Corporation where she developed and implemented new promotional materials for the non-profit organization. 

Amanda also promoted RedBull North America as a member of the marketing team, reported for various sections of the Press Citizen, a Gannett publication and worked as Marketing Coordinator for AT LAST Salon and Day Spa. 

She earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Grand View College. 

Away from the office, Amanda enjoys traveling, watching movies and spending time with her family.

	Sara Gilbert             Assistant Account Executive  sara @ hanser.com

Sara Gilbert joined Hanser & Associates (H&A) as an Assistant Account Executive in June 2008. She was previously a PR intern at H&A during 2007.

Sara graduated from Drake University in 2008 with a BA in journalism and a minor in music.

She serves H&A clients in the destination/tourism/travel, consumer, healthcare, financial, and other sectors.

Sara’s experience includes a public relations internship with Everybody Wins! Iowa , a children’s literacy and mentoring organization, and Drake University Office of Alumni Development.

Sara’s hobbies include singing, music, traveling, movies, wine, writing, painting, and spending time with friends and family.

Nancy Hultquist, MA Sr. Public Relations Consultant nancy @ hanser.com

Nancy is based in our Omaha office, where she prepares clients to handle media interviews, trains speakers to read the body language of their audience and pitches stories to the media – this is all in her day's work.

With 18 years of public relations experience, Nancy understands public relations, the news media, and the dynamics of a great presentation. She works hard to get her client’s message out to the right audiences. She consults with clients on their overall public relations strategies, news media relations, news releases and special media events, and helps clients enhance their presentation and speaking skills. Nancy also conducts many crisis communication seminars and business etiquette workshops.

She works with all types of clients: large and small companies, business leaders, government officials, attorneys, physicians and more.

Nancy has a masters degree in speech communications and rhetoric and a bachelors degree in organizational communications.

She has been affiliated with Hanser & Associates (H&A) since 2002, and her previous employment includes PR positions with United States Senators Robert Dole, Elizabeth Dole and Larry Pressler; Director of Public Relations for Redstone Communications; and most recently Assistant Professor of Public Relations at the University or Nebraska – Omaha campus.

She has worked with a wide variety of national and local news media, including all network news media in the Omaha market along with the Omaha World-Herald.

Nancy is active in many Midlands leadership positions, including the Methodist Hospital VIPs, Public Relations Society of America-Omaha Chapter, Omaha Police Foundation, Rose Blumkin Foundation, Girls, Inc., and the Midlands Lung Cancer Clinic.

In between interacting with the new media and giving etiquette presentations, Nancy enjoys making a gourmet meal for her husband, Kent, going for family walks and spending time with her son, Erik.

Other Associates

Hanser & Associates utilizes our local and international team of PR professionals to complete every assignment on time, on target, and on budget. We provide our clients the customer-focused attention expected of a small local firm and the full service of a large international firm through our partnership in Pinnacle Worldwide. Our worldwide workforce of more than 1,100 public relations professionals place our team as one of the largest PR firms in the world. In addition to offering the best local and international professional services, Hanser & Associates has the ability to draw upon the resources of staff in Pinnacle Worldwide offices around the globe. Clients enjoy the luxury of receiving the highest quality professional services in Iowa and around the globe when they engage us.